Differentiating Non-Distraction and So-Forth - An Aspect of Training in Thorough Cut

DIFFERENTIATING NON-DISTRACTION AND SO FORTH AN ASPECT OF TRAINING IN THOROUGH CUT

TONY DUFF PADMA KARPO TRANSLATION COMMITTEE

This text is secret and should not be shown to those who have not had the necessary introduction and instructions of the Thorough Cut system of Dzogchen meditation. If you have not had the necessary instructions, reading this text can be harmful to your spiritual health! Seal. Seal. Seal. Copyright © 2008 Tony Duff. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system or technologies now known or later developed, without permission in writing from the publisher. First edition, November 1996 Second edition, January 2008; revised January 2011 ISBN: 978-9937-9031-2-7 Janson typeface with diacritical marks and Tibetan Classic typeface Designed and created by Tony Duff Tibetan Computer Company http://www.tibet.dk/tcc Produced, Printed, and Published by Padma Karpo Translation Committee P.O. Box 4957 Kathmandu NEPAL Committee members for this book: translation and composition, Lama Tony Duff; editorial, Tom Anderson; cover design, Christopher Duff. Web-site and e-mail contact through: http://www.tibet.dk/pktc or search Padma Karpo Translation Committee on the web.

CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v Differentiating Non-Distraction and so Forth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Supports for Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Tibetan Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

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INTRODUCTION

This book presents the text Differentiating Non-Distraction and so Forth. It is a short but very clear text containing a particular type of instruction found in Great Completion teachings called ““differentiations””. The text was taught to me by Tsoknyi Rinpoche in 1996. We have not been able to find out who the author was, though not knowing the author is not regarded as a problem with the text because it does contain authentic teaching of the Thorough Cut system.

Great Completion The Great Completion system of dharma came from a land called Uddiyana, which is thought to have been in what is now the Swat region of Pakistan. The name of this system of dharma in the language of Uddiyana was ““mahasandhi””, meaning exactly ““the great juncture””. The Tibetans translated this name with ““rdzogs pa chen po””, which in English is ““great completion””. The words ““juncture”” and ““completion”” have the same meaning in this case; they refer to that one allencompassing space, that one great juncture, in which all that

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there could be——whether enlightened or unenlightened, whether belonging to nirvana or samsara——is complete. The name Great Completion refers both to an all-inclusive space that beings including humans could realize and to a system of instruction designed to bring beings to the realization of it1. When a being does realize it, there is nothing more to be realized or done because all is complete within that being’’s space of realization and the work of spiritual practice is complete. In a Buddhist way of talking, Great Completion is the final realization in which that being has manifested true and complete buddhahood. Great Completion is often called ““Great Perfection”” in English but that presents an incorrect understanding of the name. The final space of realization is not a state of perfection but one that contains both perfection and imperfection. The name is not intended to connect us with the idea of perfection but with the idea of the juncture of all things perfect and imperfect, to the idea of a state of realization in which all things are complete. There is also the unavoidable point that Longchen Rabjam’’s definitive explanations in his revered text The Dharmadhatu Treasury make it clear beyond a doubt that the meaning of the name is Great Completion and not Great Perfection. He mentions in several places that the point of the name is the inclusion——just as the original name from Uddiyana states—— of all dharmas within a single unique sphere of wisdom.

1

For realization, see the glossary.

INTRODUCTION

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Completion in the name means that all phenomena are included at once in a single space of realization. Great is used to distinguish something known by wisdom in direct perception from the same thing known by dualistic mind as a concept. Thus Great Completion is not the completion understood through the use of concept, but the greater version of that, the actual state of completion known through wisdom.

Levels of Great Completion Teaching The Great Completion teaching is divided into sections, with each section being more profound than the previous one. The three main sections are Mind, Space, and Foremost Instruction sections, with the Foremost Instruction Section containing the most profound teaching of Great Completion. This final section is sometimes further divided and sometimes not but, simply stated, the most profound level of Foremost Instruction teaching has several names, the most common of which are ““Nyingthig”” meaning ““quintessential””, ““unsurpassed””, and ““innermost”” Great Completion. This level of teaching is the most essential teaching of Great Completion——of reality——that has appeared in our current era of human society. The text here is concerned with the Quintessential Great Completion teaching. This teaching has two main practices, one called Thorough Cut and one called Direct Crossing. Of the two, this text concerns itself with the practice of Thorough Cut.

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Reading The Text The content of the text can be understood through its title, Differentiating Non-Distraction and so Forth. The term ““differentiating”” translates the Tibetan term ““shan ’’byed””, which is the general term used in Tibetan language for thoroughly differentiating two things, so that the two are sorted out from each other and each is known for what it is. In the context of Thorough Cut, differentiations are used to teach practitioners the difference between meditative states that could be confused one for another. There are several pairs of meditative states that need to be differentiated in this way. The title of the text mentions one of them——non-distraction from the state of rigpa needs to be differentiated from states which might seem like rigpa but which are, in fact, distracted from it.

The Feature of This Text: Differentiations Differentiations are an important part of the oral transmission of Great Completion dharma. The topic is usually considered to be very secret and only passed orally from one person to another. The text here makes important points in relation to differentiations but does not go into certain topics that would make it too secret to publish. Therefore, the translation has been made available by us, though it is intended only for people who have the instructions for the practice of Thorough Cut and should not be passed around or discussed with those who have not.

INTRODUCTION

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As mentioned above, several differentiations are taught in relation to Thorough Cut. The text first sets out three differentiations made in relation to non-distraction, and then the differentiation between mind and wisdom2. They are as follows. 1. Non-distraction of Great Completion practice is differentiated from stupid shamatha3. Stupid shamatha is an indeterminate state, one which creates causes for deep stupidity in the future. 2. Non-distraction of Great Completion practice is differentiated from true shamatha. True shamatha here is defined according to the Vajra Vehicle approach, not the Sutra Vehicle approach. In the sutra approach it would be about the ability to stay one-pointedly focussed. Here it is about the quality of a mind which is one-pointedly focussed and that particular quality is defined. This particular shamatha comes about through investigation of the mind which gives a sense of its emptiness but which has not realized the actual emptiness of mind. This shamatha provides a feeling of peace and can be a cause of vipashyana so it can be useful to a practitioner. The nondistraction involved in it is not the same as the non-

2

““Mind”” throughout this book translates the Tibetan word ““sems”” which refers only to the dualistic knower that is the mind of cyclic existence. It sits in contrast to the various words such as ““wisdom”” and ““rigpa”” that refer to mind’’s core, which is a nondualistic knower and is the mind of the buddhas. 3

Tib. zhi lkugs or zhi gnas lkug po.

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distraction of the unified shamatha-vipashyana that is the aim of Mahamudra and Great Completion practice. 3. Non-distraction of Great Completion practice is differentiated from a shamatha focussed on alaya consciousness which, in its vastness and bareness, has an element of emptiness to it. This kind of shamatha focusses on the emptiness aspect and in doing so does not have the luminosity aspect needed with it. 4. Following these, the author points out that this brings the discussion to the point of the crucial differentiation that must be made, the differentiation between dualistic, samsaric mind——which all the states of non-distraction discussed so far have involved, even if they are increasingly subtle——and the actual mind of the buddhas, called wisdom and various other names in the meditation systems of Essence Mahamudra and Thorough Cut. The short instruction that follows will not need further commentary for anyone who has already had the introduction to the nature of mind, which raises the point that introduction to the nature of mind is needed for these instructions to be understood. Note that these differentiations have not been presented in random order but in a progression that fits with the way that most people enter then travel on the path. Shamatha, followed by vipashyana, followed by unified shamatha-vipashyana that is correctly seeing reality is the path that most people tread.

INTRODUCTION

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Further Study Padma Karpo Translation Committee has amassed a range of materials to help those who are studying this and related topics. Please see the chapter Supports for Study at the end of the book for the details.

Health Warning The text here is about a subject that is kept secret. Anyone who has had these teachings in person will be able to understand them or at least go to his teacher and ask for further explanation. Anyone who has had the introduction to the nature of mind4 upon which the teachings hinge, please use and enjoy the text as you will! However, if you have not heard these teachings and especially if you have not had a proper introduction to the nature of your mind, you would be better off not reading this book but seeking out someone who could teach it to you. Nowadays there are both non-Tibetans and Tibetans who can do that for you and who are available in many countries across our planet. In short, the contents of this book could be dangerous to your spiritual health if you are not ready for it, so exercise care. These days, in the times of rampant globalization, these deep secrets have become very public. That is not necessarily a good thing. For example, I have many times in the last few years run into young men who are extremely confident of

4

For introduction, see the glossary.

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their understanding of the meaning of these profound systems but who just spout words that they have read in books. Unfortunately, they have read the books and know the words but have not contacted the inner meaning that the books are intended merely as a pointer towards. The solidity of their minds is noticeable and not being helped by reading these things for which they are not ready and, therefore, should not be reading. My best wishes to all of you. May you preserve the state! Tony Duff Padma Karpo Translation Committee Swayambunath, Nepal, January 2011

Guru Rinpoche and his manifestations. Mural on the wall of Dzogchen Monastery, Tibet, 2007. Photograph by the author.

DIFFERENTIATING NON-DISTRACTION AND SO FORTH

Non-distraction of itself is definitely not the actuality of the authentic5. There will be four approaches to non-distraction when the practitioner merges the practice of non-distraction with day and night around the clock practice, as follows. 1. That which is not shamatha6 in the slightest, referred to either as ““indeterminate equanimity””7 or ““stupid shamatha””, is dwelling in a state of not knowing what is happening or what you are doing. Afterwards, when you have returned to a state where you are once again apprehending with mindfulness, you will not know what the content of that earlier state

5

““The authentic”” is a name used in both sutras and tantras for what is the real situation. It is what is realized by buddhas. 6

For shamatha, see the glossary.

7

““Equanimity”” refers to an even state of mind, one which is not agitated. You can achieve it, for example, by sitting in a bath of hot water for some time. ““Indeterminate”” means that it is has no specific quality of being either virtuous or not virtuous. Because of that, it leads to no place of value. 1

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was nor for how long you stayed within it; while you were in it, you had cut yourself off from everything in a state of stupefaction. If you were to work at familiarizing yourself with this kind of shamatha, you would attempt to develop it further and further until you were mixed with it day and night. The more that you habituated yourself to it, the more that your mindstream would turn cloudy and have a quality of being dumbfounded in the present life and, unless you had the allies of virtue and discipline with it, it would cause you to take birth as an animal-type migrator in future times, albeit one whose mind has the factor of abiding present. 2. When, in the state of shamatha, you search the dwelling mind——that is, you examine it to try to find the three things arising, abiding, and going, and so on——but do not find them at all, your mind becomes empty in the sense of being freed of three-fold birth, cessation, and abiding. However, the fact of ““being empty”” has not been fully determined, therefore the shamatha is referred to as ““possessing mere mindfulness, mere awareness8, and mere luminosity””. What is that like? It is said to be an appearance of bliss which does have the factor of experiencing, and that factor of experiencing is a luminous awareness that cannot be described. This is actual shamatha and, when you work at familiarizing yourself with it, that also will progress onto your being mixed with it day and night.

8

For awareness, see the glossary. Here the author is using it to mean the consciousness in general of samsaric mind.

THE TEXT

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Now, that actual shamatha is not the wisdom of vipashyana, not the entity of mind, and not realization9. It is the root of every one of the worldly types of concentration and it is also referred to as ““shamatha, the cause of vipashyana””. Nevertheless, because Great Completion is a system in which the meditation is encountered on top of the view, rigpa’’s ““natural absorption”” style of meditation has no need of shamatha’’s mere calmness, and therefore shamatha is a completely unnecessary requisite. 3. In the case of alaya consciousness being what will be mixed with day and night, there is this to consider. You have dissolved the previous type of shamatha’’s factor of experiencing that is a luminous awareness and expanded out into an enormous, empty kind of field. That field lacks the cause of fixation on a self. Familiarization with that state will progress on to your being mixed with it around the clock. In this, the mere temporary experience of a factor of emptiness which is vast but only empty is the experience of being situated in a blankness which has none of self-arising rigpa’’s factor of luminosity whatsoever. In all three of the cases mentioned so far, it is necessary to make the differentiation that, no matter what else they might be, they are, of mind and rigpa, not rigpa but mind with a factor of abiding.

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For vipashyana, entity, and realization, see the glossary. Entity of mind here means the core of mind, sometimes referred to as the essence of mind.

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4. The fourth one is familiarization that leads to luminosity being mixed with around the clock. When the factor of clinging that is involved in that previous, enormous field of bare emptiness is purified out, the self-arising wisdom essence that shines like the sun comes forth. This is emptiness free of every elaboration10 which is not a one-sided emptiness11 but is non-dual with rigpa wisdom. It is called ““wisdom”” because it knows everything there is and is called ““rigpa”” because it has direct knowledge of everything there is. It has the quality of the most primordial type of knowing, so is called ““primordial awareness””12. This wisdom knower which, unlike the dualistic mind type of knower13, is without the slightest dependence on an object and without the slightest amount of grasped-grasping14 and clinging to true existence, is present as a self-illumination that is similar to spilled mercury which

10

For elaboration, see the glossary.

11

A one-sided emptiness is one in which the emptiness factor has become predominant. The authentic is not like that; it is not weighted in favour of emptiness.

12

Paraphrase: ““It has the quality of the most primordial knowing. Therefore, the Buddha called it jnana, meaning simply ““knowing””. That was translated into Tibetan with ““primordial knowing”” or ““primordial awareness”” because it is understood to be ““knowing which is present primordially”” in any being with a mind. In English, it is usually translated as ““wisdom””, which has to be understood to mean the type of knower that has been, is, and always will be present at the very root of every mind””.

13

For knower, see the glossary.

14

For grasped-grasping, see the glossary.

THE TEXT

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has spread everywhere in minute droplets15. You could call it ““self-arising rigpa”” but it means the same thing. To do the practice of this last key point, neither the mind possessing the factor of experience that is mere luminosity, mere awareness, helps, nor the space-like, enormous emptiness which does not have the factor of rigpa at all, helps. Therefore, we meet the key point of needing to differentiate mind and rigpa! The nature of mind16 is that it mingles with its object in the same way that water and its atoms are co-mingled. Clinging and attaching to its object as it does, it grasps its way into deep solidification17. If there is no object, mind cannot give birth to discursive thoughts. It is something that has moment to moment creation in a process of arising and cessation. The wisdom which is rigpa is not dependent on an object; object-less it self-illuminates. It knows objects but merely knows them and does not grasp at them. Not clinging and not entering deep solidification, it has an illusory, dream-like style of knowing. Things are known as the mere play or selfliveliness of the wisdom, thus, after the instant in which they

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The image is that the mercury goes everywhere but each droplet remains distinct. It is all-pervasive but there is no blurring of one piece into another. Wisdom’’s knowing is all pervasive, knowing every phenomenon simultaneously yet distinctly, without any mix-up of one for the other. 16

Again, this is referring to samsaric mind.

17

For deep solidification, see the glossary.

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are known, they go on to purification in self-liberation over the rigpa, like a drawing on water. Therefore, the wisdom does not lose itself in these mere objects-to-be-known but experiences itself. That gives you the basis for how wisdom should be differentiated from mind. This was heard from the mouth of the kind guru. Translated after receiving instruction on the text from Tsoknyi Rinpoche, by Tony Duff of the Padma Karpo Translation Committee, September 4, 1996, at Swayambunath, Kathmandu, Nepal.

GLOSSARY

Actuality, Tib. gnas lugs: A key term in both sýtra and tantra and one of a pair of terms, the other being ““apparent reality”” (Tib. snang lugs). The two terms are used when determining the reality of a situation. The actuality of any given situation is how (lugs) the situation actuality sits or is present (gnas); the apparent reality is how (lugs) any given situation appears (snang) to an observer. Something could appear in many different ways, depending on the circumstances at the time and on the being perceiving it but, regardless of those circumstances, it will always have its own actuality of how it really is. The term actuality is frequently used in Mahåmudrå and Great Completion teachings to mean the fundamental reality of any given phenomenon or situation before any deluded mind alters it and makes it appear differently. Alaya, Skt. ålaya, Tib. kun gzhi: This term, if translated, is usually translated as all-base or thereabouts. It is a Sanskrit term that means a range that underlies and forms a basis for something else. In Buddhist teaching, it means a particular level of mind that sits beneath all other levels of mind. However, it is used in several different ways in the Buddhist teaching and changes to a different meaning in each case. In the Great

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Completion teachings, an important distinction is made between ålaya alone and ålaya consciousness. Awareness, Skt. jñå, Tib. shes pa. ““Awareness”” is always used in our translations to mean the basic knower of mind or, as Buddhist teaching itself defines it, ““a general term for any registering mind””, whether dualistic or non-dualistic. Hence, it is used for both samsaric and nirvanic situations; for example, consciousness (Tib. ““rnam par shes pa””) is a dualistic form of awareness, whereas rigpa, wisdom (Tib. ““ye shes””), and so on are non-dualistic forms of awareness. See rigpa in the glossary for more. It is noteworthy that the key term ““rigpa”” is often mistakenly translated as ““awareness””, even though it is not merely an awareness; this creates considerable confusion amongst practitioners of the higher tantras who are misled by it. Clarity or Illumination, Skt. vara, Tib. gsal ba: This term should be understood as an abbreviation of the Tibetan term, ““’’od gsal ba””, which is translated with luminosity q.v. Clarity is not another factor of mind distinct from luminosity but merely a convenient abbreviation in both Indian and Tibetan dharma language for luminosity. Clinging, Tib. zhen pa: In Buddhism, this term refers specifically to the twofold process of dualistic mind mis-taking things that are not true, not pure, as true, pure, etcetera and then, because of seeing them as highly desirable even though they are not, attaching itself to or clinging to those things. This type of clinging acts as a kind of glue that keeps a person joined to the unsatisfactory things of cyclic existence because of mistakenly seeing them as desirable. Cyclic existence: See under saîsåra. Deep solidification, Tib. a ’’thas: This is a very strong term that has the full weight of ““the deep stupidity of ignorance which solidifies empty actuality into an utterly solid existence””.

GLOSSARY

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This is how most samsaric minds operate. They do not merely live in dualistic ways of knowing but heavily solidify all of what they know into the perception of a very solidly real existence. Discursive thought, Skt. vikalpa, Tib. rnam rtog: This means more than just the superficial thought that is heard as a voice in the head. It includes the entirety of conceptual process that arises due to mind contacting any object of any of the senses. The Sanskrit and Tibetan literally mean ““(dualistic) thought (that arises from the mind wandering among the) various (superficies q.v. perceived in the doors of the senses)””. Elaboration, Tib. spro ba: This is a general name for what is given off by dualistic mind as it goes about its conceptual process. In general, elaborations prevent a person from seeing emptiness directly. Freedom from elaborations implies direct sight of emptiness. Entity, Tib. ngo bo: The entity of something is just exactly what that thing is. In English we would often simply say ““thing”” rather than entity. However, in Buddhism, ““thing”” has a very specific meaning rather than the general meaning that it has in English. It has become common to translate this term as ““essence””. However, in most cases ““entity””, meaning what a thing is rather than an essence of that thing, is the correct translation for this term. Essence, Tib. ngo bo: This is a key term used throughout Buddhist theory. The original in Sanskrit and the term in Tibetan, too, has both meanings of ““essence”” and ““entity””. In some situations the term has more the first meaning and in others, the second. For example, when speaking of mind and mind’’s essence, it is referring to the core or essential part within mind. On the other hand, when speaking of something such as fire, one can speak of the entity, fire, and its characteristics, such as heat, and so on; in this case, the term

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does not mean essence but means that thing, what it actually is. See also under entity. Grasped-grasping, Tib. gzung ’’dzin: When mind is turned outwardly as it is in the normal operation of dualistic mind, it has developed two faces that appear simultaneously. Special names are given to these two faces: mind appearing in the form of the external object being referenced is called ““that which is grasped”” and mind appearing in the form of the consciousness that is registering it is called the ““grasper”” or ““grasping”” of it. Thus, there is the pair of terms ““graspedgrasper”” or ““grasped-grasping””. When these two terms are used, it alerts one to the fact that a Mind Only style of presentation is being discussed. This pair of terms pervades Mind Only, Middle Way, and tantric writings and is exceptionally important in all of them. Note that one could substitute the word ““apprehended”” for ““grasped”” and ““apprehender”” for ““grasper”” or ““grasping”” and that would reflect one connotation of the original Indian terminology. The solidified duality of grasped and grasper is nothing but an invention of dualistic thought; it has that kind of character or characteristic. Knower, Tib. ha go ba. ““Knower”” is a generic term for that which knows. There are many types of knower, with each having its own qualities and name, too. For example, wisdom is a non-dualistic knower, mind is the dualistic samsaric version of it, consciousness refers to the individual ““registers”” of samsaric mind, and so on. Sometimes a term is needed which simply says ““that which knows”” without further implication of what kind of knowing it might be. Knower is one of a few terms of that sort. Liveliness, Tib. rtsal: A key term in both Mahåmudrå and Great Completion. The term is sometimes translated as ““display”” or ““expression”” but neither are correct. The primary meaning

GLOSSARY

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is the ability of something to express itself but in use, the actual expression of that ability is also included. Thus, in English it would not be ““expression”” but ““expressivity”” but that is too dry. This term is not at all dry; it is talking about the life of something and how that life comes into expression; ““liveliness”” fits the meaning of the original term very well. Luminosity or illumination, Skt. prabhåsvara, Tib. ’’od gsal ba: The core of mind has two aspects: an emptiness factor and a knowing factor. The Buddha and many Indian religious teachers used ““luminosity”” as a metaphor for the knowing quality of the core of mind. If in English we would say ““Mind has a knowing quality””, the teachers of ancient India would say, ““Mind has an illuminative quality; it is like a source of light which illuminates what it knows””. This term been translated as ““clear light”” but that is a mistake that comes from not understanding the etymology of the word. It does not refer to a light that has the quality of clearness (something that makes no sense, actually!) but to the illuminative property which is the nature of the empty mind. Note also that in both Sanskrit and Tibetan Buddhist literature, this term is frequently abbreviated just to Skt. ““vara”” and Tib. ““gsal ba”” with no change of meaning. Unfortunately, this has been thought to be another word and it has then been translated with ““clarity””, when in fact it is just this term in abbreviation. Mind, Skt. chitta, Tib. sems: There are several terms for mind in the Buddhist tradition, each with its own, specific meaning. This term is the most general term for the samsaric type of mind. It refers to the type of mind that is produced because of fundamental ignorance of enlightened mind. Whereas the wisdom of enlightened mind lacks all complexity and knows in a non-dualistic way, this mind of un-enlightenment is a

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very complicated apparatus that only ever knows in a dualistic way. The Mahåmudrå and Great Completion teachings use the terms ““entity of mind”” and ““mind’’s entity”” to refer to what this complicated, samsaric mind is at core——the enlightened form of mind. Mindfulness, Skt. smôiti, Tib. dran pa: A particular mental event, one that has the ability to keep mind on its object. Together with alertness, it is one of the two causes of developing ùhamatha. See under alertness for an explanation. Realization, Tib. rtogs pa: Realization has a very specific meaning: it refers to correct knowledge that has been gained in such a way that the knowledge does not abate. There are two important points here. Firstly, realization is not absolute. It refers to the removal of obscurations, one at a time. Each time that a practitioner removes an obscuration, he gains a realization because of it. Therefore, there are as many levels of obscuration as there are obscurations. Maitreya, in the Ornament of Manifest Realizations, shows how the removal of the various obscurations that go with each of the three realms of samsaric existence produces realization. Secondly, realization is stable or, as the Tibetan wording says, ““unchanging””. As Guru Rinpoche pointed out, ““Intellectual knowledge is like a patch, it drops away; experiences on the path are temporary, they evaporate like mist; realization is unchanging””. A special usage of ““realization”” is found in the Essence Mahåmudrå and Great Completion teachings. There, realization is the term used to describe what happens at the moment when mindness is actually met during either introduction to or self-recognition of mindness. It is called realization because, in that glimpse, one actually directly sees the innate

GLOSSARY

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wisdom mind. The realization has not been stabilized but it is realization. Rigpa, Tib. rig pa: This is the singularly most important term in the whole of Great Completion and Mahåmudrå. In particular, it is the key word of all words in the Great Completion system of the Thorough Cut. Rigpa literally means to know in the sense of ““I see!”” It is used at all levels of meaning from the coarsest everyday sense of knowing something to the deepest sense of knowing something as presented in the system of Thorough Cut. The system of Thorough Cut uses this term in a very special sense, though it still retains its basic meaning of ““to know””. To translate it as ““awareness””, which is common practice today, is a poor practice; there are many kinds of awareness but there is only one rigpa and besides, rigpa is substantially more than just awareness. Since this is such an important term and since it lacks an equivalent in English, I choose not to translate it. This is the term used to indicate enlightened mind as experienced by the practitioner on the path of these practices. The term itself specifically refers to the dynamic knowing quality of mind. It absolutely does not mean a simple registering, as implied by the word ““awareness”” which unfortunately is often used to translate this term. There is no word in English that exactly matches it, though the idea of ““seeing”” or ““insight on the spot”” is very close. Proof of this is found in the fact that the original Sanskrit term ““vidyå”” is actually the root of all words in English that start with ““vid”” and mean ““to see””, for example, ““video””, ““vision””, and so on. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, who was particular skilled at getting Tibetan words into English, also stated that this term rigpa really did not have a good equivalent in English, though he thought that ““insight”” was the closest. My own conclusion after hearing extensive teaching on it is that rigpa is best left

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untranslated. Note that rigpa has both noun and verb forms. To get the verb form, I use ““rigpa’’ing””. Shamatha, Skt. ùhamatha, Tib. gzhi gnas: The name of one of the two main practices of meditation used in the Buddhist system to gain insight into reality. This practice creates a foundation of one-pointedness of mind which can then be used to focus the insight of the other practice, vipaùhyanå. If the development of ùhamatha is taken through to completion, the result is a mind that sits stably on its object without any effort and a body which is filled with ease. Altogether, this result of the practice is called ““the creation of workability of body and mind””. Thorough Cut, Tib. khregs chod: The innermost level of Great Completion has two main practices, the first called Thregcho which literally translates as Thorough Cut and the second called Thogal which translates as Direct Crossing. The meaning of Thorough Cut has been misunderstood. The meaning is clearly explained in the Illuminator Tibetan-English Dictionary: Thorough Cut is a practice that slices through the solidification produced by rational mind as it grasps at a perceived object and perceiving subject. It is done in order to get to the underlying reality which is always present in the core of mind and which is called Alpha Purity in this system of teachings. For this reason, Thorough Cut is also known as Alpha Purity Thorough Cut. The etymology of the word is explained in the Great Completion teachings either as or . In either case, the term is ““a cut””; there are all sorts of different ““cuts”” and this is one of them. Then, in the case of , is an adverb modifying the verb ““to cut”” and has the meaning of making the cut fully, completely. It

&ë+-ý-

hè#<-<ß-&ë+-ý- hè#<-<ß-

hè#<-<ß-&ë+-ý-

hè#<-#è-&ë+-ý-

GLOSSARY

15

is traditionally explained with the example of slicing off a finger. A finger could be sliced with a sharp knife such that the cut was not quite complete and the cut off portion was left hanging. Alternatively, it could be sliced through in one, decisive movement such that the finger was completely and definitely severed. That kind of thorough cut is what is meant here. In the case of , the term is as an adverb that has the meaning of something that is doubtless, of something that is unquestionably so. A translation based on the first explanation would be ““Thorough Cut”” and on the second would be ““Decisive Cut””.

hè#<-#è-&ë+-ý-

hè#<-#è-

Other translations that have been put forward for this term are: ““Cutting Resistance”” and ““Cutting Solidity””. Both are grammatically incorrect. Further, the name ““Cutting Resistance”” is made on the basis of students expressing resistance to practice and the like, but that is not the meaning intended. Similarly, the name Cutting Solidity comes from not understanding that the term (khregs) has both old and new meanings; the newer meaning of ““solid””, ““solidity”” does not apply because the term Thorough Cut was put into use in the time of Padmasaîbhava when only the old meaning of was in use. The term means that the practitioner of this system cuts decisively through rational mind, regardless of its degree of solidity, so as to arrive directly at the essence of mind.

hè#<-

hè#<-

Vipashyana, Skt. vipaùhyanå, Tib. lhag mthong: This is the Sanskrit name for one of the two main practices of meditation needed in the Buddhist system for gaining insight into reality. The other one, ùhamatha, keeps the mind focussed while this one, vipaùhyanå, looks piercingly into the nature of things. Wisdom, Skt. jñåna, Tib. ye shes: This is a fruition term that refers to the kind of mind, the kind of knower possessed by a buddha. Sentient beings do have this kind of knower but it is covered over by a very complex apparatus for knowing,

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dualistic mind. If they practise the path to buddhahood, they will leave behind their obscuration and return to having this kind of knower. The Sanskrit term has the sense of knowing in the most simple and immediate way. This sort of knowing is present at the core of every being’’s mind. Therefore, the Tibetans called it ““the particular type of awareness which is there primordially””. Because of the Tibetan wording it has often been called ““primordial wisdom”” in English translations, but that goes too far; it is just ““wisdom”” in the sense of the most fundamental knowing possible.

SUPPORTS FOR STUDY

I have been encouraged over the years by all of my teachers to pass on the knowledge I have accumulated in a lifetime dedicated to study and practice, primarily in the Tibetan tradition of Buddhism. On the one hand, they have encouraged me to teach. On the other, they are concerned that, while many general books on Buddhism have been and are being published, there are few books that present the actual texts of the tradition. Therefore they, together with a number of major figures in the Buddhist book publishing world, have also encouraged me to translate and publish high quality translations of individual texts of the tradition. Padma Karpo Translation Committee (PKTC) was set up to provide a home for the translation and publication work. The committee focusses on producing books containing the best of Tibetan literature, and, especially, books that meet the needs of practitioners. At the time of writing, PKTC has published a wide range of books that, collectively, make a complete program of study for those practising Tibetan Buddhism, and especially for those interested in the higher tan-

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tras. All in all, you will find many books both free and for sale on the PKTC web-site. Most are available both as paper editions and e-books. It would take up too much space here to present an extensive guide to our books and how they can be used as the basis for a study program. However, a guide of that sort is available on the PKTC web-site, whose address is on the copyright page of this book and we recommend that you read it to see how this book fits into the overall scheme of PKTC publications. In short, the text in this book text lays out a specific aspect of the teaching of Thorough Cut, called ““differentiations””. In doing so, it acts as an important support for a number of other PKTC publications which set out the whole system of Thorough Cut: •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••

The Feature of the Expert, Glorious King by Dza Patrul About the Three Lines by Dodrupchen III Relics of the Dharmakaya by Ontrul Tenpa’’i Wangchuk Empowerment and AtiYoga by Tony Duff Peak Doorways to Emancipation by Shakya Shri Alchemy of Accomplishment by Dudjom Rinpoche The Way of the Realized Old Dogs by Ju Mipham The Method of Preserving the Face of Rigpa by Ju Mipham Essential Points of Practice by Zhechen Gyaltshab Words of the Old Dog Vijay by Zhechen Gyaltshab Hinting at Dzogchen by Tony Duff

SUPPORTS FOR STUDY

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We make a point of including, where possible, the relevant Tibetan texts in Tibetan script in our books. We also make them available in electronic editions that can be downloaded free from our web-site, as discussed below. The Tibetan text for this book is included at the back of the book and is available for download from the PKTC web-site.

Electronic Resources PKTC has developed a complete range of electronic tools to facilitate the study and translation of Tibetan texts. For many years now, this software has been a prime resource for Tibetan Buddhist centres throughout the world, including in Tibet itself. It is available through the PKTC web-site. The wordprocessor TibetDoc has the only complete set of tools for creating, correcting, and formatting Tibetan text according to the norms of the Tibetan language. It can also be used to make texts with mixed Tibetan and English or other languages. Extremely high quality Tibetan fonts, based on the forms of Tibetan calligraphy learned from old masters from pre-Communist Chinese Tibet, are also available. Because of their excellence, these typefaces have achieved a legendary status amongst Tibetans. TibetDoc is used to prepare electronic editions of Tibetan texts in the PKTC text input office in Asia. Tibetan texts are often corrupt so the input texts are carefully corrected prior to distribution. After that, they are made available through the PKTC web-site. These electronic texts are not careless productions like so many of the Tibetan texts found on the

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web, but are highly reliable editions useful to non-scholars and scholars alike. Some of the larger collections of these texts are for purchase, but most are available for free download. The electronic texts can be read, searched, and even made into an electronic library using either TibetDoc or our other software, TibetD Reader. Like TibetDoc, TibetD Reader is advanced software with many capabilities made specifically to meet the needs of reading and researching Tibetan texts. PKTC software is for purchase but we make a free version of TibetD Reader available for free download on the PKTC web-site. A key feature of TibetDoc and Tibet Reader is that Tibetan terms in texts can be looked up on the spot using PKTC’’s electronic dictionaries. PKTC also has several electronic dictionaries——some Tibetan-Tibetan and some Tibetan-English——and a number of other reference works. The Illuminator Tibetan-English Dictionary is renowned for its completeness and accuracy. This combination of software, texts, reference works, and dictionaries that work together seamlessly has become famous over the years. It has been the basis of many, large publishing projects within the Tibetan Buddhist community around the world for over thirty years and is popular amongst all those needing to work with Tibetan language or deepen their understanding of Buddhism through Tibetan texts.

TIBETAN TEXT

ÉÊ Ê0-8è$<-ý-<ë#<-`Ü-;,-7eè+-,ÜÊ 0-8è$<-ý-10-"ë-,-8$+#-ý7Ü-#,<-:ß#<-#),-,<-0Ü,-)èÊ (Ü,-02,-"ë9-8ß#-7lè<-ý:-F0-ý-/5Ü-8ë+-+èÊ +$-ýë-,ÜÊ 5Ü-#,<-10-8$-0-8Ü,-ý7Ü-/)$Xë0<-:ß$-0-/Y,-8$-6è9Ê 5Ü-#,<-5Ü-K¨#<-8$-6è9Ê +ë,-%Ü<ë$-#$-<ë$-0-#ë-/7Ü-$$-¸¥-#,<Ê Bè<-,<-l,-ý<-6Ü,-¸¥<-%Ü-9è++$-8ß,-9Ü$-*ß$-%Ü-<ë$-0-#ë-/9-=,-,è9-:ß<-ý-+è-8Ü,-ý<-+è-:-#ë0<<ë$-,-(Ü,-02,-7lè<-7iëÊ +è-:-%Ü-10-#ë0<-8$-9$-{æ+-'è-Hë$<'è-vä,-¸¥-7iëÊ 2±:-hÜ0<-+$-+#è-/7Ü-ië#<-/6$-0è+-,-dÜ-0-¸¥+7ië-<è0<-:-#,<-&-8ë+-ý7Ü-9Ü#<-<ß-þè-7ië-/-+è-8Ü,-,ëÊ Ê#(Ü<ý-5Ü-#,<-,Ü-<è0<-`Ü-02$-/1:-)è-e³$-#,<-7ië-#<ß0-<ë#
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$ë-/ë-02,-(Ü+-ý-+è-:-#ë0<-`$-(Ü,-02,-7lè<-7iëÊ +è-8$-T#0*ë$-#Ü-8è-;è<-0Ü,Ê <è0<-`Ü-$ë-/ë-0Ü,Ê Dë#<-ý-0Ü,Ê 7'Ü#Dè,-ý7Ü-/<0-#),-*0<-%+-`Ü-I-/-+è-8Ü,Ê T#-0*ë$-#Ü-{æ-5Ü#,<-6è9-/-+è-8Ü,-`$-Jë#<-ý-&è,-ýë-P-*ë#-,<-/Vë0-ý-72ì:-/7Ü:ß#<-8Ü,-ý<-9Ü#-ý-9$-//<-`Ü-/<0-#),-Vë0-ý-:<-5Ü-#,<-5Üz$-#Ü-+#ë<-ý-0è+-ý<-7+Ü-0"ë-#:-&è-/-%Ü-8$-0è+-+ëÊ Ê#<ß0-ý´¥,-#5Ü7Ü-F0-;è<-Yè$-¸¥-(Ü,-02,-7lè<-:ß#<-:Ê W9-bÜ-5Ü-#,<+è7Ü-#<:-9Ü#-#Ü-fë$-&-+è-8:-,<-/+#-/6ß$-eè+-{æ-0è+-ý7Ü-Yë$-ý8ß#-7e0<-:-/ß+-<ë$-/7Ü-$$-¸¥-#ë0<-<ë$-,-"ë9-8ß#-7lè<-7iëÊ 7+Ü-:-Yë$-&-z$-ý-{-&è,-ýë7Ü-(0<-10-:<Ê ÐÀÑ9$-e³$-9Ü#ý7Ü-#<:-&-%Ü-8$-0è+-ý-=+-ýë9-7¸¥#-ý-+è-8Ü,Ê +è-#<ß0-#$-8Ü,`$-<è0<-+$-9Ü#-ý-#(Ü<-:<-<è0<-`Ü-#,<-&-10-:<-9Ü#-ý-0Ü,ý-;,-7eè+-+#ë<-<ëÊ Ê/5Ü-ý-7ë+-#<:-"ë9-8ß#-7lè<-ý-,ÜÊ W9-bÜ-Yë$-z$-8ß#-7e0<-+è7Ü-5è,-&-+è-+#-,<Ê (Ü-0-;9-/-P/ß7Ü-9$-e³$-#Ü-8è-;è<-$ë-/ë-‡‡ë<-ý-*0<-%+-o:-/7Ü-Yë$-ý-+è-Yë$-ýdë#<-#%Ü#-0-8Ü,-ýÊ 9Ü#-ý7Ü-8è-;è<-+$-#(Ü<-<ß-0è+-ýÊ %Ü8$-;è<-ý-8Ü,-ý<-8è-;è<-+$ÍÊ %Ü-8$-9Ü#-ý<-9Ü#-ý-6è9Ê 8è;è<-6è9-/7Ü-+ë,-8è-,<-;è<-ý7Ü-9$-/5Ü,-%,Ê <è0<-`Ü-;è<-ý-P/ß7Ü-8ß:-:-Pë<-ý-+$ÍÊ #6ß$-73Ý,-+$-/+è,-5è,-n-9#<-#$-8$0è+-ý-+$ß:-&±-Eã:-,$-¸¥-T©$-/-P-/ß-9$-#<:-¸¥-7¸¥#-ý-+è-8Ü,Ê 9$-e³$-#Ü-9Ü#-ý-6è9-8$-+è-+$-+ë,-#%Ü#-8Ü,Ê +è-8Ü,-ý7Ü-#,+-`Ü(0<-:è,-eè+-{æ-<è0<-$ë-+è-#<:-10-9Ü#-10-bÜ<-fë$-ÐÁÑ&-%,-

TIBETAN TEXT

23

+è<-`$-0Ü-.,Ê Yë$-ý-,0-0"7-P-/ß-9Ü#-ý7Ü-&-%Ü-8$-0è+-ý7ÜYë$-7e0<-+è<-`$-0Ü-.,-ý<-<è0<-9Ü#-;,-7eè+-+#ë<-ý7Ü-#,+-+è:-*ß# Ê<è0<-`Ü-9$-/5Ü,-+è-,Ü-&±-Eã:-+$-7lè<-ý-P9-8ß:-+$7lè<Ê +è-:-5,-%Ü$-&#<->-7*<-<ß-73Ý,-ý-+è-8Ü,Ê 8ß:-0è+,-<è0<-`Ü<-F0-Dë#-þè-0Ü-;è<Ê U+-%Ü#-U+-%Ü#-#Ü-þè-7##-eè+-ý%,-8Ü,Ê 9Ü#-ý7Ü-8è-;è<-,ÜÊ 8ß:-:-0Ü-Pë<-ýÊ 8ß:-0è+-9$#<:-8Ü,Ê 8ß:-;è<-`$-+è-:-;è<-10-:<-8ß:-+è-:-0Ü-73Ý,Ê 0Ü-5è,->-0Ü-7*<-ý9-€€ç-0-HÜ-:0-P-/ß9-;è<-<ëÊ Ê8è-;è<-`Ü-9$I:-:0-9ë:-ý-10-¸¥-;è<-ý<Ê ;è<-ý7Ü-¸¥<-U+-%Ü#-+è-,<-9Ü#*ë#-·â-&±-:-9Ü-0ë-oÜ<-ý-P9-9$-ië:-¸¥-+#-7ië-/-8Ü,-ý<-7+Ü-+#-#ë8ß:-10-¸¥-0-;ë9-/9-9$-#Ü-fë$-*ë#-,<-;,-7eè+-+#ë<-5è<-lÜ,-%,v-07Ü-5:-,<-*ë<-<ëÊÊ ÊÊ

INDEX

About the Three Lines . . . . . . 18 actual shamatha . . . . . . . . . 2, 3 actuality . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1, 7, 8 alaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x, 3, 7 alaya consciousness . . . . . . x, 3 Alchemy of Accomplishment . . 18 all-encompassing space . . . . v all-inclusive space . . . . . . . . vi appearance of bliss . . . . . . . . 2 arising and cessation . . . . . . . 5 arising, abiding, and going . . 2 around the clock practice . . . 1 awareness . . . 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 16 bare emptiness . . . . . . . . . . . 4 blankness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 clinging . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5, 8 complete buddhahood . . . . vi completely unnecessary requisite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 core of mind . . . . . . . 3, 11, 14 cyclic existence . . . . . . . . ix, 8 deep solidification . . . . . . . 5, 8 deep stupidity . . . . . . . . . ix, 8 differentiate mind and rigpa . 5

Differentiating NonDistraction and so Forth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii, v, viii differentiation between mind and wisdom . . . . . . . . . . . ix differentiations . . . . . . . . viii-x Direct Crossing . . . . . . vii, 14 direct perception . . . . . . . . vii discursive thought . . . . . . . . 9 discursive thoughts . . . . . . . . 5 Dodrupchen III . . . . . . . . . 18 drawing on water . . . . . . . . . 6 dualistic knower . . . . . . ix, 10 dualistic mind type of knower ...................... 4 Dudjom Rinpoche . . . . . . . 18 dumbfounded . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Dza Patrul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 elaboration . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 9 electronic dictionaries . . . . 20 electronic editions . . . . . . . 19 electronic texts . . . . . . . 19, 20 electronic tools . . . . . . . . . . 19 Empowerment and Atiyoga . . 18

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emptiness . . . . ix, x, 3-5, 9, 11 emptiness aspect . . . . . . . . . . x emptiness factor . . . . . . . 4, 11 emptiness free of every elaboration . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 enormous, empty kind of field ...................... 3 entity . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 9, 10 entity of mind . . . . . . . . . . . 3 essence . . x, 3, 4, 9, 10, 12, 15 essence Mahamudra . . . . . . . x essence of mind . . . . . . . 3, 15 Essential Points of Practice . . 18 factor of abiding . . . . . . . 2, 3 factor of clinging . . . . . . . . . 4 factor of emptiness . . . . . . . 3 factor of experiencing . . . 2, 3 factor of luminosity . . . . . . . 3 factor of rigpa . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Feature of the Expert, Glorious King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 final space of realization . . . vi fixation on a self . . . . . . . . . . 3 Foremost Instruction Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii four approaches to nondistraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 grasped-grasping . . . . . . 4, 10 great completion . v-x, 3, 7, 8, 10, 12-14 great juncture . . . . . . . . . . . . v Great Perfection . . . . . . . . . vi Guru Rinpoche and his manifestations . . . . . . . . . xiv Hinting at Dzogchen . . . . . . 18 illumination . . . . . . . . 4, 8, 11 Illuminator Tibetan-English

Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . 14, 20 illusory, dream-like style of knowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 indeterminate . . . . . . . . . . . ix innermost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 introduction to the nature of mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x, xi investigation of the mind . . ix Ju Mipham . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 key point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 knower . . . . ix, 4, 8, 10, 15, 16 dualistic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 wisdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Levels of Great Completion Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii like a drawing on water . . . . 6 liveliness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 10 luminosity . . . . . . x, 3-5, 8, 11 luminosity aspect . . . . . . . . . . x luminous awareness . . . . . 2, 3 Mahamudra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x mere awareness . . . . . . . . 2, 5 mere calmness . . . . . . . . . . . 3 mere luminosity . . . . . . . . . . 5 mere mindfulness . . . . . . . . 2 mind . . . . . . . . . vii, ix-xi, 1-16 mind and rigpa . . . . . . . . . 3, 5 mind of the buddhas . . . . ix, x mind with a factor of abiding 3 mindfulness . . . . . . . . 1, 2, 12 mind’’s core . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix nature of mind . . . . . . . x, xi, 5 non-distraction . . i, iii, v, viiix, 1 non-distraction of Great Completion practice . . . ix, x one-sided emptiness . . . . . . 4

INDEX

Ontrul Tenpa’’i Wangchuk . 18 oral transmission of Great Completion . . . . . . . . . . viii Padma Karpo Translation Committee . i, ii, xi, xii, 6, 17 Peak Doorways to Emancipation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 primordial type of knowing . 4 Quintessential . . . . . . . . . . . vii Quintessential Great Completion . . . . . . . . . . . vii realization . . . vi, vii, 3, 12, 13 Relics of the Dharmakaya . . . 18 rigpa . . viii, 3-6, 8, 13, 14, 18 rigpa wisdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 samsaric mind . . . . 2, 5, 10, 12 self-arising rigpa’’s factor of luminosity . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 self-arising wisdom . . . . . . . . 4 self-arising wisdom essence . 4 self-illumination . . . . . . . . . . 4 self-liberation over the rigpa 6 self-liveliness of the wisdom . 5 Shakya Shri . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 shamatha . . . . . . . ix, x, 1-3, 14 single space of realization . . vii space-like, enormous emptiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 spilled mercury . . . . . . . . . . . 4 state of perfection . . . . . . . . vi state of realization . . . . . . . . vi state of shamatha . . . . . . . . . 2 state of stupefaction . . . . . . . 2 study and translation of Tibetan texts . . . . . . . . . . 19 study program . . . . . . . . . . . 18

27

stupid shamatha . . . . . . . . . ix Sutra Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Sutra Vehicle approach . . . . ix Swat region of Pakistan . . . . v temporary experience . . . . . . 3 the authentic . . . . . . . . . . . 1, 4 The Method of Preserving the Face of Rigpa . . . . . . . . . . . 18 The Way of the Realized Old Dogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 thogal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Thorough Cut . . i, ii, v, vii-x, 13-15, 18 three-fold birth, cessation, and abiding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 thregcho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Tibetan texts . . . . . . . . . 19, 20 true shamatha . . . . . . . . . . . ix Tsoknyi Rinpoche . . . . . . . v, 6 Uddiyana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v, vi unified shamatha-vipashyana x Vajra Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Vajra Vehicle approach . . . . ix vastness and bareness . . . . . . x vipashyana . . . . . . . . ix, x, 3, 15 wisdom . . . vi, vii, ix, x, 3-6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15 wisdom knower . . . . . . . . . . . 4 wisdom of vipashyana . . . . . . 3 wisdom which is rigpa . . . . . 5 Words of the Old Dog Vijay . 18 worldly types of concentration ...................... 3 Zhechen Gyaltshab . . . . . . . 18

Tony Duff has spent a lifetime pursuing the Buddha’’s teaching and transmitting it to others. In the early 1970's, during his post-graduate studies in molecular biology, he went to Asia and met the Buddhist teachings of various South-east Asian countries. He met Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal and has followed it since. After his trip he abandoned worldly life and was the first monk ordained in his home country of Australia. Together with several others, he founded the monastery called Chenrezig Institute for Wisdom Culture where he studied and practised the Gelugpa teachings for several years under the guidance of Lama Yeshe, Lama Zopa, Geshe Lodan, and Zasep Tulku. After that, he offered back his ordination and left for the USA to study the Kagyu teachings with the incomparable Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Tony was very active in the community and went through all possible levels of training that were available during his twelve year stay. He was also a core member of the Nalanda Translation Committee. After Chogyam Trungpa died, Tony went to live in Nepal where he worked as the personal translator for Tsoknyi Rinpoche and also translated for several other well-known teachers. He also founded and directed the largest Tibetan text preservation project in Asia, the Drukpa Kagyu Heritage Project, which he oversaw for eight years. He also established the Padma Karpo Translation Committee which has produced many fine translations and made many resources for translators such as the highly acclaimed Illuminator Tibetan-English Dictionary. After the year 2000, Tony focussed primarily on obtaining Dzogchen teachings from the best teachers available, especially within Tibet, and translating and teaching them. He has received much approval from many teachers and has been given the titles ““lotsawa”” and ““lama”” and been strongly encouraged by them to teach Westerners. One way he does that is by producing these fine translations. PADMA KARPO TRANSLATION COMMITTEE P.O. Box 4957 Kathmandu Nepal http://www.tibet.dk/pktc