Secret Instructions on the Visions of Thögel

Secret Instructions on the Visions of Thögel, by Terdak Lingpa & Lochen Dharma Śrī translated from the Tibetan and commented by Jean-Luc Achard. Translated from the French by Marianne Ginalski, Editions Khyung-Lung, 2025, 65 pages, PDF edition only.

This short volume contains the translation of The Precepts on the Four Visions (sNang bzhi'i man ngag) revealed by Terdak Lingpa (1646–1714) and commented by his brother Lochen Dharma Śrī (1654–1717) in The Wheel of Manifest Clear-Light (mNgon sum 'od gsal 'khor lo). Both texts explain all the key points of the main practice of Dzogchen, the yoga of Thögel (thod rgal), and are included in the famed cycle of the Dorsem Thukdrub (rDor sems thugs sgrub).

Table of contents

I. Introduction                           7
1. The cycle of the Heart Practice of Vajrasattva           7
2. The principles of the teachings of the Great Perfection       9

Translation—The Precepts of the Four Visions
by Terdak Lingpa                         15

The Secret Precepts on the Four Visions of Thögel
forming the Special Perfection Phase extracted from
the cycle of the Heart Practice of Vajrasattva         19
1. The six secret key points                     19
2. The Lamps                             20
3. The Four Visions                          20
3-1. The Vision of Manifest Reality                 20
3-2. The Vision of Increasing Luminous Experiences     21
3-3. The Vision of the Full Measure of Awareness         22
3-4. The Vision of the Exhaustion of Reality             22
4. The Ultimate Fruit                         23

Translation—The Wheel of Manifest Clear-Light
by Lochen Dharma Śrī                     25

1. Preliminaries                         26

2. Main Practice                         27
2-1. The key points of the three doors             27
2-1-1. The key points of the body                 27
2-1-2. The key points of speech                 28
2-1-3. The key points of the mind                 29

2-2. Direct introduction through the three key points     30
2-2-1. Directly ascertaining Reality through the three
          key points                         30
2-2-1-1. The key points of the arising doors             30
2-2-1-2. The key points of the object forming the
              arising base of the visions                 30
2-2-1-3. The key points of wind and Awareness         31

2-2-2. Receiving the specific direct introduction
           to Manifest Reality                     32

3. Conclusion                             33
3-1. The arising mode of the Four Visions             33
3-1-1. The Vision of Manifest Reality                 33
3-1-2. The Vision of Increasing Luminous Experiences     35
3-1-3. The Vision of the Full Measure of Awareness      36
3-1-4. The Vision of the Exhaustion of Reality         38

3-2. Familiarization with the Precepts of the
       Four Final Supports                      40
3-2-1. Laying the foundations on the Three Immobilities     41
3-2-2. Controlling the signs through the Three Masteries     41
3-2-3. Intensifying the Three Obtainments             42
3-2-4. The explanation of the full measure of liberation
           through the Four Confidences                 42

Quintessential Instructions on the Path of Clear-Light     44
1. Essential preparations                     44
2. Thögel                             45
2-1. The sanctuary of practice                 45
2-2. The practice sessions                      46
2-3. The manner of practicing                  47
2-4. Mastering the six key points                 48
2-5. The channels of light                     50
2-6. The Four Lamps                         51
2-7. The Four Visions                         52
2-8. Obtaining the Fruit                     52

Appendix—Structure of the Dorsem Thukdrup         54

Glossary                             58
Bibliography                             64

Publication hors-commerce à commander directement auprès de l'auteur ou bien en se connectant sur le Forum Dzogchen à l'adresse suivante:

https://forumdzogchen.forumactif.com/t998-secret-instructions-on-the-visions-of-thogel

The First Testament of Vajradhara (Bima Nyingthik, volume I)

 The First Testament of Vajradhara, Bima Nyingthik, volume I, translated from the Tibetan and commented by Jean-Luc Achard. Translated from the French by Marianne Ginalski, Editions Khyung-Lung, 2025, 79 pages, PDF edition only.

This PDF edition is the English version of Le Premier Testament de Vajradhara that was published in book form last month.

The First Testament of Vajradhara is one of the core texts of the Heart Drops of Vimalamitra or Bima Nyingthik. It explains the instructions that are directly extracted from the collection of the Seventeen Tantras (rGyud bcu bdun) and includes a description of the special preliminaries of Dzogchen, as well as the secret teachings of Thögel (thod rgal). It is here completed by an interlinear commentary based on the oral transmission, as well as a detailed commentary relying on the classical sources of the Great Perfection.

 

Table of Contents
 
Introduction    7

1. Preliminary remark    7

2. Vajradhara’s instructions     10

3. The transmission of the text     13

 
 

The First Testament of Vajradhara     15                                

Translation      16                               

 

Interlinear Commentary on the First Testament of 

Vajradhara    19

 

Detailed Commentary on the First Testament of 

the Buddha     24

                

1. Introduction      25                          

1-1. The title of the text     25                                           

1-2. The homage        27                                      

1-3. The author’s intention      27

 

2. The body of the text     28                

2-1. The ordinary and extraordinary preliminaries     28

 

2-2. The special preliminaries of Dzogchen      31

2-2-1. The purification of the seeds of the six destinies      31 

 

2-2-2. Settling into one’s natural ease      35

2-2-2-1.  Settling into the natural ease of the 

three doors       35

2-2-2-2.  Entering into the Natural State      36

2-2-2-2-1. The gaze of the Śrāvakas           37

2-2-2-2-2.  The gaze of the Bodhisattvas      44

2-2-2-2-3.  The gaze of the Wrathful Deities       45

 

2-3. The main practice           45

2-3-1. Abandoning the nine types of activities       46

2-3-2. Adopting the key points       47

2-3-2-1. The key point of the body       47

2-3-2-2. The key point of speech      49

2-3-2-3. The key point of the mind          50

2-3-2-4. The key point of the doorways       51

2-3-2-5. The key point of the object         53

2-3-2-6. The key point of wind-Awareness      54

2-3-2-6-1.  The key point of the wind      54

2-3-2-6-2.  The key point of Awareness        55

 

2-4. The Four Final Precepts          58

2-4-1. The Three Immobilities        59

2-4-2. The Three Masteries           59

2-4-3. The Three Obtainments        61

2-4-4. The Four Confidences          63

 

3. Conclusion         64

 

Glossary        67

Bibliography             79

 

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Drongjuk — The Practice of Entering a Corpse

 Dronjuk — The Practice of Entering a Corpse, by Jean-Luc Achard. Translated from the French by Marianne Ginalski. PDF Edition, Khyung-mkhar, 2025. 12 pages.

The Practice of Entering a Corpse (Tib. grong 'jug, Skt. parakāyapraveśana) is one of the most secret yogas in Tibetan Buddhism. It refers to the occult art of transferring one's consciousness into a corpse, in order to activate it and further practice Dharma in a new body. According to some branches of the Kagyü tradition, its transmission was lost when Marpa's son died, but there are other lines of transmission among the Nyingmapas and Bönpos. This booklet presents the secret instructions of Gampopa (1079-1153).

Publication hors-commerce à commander directement auprès de l'auteur ou bien en se connectant sur le Forum Dzogchen à l'adresse suivante:

https://forumdzogchen.forumactif.com/t992-drongjuk-the-practice-of-entering-a-corpse