Dukngal Rangdrol

Dukngal Rangdrol thangka courtesy of Mahasiddha.org

Dukngal Rangdrol (Wyl. sdug bsngal rang grol), 'The Self-Liberation of Suffering' — a sadhana of Avalokiteshvara from the Longchen Nyingtik.

History

As it says in the colophon of the text, Jikmé Lingpa revealed the mind terma of Dukngal Rangdrol in the Earth Tiger year, although he kept it concealed for a further seven years:

Thus, the teaching on the most profound crucial points of the sadhana, ‘The Supreme Noble Natural Liberation of Suffering’ by the Jetsun Mahaguru was bestowed on the monarch, the dharma king, father and son, on the second storey [of Samyé], in the ‘Glowing Turquoise Covered Shrine Room’. It was placed in a casket of heart treasures and entrusted to them with powerful aspirations.

The time for revelation came in the Earth Tiger year, when I had a vision of the Great Compassionate One, and the dakini of the space of wisdom, in the vast expanse of the magical net of illusion, the luminous space, entrusted me with the scrolls of the symbolic script. I wrote it down without concealing anything of the signs and meaning.

See also: The Revelation of the Longchen Nyingtik

Texts of the Cycle

• klong chen snying thig rtsa pod - 1994 Shechen edition in 5 volumes
• (thugs chen) klong chen snying gi thig le las/ gsang sgrub thugs rje chen po sdug bsngal rang grol/ vol 2 (ah) pp.355-364
• (dka' 'grel) thugs rje chen po sdug bsngal rang grol gyi cho ga'i dka' 'grel dbyar gyi rnga gsang/ vol 2 (ah) pp.365-381-382
• (dbang don) thugs rje chen po sdug bsngal rang grol las/ dbang don bdag 'jug gsal ba/ vol 2 (ah) pp.383-387/388
• (pra phrid) thugs rje chen po sdug bsngal rang grol las/ pra khrid dmar byang gnad yig/ vol 2 (ah) pp.389-402
• 'phags pa'i gsol 'debs zhal mthong ma/ vol 2 (ah) pp.403-407/408
• (sdug bsngal rang grol brgyud 'debs) gsang sgrub thugs rje chen po sdug bsngal rang grol gyi brgyud 'debs byin rlabs dpal ster/ vol 4 (sva) p.357/358
• (sdug bsngal rang grol mngon rtogs) thugs rje chen po sdug bsngal rang grol gyi sems ma bzhi'i mngon rtogs/ vol 4 (sva) p.359/360
• (sdug bsngal rang grol dmigs bzlas) thugs rje chen po sdug bsngal rang grol gyi myang grol ril bu sgrub pa'i skabs rtsa ba'i dmigs bzlas/ vol 4 (sva) p.361/362
• (sdug bsngal rang grol ril dbang) thugs rje chen po sdug bsngal rang grol gyi dbang dang 'brel bar myong grol ril bu'i dbang bskur bar 'dod/ vol 4 (sva) p.363/364
• (sdug bsngal rang grol gnas lung) thugs rje chen po sdug bsngal rang grol gyi gnas lung grangs gsog skabs/ vol 4 (sva) pp.365-368

Additional Texts

• Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, gsang sgrub thugs rje chen po sdug sngal rang grol gyi rgyun khyer thugs rje’i yang zhun (Collected Works Vol. 6, pp.148-151/2) – a text for daily practice requested by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche’s mother, Karma Drolma.

Tibetan Commentaries

• Khenpo Pema Vajra, sdug bsngal rang grol bsnyen yig grub gnyis nor bu'i gan mdzod
• Khenpo Pema Vajra, sdug bsngal rang grol bsnyen yig rig pa 'dzin pa'i dgongs rgyan
• Khenpo Ngawang Palzang, sdug bsngal rang grol sgrub pa'i khog dbub rin po che'i za ma tog, [smyo shul mkhan po ngag dbang dpal bzang bka' 'bum, Vol 1, pp. 754-843]
  • thugs chen sgrub khog (pp. 449-508)
  • klong snying thugs rje chen po'i sgrub chen 'brel ba'i stong thun (pp. 509-535)
  • thugs rje chen po'i bsgom bzlas (pp. 537-538)

English Translations

• Natural Liberation from Suffering - The Great Compassionate One - The Secret Sadhana from the Longchen Nyingthig Cycle, According to the liturgical tradition of Dodrupchen, translated by Tulku Thondup and Philip Richman, 2006

The Empowerment of Dukngal Rangdrol

The empowerment has been given to the Rigpa sangha on several occasions, including:

• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, Saturday 13th November 1999
• Tulku Pegyal Rinpoche, Dzogchen Beara, 20th December 1999
• Kyabjé Penor Rinpoche, London, 9th November, 2003
• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, Wednesday 25th June 2003

Further Reading

• Tulku Thondup, Masters of Meditation & Miracles (Shambhala, 1996), pages 45, 122-124.
• Janet Gyatso, Apparitions of the Self: The Secret Autobiographies of a Tibetan Visionary (Princeton University Press, 1998), pages 38, 79, 94.