Practice of Dzogchen

In his masterful introduction to the body of this work, Tulku Thondup covers the three outer and inner tantras, the three divisions of Atiyoga, Dzogchen, and the other yanas and traditions. He includes excerpts from the exemplary lives of teachers (such as Longchen Rabjam) to illustrate the ways of training in Dzogchen.

Longchen Rabjam (1308–1363) was born to a noble family of Tibet under many signs of auspiciousness. He showed great skill in all aspects of scholarship from an early age and excelled throughout his life in the practice and accomplishment of dharma. His power in visualization techniques and ability to actualize miraculous appearances is well known throughout Tibetan history. Longchenpa had many pure visions where he was given direct instructions from Guru Padmasambhava and many other wisdom deities. Recognized as an emanation of Vimalamitra, Longchenpa's sharp acumen and prolific writings have made him one of Tibet's most renowned and precious teachers.