The Circle of the Sun: A Clarification of the Most Excellent of All Vehicles, The Secret and Unexcelled Luminous Vajra Essence

125 Pages·1990·5.316 MB·English

by  Tsele Natsok Rangdrol, Erik Pema Kunsang

The Circle ol the Sun

Please respect the command of His Holiness Dilgo
Khyentse Rinpoche which states that this book may be stud
ied only by those who have sincere trust in Dharma practice,
who have received a suitable transmission of the Dzogchen
teachings containing the permission and empowerment to
approach the practices of Trekcho and Thogal, and, in par·
ticular, who have received the pointing-out instruction from
a qualified master.

The Circle ol the Sua
Tsele Natsok Bangdrol
A Clarification of the Most Excellent of All Vehicles,
The Secret and Unexcelled Luminous Vajra Essence
Translated from the Tibetan by Erik Pema Kunsang
Published by:
Rangjung Yeshe Publications,
Flat 2b Greenview Garden
125 Robinson Road, Hong Kong
First edition, 1990
Copyright © 1990 Erik Hein Schmidt
All rights reserved.
Printed in Hong Kong.
Write to the address below for further copies or for
photo copies of the Tibetan manuscripts.
Rangjung Yeshe Publications,
P.O. Box 1200, Kathmandu, Nepal
Publication Data:
Tsele Natsok Rangdrol (rtse-le rgod-tshang-pa,
b. 1608). Preface by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche (b.
1951). Foreword by His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse
(b. 1910). Introductory teaching by Venerable Tulku
Urgyen Rinpoche (b. 1920).
The Circle of the Sun: A Clarification of the
Most Excellent of All Vehicles, the Secret and
Unexcelled Luminous Vajra Essence. Translated
from the Tibetan by Erik Perna Kunsang (Erik
Hein Schmidt). 1st ed.
Tibetan title: theg pa thams cad kyi mchog rab
gsang ba bla na med pa 'od gsal rdo rje snying po'i
don rnam par bshad pa nyi ma'i snying po zhes bya
ba bzhugs so.
ISBN 962-7341-09-6 (pbk.)
1. Dzogchen. 2. Vajrayana philosophy -
Buddhism. 3. Buddhism -Tibet. I. Title.
Cover statue of Vajrasattva is reproduced with the
permission of Ven. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
Cover photo by Tom Kelly
The Circle of the Sun is the third book in a series of
translations of Tsele Natsok Rangdrol's works. The two
other titles are The Mirror of Mindfulness and The
Lamp of Mahamudra, Shambhala Publications, 1989.
Contents
Preface -Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
i Foreword -His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse
iii Introductory Teaching -Tullru Urgyen Rinpoche
1 Prologue
3 Section One --The Ground:
The Ground as an Object of Knowledge Held to be
Absolute;
The Ground of the Primordially Pure Nature;
The Ground of Confusion.
15 Section Two --The Path
17 Trekcho:
The Difference Between Primordial Purity and the All-
ground;
The Difference Between Sem and Rigpa;
Empowerment;
The Actual View of Trekcho;
Shamatha;
Vipashyana;
The Meditation Practice;
The Four Stages of Experience -One-pointedness,
Simplicity, One Taste, Nonmeditation;
Summary;
A Comparison Between Mahamudra and Dzogchen;
The Degree of Progress;
How to Continue the Practice.
41 Thogal:
Introductory Remarks;
How the Main Part is Present Within One's Nature;
The Pathways;
The Four Lamps;
The Actual Practice;
The Continuing Practice;
Signs and Progress;
The Vzsion of Manifest Dharmata;
The Vzsion of Increased Experience;
The Vzsion ofA wareness Reaching Fullness;
Tire Vzsion of the Exhaustion of Dharmata;
The Supportive Teachings;
Indications in Dreams;
Fearlessness;
The Paths and Bhumis;
The Lesser Modes of Liberation;
Summary.
67 Enhancement:
The Seven Types of Conduct;
Advice.
71 Section Three -Fruition:
The Nature of Fruition;
The Time of Liberation;
TheKayas.
75 Epilogue
79 Translator's Afterword
81 Appendix: The Dzogchen Tantras
87 Glossary