Dzogchen: Who's Who and What's What in the Great Perfection

This generously-sized, reader-friendly handbook, lists the deities, teachers and principle ideas we first meet when we receive Dzogchen teachings. Designed for those new to the teachings and those who want to go deeper, it also provides: a time-line for Indian and Tibetan Buddhism; an extensive wordlist that translates Tibetan phonetics into English; and a list of resources to continue study. This classic dipping-in book is much more than a simple glossary; it contains over 400 comprehensive entries that include:The principal Dzogchen deities, lineage masters and guardiansTaking refuge, the lineage of teachers, the guru, faith, the direct introduction to intrinsic awareness, rigpa, guru yoga, devotion, and the samaya, our tantric vow.Practising meditation. The Nyingma nine vehicle system. Preliminary practices. Generation and completion stages in the tantric sadhana. The Yidam and pure vision. Lojong, trulkhor, rushen, semzin, trekchö and tögal, the rites of the bardo. Rigpa, self-liberation and the Three Words of Garab Dorje. The Rainbow Body.Describing the nature of reality. Buddhist philosophy - Early Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism and the Vajrayana. The three turnings of the wheel of the Dharma. Dzogchen’s understanding of the Ground, Path and Fruition, mind and the nature of mind, the unity of emptiness and clarity and the Three Kayas.The history of the Dzogchen the Nyingma Tradition. Its transmission through the spoken lineage, revealed treasures and direct visions. Its tulkus and tertöns. Its relationship to the New Translation Schools and practices, Chö, Mahamudra and the Rimé movement.“This is an exacting and highly intelligent reference work for Dzogchen teachings – the only one available – written in a readable style for both practitioners and scholars.”Keith DowmanDzogchen teacher and translator of Tibetan Buddhist texts“Dharma Friend Nigel has here gathered the keys, doors and portals to the practice teachings – a veritable Indra’s Net of our esteemed Dzogchen tradition. He offers us an opportunity to access this treasure trove and to benefit ourselves and the world, keeping the truth-torch alive and endeavouring to pave a way forward for the upcoming generations. Who dares to join us in this evolutionary consciousness movement?"Lama Surya DasTeacher, author and founder of the Dzogchen Centre and Foundation“Nigel Wellings has done a great service by compiling this reference book bringing together the key figures and most significant terminology within the Dzogchen tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Those familiar with only the later developments often feel at a loss when exploring Dzogchen texts. So we are grateful to Nigel for providing both a Who’s Who and a What’s What to help clarify and empower our understanding of this important tradition.”Jetsunma Tendzin PalmoAuthor, teacher, and founder of the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery“Nigel Wellings has been a long-time student of Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, who more than any other Tibetan Lama was responsible for introducing the practice and teachings of Dzogchen into the West. Nigel has provided us with a useful Dzogchen handbook, listing its deities, masters and principal teachings. Dzogchen, which does not require elaborate ritual practices, has become popular in the West and can easily be integrated into our Western lifestyle and society.”John Myrdhin ReynoldsTeacher, scholar, author, and translator of the Nyingma and Bön schools of Tibetan Buddhism Read more