Public Events 2011
Longchen, Longchenpa and the Dzogchen (Maha Ati) Path to Realisation
A Heart of the Buddha Teaching by Rigdzin Shikpo
Saturday 3rd December 2011
Friends Meeting House, St Giles, Oxford
9.30am - 5.30pm
Cost: £45 concessions available.
Dzogchen (or Maha Ati) translates as 'Great Perfection' and is considered by the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism as the highest and most definitive path to enlightenment. Of all the different teachings of the Buddha, Dzogchen is considered by many Lamas to be the most appropriate for our time.
From the perspective of Dzogchen the ultimate nature of all sentient beings is said to be pure, all-encompassing, primordial and naturally occurring timeless awareness. This intrinsic awareness is said to have no form of its own and yet is capable of perceiving, experiencing, reflecting, or expressing all form. It does so without being affected by those forms in any ultimate, permanent way. The analogy given by Dzogchen masters is that one's nature is like a mirror which reflects with complete openness but is not affected by the reflections.
Dzogchen is particularly associated with Vimalamitra and a Dzogchen lineage that goes back to Karab Dorje and beyond. Guru Rinpoche, the creator and union of all the Buddhas and original founder of the tantric tradition in Tibet, mid 8th century CE, also became the holder of the Dzogchen tradition making him the holder of the complete tradition of the Buddha.
These teachings flourished but after a while became fragmented. Longchen Rabjam, or ‘Longchenpa’, (1308-1364) one of the greatest of Tibetan scholars and realised masters, was responsible for bringing together all the diverse teachings of Dzogchen and setting out a complete foundation for its study and practice. He is sometimes regarded as the 'Second Buddha' in Tibet.
Rigdzin Shikpo was encouraged to found The Longchen Foundation by Chögyam Trungpa and Dilgo Khyentse both of whom trace their lineages directly back to Longchenpa. Longchen's mission is to preserve and disseminate the essence of the Buddha’s teaching, in accordance with Nyingma tradition, whilst at the same time creatively adapting its teaching style and methods to the needs of present day students.
As a non-monastic tradition, Longchen also emphasises the importance of daily life practice - working with our everyday experiences as a path to awakening.
Rigdzin Shikpo’s unique achievement as a Westerner has been to make the Dzogchen teachings accessible to a modern audience. His course, ‘The Lion's Roar’, brings students quickly and directly into contact with some of the innermost concepts of the Dzogchen view, in itself an impressive feat. This day will expand upon the Dzogchen teachings as a whole and explain why Rigdzin Shikpo thinks they are so crucial for our time.
To book, just email oxford@longchenfoundation.org
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