Longchen Nyingtik

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 (Wyl. klong chen snying thig) - a Nyingma cycle of teachings and practice, which was discovered by Jikmé Lingpa as mind terma.

The Revelation of Longchen Nyingtik

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

Terma Tradition

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 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)…

The main source of the Terma tradition of the Nyingma school is Guru Padmasambhava.

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.

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]

Regarding the manner of concealment and discovery the termas, there are two categories: earth terma and mind terma. In the discovery of earth termas, earthly materials such as symbolic script written on yellow scroll are used to awaken the terma in the mind of the terton. In the discovery of mind termas, no external earthly objects are relied on. In many instances of mind terma, seeing or hearing symbolic words or sounds in visions causes the discovery of the terma.

Longchen Nyingtik Terma Revelation by Jikmé Lingpa

Regarding the revelation of the Longchen Nyingtik teachings, Tulku Thondup 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 came to fruition, the concealed Longchen Nyingtik teachings were accordingly awakened in the enlightened mind of Jikmé Lingpa as mind ter.

Jikmé Lingpa 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 Jarung Khashor, now known as Boudhanath Stupa, an important Buddhist monument of giant structure in Nepal.

In this vision, the wisdom dakinis gave Jikmé Lingpa a casket containing five yellow scrolls and seven crystal beads. One of the scrolls contained the prophetic guide of Longchen Nyingtik, called Nechang Thukkyi Drombu. At the instruction of a dakini, he ate the yellow scrolls and crystal beads, and all the words and meaning of the Longchen Nyingtik terma were awakened in his mind.

Jikmé Lingpa kept this terma secret for years, and he did not even transcribe the terma until he entered another retreat in which he had a series of visions of Longchen Rabjam. Tulku Thondup explains:

In the earth-hare year (1759) he started another three-year retreat, at Chimpu near Samye monastery. During that retreat, because he was inspired by three successive pure visions of Longchen Rabjam, and he was urged by repeated requests of dakinis, he transcribed his terma as the cycle of Longchen Nyingtik. On the tenth day of the sixth month (monkey month) of the monkey year (1764) he made his terma public for the first time by conferring the transmission of empowerment and the instructions upon fifteen disciples.

The Longchen Nyingtik terma consists of tantric sadhanas and teachings.

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 categories 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.

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.

Longchen Rabjam, Jikmé Lingpa, and the Longchen Nyingtik Lineage

Longchen Rabjam (1308-1364), also known as Longchenpa, was one of the greatest Dzogchen masters in the Nyingma tradition, and amongst the most brilliant and original writers in Tibetan Buddhist literature. He brought together into a cohesive system the teachings of Vima Nyingtik and Khandro Nyingtik, on which he wrote the ‘Three Yangtik’ or Inner Essencess.

Four centuries later, Jikmé Lingpa was tremendously inspired by the teachings of Longchenpa. After Jikmé Lingpa discovered the terma of Longchen Nyingtik (which included tantric sadhanas and teachings) he entered into a three-year retreat in the caves of Chimphu in which 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 Longchenpa’s teachings on the Vima Nyingtik and Khandro Nyingtik. 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.

The Longchen Nyingtik lineage includes both the terma of Longchen Nyingtik discovered by Jikmé Lingpa, and teachings of Longchen Rabjam on Vima Nyingtik and Khandro Nyingtik that were revealed to Jikmé Lingpa in a series of visions.

The Stages of Practice

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche said:

The cycle of the Longchen Nyingtik is composed of many sections. It includes the preliminary and main practices, the development and completion stages, and, most important, the practice of Ati Yoga, or Dzogchen. It thus constitutes a complete path to enlightenment.

In the Longchen Nyingtik tradition, the preliminary (or ngöndro) practices are commonly referred to as the Longchen Nyingtik Ngöndro.

After completing the ngondro, training in the development and completion stages is done through sadhana practices such as Rigdzin Dupa. Traditionally, a student trains in a series of three sadhanas known as the Three Roots.

Finally, if the student is sufficiently prepared, a qualified teacher may give the students instructions in Dzogchen, which focus on the direct realization of the nature of mind.

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

• Samantabhadra, the Dharmakaya
• Vajrasattva, the Sambhogakaya
• Prahevajra (Tib. Garab Dorje), the Nirmanakaya; the first human master of Dzogpa Chenpo

Hitting the Essence in Three Words

• Mañjushrimitra

Six Experiences of Meditation

• Shri Singha

Seven Nails

• Jñanasutra

Four Means of Abiding

• Vimalamitra

Vima Nyingtik

• Guru Rinpoche

Khandro Nyingtik

• King Trisong Detsen, received Nyingtik teachings from Guru Rinpoche and Vimalimitra
• Yeshe Tsogyal
• Vairochana
• Longchen Rabjam
• Ridgzin Jigmé Lingpa, revealed the Longchen Nyingtik teachings

Later stages

• Dodrupchen I Jikmé Trinlé Özer, the direct disciple of Jigme Lingpa, he arranged and expanded on Jigme Lingpa’s revelation
• Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu
• Dola Jikmé Kalzang
• Fourth Dzogchen Mingyur Namkhé Dorje
• Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje
• Gyalsé Shenpen Tayé
• Dzogchen Khenpo Pema Dorje
• Patrul Jigme Chokyi Wangpo

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

• Dodrupchen II Jikmé Puntsok Jungné
• Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

Illuminating the Excellent Path to Omniscience

• Nyoshul Lungtok Tenpé Nyima
• Orgyen Tendzin Norbu
• Adzom Drukpa Drodul Pawo Dorje
• Lushul Khenpo Könchok Drönme
• Dodrupchen III Jikmé Tenpé Nyima
• Lochen Chönyi Zangmo
• Thupten Chökyi Dorje
• Khenpo Kunpal
• Yukhok Chatralwa Chöying Rangdrol

Ngöndro Compendium

• Khenpo Ngawang Palzang

A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher

• Chökyi Drakpa

A Torch for the Path to Omniscience

• Alak Zenkar Pema Ngödrup Rölwe Dorje
• Jamyang Khyentsé Chökyi Lodrö
• Khenpo Chechok Thöndrup

The Words of the Vidyadhara which Bestow the Majesty of Great Bliss

• Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Paljor

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.

• Chatral Sangye Dorje
• Trulshik Rinpoche
• Dodrupchen IV
• Penor Rinpoche
• Sogyal Rinpoche
• Khangsar Tenpé Wangchuk
• Alak Zenkar Rinpoche
• Pema Wangyal Rinpoche
• Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
• Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche
• Dzogchen Rinpoche VII
• Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche
• Khenpo Chöga

Further Reading

• Patrul Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher, translated by the Padmakara Translation Group, Shambhala 1994, revised ed. 1998
• Steven D. Goodman, 'Rig-'dzin Jigs-med gling-pa and the kLong-Chen sNying-Thig' in Tibetan Buddhism: Reason and Revelation edited by Steven D Goodman and Ronald M. Davidson, SUNY, 1992
• Tulku Thondup, Enlightened Journey, Boston & London, Shambhala, 1995
• Tulku Thondup, Masters of Meditation and Miracles, Shambhala, 1996