Dzogchen and Theravāda

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Sudarsha Isvara Namaskar, modified 11 Years ago at 11/2/12 1:10 PM
Created 11 Years ago at 11/2/12 1:03 PM

Dzogchen and Theravāda

Posts: 4 Join Date: 10/31/12 Recent Posts
I had originally introduced myself in reply to a comment made by Nikolai in one of the Great Perfection Threads. Adam then suggested I start my own thread. I was hesitant to do this because I wasn't sure what I was doing (actually, I know darn well I have absolutely no idea what I am doing!). Any how, this is the repost of that Intro:

Since I am completely new here (although I have read Daniel’s book several times over the past years) and had no idea where to begin, I just jumped in here - yes, this is my first post. I just wanted to say hello and mention something about how I practise. I have studied in the Sōtō Zen and Theravāda traditions, but also the Vajrayāna and Bön teachings of Ati (khregs chod and thod rgal). What I am finding is an incredible consistency underlying what might otherwise seem like very diverse teachings. Still, I tend to simply sit with following the breath and awareness of bodymind. I have been given a wide rage of very precious texts from retreats given by some of the great Theravāda and Tibetan teachers. These are highly valuable to me as I have only been able to attend one extensive retreat by Thrangu Rinpoche where I received the complete transmission of Mahāmudrā. The funny thing is, I suppose, that I didn't understand a word I heard or a note I took or the text I read (Ocean of Definitive Meanings) over and over ... UNTIL I began reading the collected teachings of Ajahn Chah! ! !

When I look closely at the Buddha’s earliest recorded teachings, two things seem obvious: the four noble truths are the master-plan and interwoven in this master-plan is the solution: knowing one's own mind, just as it is; and, obviously, the Buddha illuminated the methodology he had perfected to accomplish this. There is no question of one existing without the other. Well, those are the two primary things I see.

When I look at the Tibetan commentaries, then everything is footnote to the four noble truths. The singularity of mind and method, of knowing one's own mind and the method to do that becomes clearer … or, for myself, reading in both traditions demonstrates how the Tibetan traditions and the various other Buddhists traditions have preserved this one thing in a myriad of ways.

The “highest” of all possible teachings at least in the Bön and Dzogchen Ati traditions is khregs chod and thod rgal; yet, careful reading suggests that this is directly knowing the mind and the teachings, once one knows the teachings are found in the earliest of the Buddha’s discourses. This is really refreshing for me; it confirms what we might call the profundity of the preservation of the Dharma/Dhamma.

Well, that’s enough babble from me, I think. I hope this new thread will work out ok and maybe some useful discussion and exchange of information can take place.
eric d, modified 11 Years ago at 11/9/12 12:20 AM
Created 11 Years ago at 11/9/12 12:20 AM

RE: Dzogchen and Theravāda

Posts: 6 Join Date: 12/20/09 Recent Posts