Mind teachings of Tibet

The mind teachings of Tibet (Wylie: sems khrid) are a body of sacredly held instructions on the nature of mind and the practice of meditation on, or in accordance with, that nature.^[1] Although maintained and cultivated, to various degrees, within each of the major Tibetan Buddhist traditions, they are primarily associated with the mahamudra traditions^[2] of the Kagyu^[3] and the dzogchen traditions^[4] of the Nyingma.^[5]

The mind teachings of Tibet are generally believed to have originated with Shakyamuni Buddha,^[6] although the recorded lineages only trace back to adepts from various regions of the Pala Empire within the Medieval India era between the 7th and 11th century (CE.)^[7]^[8] After the great Tibetan diaspora in 1959, the mind teachings were among the first Tibetan Dharma teachings identified for preservation and propagation, an effort which assumed an increased sense of urgency under the direction of the 14th Dalai Lama as the full scope of the destruction to Tibet's religious and cultural heritage became apparent. Important treatises by the illustrious Nyingmapa Longchenpa (1308–1364) and the Kagyu master Wangchuk Dorje, 9th Karmapa Lama (1556–1603) were among the earliest of the works published by the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives (LTWA.)

The first Nyingma work by Longchenpa published by LTWA was based on the four dharmas of Gampopa (1079–1153), the founder of the Dagpo Kagyu.^[9] The first mahamudra work published by them was a concise, yet comprehensive, Karma Kagyu mahamudra meditation manual by Wangchuk Dorje, "pertaining to ancient Tibetan traditions of the mind."^[10]

In addition to texts published by, or in cooperation, with LTWA, Kagyu and Nyingma leaders independently pursued other avenues to further the preservation of their most important works. By the dawn of the 21st century, the two most highly regarded Tibetan works on the nature of the mind, and the practice of meditation on, and in accordance with, that nature, were translated by highly qualified translators and published openly in English.

^ Rinpoche, Khenchen Thrangu (2003). Pointing Out the Dharmakaya: Teachings on the Ninth Karmapa's Text. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications. p. 5. ISBN 978-1-59030-055-8. Two different lineages of the meditation of looking directly at mind arose in the Vajrayana in Tibet. One was the mahamudra and the other was the dzogchen lineage….The instructions in both of these traditions is simply called "guidance on the mind" because in both systems everything hinges on the student's recognition of the nature of mind. By looking at texts from both systems, one finds that they point to the same thing. In fact, in many cases they use the same words.
^ Kongtrül, The Third Jamgön (1992). Cloudless Sky: The Mahamudra Path of the Tibetan Buddhist Kagyü School. Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala Publications , Inc. p. 15. ISBN 0-87773-694-4. The essence of the countless teachings of the Buddha is the explanation of the buddha-nature, the luminosity that abides in the mind of every single being. As long as one does not recognize one's buddha-nature, one experiences the confusion of samsara.…Buddha's instructions were basically methods to help one overcome confusion and recognize the true nature of mind. The teachings of mahamudra, known as the "path of liberation," represent the pinnacle of the Buddha's teachings.
^ Namgyal, Dakpo Tashi; Lhalungpa, Lobsang (2006). Mahamudra - The Moonlight: Quintessence of Mind and Meditation. Boston: Wisdom Publications, Inc. p. XXVII. ISBN 978-0861712991. Mahāmudrā: The Moonlight – Quintessence of Mind and Meditation ("Moonbeams of Mahāmudrā") represents the advanced doctrine and practice as understood and realized by the Kagyüpa Order of Tibetan Buddhism.
^ Rinpoche, Tulku Thondup (1989). Buddha Mind: An Anthology of Longchen Rabjam's Writings on Dzogpa Chenpo. Snow Lion Publications. p. xiii. ISBN 0-937938-66-1. The teachings of Dzogpa Chenpo (or Dzogchen), the Great Perfection, are the innermost esoteric Buddhist training preserved and practiced to this day by the followers of the Nyingma (rNying-Ma) school of Tibet. The main emphasis of Dzogpa Chenpo is to attain the realization of the true nature of the mind, the Intrinsic Awareness (Rig-Pa), which is the Buddha Mind or Buddha-essence.
^ Rinpoche, Dudjom (1991). The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism: Its Fundamentals and History. Wisdom Publications. p. 36. ISBN 0-86171-199-8. The Great Perfection…refers not to consciousness (Wylie: rnam shes) but to pristine cognition (Wylie: ye shes). It is the intrinsic awareness of mind-as-such (Wylie: sems nyid kyi rang rig), transcending the mind, and buddhahood is said to emerge not through compounded provisions but through realisation of pristine cognition without activity. – Gyurme Dorje (Translator's Introduction)
^ Rinpoche, Thrangu (1994). King of Samadhi: Commentaries on the Samadhi Raja Sutra and The Song of Lodrö Thaye. Hong Kong, Boudhanath and Århus: Rangjung Yeshe Publications. ISBN 962-7341-19-3.
^ Norbu, Namkhai (1984). The Cycle of Day and Night: An Essential Tibetan Text on the Practice of Contemplation. Station Hill Press. p. 17. ISBN 0-88268-040-4.
^ Rinpoche, Dudjom (1991). The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism: Its Fundamentals and History. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-199-8.
^ Rab-jam-pa, Long-chen; Rinpoche, H.H. Dudjom; Khyentse Rinpoche, Beru (1979). The Four-Themed Precious Garland: An Introduction to Dzogchen-ch'en, the Great Completion. Dharamsala, H.P. India: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. p. ix. In June 1975, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, as part of his programme to preserve and transmit the many lineages of Buddhism in Tibet, commissioned the Library of Tibetan Works to translate and preserve representative works from each of the major Tibetan Buddhist traditions. As a sample of the Nying-ma style of teaching, and in particular of the Dzog-ch'en or "Great Completeness"…The Four themed Precious Garland of Long-ch'en Rab-jam-pa was chosen…Together with the Third Karmapa, he studied under Rig-dzin Kumarāja. Through the efforts of these three, the diverse streams of the "Nying-t'ig" or "Innermost Essence" teachings of Dzog-ch'en were brought together and codified into one of the common grounds between the Nying-ma and the Ka-gyü traditions. – Alexander Berzin
^ Wang-chu'g Dor-je, Ninth Karmapa (1978). The Mahāmudrā: Eliminating the Darkness of Ignorance. Dharamsala, India: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. pp. iii–xiii. ISBN 81-85102-13-9. This publication is a continuation of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives' programme of research, translation and publication of several works from the original Tibetan sources. It is also a response to the growing demand for matters pertaining to ancient Tibetan traditions of the mind. – Gyatsho Tshering. Mahāmudrā, or the "Great Seal," refers to a Mahāyāna Buddhist system of meditation on the nature of mind and is undertaken for realizing Enlightenment – the complete elimination from the mind of all delusions and obstacles, and the attainment in terms of all of its good qualities. In this state you have the maximum ability to benefit others… This volume…on the Kar-ma Ka-gyü tradition of Mahāmudrā forms part of LTWAs programme to present representative works of the various Tibetan Buddhist lineages in order to preserve and further the wide diversity of teachings transmitted in Tibet. – Alexander Berzin

[1] Rinpoche, Khenchen Thrangu (2003). Pointing Out the Dharmakaya: Teachings on the Ninth Karmapa's Text. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications. p. 5. ISBN 978-1-59030-055-8. Two different lineages of the meditation of looking directly at mind arose in the Vajrayana in Tibet. One was the mahamudra and the other was the dzogchen lineage….The instructions in both of these traditions is simply called "guidance on the mind" because in both systems everything hinges on the student's recognition of the nature of mind. By looking at texts from both systems, one finds that they point to the same thing. In fact, in many cases they use the same words.

[2] Kongtrül, The Third Jamgön (1992). Cloudless Sky: The Mahamudra Path of the Tibetan Buddhist Kagyü School. Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala Publications , Inc. p. 15. ISBN 0-87773-694-4. The essence of the countless teachings of the Buddha is the explanation of the buddha-nature, the luminosity that abides in the mind of every single being. As long as one does not recognize one's buddha-nature, one experiences the confusion of samsara.…Buddha's instructions were basically methods to help one overcome confusion and recognize the true nature of mind. The teachings of mahamudra, known as the "path of liberation," represent the pinnacle of the Buddha's teachings.

[3] Namgyal, Dakpo Tashi; Lhalungpa, Lobsang (2006). Mahamudra - The Moonlight: Quintessence of Mind and Meditation. Boston: Wisdom Publications, Inc. p. XXVII. ISBN 978-0861712991. Mahāmudrā: The Moonlight – Quintessence of Mind and Meditation ("Moonbeams of Mahāmudrā") represents the advanced doctrine and practice as understood and realized by the Kagyüpa Order of Tibetan Buddhism.

[4] Rinpoche, Tulku Thondup (1989). Buddha Mind: An Anthology of Longchen Rabjam's Writings on Dzogpa Chenpo. Snow Lion Publications. p. xiii. ISBN 0-937938-66-1. The teachings of Dzogpa Chenpo (or Dzogchen), the Great Perfection, are the innermost esoteric Buddhist training preserved and practiced to this day by the followers of the Nyingma (rNying-Ma) school of Tibet. The main emphasis of Dzogpa Chenpo is to attain the realization of the true nature of the mind, the Intrinsic Awareness (Rig-Pa), which is the Buddha Mind or Buddha-essence.

[5] Rinpoche, Dudjom (1991). The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism: Its Fundamentals and History. Wisdom Publications. p. 36. ISBN 0-86171-199-8. The Great Perfection…refers not to consciousness (Wylie: rnam shes) but to pristine cognition (Wylie: ye shes). It is the intrinsic awareness of mind-as-such (Wylie: sems nyid kyi rang rig), transcending the mind, and buddhahood is said to emerge not through compounded provisions but through realisation of pristine cognition without activity. – Gyurme Dorje (Translator's Introduction)

[6] Rinpoche, Thrangu (1994). King of Samadhi: Commentaries on the Samadhi Raja Sutra and The Song of Lodrö Thaye. Hong Kong, Boudhanath and Århus: Rangjung Yeshe Publications. ISBN 962-7341-19-3.

[7] Norbu, Namkhai (1984). The Cycle of Day and Night: An Essential Tibetan Text on the Practice of Contemplation. Station Hill Press. p. 17. ISBN 0-88268-040-4.

[8] Rinpoche, Dudjom (1991). The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism: Its Fundamentals and History. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-199-8.

[9] Rab-jam-pa, Long-chen; Rinpoche, H.H. Dudjom; Khyentse Rinpoche, Beru (1979). The Four-Themed Precious Garland: An Introduction to Dzogchen-ch'en, the Great Completion. Dharamsala, H.P. India: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. p. ix. In June 1975, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, as part of his programme to preserve and transmit the many lineages of Buddhism in Tibet, commissioned the Library of Tibetan Works to translate and preserve representative works from each of the major Tibetan Buddhist traditions. As a sample of the Nying-ma style of teaching, and in particular of the Dzog-ch'en or "Great Completeness"…The Four themed Precious Garland of Long-ch'en Rab-jam-pa was chosen…Together with the Third Karmapa, he studied under Rig-dzin Kumarāja. Through the efforts of these three, the diverse streams of the "Nying-t'ig" or "Innermost Essence" teachings of Dzog-ch'en were brought together and codified into one of the common grounds between the Nying-ma and the Ka-gyü traditions. – Alexander Berzin

[10] Wang-chu'g Dor-je, Ninth Karmapa (1978). The Mahāmudrā: Eliminating the Darkness of Ignorance. Dharamsala, India: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. pp. iii–xiii. ISBN 81-85102-13-9. This publication is a continuation of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives' programme of research, translation and publication of several works from the original Tibetan sources. It is also a response to the growing demand for matters pertaining to ancient Tibetan traditions of the mind. – Gyatsho Tshering. Mahāmudrā, or the "Great Seal," refers to a Mahāyāna Buddhist system of meditation on the nature of mind and is undertaken for realizing Enlightenment – the complete elimination from the mind of all delusions and obstacles, and the attainment in terms of all of its good qualities. In this state you have the maximum ability to benefit others… This volume…on the Kar-ma Ka-gyü tradition of Mahāmudrā forms part of LTWAs programme to present representative works of the various Tibetan Buddhist lineages in order to preserve and further the wide diversity of teachings transmitted in Tibet. – Alexander Berzin

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