Longdé (, sa, abhyantaravarga) is the name of one of three scriptural divisions within
Dzogchen
Dzogchen (, "Great Perfection" or "Great Completion"), also known as ''atiyoga'' ( utmost yoga), is a tradition of teachings in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and Yungdrung Bon aimed at discovering and continuing in the ultimate ground of existence. ...
, which is itself the pinnacle of the
ninefold division of practice according to the
Nyingma
Nyingma (literally 'old school') is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It is also often referred to as ''Ngangyur'' (, ), "order of the ancient translations". The Nyingma school is founded on the first lineages and transl ...
school of
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
.
The name "longdé" is translated as "Space Division" or "Space Series" of Dzogchen and emphasises the emptiness () or spaciousness () aspect of the Natural State.
Due to the different approaches of various Dzogchen lineages, three series of teachings have developed, of which longdé is one. The other two divisions or series are
semde
Semde (; Sanskrit: ) translated as 'mind division', 'mind class' or 'mind series' is the name of one of three scriptural and lineage divisions within Atiyoga, Dzogchen or the Great Perfection which is itself the pinnacle of the ninefold divis ...
and
menngagde
In Tibetan Buddhism and Bon, Menngagde (, sa, upadeśavarga), is the name of one of three scriptural and lineage divisions within Dzogchen (''Great Perfection'' ).
Dzogchen is itself the pinnacle of the ninefold division of practice according ...
. Penor Rinpoche attributes longdé to
Dorje Zampa,
Sri Singha
Sri Singha (Sanskrit: , ) was the teacher of Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, and Vairotsana. He was a principal student and dharma-son of Mañjuśrīmitra in the Dzogchen lineage, and is credited by the Nyingma school with introducing Dzogchen to Tibet ...
and
Vairotsana
Vairotsana () was a lotsawa or "translator" living during the reign of King Trisong Detsen, who ruled 755-97 CE. Vairotsana, one of the 25 main disciples of Padmasambhava, was recognized by the latter as a reincarnation of an Indian pandita. He ...
's lineage.
History
![Dharmabhodi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Dharmabhodi.jpg)
The series of Space reflects the developments of the 11th–14th centuries and emphasizes "space" or "expanse" (''klong''). According to Sten Anspal this class of texts "is difficult to define or characterize uniformly" and "were not unified into a single system". Because of this, it has been seen either as nearly identical with the earlier ''Semde'' (Mind) Series, or as "occupying doctrinally a position between Mind and lnstruction Section."
According to Anspal, "Space" in these texts "is used to describe aspects in which the individual's true nature of mind is analogous to space. For example, space is present everywhere and no effort is needed to reach it; it cannot be transcended: it is immense. encompassing everything: it is devoid of characteristics and cannot be apprehended; it is without center or periphery; it is eternal and uncaused; there is no support in space and nothing to focus on: and so forth." One of the central themes of these texts is the doctrine of "the Nine Spaces" (The Spaces of View, Behavior, Mandala, Initiation, Commitment, Activity, Accomplishment, Levels - Paths, and Fruition). Each of these practices which refer to features of Buddhist tantra, is said to be spacious and complete within one's true nature and thus gradualist and tantric practices are seen as unnecessary for those who understand their mind's true nature. So, for example, there is no need to create a
mandala
A mandala ( sa, मण्डल, maṇḍala, circle, ) is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for e ...
in one's mind to practice, since when one realizes the true nature of mind, all perceptions are the mandala. Likewise, there is no need to go through
ritual initiation, since realizing one's nature is already an initiation. In this sense, Dzogchen is seen as transcending tantra.
As noted by Anspal, some Space Series tantras like ''Equal to the End of Sky (Nam-mkha'i mtha'-dang mnyam-pa)'' "do not prescribe any particular techniques for the practitioner, such as physical postures or movements, structured meditative exercises, etc." In this sense, they are similar to Mind Series Tantras.
Another tradition which is often grouped as part of the Space Series is the ''Vajra Bridge'' (''rdo rje zam pa'') tradition. These texts include numerous tantric rites connected with
Heruka
:''Heruka is also a name for the deity of the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra.''
''Heruka'' (Sanskrit; Tibetan: ), is the name of a category of wrathful deities, enlightened beings in Vajrayana Buddhism that adopt a fierce countenance to benefit sentient ...
and three Dakinis. However, the commentaries on ''Vajra Bridge'' texts indicate that these tantric rituals are auxiliary practices that "are secondary to the main practice that is Great Perfection contemplation of the nature of mind, and which is not here practiced in the formalized context of Tantric sadhana." A key figure in this tradition is 'Dzeng Dharmabodhi (1052-1168). His student, Kun-bzang rdo-rje, wrote numerous commentaries on ''Vajra Bridge''. The key Tantra of this tradition was entitled ''Secret Wisdom'' (''Ye-shes gsang-ba''). The following verse "was interpreted as the essential summary of the way of contemplation in the rDo-rje zam-pa":
In the ''Vajra Bridge'' tradition, contemplation of the true nature of mind, which was also referred to as "non-meditation", was introduced through the use of "four signs", which "are the experiences of non-conceptuality (mi-rtog-pa), clarity (gsal-ba), bliss (bde-ba) and the inseparability (dbyer mi-phyed-pa) of the first three as the fourth." Some of the ''Vajra Bridge'' texts also make use of subtle body yogas of winds (vayus), though they are relatively simple and "effortless" (''rtsol-bral'') in comparison to the wind yogas of the completion stage found in the Sarma tantras, which are seen as inferior and coarse by the ''Vajra Bridge'' authors such as Kun-bzang rdo-rje.
Texts
"
Samantabhadra Samantabhadra (Lit. "All Good", or "Always Auspicious") may refer to:
* Samantabhadra (Bodhisattva), a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism associated with practice and meditation
* ''Samantabhadra'' (Tibetan: ''Kuntu Zangpo''), the name of a Buddha, ...
’s Royal Tantra of All-Inclusive Vastness" ( sa, Mahāvartta prasāraṇi rāja tantra nāma; ) is renowned as the “king” of tantras belonging to the Space Section. list the tantric texts belonging to the Space Division thus:
*'King of Infinite Vast Space' or 'Longchen Rabjam Gyalpo' () Skt: mahāvartta prasāraṇi rāja tantra
*'Total Space of Samantabhadra' or 'Kunto Zangpo Namkhache' () Skt: samanta bhadra mahā gagana mūla saṃgraha tantra
*'Manifestation of the Creative Energy of Spiritual Awareness' or 'Rigpa Rangtsal Sharwa' () Skt: bodhicitta samantabhadra vidyā parākramodaya tantra
*'Wheel of Key Instructions' or 'Dam-ngag Natshog Khorlo' () Skt:
*'Array of the Exalted Path' or 'Phaglam Kodpa' () Skt: ratnārya patha vyūha tantra
*'Vajrasattva Equal to the Limits of Space' or 'Dorje Sempa Namkha'i Thatang Nyampa' () Skt: vajra satvākāśānta sama mahā tantra
*'Secret Pristine Awareness' or 'Lamp of Secret Pristine Awareness' or 'Yeshe Sangwa Dronma' () Skt: jñāna guhya dīpa ratnopadeśa tantra
*'Wheel of Precious Gems' or 'Rinpoche Khorlo' () Skt: ratna cakra nāma tantra
*'Secret Pristine Awareness' or 'Yeshe Sangwa' () Skt: jñāna guhya nāma tantra
*'Perfect Pristine Awareness' or 'Yeshe Dzogpa' () bodhicittāti jñāna sandhi tantra
*'Total Revelation of the All-Pervasive Mind of Enlightenment' or 'Changchub Kyi Sems Kunla Jugpa Namtag Tonpa' ()
*'Radiant Vajra of the Mind of Enlightenment' or 'Changchug Kyi Sem Dorje Odthro' () Skt: bodhicitta vajra prabhā spharaṇa tantra paṭala
According to Thondup & Talbott (1997: p. 48) there are only seven
extant
Extant is the opposite of the word extinct. It may refer to:
* Extant hereditary titles
* Extant literature, surviving literature, such as ''Beowulf'', the oldest extant manuscript written in English
* Extant taxon, a taxon which is not extinct, ...
texts of the Space Class and they are collected in the ''
Nyingma Gyubum
''Nyingma Gyubum'' () is a collection of Tantra, esoteric Tantric texts reflecting the teachings of the History of Tibetan Buddhism, New Translation lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. It comprises the Classes of Tantra in Tibetan Buddhism, Inner Tant ...
''.
[Tulku Thondup, Harold Talbott (1997). ''Hidden teachings of Tibet: an explanation of the Terma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.'' Second Edition. Wisdom Publications. , 9780861711222. Source]
(accessed: Thursday April 15, 2010), p.48
Additionally, there is one
terma (religion), terma text in the Space Class, which is contained in the
Chokling Tersar
In Tibetan Buddhism the Chokling Tersar (Tib. མཆོག་གླིང་གཏེར་གསར་ Wyl: ''mchog gling gter gsar.'') are a collection of formerly hidden teachings or termas revealed by Chokgyur Lingpa, whose current reincarna ...
cycle of
Orgyen Chokgyur Lingpa
Chokgyur Lingpa or Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa (1829-1870) was a tertön or "treasure revealer" and contemporary of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Jamgon Kongtrul. Regarded as one of the major tertöns in Tibetan history, his termas are widely practiced ...
. Tulku Urgyen writes,
See also
*
Menngagde
In Tibetan Buddhism and Bon, Menngagde (, sa, upadeśavarga), is the name of one of three scriptural and lineage divisions within Dzogchen (''Great Perfection'' ).
Dzogchen is itself the pinnacle of the ninefold division of practice according ...
(Secret instructions series)
*
Semde
Semde (; Sanskrit: ) translated as 'mind division', 'mind class' or 'mind series' is the name of one of three scriptural and lineage divisions within Atiyoga, Dzogchen or the Great Perfection which is itself the pinnacle of the ninefold divis ...
(Mind series)
Notes
References
*
*
*
Further reading
*{{cite book , title=The Practice of Dzogchen , author=Tulku Thondup , editor-first=Harold , editor-last=Talbott , publisher=Snow Lion Publications , location=Ithaca NY , year=1989 , isbn=1-55939-054-9
External links
Three Sections of Dzogchen
Dzogchen
Nyingma texts
Tibetan words and phrases