HiJeanLuc,ineverytexttotalkaboutrigpa,thereisthepresence.There'sthepresencein "presenttime"(nottothinkaboutthefutureorpast).Thepresenceitis"transformed" automaticallyintorigpa?InOtherwords,ifwemustmaintainthepresencetobeinrigpa? I'veheardthatwehavemanytypeofrigpa.It'strue?Canyoutellmemoreaboutthis?Whywe havemanytypeofrigpa?

It'sasubjectthatwe'vebeendiscussingquitealotinotherYahoolists.Ipersonallythinkthat "Presence"istheworstwordevertouseinordertotranslateRigpa.Presenceisasensation,soit belongstotheaggregateofsensations.It,ofcourse,involvesconsciousnesses(bothsensoryand mental)andthat'spreciselywheretheproblemlies.Rigpaisbeyondsensationsandconsciousnesses.It doesnotdependonthese.Itistheknowledgeofthenaturalstate.Whatdoesthatmeanreally?It meansthattheNaturalStatehastwoqualities:EmptinessandClarity.Emptinessmeansabsenceof inherentexistenceandClaritymeansthatthisstateisselfdiscerning("itknowsitselfbyitself",asLopon oftenputsit).Inotherwords,theClarityofthenaturalstatecorrespondstowhatRigpais.ThisRigpais thatthroughwhichoneknowsthenaturalstate(whenbeingintroducedtoitbythemaster)andthat throughwhichournaturalstateknowsitself(justlikealampilluminatesbothitselfandwhatisaround). Andhowdoesitknowsitselfsinceit'snotamentalconsciousness?Itpreciselydiscerns(rig)itselffrom theordinarymind(sems),fromconsciousness(rnamshes),intellect(blo),intelligence(blogros),mental (yid),etc.SowhenyouareinthestateofRigpa,youclearlydiscerns(rig)whatpertainstoMind(sems nyid,theultimatenatureofMind)fromwhatpertainstoordinary,conditionedmind(sems).InThogel context,RigpacorrespondstothefourthLamptheLampoftheSelfArisenSublimeKnowledge(shes rabrangbyunggisgronma)whichis,precisely,theSublime(rab)Knowledge(shes)correspondingto thestateofTrekch.Inallofthis,thereisaveryactiveanddynamicaspectoftotalDiscernment(rigpa) orrealKnowledge(shesrab)ofthenaturalstate,notamerestateofsensingapresence(ofwhatbythe way?). TheuseofPresenceapparentlycameupabout15yearsago(inprintedmaterial,itmusthavebeen thereorallysometimebefore,Iactuallydon'tknow)inthecontextoftheDzogchenCommunityfrom some"translator"(knownforindulgingquitealotintheuseofsmokingillegalsubstancesandinmixing theteachingswithothernonBuddhist/Bontraditions)whoputthisessentially"NewAge"conceptinto thebrainofthemasters.Thesuccessofthewordisactuallytragic:peopleidentifyinnersensationsof quietnessandpervasivenessasastateofPresencewhichtheythinkisRigpa.Thisisreallyfarfromwhat Rigpais. Thereexists15formsormodalitiesofRigpa(whichwemaydiscussinanotherpost,rightnowIlacktime toenterdetails),butbasicallywhenexplainingwhatitisinBon,weusemainlythesethreemodalities: 1.Khyabrig(AllPervasiveDiscernment)whichisthesameastheSugatagarbha,thepotentialfor Buddhahood(itisnothingelse,justthispotential).Whatitpervadesistheheartofallbeings;inother words,allbeingshavethisPervasiveDiscernmentwhichembraceseachbeingendowedwithamind;

2.bSamrig(KnowingDiscernment)whichistheknowledgeyougeneratewhenyoustudyandget experiencesoftheteachings(itisafluctuatingphenomenonaccordingtothecapacitiesofthe individual;themoreyoustudycorrectly,themoreyouKnowingDiscernmentisdeveloped); 3.Yerig(PrimordialDiscernment)whichis,precisely,theRigpathatisreferredtoinDzogchentexts. Thereexiststhreemodalitiesindicatingwhetherornotyouareinthisstate:anouterone,aninnerone andanintermediateone.Accordingtotheouterone,youknow(yourealize,youdiscern)thattheouter manifestationsarereallynonsubstantial(yourealizetheirabsenceoftangiblereality).Accordingtothe innerone,youareintheexperienceofMinditself(semsnyid)andyourealizeitasbeingdevoidofself (bdagmed).Inotherwords,youdiscernsyourrealnatureasbeingemptyofaconditionedself.Then accordingtotheintermediateone,alldiscursivethoughtsariseasWisdoms.Itdoesnotmeanthat thoughtsdisappear;onthecontrarytheycontinuetoarisebuttheyareleftastheyareandwedonot followafterthem.Atthattimetheysimplyarisebutareseenasempty.Stilltheirpotentialforarisingis thereandsinceitisnottaintedbyegograsping,thenthispotentialmanifestsitsenlightenedsidewhich isthatofWisdoms.Inotherwords,thoughtsariseasWisdoms.Theyareexactlythesameasbefore, exactlyandpreciselythesameasbefore,withthecosmicexceptionthatthereisnograspingatthem anymore. AllthiscomesfromtheteachingsofShardzaRinpocheandtheoralinstructionsassociatedwiththe TrekchsectionoftheKuzangNyingthik. WhatarethecorrectwaystodoSemdzincorrectly?

Thebestwayistoperformthemduringaspecificretreat.Inthismanner,distractionsarelesslikelyto disrupttheflowofconcentration.Theideaisreallytofocus(concentrate,hold,master,theverbis'dzin painTibetan)themindsothatitsordinaryflowofdiscursivenessissevered. WhataretheerrorscommonsofSemdzinbutalsoTrekch?

WelltherearenotspecificerrorsinthepracticeofSemdzins.Applyingthepreceptsinawrongwayby notunderstandinghowtoperformaSemdzinmightcertainlybeanerror.Inmyopinion,themain mistakethatpeopledoistostopthepracticebeforeobtainingpropersigns.Thisisthemistakenearly everyonedoes.Forthisreason,performingtheSemdzinsinretreatisimportant(youtakeavowwhen youstartaretreat,nottostopbeforesuchandsuchadateandifthedateleavesyouasufficientor reasonabletimetoreachsigns,thenit'sperfect). ForTrekch,themistakeiscertainlytotrytointegratetheexperienceindailyliferightfromthe beginning.

 HowevermanyWesternersfailtoentertherigpa?What'swrongonthey?

WellIdon'tknowiftheyfail,it'sactuallyprettyeasytoentertheexperienceofRigpabutmoredifficult tocultivateitwithoutartifice,outsideofaretreatcontext.MostofthewesternersIknowdonotdoany retreat.Theygototeachingswhenalamaisthereandtheycallitaretreat.Thisisnotlikethisthat thingshavetobedone.InparticularwithDzogchenteachings.I'vereceivedalotofteachingsinTibet andnoneofthemasterseversaidawordaboutintegrationintodailyworkinglife.Thisissomething thatafewTibetanmastershavemadefortheWest.Traditionally,whenyoureceiveaDzogchen teaching,youthengointoretreatandgeneratesomeexperience.Thistakesmonthsatbest.Thenyou comebacktothemasterandrelateyourexperience.Thenyougetfurtherdetailsonmoreadvanced practice,etc.,andyougotoanotherretreat.Sonotdoingany"real"retreatisprobablyadrawbackthat affectsmostpeople.Forinstance,theretreatofTrekchintheKunzangNyinghtik(it'sthesamefor thosewhofollowtheYesheLamaforinstance)doesnotlastlessthan18continuousmonthsina traditionalcontext. AnotherpointthatisrelatedismisunderstandingsomekeypointinTrekch.Forinstance,allour mastersrepeatthatonceyouhaveenteredthestateofTrekch,thenyoumustnotdoanything.And youconsequentlyhavepeoplenotdoinganythingforyears!Theyjustremainlikethat,gluedinastate oftotalblankness,usingvaguewordslike"presence"todescribetheactualfogginessoftheir experience.Actually,whattextssayisthatyoudon'tdoanythingatfirst,notcontinually."Atfirst' meansthatit'ssimplythethresholdofTrekchpractice.Whatyouactuallyhavetodoisonceyoudon't doubtanymoreregardingtheactual"flavour"ofthisstate,thenyouhavetocultivateitwithartifice duringspecificsessions(that'sthepurposeofthe18monthsmentionedabove)afterwhichyouare quasicertaintoreachanonregressivestabilityinthisstate.Mostofthetime,thisstabilityisreached quiteearlierduringtheretreat.It'sactuallyeasiertosucceedinthisduringaretreatthanduringthe dailyworkinglifewhenyouhaveallthedistractionsofyourordinarysociallife.Soduringtheretreat,at acertainstage,youtraininintegration.Therearefourthingstointegrate:1.theactivitiesofthe3 doors,2.theactivitiesofthesixassociationsofconsciousnesses,3.specificintellectualactivitiesofthe mind,and4.thevarietyofcircumstancesthatlifeputsonyourpath.Sothe"doingnothing"isreally somethingforbeginnersinTrekch.MostpeopleIknowmistakeitfortherealpractice.That'stheworst mistaketomakebecauseoneisnevergoingtomakeanyprogressifonegoesonlikethis. Canyouexplainthe4thingstointegrateindetail?

ThesetechniquescomeintheteachingsoftheConduct(spyodpa)inTrekchcontext.Thefactthatitis aConductandnotabehaviour,isdemonstratedbythewaythepracticeisactuallydone.Itdefinitely hasanethicalandreligiousapproachtoit.Firstyoudoacompletesessionofthepreliminariesstarting withthefirstandsecondofthethreeExcellences(whichmeansitsclearlyinanethicalandreligious

context;the1stexcellenceisthedevelopmentofBodhicittaandthesecondthestateofEmptinessor stateofGuruYoga,thethirdisthededicationwhichcomesattheendofthepractice).Then,remaining inthestateoftheGuruYoga,youdoyourstandardskygazingpracticeofTrekch.Thencomes integration. Itisalittletoolongtoenterthedetailsoftheactualpractice,butIwillgiveitatrywithaverygeneral presentation.TheaimofthefirstpracticeofintegrationistointegratetoourvirtuousConduct(dge spyod,explicitlydesignatedlikethisinthetext)allthepureandimpureactivitiesofthethreedoors. Basicallythismeansthatoneentersastateofequipoise(lit.accesstoequality,mnyambzhag,which meansaccessingtheconditionofequalityofthenaturalstate)andthenonehastomixitwiththestate ofsubsequentattainment(rjesthob,thepostmeditationperiod).Soforinstance,inordertointegrate theactivitiesofthebody,youaregoingtotrytoremainintheexperienceofthenaturalstate,quityour postureandperformcircumambulations,prostrations,yantras,etc.Thisistheintegrationofthepure activitiesofthebody.Thenyougottheneutralactivitiessuchaswalking,sitting,eating,etc.,including preparingyourfood.Thenyoutrainintheimpureactivitiesofthebody,likeraisingwrathandbecoming berserk,delightingindistractions(tryingtoraisedistractionsintentionallytoseeifyourexperienceof thestateisaffectedornotbyit),etc. Inotherwords,youtestyourcapacitytoremaininthenaturalstateinanycondition. Youdothesamewiththepure,neutralandimpureactivitiesofthespeechandthemind. Thenyoutrainwiththesixassociationsofconsciousnesses(outerobjects+intermediatesenseorgan+ innersenseconsciousness). Thenyougoonwiththehordesofvariousconceptionsthatariseinthecontinuumonamoreorless continuousbasis. Then,withtheintegrationofthemultiple(snatshogs),namelythevarietyofcircumstancesthatare likelytoarise,youhavethreeConducts:1.asecretConductforpractitionersoflowercapacities,2.an asceticsecretConductforthoseofmediumcapacities,and3.theimpartialConductofthePerfect VictoriousOnesforhighlyadvancedpractitioners. AlltheinstructionsaretaughtwhenyoureachchapterVIoftheChaktriintheZhangzhungNyengy training. Sowhichtranslationforrigpadoyoulike?

Well,sofarinEnglishIhaven'tfoundanythingImreallycrazyabout.IntheEnglishtranslationsidoiuse Awarenessbecauseit'spracticallyimpossibletochangetheusagenow.But,aswe'vediscussed elsewhere,etymologically(thehighGermangewharfromwhichAwarenessisderived)doesnotreally fitwiththecontext.InFrenchIuseanotherword.Iuse"Discernment"becauseitfitswiththesimplest definitionofRigpafoundintheZZNGwhereitissaidthatRigpadiscerns(rig)ordistinguishes(phyed)

thepure(dag=Mind,thenatureofmind)fromtheimpure(madag=mind,theconditionedmind).In thisdiscerningaspect(rigcha),thereisnoduality,simplytheeverpure,lucid,vividandfresh knowledgeofthenaturalstate.Insuchastate,thearisingofthoughtsisnotaproblematall,onthe contrarytheymaybemorethanwelcome,especiallyforinvestigatingthemeaningoftheteachings, spreadingthem,etc. Ialwaysthoughtit'sbetternottotranslaterigpa,becausethiswaytherecan'tbeasmany conceptsarisingastowhatitis.

Inpuretheoryoftranslation(thefamedGeorgesMounin'stheories),thisisamistake.Whenyoudon't haveawordinthetargetlanguagethatfitswiththeoriginalwordinthesourcelanguage,thenthe solutionistochooseawordthatcomestheclosesttothedefinitionoftheoriginalwordandthenapply toitasemanticfieldthatcorrespondsexactlytotheoriginaldefinition.That'swhattheTibetanshave donewhentheyused"Rigpa"fortheknowledgeofthenaturalstate.Rigpa/Discernmentisthe word/translationand"theknowledgeofthenaturalstate"isitsdefinition.Thenyouhavethesemantic fieldwithallthatisrelatedtotheoriginalword.Thewordyouchosemustalsofunctioninallthe contextsthatyouseetheoriginalwordin,intheoriginaltexts.Rigpaworksalsoasaverb,soyouhave tobeabletoconjugateyourchoice.Inanextremesense,youcanchooseanywordyoulike,provided it'scloseenoughtothebasicmeaningoftheoriginalandyousimplyhavetogiveitaspecialsemantic fieldtoworkoutfine.InstandardTibetan,RigpadoesnothavethemeaningithasinDzogchen.This meansthattheTibetanshaverendereditssemanticfield"sensible"inordertoencompassthemeaning theywantedtogiveitinaDzogchencontext. Yeah,formeIthinkthebiggestobstaclecanbeconfusingitforobjectlessshamatha.Isthere anyspecificwayinBonfordiscerningthedifference?

Well,inDzogchencyclessuchastheChaktri,shamathaisusedasameanstodiscoverthenatureofthe mind,butinaspecialway.Itisusedinordertocreateastateinwhichthecontinuousidentificationwith theinnerdiscourse(whichdescribestoitselfwhatitisactuallydoing)hasbeenseveredorsuspended,in ordertoenabletheinvestigationofthenatureofmind.Theaiminshamathaistoinduceastateofinner calmandpeaceinwhichthoughtsareeventuallydiscarded(inthe9thstage).InRigpa,thepresenceor absenceofthoughtsisnotaproblem.IftheRigpaiTselwanghasbeengivenatthepropertimeandfrom aqualifiedmaster,thendoubtsregardingthenatureofRigpashouldbeeasilyclearedaway.Allthatit takesthenistimetointensifythisexperience,andthentostabilizeit.That'sthepurposeofthePath. WhenItrytosuspendthecontinuuminnerdiscourse,thereisanemptystate(itdoesn'tlastfor alongperiod)andanewinnerdiscoursecomesintomymind.Itrytoobservethisnewoneand

thereisanotheremptystate.IfIobservemypresentthoughts(observing,notjudging)without goinginthefutureorthepast,andwhenmymindisempty,isabadtrainingfordiscoveredthe rigpa?Thanks Itdoesnotreallylooklikeabadtrainingtomebutyouhaveafiner,better,easiermethod.IntheZZNG (butalsoinotherBonDzogchencycles),youfirststartbycreatinganinnerconditionofquietnessand calmthroughfixationonawhiteA.ThisistheShamathaaspect.Withthispractice,youcreateakindof conditioninwhichnothoughtsareallowedtoarise(it'sactuallyeasierthanitlooksanditjusttakesa littletimetosucceed).Ofcourse,thisdoesnotlastverylong(atbestafewminutes,reallyatbest). Then,withinthatstate,youallowathoughttoariseorinsteadofallowingit,youjustwaitforathought toarisespontaneously.Assoonasitarisesyoulookdirectlyatit,whichmeansyoutryto"turn"the mindbackonitself,asiftoseethethoughtarising.Whenyoudothis,you(theobserver)andthe thought(theobserved)bothvanishinstantaneously(becausetheyarethesamething)andyousuddenly findyourselfinastateoftotal,pure,limpid,vivid,freshknowledge.Itisa"knowledge"inthebestsense oftheword:itdiscerns(rig)itselfanditalsodiscernsthefurtherthoughtsandemotionsthatarelikely toarisethen(it'soneofthereasonswhy"presence"iscompletelyoutofcontextinDzogchen).What hashappenedisthatyouhaveshiftedfromapointofreferenceinwhichyouwereidentifiedtothe thoughtsinacontinuousegograsping/dualisticmode,toapointofreference(it'sactuallynotapoint norareferencebutlanguagelimitsthedescription...)whichistherealnatureofthemind.Whendoing soverycarefully,you'llseethatit'svery,very,veryeasytorecognizethisstate.Onesignthatindicatesa correctrecognitionisanindescribable"feeling"thatonealreadyknowsthatstate.Duringthedirect introduction,themasterexplainsallthisinmoredetailsandyougetexplanationsontherealmeaningof EmptinessandClarity,buttheactualprocedureyouhavetofollowafterthatisbasicallythatdescribed above. I'mnotbreakinganysealofsecrecyhere,it'swritteninzillionsofDzogchentextswithoutanyrestriction tosincerelyinterestedpractitioners.Therearealsofurtheraspectsinthedirectintroductionthat,this time,shouldbereservedfortheoccasionwhenthemastergivesit.Inparticular,inThogelcontext,you haveasetof21specialintroductionswhicharereallyimportantthings.I'mnotsurewecandiscuss thesehere.It'sbetterifamasterexplainsthemtoyouwhenit'stimeforit.