Dzogchen, the Great Perfection, is the highest meditative practice of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. Approaching the Great Perfection looks at a seminal figure of this lineage, Jigme Lingpa, an eighteenth-century scholar and meditation master whose cycle of teachings , the Longchen Nyingtig, has been handed down through generations as a complete path to enlightenment. Ten of Jigme Lingpa's texts are presented here, along with extensive analysis by van Schaik of a core within Buddhism: Does enlightenment develop gradually, or does it come all at once? Though these two positions are often portrayed by modern scholars as entrenched polemical views, van Schaik explains that both tendencies are present within each of the Tibetan Buddhist schools. He demonstrates how Jigme Lingpa is a great illustration of this balancing act, using the rhetoric of both sides to propel his students along the path of the Great Perfection.


Approaching the Great Perfection, Sam van Schaik, Wisdom Publications, Paperback, 384 pp, $34.95

Van Schaik received his PH.D. in Tibetan Buddhist Literature from the University of Manchester, England. He currently works at the British Library's International Dunhuang Project in London, researching early Tibetan manuscripts.

Preface	xi
List of Abbreviations	xv
Introduction	1
Approaches to Enlightenment	3
The Great Perfection	3
Simultaneous and Gradual	11
Jigme Lingpa	21
The Life and Education of Jigme Lingpa	21
Jigme Lingpa's Works	25
The Longchen Nyingtig	31
Treasure Texts	31
Revelation, Writing, and Publishing	34
The Contents of the Longchen Nyingtig	40
Simultaneous and Gradual	49
Immanence and Distinction	51
Key Concepts of the Seminal Heart	51
Immanence	54
Distinction	56
Reconciling Immanence with Distinction: The Buddha Nature	63
The Simultaneous Approach	71
Criticism of Causal Practice	71
Criticism of Inferior Approaches	76
The Rejection of Stages in Realization	91
The Gradual Approach	93
Graduated Practice within the Longchen Nyingtig	93
Levels of Realization	106
Interpretation and Reconciliation	115
Simultaneous and Gradual Realization: The Levels of Ability	115
The Manifestation of Enlightenment: The Khyung Bird	124
Conclusions	129
Translations	133
Technical note on the translations	135
Treasure Texts
The Great Perfection Tantra of the Expanse of Samantabhadra's Wisdom (YLG)	137
The Subsequent Tantra of Great Perfection Instruction (GP)	148
Experiencing the Enlightened Mind of Samantabhadra (KGN)	155
Distinguishing the Three Essential Points of the Great Perfection (NSB)	162
Pure Visions
An Aspirational Prayer for the Ground, Path, and Result (ML)	167
Vajra Verses on the Natural State (DTK)	170
Supporting Texts
The White Lotus (PK)	173
The Words of the Omniscient One (KZL)	208
The Lion's Roar That Destroys the Deviations of Renunciants Meditating on the Seminal Heart (SN)	225
Seeing Nakedly the Natural State of the Great Perfection (NCT)	235
Critical Editions	239
Technical note on the critical editions	241
rDzogs pa chen po kun tu bzang po ye shes klong gi rgyud	243
Man ngag rdzogs pa chen po rgyud phyi ma	251
Kun tu bzang po'i dgongs nyams	255
rDzogs pa chen po'i gnad gsum shan byed	259
gZhi lam bras bu'i smon lam	261
gNas lugs rdo rje tshig rkang	263
rGyab brten padma dkar po	264
Kun mkhyen zhal lung	288
Gol shor tshar gcod seng ge ngar ro	300
rDzogs pa chen po gnas lugs cer mthong	307
The Structure of the Yeshe Lama (YL)	311
Concordance of Common Words Relating to Mind and Mental Events	319
List of Tibetan Proper Names	321
Notes	325
Bibliography	367
Index	383