Approaching the Great Perfection: Simultaneous and Gradual Methods of Dzogchen Practice in the Longchen Nyingtig (Studies in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism) [Paperback]

Sam Van Schaik (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2004 | Series: Studies in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism

From Wisdom's acclaimed Studies in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism series, researcher and scholar Sam van Schaik introduces the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, looking closely at its practice of Dzogchen—and one of Dzogchen's seminal figures, Jigme Lingpa—to make an extensive analysis of a core tension within Buddhism: does enlightenment develop gradually, or does it come all at once?

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Wisdom Publications (June 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0861713702
• ISBN-13: 978-0861713707
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,247,864 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fine analysis; great translations of Lingpa's Termas/works, February 22, 2005

By 

Neal J. Pollock (VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Approaching the Great Perfection: Simultaneous and Gradual Methods of Dzogchen Practice in the Longchen Nyingtig (Studies in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism) (Paperback)

This is a wonderful (fairly advanced) book, on Dzogchen with considerable material on Mahamudra woven in (see below). It addresses Jigme Lingpa's "Longchen Nyingtig" cycle of Termas (Treasure Texts) including discovered texts, texts resulting from "pure visions" of 14th century Dzogchen master Longchenpa while Jigme Lingpa (18th century) was in retreat, and supporting texts authored by Jigme Lingpa. All but one of these texts has been included in both English and Tibetan. Van Schaik's introductory material focuses upon certain main themes: simultaneous vs. gradual approaches to Dzogchen (the Treasure Texts focus mostly on the former and the Supporting Texts mainly on the latter), the relationship of Jigme Lingpa to his contemporaries and with Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhism) vs. Dzogchen vs. Mahamudra. His emphasis on gradualist approaches is explained as a practical approach and he attempts to reconcile the two. I don't think Lingpa totally succeeds in this, however. By taking a gradualist approach, he incorporates much basic Vajrayana material (including extensive preliminary practices) which are, at least on the surface, antithetical to the Dzogchen view (being dualistic, for example). He also uses the Mahamudra 12 stage descriptive process and provides parallels with other systems (e.g. the Prajnaparamita or Perfection of Wisdom sutras). The dichotomy between simultaneous and gradual parallels that between immanence (Buddha nature) & distinction (transcendence)-a situation not unlike that of the theistic Western religions. While Jigme Lingpa relies considerably upon his discarnate master Longchenpa (many quotes are provided), his emphasis upon Vajrayana practices goes way beyond, IMHO, that of Longchenpa (Longchen Rabjam)-as discussed by van Schaik.

Van Schaik has done us a great service in providing translations of these texts. The Termas include discussions of the mind vs. mind itself, wisdom/gnosis vs. emptiness (not the same), and use of symbols (p. 137: "the host of male and female bodhisattvas who are the pure senses, sense objects, and times"). The pure visions somewhat parallel the Termas (p. 168: "The original general ground is a state like the sky; the ground's manifestation, gnosis, is like clouds dispersing in the sky"). The supporting texts include a number of wonderful quotes for my collection such as:
pp. 209-10: "having distinguished between reflexive awareness (which is all-penetrating primordial wisdom) and mind (which is nescient conceptualization and delusive forms), you should maintain freedom from limits in the state of the vast spacious expanse of gnosis, without following after it. Through this, the imprints of the conceptual mind are purified, and errors and straying are cut off."
p. 236: "The agent of the recognition of thoughts and emotions should be put to one side without giving him any importance like the unconcerned disinterest of an old man watching a child at play."
p. 237: "Appearances, emptiness, and union are just words, names, and terms."
p. 238: "Even this Vajra song is like the play of optical illusions."

In summary, this is a book for the serious Dzogchen student to keep as reference.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have, November 26, 2007

By 

dharmaman "dharmaman" (new jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Approaching the Great Perfection: Simultaneous and Gradual Methods of Dzogchen Practice in the Longchen Nyingtig (Studies in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism) (Paperback)

This book is a miles stone for the western understanding of the Longchen Nyingtig. The collection translated here is the entire Trechod section from the Longchen Nyingtig, though it does not include the Yeshe Lama which is the instruction manual for the Dzochen section. The Yeshe Lama has been translated as a restricted text and those who are seious about practice can find that translation else where.
What we have here is really a great first translation of very profound texts, truely heartdrops. My only problem with the traslations them selves is that tibetan words that have been standard for the seious student has been given western terms which I feel add confusion and is some cases become a distraction, for example the use of the word Gnosis over the term Rigpa.
Overall though this is really something amazing and should be purchased by anybody who is seious about the Nyingma trandition or Dzogchen. There is alot to work with in these translations!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like holding Jigme Lingpa in the palm of your hands...., September 7, 2010

By 

applewood (everywhere and nowhere) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Approaching the Great Perfection: Simultaneous and Gradual Methods of Dzogchen Practice in the Longchen Nyingtig (Studies in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism) (Paperback)

I savored every moment of reading this wonderful collection of studies of and about Jigme Lingpa's (JL) life and teachings. Van Schaik skillfully presents JL's life and teachings within the context of the Nyingma Longchen Nyingtig Dzogchen lineage (JL's historical place as well as personal approach) with helpful, detailed introductory commentary (about 130 pgs) and clear translations of many of JL writings (the heart of the book with about 100 pages of 10 different "treasure texts", "pure visions" and "supporting texts"), concluding with about 70 pages of the transliterated Tibetan texts he worked from.

(By the way, as a note of clarification, the discussion that makes up the first half of this book is centered around the issue of "simultaneous and gradual methods of Dzogchen practice". Many of us Western students may fancy ourselves ripe for the "simultaneous" or intuitive approach since here we are drawn to study such a teaching as Dzogchen (although that evidence alone would rule out such an assumption!), but it may help to remember (and neither inflate or discourage our egos), that who JL considers the beings with the very sharpest faculties capable of the spontaneous approach are the rare ones like Garab Dorje, Indrabhuti and Padmasambhava... The rest of us (not yet liberated beings) are somewhere in the gradualist camp!)

I would think this text would by now be considered a classic for Western students of Dzogchen, as it combines Western scholarship of the highest order with the clear and direct blessing of Jigme Lingpa, one of Tibet's greatest masters. Just as Jigme Lingpa received so many of his blessings from the disembodied master Longchenpa, we have here a chance to meet, see and hear Jigme Lingpa. Ehmaho!

"In the dharmakaya, Samantabhadra,
There is nobody called Lama
And no scholar who teaches the doctrine of initiation.
In realizing your own mind as dharmakaya,
You obtain the initiations and oral transmissions of all the conquerors.
Grasping at transmission is just discursive thought."
(JL, pg 184)

"The heart essence of the teaching is not given out at the door;
It is necessary that the transmission of the truth descend into one's heart
Because of an attitude of devotion, accomplishment and perseverance."
(JL, pg 222)

"To the self-liberated ground, the Great Perfection,
I prostrate without the idea of bowing.
May I be blessed at this present moment with seeing
The face of the Great Perfection, genuine reflexive awareness, free from
the intellect."
(JL, pg 235)