Pith Instruction for A Khrid rDzogs Chen

Description

A main practice manual from one of the four great lineages of Bon Dzogchen, Great Completion, meditation. These lineage teachings started with a lesson plan by Ri Khrod Chenpo, which reduced to 15 sessions by Bru rGyal ba Yung drung (1242-1290). This step-by-step practice manual, using ‘intense means’ of pith instruction, covers three broad areas of practice:

(1) ripening the unripened mind stream or building the vessel of the mind via preliminary practices such as impermanence, taking refuge, setting the intention (bodhicitta), confession, mandala offering, and guru yoga;

(2) bringing the ripened mind stream to liberation through concentration training, directly pointing out the natural state, stabilizing the awakened mind itself in and between meditation sessions, mixing awakening into daily activities, and

(3) liberation to completion as Buddhahood, mainly through letting whatever arises run its course without mental engagement to automatically self-liberate karmic memory traces in dreams and concerning ordinary everyday appearances. The final pith instructions open up the direct manifestation of the three-fold embodiment of enlightenment. The book includes the root text, an extensive auto-commentary by the same author, and supplemental instruction on consciousness-transference.

In this book on A Khrid, also written, A tri, Geshe Sonam Gurung and Daniel P. Brown, Ph.D. faithfully translate the text from its original Tibetan under the guidance of His Holiness, The 33rd Menri Trizin.