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).

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Düdjom Rinpoche — The Practice of the Three Skies — Volume II

 Düdjom Rinpoche — The Practice of the Three Skies — Volume II, translated from the Tibetan and commented by Jean-Luc Achard. Translated from the French by Marianne Ginalski, Editions Khyung-Lung, 2024, 114 pages.

The volume 2 of the practice of the Three Skies by Düdjom Rinpoche is finally out!

The text translated and commented in this volume describes the main principles of this most iconic yoga according to the synthesis drawn by Düdjom Rinpoche (1904-1987) based on the teachings of his masters.

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Table of Contents
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Introduction 13
1. The source of the text 14
2. The principles of the practice of the Three Skies 16
3. The characteristics of the place 22


Utterly Profound and Ultimate Instructions on the Three Skies
— Precepts of the Secret Cycle of the Great Perfection 25
1. The identification of the Three Skies 25
1-1. The Outer Sky 25
1-2. The Inner Sky 25
1-3. The Secret Sky 25
2. The manner of practicing 26
3. The progress in practice 26
4. Characteristics of Equipoise and Post-Obtainment 27
5. Direct Introduction to the nature of the Path 28
6. Dispelling obstacles 29


The Mirror of the Diamond Sky — Abridged Commentary
the Utterly Secret Instructions on the Three Skies 33


The Contemplative Ornaments of the Lord of Mysteries —
Detailed Commentary on the Secret Instructions of the
Practice of the Three Skies 45
1. The identification of the Three Skies 46
1-1. The Outer Sky 46
1-2. The Inner Sky 46
1-3. The Secret Sky 47
2. The manner of practicing 49
2-1. Guru-Yoga 49
2-2. The purification of stale air 49
2-3. The key point of the body 50
2-4. The key point of the doors 50
2-5. The key point of the mind 51
2-6. The absence of artifice 51
2-7. The three Natural Accesses 52
2-7-1. The Natural Access to the Mountain 52
2-7-2. The Natural Access to the Ocean 54
2-7-3. The Natural Access to Awareness 55
2-7-4. The combination of the three Natural Accesses 56
2-8. The Supreme Meditation 56
3. The progress in practice 57
3-1. the Yoga of Day and Night 58
3-2. The special methods 58
3-3. Integrating the Conduct 60
3-4. Remaining in the state of the mirror 61
4. Characteristics of Equipoise and Post-Obtainment 61
4-1. The definition of Equipoise 61
4-2. The definition of Post-Obtainment 62
4-3. The paradigm of deviation 63
4-4. The emergence and liberation of thoughts 63
4-5. The seal of compassion 65
4-6. The practice of the Horizon of Day and Night 66
5. Direct Introduction to the nature of the Path 67
5-1. The definition of Meditation 67
5-2. The experience of calm 68
5-3. The experience of movement 70
5-4. The experience of equality 70
5-5. The experience of Spontaneity 72
6. Dispelling obstacles 74
6-1. The lack of training 74
6-2. Discursive streams 75
6-3. The key point of corrections 76
6-4. The absence of attachment 78
6-5. The devotion for the master 79
6-6. The cultivation of altruism 81
6-7. Respecting the seal of secrecy 82
7. Colophon 84


Notes on the Utterly Secret Oral Transmission of the Practice
of the Three Skies according to the tradition of Rigdzin
Tsewang Norbu 87
1. The identification of the Three Skies 88
2. The manner of practicing 88
2-1. The key point of the body 89
2-2. The key point of breathing 89
2-3. The key point of the doors 89
2-4. The key point of the mind 89
3. The progress in practice 90

4. Characteristics of Equipoise and Post-Obtainment 91
5. Introduction to the methods of the Path 92
6. The dispelling of obstacles 96


Appendix — The Utterly Secret Yoga of Darkness 101
1. The preliminaries 101
2. The main Practice 102
2-1. The Pressure of the Ocean 102
2-2. The Entrance into the radiance of the Ocean 102


Bibliography 105 

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The Threefold Heart Advice of Jigme Lingpa

The Threefold Heart Advice of Jigme Lingpa, translation from the Tibetan and commentary by Jean-Luc Achard. Translated from the French by Marianne Ginalski, Khyung-mkhar, 2024, 50 pages, PDF edition.

Among the immense corpus of texts and instructions left by Jigme Lingpa (1730–1798), his Heart Advice in Three Stanzas sums up the essence of the Path of the Great Perfection. In particular, the author addresses the notion of Non-Meditation, which has often been misunderstood, both in Tibet and more recently in the West. This volume also clarifies some of the representations that are at the heart of the Great Perfection.

Table of Contents

Introduction 4
1. Biography of Jigme Lingpa 7
2. The text of the Threefold Heart Advice 13

The Threefold Heart Advice of Jigme Lingpa 15

The meaning of the Threefold Heart Advice
composed by Jigme Lingpa Khyentse Özer 16

Thematic Commentary on the Threefold
Heart Advice 18
1. Abiding in the state of Non-Meditation 19
2. The Natural State of Primordial Purity 25
3. The manner of practicing 28

Appendix—Prayer to Jigme Lingpa 34

Glossary 38
Bibliography 47

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Song on the Dreamlike Semblance of Appearances and Emptiness by Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso

 Song on the Dreamlike Semblance of Appearances and Emptiness, by Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, translated from the Tibetan and commented by Jean-Luc Achard. Translated from the French by Marianne Ginalski, PDF ed., 12 pages.

The notions of dreamlike semblance (rmi lam lta bu) and equality (mnyam nyid) are at the heart of Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche's song. They are in line with the classical teachings of Buddhism and are discussed here from the perspective of the Great Perfection (rdzogs chen). Khenpo Rinpoche (1934–2024) is a patriarch of the Kagyüpa school who has intensively disseminated the teachings of the Great Perfection over the past decades, beginning with the instructions drawn from Chogyur Lingpa's Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo.

 

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The Structure of the Bima Nyingthik

 The Structure of the Bima Nyingthik, by Jean-Luc Achard. Translated from the French by Marianne Ginalski, PDF ed., 16 pages.

This short booklet describes the specific topics and contents of the Bima Nyingthik that was discovered in Central Tibet prior to 1000 AD. This collection is the most important of all Heart-Drops teachings.
 

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The Themes of the Seventeen Tantras

 The Themes of the Seventeen Tantras, by Jean-Luc Achard. Translated from the French by Marianne Ginalski, PDF ed., 16 pages.


This short booklet describes the specific topics and contents of the Seventeen Tantras (rGyud bcu bdun) of the Vimalamitra tradition (8^th century).

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