The Dawn of Awareness: The Practice Manual for the Special Preliminaries of Dzogchen

130 Pages·2006·3.772 MB·English

by  Jean-Luc Achard

The Dawn of Awareness
fl'he Practice Manual for the
Special Preliminaries ofD zogchen

The Dawn of Awareness
The Practice Manual for the
Special Preliminaries of Dzogchen
By Jean-Luc Achard
The Dawn of Awareness
The Practice Manual for the Special Preliminaries of Dzogchen
Zhangzhung Nyengyii. Studies, volume II, 2006.
The contents of this book are copyright© Jean-Luc Achard, 2006.
First edition 2006.
No part of this booklet may be reproduced in any way or by any means
without the prior consent of the author.
The objective of the Zhangzhung Nyengyrl Studies is to provide
translations into English language of the Zhangzhung Nyengyrl Project
elaborated in French, as a part of the Dzogchen Training conducted in
the Khyung-mkhar Association, under the spiritual guidance of Ven.
Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche.
Naldjor - Institute for Movement and Tibetan Yoga promotes the study
and practice of the ancient and authentic Dzogchen teachings. The
transmission of the Dzogchen Zhang Zhung Nyengyrl has been handed
down in an unbroken lineage of realized masters. One of its most
important texts, the Zerbu (gZer bu nyer gcig gi gzhung) states that
when these essential instructions and transmissions were first recorded
at the behest of Tapihritsa they were set down by Gyerpung Nangzher
LOpo in letters of turquoise on white paper or birch bark like conch
shells. It is our intention to follow this tradition by providing study and
practice materials of high quality, in order to sustain study and prac
tice, both individually and collectively with other practitioners. Thus
may we live up to fulfill the direct transmission received through our
master Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche.
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Contents 5
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements 9
chapter 1-IDtroductlon 10
1. The three ways of teaching Dzogchen 10
2. The four ordinary preliminaries 13
2-l. The precious human body 14
2-2. Reflection on impermanence 17
2-3. The unsatisfactory nature of Samsara 17
2-4. Karmic retributions 19
3. The Ten Vows 20
4. The nine ez:traordlnary prellmlnarles 21
4-l. Practicing self-initiation 22
4-1-1. The key point of the body 23
4-1-2. The key point of breath 23
4-1-3. The actual meditation 24
4-2. Meditation on impermanence 25
4-2-l. The key point of the body 25
4-2-2. The general meditation 25
4-2-3. The meditation in nine points 26
4-3. Practice of Confession 28
4-3-1. General considerations 28
4-3-2. The main visualization 28
4-4./}enerating the Mind of Perfect Purity 31
4-5. Taking Refuge 31
4-5-1. The key point of the body 31
4-5-2. The main visualization 32
4-6. Offering of the Mandala 32
4-7. The purification of obscurations 34
4-8. The offering of the body 36
4-9. The prayer to the Lineage 37
4-10. The order of the practices 38
4-11. The signs of success 38
Chapter D - The Practice with attributes 40
1. Preliminary steps to the actual practice In retreat 40
2. Concentration on the white A 41
6 The Dawn of Awareness
2-1. The key point of the body 42
2-2. The key point of the gaze 42
2-3. The key point of mind 43
2-4. Supplementary key points 43
3. Concentration on sounds 44
4. The arising of signs 45
4-1. The inner signs 45
4-2. The outer signs 46
5. Further instructions on how to impart teachings 4 7
Chapter ill - The Practices of Disjunctions 48
1. Outer Disjunctions 48
1-1. Preliminary reflection 48
1-2. Actual meditation 49
1-2-1. The Disjunction of the body 49
1-2-2. The Disjunction of speech 49
1-2-3. The Disjunction of mind 50
1-3. The purpose of these Disjunctions 50
2. Inner Disjunctions 52
2-1. The abridged presentation 52
2-2. The extended explanation 53
2-2-l. The preliminaries 53
2-2-2. The main practice 55
[ 1). The three absorptions 55
[2). The purification of the six destinies 55
[2-1). First week: purification of the hell realms 56
[2-2). Second week: purification of the realm of
the hungry ghosts 59
[2-3). Third week: purification of the animal realm 62
[2-4). Fourth week: purification of the human realm 65
[2-5). Fifth week: purification of the demi-gods realm 69
[2-6). Sixth week: purification of the gods realm 72
[2-7). Seventh week: purification of the Bardo states 75
2-2-3. The signs of purification 78
Chapter IV - The Training of the Three Doors 81
1. The Training of the Body 81
1-1. The key point of the body 81
1-2. The key point of the eyes 81
1-3. The key point of the mind 82
Contents 7
2. The Training of Speech 82
2-1. The twofold sealing 82
2-1-1. Sealing outer manifestations 82
2-1-2. Sealing the inner aggregates 83
2-1-3. The arising of signs 83
2-2. The twofold dynamic training 84
2-2-1. Training on outer manifestations 84
2-2-2. Training on the Inner aggregates 84
2-2-3. The arising of signs 84
2-3. Searching for suppleness 85
2-4. Entering the Path 85
2-5. The purpose of this training 86
3. The Training of Mind 86
Chapter V - The Practice without attributes 88
1. The induction of natural ease 88
1-1. The proper induction of the natural ease 88
1-1-1. Inducing the natural ease of the body 88
1-1-2. Inducing the natural ease of speech 89
1-1-3. Inducing the natural ease of the mind 89
1-2. The cultivation of the natural state 90
1-2-1. The key point of the body 90
1-2-2. The key point of the gaze 91
1-2-3. The key point of the mind 91
1-2-4. The commitment to preserve 92
2. The actual entrance into the natural state 93
2-1. The entrance into the natural state 93
2-1-1. The gaze of the Peaceful deities 93
2-1-2. The gaze of the Yungdrung Sempas 94
2-1-3. The gaze of the Wrathful deities 94
2-2. The arising of experiences 95
Chapter VI-The Direct Confrontation with the Nature
ofMind 96
1. What is to be realized? 96
2. The means leading to realization 97
3. The ensuing practice 98
3-1. What Is to be experienced ? 98
3-2. The posture 99
3-3. The corrections 99
3-4. The visualization 99
3-5. The experience of Awareness 100
8 The Dawn of Awareness
Chapter VU - A Timetable for a Retreat of Special Prellminarles
as elaborated by Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche 102
1. A Synopsis of the special preliminaries of Dzogchen 102
2. A Timetable for the practice of the Rushens and
the Training of the Three Doors 103
Appendix I - The Experience of the Three Bodies and
the Kborde Rushen Practice according to the Golden
Needle Tantra of Bonzhik Yungdrung Lingpa 106
1. The Practice of the three Rushen 107
1-1. The Rushe n of the Body 107
1-2. The Rushen of Speech 107
1-3. The Rushen of Mind 108
2. The Nature of the Three Bodies 108
2-1. The direct introduction to the Absolute Body 108
2-2. The direct introduction to the Perfection Body 109
2-3. The direct introduction to the Emanation Body 109
Appendix D -The Practice of the Sound of Awareness 110
1. The practice proper 110
2. The training method 111
3. The purpose of the practice 112
Appendix m - The actual practice of the Three Samidhis
for the purification of the six Destinies 113
Glossary of selected technical terms 119
Bibliography 126
Acknowledgements 9
Acknowledgements
This book was conceived as a companion to Lopon Tenzin Namdak
Rtnpoche's Heart Drops of Dharmakaya, especially with the aim to
provide some guidellnes on how to perform the practice of the
preliminartes - be they outer, inner or secret. It is mostly centered on
the preliminaries as described in the Zhangzhung Nyengyil and in The
Instructions of Dru Gyelwa Yungdrung. However, some of the special
preliminaries are not explained in these collections. Therefore, I had
recourse to Shardza Rinpoche's teachings to explain them.
Both Yongdzin Lopon Tenzin Namdak and Menri Lopon Trinley
Nyima Rinpoches have greatly contributed through their teachings to
the existence of this volume. Without their faithful transmissions, the
book would never have been issued.
Similarly, for their generous and Invaluable help in correcting and
improving the contents of this second volume of the Zhangzhung
Nyengyil Studies series, I would like to thank Marianne Ginalski and
Michael Hunt of the Tapihritsa and Tsewang Rigdzin Translation
Committees who dedicated much of their time to this project with great
care and attention. Without their constant support, the book would
simply never have seen the light. Special acknowledgements are also
due to Miss Barbara Bradshaw of the Yeru Ling Center and to Mr Bob
Campbell for their generous suggestions on the ultimate drafts of this
book. Their help and corrections have been greatly appreciated.
I would also like to thank all the members of the Dzogchen Training
Group of the Dzogchen Samten Ling center in France for their
continuous support in these publishing projects. This also includes the
friends of the European and North American group of students of
Yongdzin Rinpoche and Menri Lopon Rinpoche: Pamela J. Yuen,
Yungdrung Wangden-Kreuzer and Gerrit Huber.
Last but not least. I would like to send my heartfelt thanks to our
publisher. Gerd Manusch, for his constant concern with the quality of
the books produced by the Naldjor Institute and for his respect of the
tradition in printing books on conch-like paper and blue ink.
Thatsen Mutsuk Marro,
Jean-Luc Achard
Khyung-mkhar 2006.