A Treasure Trove of Scriptural Transmission: A Commentary on the Precious Treasure of the Basic Space of Phenomena

532 Pages·2001·12.889 MB·English

by  Klon-Chen-Pa Dri-Med Od-Zer, Longchen Rabjam, Richard Barron, Susanne Fairclough

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A TREASURE TROVE
OF j _____
SCRIPTURAL TRANSMISSION
A COMMENTARY ON
The Precious Treasury of the
Basic Space of Phenomena
Longchen Rabjam
THE SEVEN TREASURIES SERIES
This series consists of the volumes written by Longchen
Rabjam that, as a group, have come to be known as The
Seven Treasuries. Although Longchenpa did not intend
them to be a series, scholars traditionally treat them as
such because of their interrelated themes.
Published Volumes
The Precious Treasury of the Way of Abiding
The Precious Treasury of the Basic Space
of Phenomena
A Treasure Trove of
Scriptural Transmission
A Commentary on The Precious Treasury
of the Basic Space of Phenomena
Longchen Rabjam
Translated under the direction of
His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
by Richard Barron (Lama Chokyi Nyima)
Edited by members of
the Padma Translation Committee:
Susanne Fairclough, Jeff Miller,
Mary Racine, and Robert Racine
PADMA PUBLISHING
2001
Published by Padma Publishing
P.O. Box 2.79
Junction City, California 96048-0279
© Padma Publishing 2001
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or any information storage
or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Printed in the United States of America
05 04 03 02 01 5 4 3 2 1
Jacket design by Daniel Tesser
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Klon-chen-pa Dri-med-’od-zer, 1308-1363
[Chos dbyings rin po che’i mdzod ces bya ba’i ’grel pa. English]
A treasure trove of scriptural transmission : a commentary on “The precious
treasury of the basic space of phenomena” / Longchen Rabjam;
translated under the direction of
His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche by Richard Barron (Chokyi Nyima);
edited by members of the Padma Translation Committee,
Susanne Fairclough ... [et al.]
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
isbn 1-881847-30-6
1. Rdzogs-chen (Rnin-ma-pa). 2. Rnin-ma-pa (Sect)—Doctrines—
Early works to 1800. I. Title: A treasure trove of scriptural transmission.
II. Barron, Richard. III. Fairclough, Susanne. IV. Title.
BQ7662.4.K535 2001
294.3420423—dc2i 00-059853
CIP
isbn 1-881847-30-6 (hardback)
Contents
Foreword, His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche vii
Introduction, Venerable Tulku Thondup Rinpoche ix
Translation Committee's Preface xvii
Introduction 3
I The Adornment of Basic Space 13
2 Awakened Mind as a Pure Realm 35
3 Metaphors for Awakened Mind 53
4 The Essence and Display of Awareness 75
5 Transcending Effort and Causality 9i
6 All-Inclusive Awakened Mind 123
7 Spontaneously Present Awareness 137
8 Nonduality Within Awakened Mind 151
9 The Decisive Experience 175
IO Natural Meditative Stability 219
ii Resting in Uncontrived Conduct 289
12 Timeless Freedom 319
13 Awakening to Buddhahood 389
Conclusion 429
v
vi CONTENTS
An Exhortation to Read “The Seven Treasuries
Paltrul Rinpoche 443
Notes 453
Sources Cited 491
Word List 499
Foreword
His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
The publication of Longchen Rabjam’s Seven Treasuries should be a
cause for rejoicing among deeply committed English-speaking Buddhists
who aspire to realize the dzogchen, or great perfection, teachings of
vajrayana Buddhism. Though there are many spiritual traditions in this
world, Buddhism offers the deepest examination of what constitutes the
root of samsara, and of how to deal with all levels of obscuration and
attain liberation. Among Buddhist teachings, none are more profound,
more capable of freeing the mind from its most subtle obscurations,
than those of the great perfection.
Yet, because great perfection transmission leads to wisdom beyond
words and concepts, the translation of dzogchen texts presents tremen­
dous difficulties. Some lamas have said that it is not even worth the at­
tempt, that too much distortion results. I respect their opinion, but feel
that those of us with the supreme fortune to have received authentic
transmission from great dzogchen masters have a responsibility to main­
tain the oral lineage, including the translation of texts, as well as the
mind-to-mind lineage of realization. If we eschew this work, the pre­
cious great perfection teachings will remain inaccessible to some excel­
lent Western practitioners who have potential as meditators but who do
not know Tibetan. An avenue for the flourishing of the transmission
will be cut off.
I am also gravely concerned about the translations of great perfec­
tion texts produced by Westerners who know Tibetan but who rely
solely on scholarly knowledge, without recourse to teachers. Intellectual
understanding alone, without the ripening process that takes place un­
vii
viii FOREWORD
der the direction of qualified dzogchen teachers, will certainly result in
misguided translations, perpetuated in misguided meditation by those
who base their spiritual practice on such translations. But again, if
qualified dzogchen masters refrain from working on translations be­
cause they fear imperfect results, can they lament when even more erro­
neous translations are published?
The translator of these texts, Richard Barron (Lama Chókyi Nyima),
has truly mastered both literary and spoken Tibetan, but his deeper un­
derstanding is based on an extended retreat under the guidance of His
Eminence Kalu Rinpoche, on a number of six-week dzogchen retreats,
and on listening to and translating the teachings of many eminent la­
mas. He has translated other great perfection texts and sadhanas,
notably Dudjom Lingpa’s Buddhahood Without Meditation, under my
direction. He thus brings more capability to his work than mere theo­
retical and intellectual competence. The other members of the transla­
tion committee have a grounding in the study of dzogchen terminology
and have likewise participated in annual dzogchen retreats. The learned
scholar Khenpo Chódzó has been consulted on many details of this
translation of A Treasure Trove of Scriptural Transmission. I myself
have brought to the process whatever understanding of great perfection
I have attained in the course of a lifetime of study and meditation.
This means that while we have not necessarily produced flawless
translations, we have confidence in this groundbreaking attempt. It
should be understood that works of this kind are not casually read and
easily comprehended. In fact, for most people, the texts are quite diffi­
cult to fathom; their meaning unfolds according to the depth of the
reader’s spiritual preparation. However, simply having these books in
one’s home is more valuable than having statues or stupas, for they are
truly relics of the dharmakaya. Such holy works carry powerful bless­
ings and are worthy objects of faith and devotion.
The project of translating Longchen Rabjam’s Seven Treasuries is
ongoing. We encourage anyone with knowledge and experience of the
great perfection to contact us with suggestions, clarifications, or correc­
tions, which we will consider for incorporation into future editions.
May these precious texts illuminate the minds of all who read and ven­
erate them.
Introduction
Venerable Tulku Tbondup Rinpoche
Choying Dzdd is the meaning of the innate nature of mind,
dharmakaya.
It elucidates naked primordial wisdom without affirming
or negating anything.
It is the heart essence of the visions of the Omniscient Lama
[Longchen Rabjam].
It is the most profound of all profound teachings.
It is the vivid arising of pure dharmakaya as the teaching.
This excellent teaching is a living buddha.
It fulfills the Buddha’s activities in this world.
It manifests the absolute vision of the Buddha.
Even if you were to see the Buddha in person, there would not be
[any] greater [teaching] than this.1
Paltrul Rinpoche2
Choying Dzdd enshrines the essence of Dzogpa Chenpo teachings
written by Longchen Rabjam, the Omniscient Master.3 It consists of a
set of source verses—The Precious Treasury of the Basic Space of Phe­
nomena (or The Precious Treasure on the Ultimate Sphere)—and
Longchen Rabjam’s commentary on these, which constitutes the present
1 mDzod bdun la Ita bar bskul ba, by Abu Hralbo (Paltrul Rinpoche), Paltul Sung
bum, Vol. Ka, folio za/6 (Sikhron Mirig Petrun khnag).
2 For the life of Paltrul Rinpoche, see Masters of Meditation and Miracles (hereafter
MMM), by Tulku Thondup (Shambhala, 1996), p. 201.
3 For the life of Longchen Rabjam, see The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism,
by Dudjom Rinpoche (Wisdom, 1991), Vol. I, p. 575, and MMM, p. 109.
ix
X INTRODUCTION
volume. Choying Dzdd is not a composition contrived by a conceptual
mind, but a manifestation of dharmakaya in the form of naturally
arisen words. For centuries, it has remained one of the most sacred
meditation manuals and has inspired thousands to attain the ultimate
realization of Dzogpa Chenpo.
Dzogpa Chenpo and Prasangika-Madhyamaka
The general view of Dzogpa Chenpo is similar to that of Prasangika.
Dzogpa Chenpo, however, stands alone not only in its approach to
meditation, but also in its view. Longchen Rabjam writes:
Dzogpa Chenpo’s view of freedom from extremes is similar to
Prasangika-Madhyamaka’s for the most part. [The main differ­
ence is that] the important basic view of Madhyamaka is of a
spacelike empty aspect, while the principal basic view [of Dzogpa
Chenpo] is of primordially pure and naked intrinsic awareness,
which is ineffable and unceasing. According to Dzogpa Chenpo,
intrinsic awareness and everything that arises within it are free
from all extremes, like the [nonexistence of] limits to space.4
The Third Dodrupchen (1865-1926)5 writes:
Choying Dzdd and other [Dzogpa Chenpo] sources praise the
view of Prasangika-Madhyamaka. So [Dzogpa Chenpo] is in ac­
cord with Prasangika regarding the definition of the limits to the
object-of-negation (dgag byayi mtshams ’dzin).
However, in Prasangika—having separated the aspects (Idog
ch’a) of appearances and emptiness by distinguishing the particu­
larities (spu ris) of each or by separating the emptiness aspect
[from the apparent aspect]—one apprehends the aspect of empti­
ness that is a nonaffirming negation (med dgag). This is a method
of maintaining [the view] using concepts. It also asserts that after
conceptually distinguishing between them and gaining experi­
ences [of it] in meditation, one attains what is called “the fruition
of the blissful, clear, and nonconceptual intellect.”
4 Ch'os dbyings mdzod kyi ’grel ba Lung gi gter mdzod, by Longchen Rabjam, folio
j6b/i (Adzom ed., reproduced by Dodrupchen Rinpoche).
5 For the life of the Third Dodrupchen Rinpoche, see MMM, p. Z37.