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[[Image:RigdzinDupaSm.JPG|frame|A [[thangka]] showing the deities of Longchen Nyingtik, including the lama [[Rigdzin Düpa]], the yidam [[Palchen Düpa]], the khandro [[Yumka Dechen Gyalmo]], along with [[Dukngal Rangdrol]], [[Takhyung Barwa]], Senge Dongma and the protective deities.]]
[[Image:RigdzinDupaSm.JPG|frame|A [[thangka]] showing the deities of Longchen Nyingtik, including the lama [[Rigdzin Düpa]], the yidam [[Palchen Düpa]], the khandro [[Yumka Dechen Gyalmo]], along with [[Dukngal Rangdrol]], [[Takhyung Barwa]], Senge Dongma and the protective deities.]]
'''Longchen Nyingtik''' [Tib.] - a [[Nyingma]] cycle of teachings and practice, which was discovered by [[Jikmé Lingpa]] through a series of visions from the great 14th century master, [[Longchenpa]].
'''Longchen Nyingtik''' [Tib.] - a [[Nyingma]] cycle of teachings and practice, which was discovered by [[Jikmé Lingpa]] as mind ter.


==The Revelation of Longchen Nyingtik==
==The Revelation of Longchen Nyingtik==
Although separated in time by some four centuries, Jikmé Lingpa was tremendously inspired by the teachings of Longchenpa, and during a three-year retreat in the caves of [[Chimphu]] between 1759–62, he invoked him fervently with a [[Guru Yoga]] he had composed. Longchenpa appeared to him in three visions, through which he received the blessing and transmission of the wisdom body, speech and mind of Longchenpa, empowering him with the responsibility of preserving the meaning of the teachings of Longchenpa, and of spreading them. Longchenpa appeared to him three times: first he appeared as quite old, the second time he appeared he was younger and smiled at him, and the third time he was very youthful, came alive, took the whole teaching in the form of a book and placed it on his head, granting him the ''Rigpé Tsal Wang''. At that instant his mind became one with the wisdom mind of Longchenpa.
The Longchen Nyingtik cycle of teachings was discovered by [[Jikmé Lingpa]] as mind ter (a category of [[terma]]).
 
===Mind Ter===
[[Tulku Thondup]] explains the [[terma]] tradition of Tibet as follows:
 
:In a number of spiritual traditions of the world there are many instances of the discovery of teachings and objects through mystical power. Similarly, in various traditions and lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, in India as well as Tibet, numerous mystical discoveries of teachings and objects have taken place.
 
:In the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, the tradition of concealment and revelation of teachings and materials of religious value through the mystical power of enlightened beings is most prevalent by far. This tradition of mystical discovery is known in Tibetan as Ter (''Treasures'') [or] Terma (''Treasured Ones'')…<ref>''Enlightened Journey: Buddhist Practice as Daily Life'', by Tulku Thondup, page 93.</ref>
 
:The main source of the Terma tradition of the Nyingma school is [[Guru Padmasambhava]]. <ref>''Enlightened Journey: Buddhist Practice as Daily Life'', by Tulku Thondup, page 95.</ref>
 
:While transmitting esoteric teachings to his realized disciples in Tibet, Guru Padmasambhava concealed many teachings with the blessings of his enlightened mind stream in the nature of the intrinsic awareness of the minds of his disciples through the power of “mind-mandated transmission” (gtad rgya); thereby the master and disciple became united as one in the teachings and realization. Here, the master has concealed the teachings and blessings, the esoteric attainments, as ter in the pure nature of the minds of his disciples through his enlightened power, and he has made aspirations that the ter may be discovered for the sake of beings when the appropriate time comes.<ref>''Enlightened Journey: Buddhist Practice as Daily Life'', by Tulku Thondup, page 97.</ref>
 
[[Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche]] writes:
 
:In propagating the Buddha’s teachings amid the shamanistic society that dominated Tibet at that time, Padmasambhava saw clearly that some teachings would have to wait for a more appropriate time to take root. He concealed them until certain great practitioners…would reveal them and bring them to fruition. [LD 11]<ref>''Lord of the Dance'', by Chagdud Tulku, page 11.</ref>
 
===Longchen Nyingtik Revelation===
Regarding the revelation of the Longchen Nyingtik teachings, [[Tulku Thodup]] writes:
 
:While Guru Rinpoche was visiting Tibet…he conferred the Longchen Nyingtik teachings on [[King Trisong Detsen]], [[Khandro Yeshe Tsogyal]], and [[Vairochana]]… He gave prophetic empowerments by saying that the teachings would be discovered by Jikmé Lingpa, an incarnation (tulku) of King Trisong Detsen.
 
:So centuries later, when the prophetic empowerments of Guru Rinpoche ripened and the favorable circumstances come to fruition, the concealed Longchen Nyingtik teachings were accordingly awakened in the enlightened mind of Jikmé Lingpa as mind ter.<ref>''Masters of Meditation and Miracles'', by Tulku Thondup, pages 43-44.</ref>
 
Jikmé Linga discovered the Longchen Nyingtik teachings as mind ter at the age of twenty-eight. Tulku Thondup writes:
 
:In the evening of the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month of the Fire Ox year of the thirteenth Rabjung cycle (1757), Jikmé Lingpa went to bed with an unbearable devotion to Guru Rinpoche in his heart; a stream of tears of sadness continuously wet his face because he was not in Guru Rinpoche’s presence, and unceasing words of prayers kept singing in his breath.
 
:He remained in the depths of that meditation experience of clear luminosity for a long time. While being absorbed in that luminous clarity, he experienced flying a long distance through the sky while riding a white lion. He finally reached a circular path, which he thought to be the circumambulation path of Charung Khashor, now known as Bodnath Stupa, and important Buddhist monument of giant structure in Nepal. <ref>''Masters of Meditation and Miracles'', by Tulku Thondup, pages 122-123.</ref>
 
In this vision, he received the symbolic scripts of the Longchen Nyingtik from a Dakini. In this way, the concealed Longchen Nyingtik teachings, consisting of tantric sadhanas and teachings, were awakened in Jikmé Lingpa as a mind ter.
 
===The Nyingtik Teachings===
The Nyingtik teachings are the innermost secret teachings of [[Dzogchen]]. The Dzogchen teachings were revealed to [[Garab Dorje|Prahevajra (Tib. Garab Dorje)]] by [[Vajrasattva]], and passed down through an unbroken lineage to present day masters. Within the Dzogchen teachings, there are [[three classes]] of teachings suitable to students of different capacity. The Nyingtik is the innermost secret cycle of teachings of the [[Category of Pith Instructions]]; this cycle is the most direct approach for students of the highest capacity.
 
Within the Nyingtik teachings, there are tantras and instructional texts. Regarding the instructional texts, [[Tulku Thondup]] explains:
 
:The instructional teachings are elucidated and condensed in two major traditions of Nyingtik. The first one is the detailed teachings for/of the scholars, brought to Tibet by [[Vimalamitra]] and known as [[Vima Nyingtik]]. It is mainly based on the [[Seventeen Tantras]] and the Troma tantra. The second one is the profound teachings for/of mendicants [or yogis], brought to Tibet by Guru Padmasambhava and known as [[Khandro Nyingtik]]. It is mainly based on the Longsal Barma tantra. <ref>''Masters of Meditation and Miracles'', by Tulku Thondup, page 33.</ref>
 
In the 1300’s in Tibet, the great master [[Longchen Rabjam]] became the lineage holder of both of these Nyingtik traditions, and wrote a commentary on each tradition. Four centuries later, Jikmé Lingpa was tremendously inspired by the teachings of Longchenpa. At the age of thirty-one, after he received Longchen Nyingtik tantric sadhanas and teachings as mind ter, he entered into a three-year retreat in the caves of Chimphu between 1759–62; in this retreat he fervently invoked Longchenpa with a [[Guru Yoga]] he had composed. Longchenpa appeared to him in three visions, through which he received the blessing and transmission of the wisdom body, speech and mind of Longchenpa, empowering him with the responsibility of preserving the meaning of the teachings of Longchenpa, and of spreading them. As a result, Jikmé Lingpa’s mind became one with the wisdom mind of Longchenpa.
 
In this way, Jikmé Lingpa became the lineage holder of the Vima Nyingtik and Khandro Nyingtik teachings. Jikmé Lingpa was a reincarnation of both King Trisong Detsen and Vimilamitra. Therefore, the Nyingtik teachings of these two major lineages flowed together in Jikmé Lingpa. So in addition to the terma revelation of the Longchen Nyingtik trantric sadhanas and teachings, the teachings of the Vima Nyingtik and Khandro Nyingtik are also considered as part of the Longchen Nyingtik teachings and lineage.


==The Stages of Practice==
==The Stages of Practice==
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:*[[Jikmé Lingpa|Ridgzin Jigmé Lingpa]], revealed the Longchen Nyingtik teachings
:*[[Jikmé Lingpa|Ridgzin Jigmé Lingpa]], revealed the Longchen Nyingtik teachings


'''Later stages'''
'''Later stages'''<br>
:*[[Dodrupchen Jikmé Trinlé Özer|Dodrupchen I Jikmé Trinlé Özer]], the direct disciple of Jigme Lingpa, he arranged and expanded on Jigme Lingpa’s revelation  
:*[[Dodrupchen Jikmé Trinlé Özer|Dodrupchen I Jikmé Trinlé Özer]], the direct disciple of Jigme Lingpa, he arranged and expanded on Jigme Lingpa’s revelation  
:*[[Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu]]
:*[[Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu]]
Line 96: Line 137:
:*[[Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche|Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Paljor]]
:*[[Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche|Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Paljor]]


'''Present day teachers'''
'''Present day teachers'''<br>
There are many present-day masters of the Longchen Nyingtik lineage; the list below includes some of the teachers most familiar to [[Rigpa]] students.
:*[[Chatral Sangye Dorje]]
:*[[Chatral Sangye Dorje]]
:*[[Trulshik Rinpoche]]
:*[[Trulshik Rinpoche]]
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*[http://www.lotsawahouse.org/school/snying_thig_index.html Index to the Tibetan volumes of the Longchen Nyingtik]
*[http://www.lotsawahouse.org/school/snying_thig_index.html Index to the Tibetan volumes of the Longchen Nyingtik]


[[Category: Key Terms]]
==Notes==
[[Category: Schools and Lineages]]
<references/>
 
 
[[Category:Key Terms]]
[[Category:Schools and Lineages]]
[[Category:Longchen Nyingtik]]
[[Category:Longchen Nyingtik]]

Revision as of 11:27, 9 March 2008

A thangka showing the deities of Longchen Nyingtik, including the lama Rigdzin Düpa, the yidam Palchen Düpa, the khandro Yumka Dechen Gyalmo, along with Dukngal Rangdrol, Takhyung Barwa, Senge Dongma and the protective deities.

Longchen Nyingtik [Tib.] - a Nyingma cycle of teachings and practice, which was discovered by Jikmé Lingpa as mind ter.

The Revelation of Longchen Nyingtik

The Longchen Nyingtik cycle of teachings was discovered by Jikmé Lingpa as mind ter (a category of terma).

Mind Ter

Tulku Thondup explains the terma tradition of Tibet as follows:

In a number of spiritual traditions of the world there are many instances of the discovery of teachings and objects through mystical power. Similarly, in various traditions and lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, in India as well as Tibet, numerous mystical discoveries of teachings and objects have taken place.
In the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, the tradition of concealment and revelation of teachings and materials of religious value through the mystical power of enlightened beings is most prevalent by far. This tradition of mystical discovery is known in Tibetan as Ter (Treasures) [or] Terma (Treasured Ones)…[1]
The main source of the Terma tradition of the Nyingma school is Guru Padmasambhava. [2]
While transmitting esoteric teachings to his realized disciples in Tibet, Guru Padmasambhava concealed many teachings with the blessings of his enlightened mind stream in the nature of the intrinsic awareness of the minds of his disciples through the power of “mind-mandated transmission” (gtad rgya); thereby the master and disciple became united as one in the teachings and realization. Here, the master has concealed the teachings and blessings, the esoteric attainments, as ter in the pure nature of the minds of his disciples through his enlightened power, and he has made aspirations that the ter may be discovered for the sake of beings when the appropriate time comes.[3]

Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche writes:

In propagating the Buddha’s teachings amid the shamanistic society that dominated Tibet at that time, Padmasambhava saw clearly that some teachings would have to wait for a more appropriate time to take root. He concealed them until certain great practitioners…would reveal them and bring them to fruition. [LD 11][4]

Longchen Nyingtik Revelation

Regarding the revelation of the Longchen Nyingtik teachings, Tulku Thodup writes:

While Guru Rinpoche was visiting Tibet…he conferred the Longchen Nyingtik teachings on King Trisong Detsen, Khandro Yeshe Tsogyal, and Vairochana… He gave prophetic empowerments by saying that the teachings would be discovered by Jikmé Lingpa, an incarnation (tulku) of King Trisong Detsen.
So centuries later, when the prophetic empowerments of Guru Rinpoche ripened and the favorable circumstances come to fruition, the concealed Longchen Nyingtik teachings were accordingly awakened in the enlightened mind of Jikmé Lingpa as mind ter.[5]

Jikmé Linga discovered the Longchen Nyingtik teachings as mind ter at the age of twenty-eight. Tulku Thondup writes:

In the evening of the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month of the Fire Ox year of the thirteenth Rabjung cycle (1757), Jikmé Lingpa went to bed with an unbearable devotion to Guru Rinpoche in his heart; a stream of tears of sadness continuously wet his face because he was not in Guru Rinpoche’s presence, and unceasing words of prayers kept singing in his breath.
He remained in the depths of that meditation experience of clear luminosity for a long time. While being absorbed in that luminous clarity, he experienced flying a long distance through the sky while riding a white lion. He finally reached a circular path, which he thought to be the circumambulation path of Charung Khashor, now known as Bodnath Stupa, and important Buddhist monument of giant structure in Nepal. [6]

In this vision, he received the symbolic scripts of the Longchen Nyingtik from a Dakini. In this way, the concealed Longchen Nyingtik teachings, consisting of tantric sadhanas and teachings, were awakened in Jikmé Lingpa as a mind ter.

The Nyingtik Teachings

The Nyingtik teachings are the innermost secret teachings of Dzogchen. The Dzogchen teachings were revealed to Prahevajra (Tib. Garab Dorje) by Vajrasattva, and passed down through an unbroken lineage to present day masters. Within the Dzogchen teachings, there are three classes of teachings suitable to students of different capacity. The Nyingtik is the innermost secret cycle of teachings of the Category of Pith Instructions; this cycle is the most direct approach for students of the highest capacity.

Within the Nyingtik teachings, there are tantras and instructional texts. Regarding the instructional texts, Tulku Thondup explains:

The instructional teachings are elucidated and condensed in two major traditions of Nyingtik. The first one is the detailed teachings for/of the scholars, brought to Tibet by Vimalamitra and known as Vima Nyingtik. It is mainly based on the Seventeen Tantras and the Troma tantra. The second one is the profound teachings for/of mendicants [or yogis], brought to Tibet by Guru Padmasambhava and known as Khandro Nyingtik. It is mainly based on the Longsal Barma tantra. [7]

In the 1300’s in Tibet, the great master Longchen Rabjam became the lineage holder of both of these Nyingtik traditions, and wrote a commentary on each tradition. Four centuries later, Jikmé Lingpa was tremendously inspired by the teachings of Longchenpa. At the age of thirty-one, after he received Longchen Nyingtik tantric sadhanas and teachings as mind ter, he entered into a three-year retreat in the caves of Chimphu between 1759–62; in this retreat he fervently invoked Longchenpa with a Guru Yoga he had composed. Longchenpa appeared to him in three visions, through which he received the blessing and transmission of the wisdom body, speech and mind of Longchenpa, empowering him with the responsibility of preserving the meaning of the teachings of Longchenpa, and of spreading them. As a result, Jikmé Lingpa’s mind became one with the wisdom mind of Longchenpa.

In this way, Jikmé Lingpa became the lineage holder of the Vima Nyingtik and Khandro Nyingtik teachings. Jikmé Lingpa was a reincarnation of both King Trisong Detsen and Vimilamitra. Therefore, the Nyingtik teachings of these two major lineages flowed together in Jikmé Lingpa. So in addition to the terma revelation of the Longchen Nyingtik trantric sadhanas and teachings, the teachings of the Vima Nyingtik and Khandro Nyingtik are also considered as part of the Longchen Nyingtik teachings and lineage.

The Stages of Practice

The Longchen Nyingtik cycle of teachings contains a complete Vajrayana path. The stages of the path are:

Kyerim, the generation phase
Dzogrim, the perfection phase
Dzogchen, the Great Perfection

The Major Texts

The major texts of Longchen Nyingtik are as follows:

Original Tantras

  1. The root tantra: Kuntu Zangpo Yeshe Longki Gyü
  2. The subsequent tantra: Gyü Chima
  3. Teachings: Kuntu Zangpö Gong-nyam
  4. Instructions
a. Instructions: Nesum Shenje and Neluk Dorje Tsigang
b. Their commentaries: Yeshe Lama with its supporting texts

Sadhanas

1. Male vidyadharas

a. Peaceful: outer: Guru Yoga
inner: Rigdzin Düpa
secret: Dukngal Rangdrol
innermost secret: Ladrup Tiklé Gyachen
b. Wrathful: blue: Palchen Düpa
red: Takhyung Barwa

2. Female vidyadharas

a. Peaceful: root sadhana: Yumka Dechen Gyalmo
b. Wrathful: secret sadhana: Senge Dongchen

Lineage of the Longchen Nyingtik

Some of the main lineage holders of the Longchen Nyingtik lineage are listed below.

First stage

Hitting the Essence in Three Words
Six Experiences of Meditation
Seven Nails
Four Means of Abiding
Vima Nyingtik
Khandro Nyingtik

Later stages

A Brief Guide to the Stages of Visualization
The Words of My Perfect Teacher
The Mirror for Seeing Clearly
Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King
Illuminating the Excellent Path to Omniscience
Ngöndro Compendium
A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher
A Torch for the Path to Omniscience
The Words of the Vidyadhara which Bestow the Majesty of Great Bliss

Present day teachers
There are many present-day masters of the Longchen Nyingtik lineage; the list below includes some of the teachers most familiar to Rigpa students.

Further Reading

External Links

Notes

  1. ↑ Enlightened Journey: Buddhist Practice as Daily Life, by Tulku Thondup, page 93.
  2. ↑ Enlightened Journey: Buddhist Practice as Daily Life, by Tulku Thondup, page 95.
  3. ↑ Enlightened Journey: Buddhist Practice as Daily Life, by Tulku Thondup, page 97.
  4. ↑ Lord of the Dance, by Chagdud Tulku, page 11.
  5. ↑ Masters of Meditation and Miracles, by Tulku Thondup, pages 43-44.
  6. ↑ Masters of Meditation and Miracles, by Tulku Thondup, pages 122-123.
  7. ↑ Masters of Meditation and Miracles, by Tulku Thondup, page 33.
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