Great Perfection Outer and Inner Preliminaries

by Dzogchen Rinpoche; Ponlop, Dzogchen; Dahl, Cortland

• ISBN13: 9781559392853
• ISBN10: 1559392851
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-01-15
• Publisher: Snow Lion

Summary

Dzogchen (ZOG-chen) is Tibetan Buddhism's highest and most powerful method for teaching us the true nature of our minds. This volume contains a complete description of the traditional preliminary practices to be completed before initiation into advanced practice.

Author Biography

The Third Dzogchen Rinpoche (1759–1792) was the abbot of Dzogchen Monastery, one of the largest monastic centers in eastern Tibet. He was known particularly for his mastery of the Great Perfection teachings and his clear and accessible works on this topic.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. vii
Translator's Introduction	p. xiii
The Excellent Chariot: A Vehicle for the Path to Liberation
Homage and Pledge of the Composition	p. 3
How to Listen to the Teachings	p. 5
The Lineage History	p. 7
Empowerment	p. 13
The Common Preliminaries	p. 17
The Precious Human Existence & Refuge	p. 19
The Freedoms and Endowments	p. 19
Taking Refuge	p. 27
The Practice of Taking Refuge	p. 30
Impermanence & Bodhichitta	p. 37
Death and Impermanence	p. 37
Qualifications of Teacher and Student	p. 37
Contemplating Impermanence	p. 44
Compassion and Bodhichitta	p. 57
Aspiration Bodhichitta	p. 57
Application Bodhichitta	p. 60
Bodhichitta in Practice	p. 60
The Benefits of Bodhichitta	p. 61
[Developing Bodhichitta]	p. 61
Karma & the Three Vows	p. 63
The Principle of Karmic Causality	p. 63
The Ten Virtues	p. 67
The Ten Forms of Vice	p. 70
Virtue and Liberation	p. 72
The Four Immeasurables	p. 73
The Six Perfections	p. 74
Karma and Samsara	p. 75
Karma and Nirvana	p. 76
The Three Vows	p. 77
The Vows of Individual Liberation	p. 77
The Bodhisattva Precepts	p. 79
Samaya Vows	p. 84
The Suffering of Samsara & the Practice of Vajrasattva	p. 91
The Suffering of Samsara	p. 91
How to Listen to the Teachings	p. 91
Contemplating the Suffering of Samsara	p. 93
The Meditation and Recitation of Vajrasattva	p. 112
Confession	p. 116
Liberation & the Mandala Offering	p. 127
The Benefits of Liberation	p. 127
How to Listen to a Teaching	p. 127
Contemplating the Benefits of Liberation	p. 129
Mandala Offering	p. 135
Gathering the Accumulations	p. 135
Faith & Guru Yoga	p. 141
Faith and Liberation	p. 141
The Nature of the Teacher	p. 141
The Nature of the Student	p. 142
Qualities Needed by Both Teacher and Student	p. 143
Faith	p. 144
The Guru	p. 156
The Practice of Guru Yoga	p. 162
Concluding Verses	p. 171
Abbreviations	p. 173
Glossary	p. 177
Notes	p. 229
Texts Cited	p. 235
Bibliography	p. 243
Index	p. 249
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