Toward the end of the discussion, the second lama—who was unduly impressed, awed, and inspired—said, “No one these days teaches like this. Please share this wisdom with others. It is essential for practitioners to know the correct view, meditation, and conduct!” The first lama just laughed, saying, “There is no way that I will teach this openly, because few can really understand and even fewer will be able to put it into practice.”
My heart seized, remembering how freely Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche had offered such experience and realization. He deeply believed that people should get the whole view and apply it in a genuine way, to the extent of their capacity. I am not reproaching the first lama or brazenly praising my teacher but simply observing how things evolved. I also feel very dejected that so few masters these days have the courage to teach in this way. I have had the overwhelming impression that such a precious tradition is on the verge of fading away, which has made me even sadder. This is not a veiled criticism of today’s teachers. The first lama was probably correct in assessing that few can hear such teachings, assimilate them, and have the confidence to put them into practice—because training like this takes an immense storehouse of merit and stability in awareness. Nevertheless, the conversation motivated me to compile this book of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche’s teachings, which exactly define the development and completion stage practices from the Dzogchen perspective, as the first lama described.
I am fairly certain that I do not need to tell people who Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche was, but only to remind them that he was one of the greatest Dzogchen masters of the last century. His teaching style was direct, simple, and powerful. His compassionate humility created a comfortable ambiance that opened one up to being able to absorb his profound words. He was fearless in teaching the view, meditation, and conduct of the Great Perfection, due to the strength of his realization. He was like a general who ordered his soldiers to take no prisoners. In regard to the view, one either recognized it or not—and if not, no place to hide, nothing to capture! When I listen to or read his teachings, very often I have to stop and catch my breath, recalling how fortunate we have been that such a great being graced our world and that so many of us were able to connect with him personally or though his books, recordings, and videos. What was so easy for him, he made easy for others, with a flair for divine showmanship and humor. He never gave up on us, repeating the same thing again and again, almost relentlessly, till at least we could understand intellectually.
So, fearing that such a teaching style may die out and determined to prevent that from happening, I offer Dzogchen Deity Practice. In the context of my series on the Three Roots practice books, this one can be categorized under yidam practice; but once again, this is a mere label, as it can be a lama or dakini practice as well. The key point here is how to engage in sadhana practice as a pure Dzogchen yogi or yogini. These explanations are repeated in numerous ways on various occasions to make an indelible impression on our minds. Increasing the repetitious effect, a good deal of this book is based on questions that I and other dharma friends raised over the course of twelve years, while searching for other angles, as many of these teachings do not fit into our narrow minds’ framework! Of course, whether we’ve recognized and stabilized mind’s nature or not, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche never deviates from the underlying principle, as he explains how to practice.
I need to make one apology in regard to this compilation, although I am sure I will need to confess many more later. Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche did not give me permission to openly share teachings on the “ground.” So, here, teachings on the ground have either been edited out or highly veiled. I retained some reference in order to give a complete picture, so the reader can get a full sense of the material. When encountering these places, please be aware of this omission and make the effort to seek these instructions from your personal teacher.
Although Dzogchen Deity Practice uses the peaceful and wrathful terma of Kunzang Tuktig as its basis, these teachings on development and completion stage practices apply with equal efficacy to many other sadhanas as well. Also, this compilation does not strive for complete consistency and minute accuracy in the various descriptions of the deities’ forms. I am not being sloppy. The intent of this offering is to mirror Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, who placed more emphasis on the deep meaning and underlying principles of Vajrayana than on specific details. While these details are also important, the reader should seek them from a different style of teacher and from external sources that can later be incorporated into practice.
Sincere hearthfelt thanks and appreciation are offered to the dynamic team who worked on this book: the incomparable Dzogchen lotsawa, Erik Pema Kunsang; the yogi, Graham Sunstein, who corrects and seamlessly prepares photos; my amazing editor, Anne Paniagua; my steadfast book designer, Joan Olson; my creative and adaptable cover creator, Maryann Lipaj; my resolute proofreaders, Lynn Schroeder and Michael Yockey; and to my kind printing sponsor, Richard Gere. As an enthusiastic lover of Dzogchen, I proffer these precious teachings by the incomparable master Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, as a conduit to captivate, support, and guide future realized beings. May all faults I have committed be forgiven and all blessings abound. With great joy and trepidation, I present butter to the lamp of the Dzogchen teachings, so they may continue to burn with brilliance, reaching and benefiting the innumerable yogis and yoginis who can carry that flame all the way to enlightenment!
May it be auspicious!
INTRODUCTION
A Jewel in the Crown Ornament
Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche
It is impossible for one person to truly judge another, so we can never really know how great a master Tulku Urgyen was. Only a buddha like Shakyamuni can fully know another being. However, during the twentieth century, a few masters were unanimously accepted to be like the Buddha appearing in person. Along with the sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpey Dorje, and Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, who was the emissary of Guru Padmasambhava, there has also been Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Within the contemporary Kagyü and Nyingma schools, no one has been more extraordinary, with so immense an impact on the Buddhadharma, than they have. Yet, these three all accepted Tulku Urgyen among their root gurus. If they respected Tulku Urgyen as their crown ornament, I, too, feel we should regard him as someone special.
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche upheld both the teaching and family lineages of Chokgyur Lingpa. He kept this lineage of empowerment, instruction, and reading transmission alive, not only by practicing it himself but also by passing it on to the Karmapa and Dudjom Rinpoche, as well as countless others. His activity on behalf of this dharma lineage is an immense kindness that I regard as very special. Tulku Urgyen’s family lineage comes through Chokgyur Lingpa’s daughter, Könchok Paldrön, and her son, Chimey Dorje, who was Tulku Urgyen’s father. Thus, he descended directly from the great tertön.
On one occasion, Könchok Paldrön asked for advice from both Jamyang Khyentse and Jamgön Kongtrül as to whether it would be better to become a nun or get married. Both masters replied, “You should take a husband; in the future it is through your bloodline that someone will appear to benefit beings. This is very important.”
Accordingly, she married a son of the Tsangsar family. The couple had many children, including Tulku Urgyen’s uncle, the great master Samten Gyatso, who brought great benefit to the continuation of the Tersar teachings and was able to carry out great deeds. This lineage continues through Tulku Urgyen’s many sons, who are all still alive and well. Although they have their