nil PRECIOUS IRfcASURY OF THE WAY OF ABIDING Longchcn Rahjam The Precious Treasury of the Way of Abiding AND THE SEVEN TREASURIES SERIES The Exposition of the This is one of seven volumes written by Longchen Quintessential Meaning of Rabjam that, as a group, have come to be known as the Three Categories The Seven Treasuries. Although Longchenpa did not intend them to be a series, scholars traditionally treat A Commentary on the Precious Treasury them as such because of their interrelated themes. The next volume in the series will be The Precious of the Way of Abiding Treasury of the Basic Space of Phenomena. Longchen Rabjam Translated under the direction of His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche by Richard Barron (Chokyi Nyima) Edited by members of the Padma Translation Committee: c Susanne Fairclough, Jeff Miller, and Robert Racine PADMA PUBLISHING 1998 Published by Padma Publishing Contents P.O. Box 279 Junction City, California 96048-0279 © Padma Publishing 1998 All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced Foreword, by His Eminence Cbagdud Tulku Rinpoche vii in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage Introduction, by Venerable Tulku Thondup Rinpoche xi or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Translation Committee's Preface xxi Printed in the United States of America THE SOURCE VERSES T 02 01 00 99 98 54321 THE COMMENTARY 65 Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data Introduction 67 Klon-chen-pa Dri-med-’od-zer; 1308-1363 [Gnas lugs mdzod. English] The Vajra Premise 75 The precious treasury of the way of abiding and The exposition of the quintessentia 1 The Theme of Ineffability 81 meaning of the three categories : a commentary on the precious treasury of the way < abiding / Longchen Rabjam : translated from the Tibetan by Richard Barron 2 The Theme of Openness 143 (Chokyi Nyima); edited by the Padma Translation Committee. 3 The Theme of Spontaneous Presence 165 p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. 4 The Theme of Oneness 205 ISBN 1-881847-09-8 5 The Individuals to Whom These Teachings 1. Rdzogs-chen (Rnin-ma-pa)—Early works to 1800. I. Barron, Richard. May Be Entrusted 23 5 II. Padma Translation Committee. III. Title. BQ7662.4.K54313 1998 Conclusion < 259 293.3923—dc2i 98-10684 CIP Notes 2 69 ISBN 1-881847-09-8 (hardback) Sources Cited 281 Word List 28<t v Foreword His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche The publication of this English translation of Longchen Rabjam’s The Precious Treasury of the Way of Abiding should be a cause for rejoic- ing on the part of deeply committed English-speaking Buddhists who aspire to realize the Dzogchen, or Great Perfection, transmission of vajrayana Buddhism. Though there are many spiritual traditions in this world, Buddhism offers the deepest examination of what consti- tutes the root of samsara, and of how to deal with all levels of ob- scurations and attain liberation. Among Buddhist teachings, none are more profound, more capable of freeing the mind from its most subtle obscurations, than those of the Great Perfection. Yet, because Great Perfection transmission leads to wisdom be- yond words and concepts, the translation of Dzogchen texts presents tremendous difficulties. Some lamas have said that it is not even worth the attempt, that too much distortion results. I respect their opinion, but I feel that those of us with the supreme fortune to receive authentic transmission from great Dzogchen masters have a responsi- bility to maintain the oral lineage, including translation, as well as the mind-to-mind lineage of realization. If we eschew this work, the pre- cious Great Perfection teachings will remain inaccessible to some ex- cellent Western practitioners who have potential as meditators but who do not know Tibetan. An avenue for the flourishing of the trans- mission will be cut off. I am also gravely concerned about the translations of Great Perfec- tion texts produced by Westerners who know Tibetan but who rely vii viii FOREWORD FOREWORD ix solely on scholarly knowledge, without recourse to teachers. Intellec- anyone with knowledge and experience of the Great Perfection to tual understanding alone, without the ripening process that takes contact us with suggestions, clarifications, or corrections, which we place under the direction of qualified Dzogchen teachers, will cer- will consider for incorporation into future editions. May this precious tainly result in misguided translations, perpetuated in misguided med- text illuminate the minds of all who read and venerate it. itation by those who base their spiritual practice on such translations. But again, if qualified Dzogchen masters refrain from working with translations because they fear imperfect results, can they lament when even more erroneous translations are published? The translator of this text, Richard Barron (Chokyi Nyima), has truly mastered both literary and spoken Tibetan, but his deeper under- standing is based on an extended retreat under the guidance of His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche, on a number of six-week Dzogchen re- treats, and on listening to and translating the teachings of many emi- nent lamas. He has translated other Great Perfection texts and sa- dhanas, notably Dudjom Lingpa’s Buddhahood Without Meditation, under my direction. He thus brings more capability to his work than mere theoretical and intellectual competence. The other members of the translation committee working with him likewise have a ground- ing in both the study of Dzogchen terminology and participation in annual Dzogchen retreats. Such learned scholars as Khenpo Petse Rinpoche and Khenpo Chodzod have been consulted on many details of the translation. I myself have brought to the process whatever Dzogchen understanding I have attained in the course of a long life- time of study and meditation. This means that while we have not necessarily produced a flawless work, we have confidence in this initial attempt. A great deal of time—years of effort, in fact—and expense have gone into the transla- tion and editing. It should be understood that a work of this kind is not casually read and easily comprehended. For most people, the text is quite difficult to fathom, because its meaning unfolds according to the depth of their spiritual preparation. However, simply having the book in one’s home is more valuable than having statues or stupas, for this is truly a relic of the dharmakaya. Such a holy work carries pow- erful blessings and is a worthy object of faith and devotion. We intend to continue with this project and publish translations of other volumes of Longchen Rabjam’s Seven Treasuries. We encourage Introduction Venerable Tulku Thondup Rinpoche The Precious Treasury of the Way of Abiding with its autocommen- tary is one of the Seven Treasuries by Kunkhyen Longchen Rabjam (1308-1363). Longchen Rabjam was one of the greatest masters and most prolific writers of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. This text details the approach to the discipline of ethics of Dzogpa Chenpo (the Great Perfection). Biographical Sketch of Longchen Rabjam Longchen Rabjam1 was born in the Tra Valley of southern Tibet on the tenth day of the second month of the Earth Monkey year (1308). When he was conceived, his mother dreamed of a sun above a lion’s head illuminating the whole world. At his birth, a dharma protectress appeared and, holding the baby in her arms, said, “I will protect him.” Longchen Rabjam was a reincarnation of Princess Pemasal (ninth century A.D.), whom Guru Rinpoche had entrusted with the transmis- sion of the Khadro Nyingfhig teachings. The princess took rebirth several centuries later as Pema Ledrel Tsai (1291-?), who discovered the Khadro Nyingfhig as a terma (hidden treasure teaching) and who in'turn was reborn as Longchen Rabjam. 1 This sketch of Longchen Rabjam’s life is adapted from Masters of Meditation and Miracles, by Tulku Thondup (Boston: Shambhala, 1996). xi xii INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION xiii From childhood, Longchen Rabjam was endowed with the quali- thirty-two, while still in retreat, he conferred the transmission of the ties of a noble being—faith, compassion, and wisdom. At the age of Vima Nyingfhig on his disciples at Nyip’hu Shuksep in Kang-ri five, he could read and write with no difficulty. At seven, he was T’hokar. For some time the surroundings became luminous; everyone trained in medicine and astrology by his father and received esoteric heard mystical sounds and experienced pure visions. transmissions from him as well. At twelve, Longchen Rabjam took Soon the yogin Ozer Kocha and the dharma protectress Shenpa the ordination of a novice monk from Khenpo Samdrup Rinchen at Sogdrupma offered him the text of the Khadro Nyingfhig, discovered Samye Monastery and was given the name Tsultrim Lodro. as a terma by Pema Ledrel Tsai. Although Longchen Rabjam was the At nineteen, he went to the famous Sangp’hu Neut’hang monastic reincarnation of the discoverer of the Khadro Nyingfhig, in order to seminary, where he studied Buddhist philosophy, logic, and medita- demonstrate the importance of preserving the transmission for future tion for six years with Lopon Tsen-gonpa, Chopal Gyaltsen, and oth- followers, he went to Sho Gyalse, a disciple of Pema Ledrel Tsai, from ers. He studied texts and received transmissions of sutras and tantras whom he received the transmission of the Khadro Nyingfhig. from more then twenty teachers. Because of his gift for scholarship, he At thirty-three, he gave the Khadro Nyingfhig teachings to eight became renowned as Samye Lungmangwa (Master of Scriptures from male and female disciples at Samye Chimp’hu. Some of the disciples Samye) and Longchen Rabjam (Master of Infinite Realization). saw him in sambhogakaya form. A rain of flowers showered down.