Difference between dzogchen and mahamudra pdf

Hh the dalai lamas the gelugkagyu tradition of mahamudra snow lion discusses some of the differences and similarities between the meditative traditions of the tibetan buddhist schools. Between 1990 and 1995, thrangu rinpoche taught on mahamudra in five retreats held at big bear lake in california. Dzogchen in comparison with other buddhist systems study. Buddhism is rich in methods for working with the mind. In dzogchen we make a distinction between mind, sem and awareness or rigpa. There is no difference between happiness and suffering.

It is now in the present century, that for the first time, the west is finally beginning to learn something in depth about the ancient mystical teachings and practices of buddhist yogacara. While their methods may differ, their essence is the same. Dec 12, 2011 at first glance i tend to feel that there is a distinct stylistic difference between mahamudra and dzogchen in a way. The difference is in method, and reflects the broad differences in approach between the schools they come from, the nyingma and kagyu, respectively. Mahamudra can denote a body of teachings within tibetan buddhism, which uses mahamudra as a means to view the world as it exists, for all its beauty and perfection. These are the two paths that provide practitioners with the most. Many sutras and other texts extol the benefits of meditation. There are a few recent books which discuss some of the philosophical epistemological differences between the different tibetan traditions.

Mahamudra is a multivalent term of great importance in later indian buddhism. However, the principal difference between bon and the other buddhist schools is one of lineage and not of teaching. It does not exist outside or inside the body, nor in between. In some sense it is very similar to mahamudra, but it tends to be even more abstract. It is found primarily in the nyingma and bon traditions, but also appears as a supplementary practice in some of the kagyu traditions such as drugpa, drigung, and karma kagyu. Advaita, zen, dzogchen and taoism nonduality applied. So we see that there is little difference between mahamudra and dzogchen. Some of the commentaries on the sutras, the tantras, and the different sciences. Whether on the gross, subtle, or subtlest clear light level, the nature of mental activity remains the same. Dzogchen and mahamudra, the great perfection and the great seal, are powerful meditative systems for revealing the nature of mind, explains adeu rinpoche. With perseverance and wisdom, dzogchen becomes an incredibly.

Although we find here much of the prebuddhist magic and shamanism that survived in tibet, bon also has the higher spiritual teachings of sutra, tantra, and upadesha or dzogchen. When you experience all reality without duality, you are liberated through confidence in that. Masters of mahamudra songs and histories of the eightyfour buddhist siddhas translated by keith dowman with tulku pema tenzin. When the dividing line between stillness and thought occurrence fades away, and the strength of attention is intensified, rigpa, or pure awareness, is revealed. A meditation retreat on shamatha, vipashyana, mahamudra, and. Both are achieved through a combination of samadhi meditation and vipasana meditation. The methods of spiritual liberation of the eightyfour indian tantric masters through legend, precepts and history. Vajrayana buddhism is also known as tibetan buddhism or tantric buddhism. Practical instructions on the union of mahamudra and dzogchen karma chagme, b. Mahamudra literally means great seal or great imprint and refers to the fact that all phenomena inevitably are stamped by the fact of wisdom and emptiness inseparable. These stages parallel the four yogas of dzogchen semde.

Since clearlight state and ripga state is quite different, the two systems are different too. In dzogchen youre immediately introduced to the nature of your mind by your lama and the practice is about continuing to remain in that recognitio. It will also be very much an introduction to, or a. Both dzogchen and mahamudra are methods for meditating on the mind. Mahamudra is the union of emptiness and bliss, and as tsongkhapa explained very clearly the emptiness refered to is that of the madhyamaka view.

Rigpa in dzogchen and mahamudra are not the same thing. They are two different system of approach and practice to realize the true nature of everything enlightenment. This is the hardest of the three parts of practice. This is something that tsele natsok rangdrol touches on in the book the heart of the matter. Dzogchen the science of meditation and mindfulness. Similarly, amongst buddhists in china and japan, we can see how various practice tradition movements have emerged in the form of what is now known as ch.

According to the dalai lama, there is no essential difference between these. It has no tantra or ritual, though there are related meditation practices that do things with visualization and syllable mantra. Mar 28, 2012 an introduction to mahamudra meditation by the venerable khenchen thrangu rinpoche geshe lharampa is an important guide to the technique. Yogacara means to practice yoga, or in other words, to practice meditation. The master replied, the unenlightened man sees a difference, but the enlightened man does not. You may call it an introduction or summary of mahamudra. Even if you search for it in every direction, it is unreal.

This is because dzogchen speaks entirely from the perspective of enlightened buddha, unlike mahamudra which still has residual flavor of the student attitude. Mahamudra uses the clearlight or prabhassara while dzogchen uses the pristineawareness or rigpa vidya as their core. A wonderful meditation manual for the illusory body practices. However few teachers teach it like a regular meditation technique, and it is gaining some prominence in the pragmatic community.

Mahamudra and dzogchen, two systems of buddhist yoga. Depending on whether one is using the mahamudra or dzogchen approach, there are different terminologies, but the actual training is essentially the same. This is not to give the first or last word on nondual understanding to a particular tradition, school or sect. Dzogchen rdzogschen, the great completeness is an advanced system of mahayana practice that brings enlightenment. Dzogchen, or great perfection, is the ultimate teaching according to the nyingma tradition and also represents the pinnacle of spiritual development. Mind refers to the unbroken mental activity of cognitively engaging with objects, described from another point of view as the mental activity of giving rise to appearances mental holograms.

The ultimate fruition of the thodgal practices is a body of pure light, called a rainbow body wylie ja lus, pronounced jalu. Mahamudra is the path taught in the kagyu school of tibetan buddhism and dzogchen is the. Although interpretations will differ and texts may be deconstructed, we must remember that through all the vehicles the skillful means upaya of the buddhas teaching varies in sub. Dzogchen, and highest yoga tantra essence mahamudra respectively. Is there an essential difference between buddhist sutra and tantra. If one practices in such a way that one clears away all the negative emotions resulting from passion aggression, and ignorance, then there is no contradiction between the three vehicles. Mahamudra is the path taught in the kagyu school of tibetan buddhism and dzogchen is the path taught in the nyingma and to some degree gelug school of tibetan buddhism. So its like the difference between the taste of honey and the taste of maple syrup. Special instructions on the nonduality of dzogchen dzogchen great perfection goes to the heart of our experience by investigating the relationship between mind and world and uncovering the great secret of minds luminous nature. In addition, karma chagmey describes the benefits of recognizing it, the disad.

This mind that we experience, is the same for both systems. The experience of mahamudra, or great symbol, is an overwhelming sense of extraordinary clarity, totally open and nondualistic. In the ultimate view of these two schools, there is no difference. At first glance i tend to feel that there is a distinct stylistic difference between mahamudra and dzogchen in a way. This is consistent with the teachings of the lineage, which define the path of mahamudra to consist of listening to, reflecting on, and meditating according to the teachings. You really need pointing out instructions by a qualified teacher to approach dzogchen well imo. The union of mahamudra and dzogchen by chokyi nyima. This is the meaning of condensing them all into one. During the flourishing of the mahamudra teachings in india in the 8th to 12th centuries there were innumerable people who practiced mahamudra and who then attained realization through this practice. These two unique sets, mahamudra and dzogchen, are distinctive incredibly rich paths that undoubtedly lead to the experience of a definitive meaning, an inner vocabulary, of our experience of mind. How then, do the highest tantric teachings of the ancient schools dzogchen, and of the new translation schools essence mahamudra differ from the sutra view of the middle way of nagarjuna and chandrakirti, and how are they the same. Difference between dzogchen and mahamudra dharma wheel.

Sarahas dohas songs or poems in rhyming couplets are the earliest mahamudra literature extant, and promote some of the unique features of mahamudra such as the importance of pointingout instruction by a guru, the nondual nature of mind, and the negation of conventional means of achieving enlightenment such as samathavipasyana meditation. In dzogchen they are called mind, space and instruction sections. Both mahamudra and dzogchen deal with the subtlest level of mental activity, mahamudra accesses it by dissolving the energywinds and the grosser levels of mental activity, whereas dzogchen accesses it by recognizing it within the grosser levels, namely sem. Mahamudra, i have found that maintaining some record of oral instructions which subsequently can be reflected upon and serve as a guide for practice to be helpful. This lack of difference between these two states, their nondual advaya nature, corresponds with the idea that change from one to another doesnt happen due to an ordinary process of causation but is an instantaneous and perfect selfrecognition rang ngo sprod of what is already innately lhanskyes there. Dzogchen and mahamudra, two great paths lions roar. It is sometimes said that the buddha taught many contradictory doctrines. Whats the difference between vajrayana and dzogchen.

Is there a clear and quite simple way to explain the difference between dzogchen and mahamudra. One of the most renowned and powerful is the ancient wisdom tradition known as mahamudra. Their essential points are identical, to the point where there are tibetan traditions which are the union of dzogchen and mahamudra. Here, the difference between shamatha and vipassana is the. On an ultimate level, however, there is a false dichotomy between view and meditation. Essentials of mahamudra is a commentary on tashi namgyals text. Differences between the 4 schools nyingma, kagyu, sakya. Dzogchen might have a reputation for being effortless, but in order to practice it properly in the first place, we need to put in tremendous effort to understand what are known as the outer and inner preliminaries. Now, i thought perhaps it will be beneficial for all of us to learn about mahamudra practice, not just a general introduction but about practice. Dzogchen and mahamudra are the names used by different schools for the same practices and texts. Both mahamudra and dzogchen contain three subsections.

Like others pointed out, dzogchen is usually a set of vajrayana practices and is taught on the basis of those practices. Dzogchen is a very advancedlevel set of teachings in the old translation school nyingma. Put simply, the tension between duality and nonduality is just an. Alan is drawing repeatedly from the most foundational teachings of the buddha, as presented for example in the pali canon. It comes from the roots maha, meaning great, and mudra, meaning symbol or gesture. The union of mahamudra and dzokchen selfdefinition. Mar 29, 2016 the topic of this 8week retreat covers the broad bandwidth from shamatha to vipashyana, to mahamudra and dzogchen because the text naked awareness is the union of mahamudra and dzogchen. The mahamudra teachings come through the kagyu lineage. Oct 17, 2017 the practice is different, to my understanding however both ultimately lead to the same end result.

Such theoretical frameworks can be found throughout traditional meditation schools, but are explicitly taught in nondual approaches such as dzogchen and mahamudra. In the kagyu lineage supplication we say all thoughts are dharma kaya. Mahamudra practice s o far, i have been teaching about mahamudra in a very general sort of way. Originating in india, the view and practice of mahamudra gradually spread across asia and today has reached the west. Dzogchen it is a central teaching of the nyingma school, but also practiced by adherents of other tibetan buddhist sects and regarded as the highest and most definitive path to enlightenment by these schools. What is the difference between dzogchen and mahamudra. It is a buddhist practice based on mahayana principles and incorporating tantric meditation, also known as deity meditation. Whats the difference between mahamudra and dzogchen in. Dzogchen and mahamudra, the great perfection and the great seal, are. Samantabhadra buddha detail, tibet collection of rubin museum of art acc.