Dzogchen Interview - Lama Surya Das

Lama Surya Das

Q: We would like to talk about your practice in the Tibetan tradition of Dzogchen or the Great Practice.

Surya Das: Dzogchen basically deals with the innate intelligence or intrinsic awareness which all beings possess. It means seeing non-dualistically rather than in the usual dualistic object-subject dichotomy. By definition, delusion is dualistic, while non-duality is ultimate wisdom. Dzogchen doesn't necessarily have anything to do with Buddhism. It is the and perfect nature of all things.

Q: It is said that in Dzogchen "the view" is of ultimate importance. Explain what is meant by view.

Surya Das: In Dzogchen the view comes first, and is crucial. The view is the outlook that everything is primordially pure and perfect just as it is. One might also say that the view is like vast space, without center or
periphery, infinite and open. It's the big view, the overview of overviews. We call it the view from above. Dzogchen is like swooping down from above. The Dalai Lama once said that Dzogchen is the practice of Buddhas, not the
practice of beings.

Q: How does Dzogchen enable people to recognize their true nature?

SD: It is said that a practice like Dzogchen depends upon someone being "introduced" to the ultimate nature. The word "ngotrod" in Tibetan means "to be introduced" but it also means "to identify". So introduction doesn't just mean somebody tells you about it; it means you've recognized it yourself. You've seen the sun break through the clouds, for a moment at least. The clouds might obscure the sun again, just as the mind obscures the innate awareness, but the important point is that we have recognized the ultimate nature with certainty; we have actually come to see how things are.

Q: And this practice of Dzogchen is for Buddhas, not for ordinary beings?

SD: Remember we are all Buddhas. There is a great story about a cook in Adzum Trungpa's tent camp. Adzum Trungpa was a great master, and one day his cook, who was unlettered and untrained, burned his hand in the fire and "woke up". He came running to the master and told him what he had realized. Everything fell apart in that moment of burning his hand; he had a total satori breakthrough and non-dual experience. He realized who he was and the nature of all things. The master said, "That's it!" And the cook said, "Now what?" And the master said, "Keep cooking." That cook became a great yogi, and he just kept cooking. But he had that big view, which is not intellectual. it's not a philosophical view. It's your intuitive highest wisdom. It's your gestalt, your overview, which is prethought, really. It's how you see the world.

Q: So Dzogchen has nothing to do with knowledge or sophistication, or with this or that school or tradition?

SD: That's right. If you want to entitle this interview "We are all Buddhas" I think it might be appropriate, because Dzogchen is beyond "isms" and "schisms." It's beyond Buddhism. We're all Buddhas, some asleep and some awakened. A sleeping Buddha and an awakened Buddha are both Buddhas by nature. And our only task is to awaken to our true nature. That's Dzogchen teaching, in my own words.

Fonte: http://essenes.net/vajra21.html

Effortless compassion

Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche

An effortless compassion can arise for all beings
who have not realized their true nature.

So limitless is it that if tears could express it,
you would cry without end.

Not only compassion, but tremendous skillful means
can be born when you realize the nature of mind.

Also you are naturally liberated from all suffering and fear,
such as the fear of birth, death and the intermediate state.

Then if you were to speak of the joy and bliss that arise
from this realization, it is said by the buddhas that
if you were to gather all the glory, enjoyment, pleasure
and happiness of the world and put it all together,
it would not approach one tiny fraction of the bliss
that you experience upon realizing the nature of mind.

The view

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Once you have the View, although the delusory perceptions of samsara may arise in your mind, you will be like the sky; when a rainbow appears in front of it, it's not particularly flattered, and when the clouds appear it's not particularly disappointed either. There is a deep sense of contentment.

You chuckle from inside as you see the facade of samsara and nirvana; the View will keep you constantly amused,with a little inner smile bubbling away all the time."

The Supreme Doctrine of the wise and glorious King

Patrul Rinpoche - 1808-1887

The Supreme Doctrine of the wise and glorious King
by Dza Pältrül Rinpoche, 'Jigme Chökyi Wangpo
English Translation by Mike Dickman

To the Spiritual Teacher I bow down.

The View is the All–pervasive Vast Expanse, Longchen Rab'jam.
Meditation is Light Rays of Knowledge and Love, Khyentse'i 'Özer.
Activity is the Child of the Victorious Ones, Gyalwa'i Nyugu.
Thus practising
One will attain Buddhahood in a single lifetime without the least effort,
Or — if not — A LA LA! — what peace of mind!

The View is precisely the All–Pervading Vast Expanse:
Three words strike the essential meaning.
First, keep your mind relaxed,
Not scattered, not concentrated and without divisive thoughts.
Resting in this state of even–minded relaxation,
Utter a sudden mind–shattering PHAT,
Forceful, vigorous and abrupt.
E MA HO! — How marvellous!...
Nothing at all!... Astonishment and wonderment!...
In this state of wonderment, all–penetrating mental freedom,
An all–encompassing mental freedom that is inexpressible,
Recognise this awareness, the dimension of absolute reality.
Identifying the primacy of the nature of mind is the first essential point

Then, whether arising or resting in place,
Angry or desirous, happy or sad,
At all times and in all situations,
Having recognised the pristine awareness of the dimension of absolute reality,
For those who have previously familiarised themselves, mother and son clear light meet.
Rest in this inexpressible state of pristine awareness.
Over and over again, destroy any sense of quiescence, bliss, clarity or projection
With the sudden exclamation of the syllable of skilful means and insight.
There is no difference between (periods of) meditation and subsequent insight (into daily life),
No division between meditative sessions and the pauses between them:
Remain in this non–differentiable state continuously.
None the less, until stability is attained,
Renounce distraction and treasure meditation.
Practice formal meditation in set periods
And at all times and in all situations
Maintain only this free play of the dimension of absolute reality,
Firmly convinced that there is no other practice than this.
Absolute conviction of this, and only this, is the second essential point.

At that time, abiding in the understanding of the essence of desire, hatred, pleasure, pain
And of all adventitious thoughts without exception,
Remain in direct recognition without remainder or addition.
Seizing the reality dimension state of what it is that is to be released,
Like a drawing on water,
There is uninterrupted self–arising and self–liberation:
Whatever arises is sustenance for naked awareness–emptiness,
All fluctuation the creativity of the sovereign dimension of the absolutely real,
Spontaneously self–purified and leaving no trace — A LA LA!
The mode of arising is the same as before
But there is an immense and crucial difference in the mode of liberation,
And without it meditation is a path of delusion.
Possessing it is the state of the dimension of absolute reality beyond meditation:
Confidence in (simultaneous arising and) liberation is the third essential point.

In this View embracing the Three Essential Points,
A meditation combining knowledge and love,
And the general activities of a Buddha–Son will be of assistance.
Though the Victorious Ones of the three times consulted together,
They would have no pith–instructions superior to these.
The Treasure–Finder of the awareness and creativity of the dimension of absolute reality,
Extracted this from the treasury of the vast expanse of perfected insight.
It is not like those treasures taken from earth or stone
But is the final testament of Ga'rab Dorje.
It is the heart–essence of the Three Transmissions,
Destined specifically for my Heart Sons.

It is the profound meaning, the outpouring of the heart,
And this message of the heart hits directly at the meaning;
Do not waste this essential truth!
Do not allow these pith–instructions to fade!

This is the Supreme Doctrine of the Wise and Glorious King.