Cycle of Day and Night

by Namkhai Norbu, John Myrdhin Reynolds (Translator)

The Cycle Of Day And Night by Namkhai Norbu is a practical guide to a fundamental practice of the Dzogchen system of Tibetan Buddhism, presented in a clear and direct manner, written by an acknowledged contemporary master of this ancient tradition. Central to Dzogchen, the "Great Perfection" , is contemplation the immediate experience of the primordial state of the individual, the unconditioned nature of the mind. This nature of the mind transcends the specific contents of mind, the incessant flow of thoughts reflecting our social, cultural, and psychological conditioning. Based on the teaching by Garab Dorje, the first human master of the Dzogchen lineage, The Cycle Of Day And Night gives a translation of the author's Tibetan Text, together with a commentary drawn from the author s extensive oral explanations. Actual methods are given for entering into contemplation and integrating it with our activities during the 24 hour cycle of day and night. Midwest Book Review

Genres: Buddhism, Spirituality

126 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (Tib. ཆོས་རྒྱལ་ནམ་མཁའི་ནོར་བུ Chos-rGyal Nam-mkha'i Nor-bu) was one of the foremost 20th century masters of Dzogchen and lead Buddhist retreats through out the world. As a child he was recognized as the reincarnation of the great Dzogchen Master Adzom Drugpa (1842-1924) and later by the sixteenth Karmapa as a reincarnation of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594-1651), the first Dharmaraja of Bhutan. (Dharmaraja in Sanskrit and Chögyal in Tibetan are both honorific titles meaning "King of the Teachings." Rinpoche is likewise an honorific meaning "Precious One.")

In 1960, following the deterioration of the social and political situation in Tibet, he moved to Italy on the invitation of the well-known orientalist Prof. Giuseppe Tucci. There, he contributed to giving a concrete stimulus to the spread of Tibetan culture in the West. After teaching Yantra Yoga in Naples for several years, in the mid-seventies he started giving Dzogchen teachings, encountering a growing interest throughout the West.

Reviews

[Charles Frode · Rating 5 out of 5]

As clear an explanation of the structure of Mind as I have ever read. Very useful to students of cognitive sciences, meditators, anyone interested in what the mind is. Clear suggestions about a form of meditation or alert attentiveness that blew my mind. As an ex-Trappist monk and religious studies major at UCSC, I can put this book on my personal bookshelf: it's great.

[Ishmael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply excellent.
Has stuff about witnessing thoughts.
And the progressions on that.
Into suchness
To reach a state of rigpa
I understood alot of this
Probably due to my twice daily practice of meditation
Which leads to the 2nd jhana
And then I live
In non-doing
And effortlessness

[Orrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

just checkin’

[Oscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great guide to a way of living meditation or awareness, and gives clear instruction on how to apply the teachins. It may take some digestion and extra reading to appreciate for someone who is new to Dzogchen, like me, and the challenge is of course to continually apply the teachings in life afterwards. It's closer to five years since I read this book diligently in one or two sittings and had a Sushupti experience the following night, and whatever transpired back then requires at least another reading to be replicated.

Very fascinating work by Namkhai Norbu.

[Ran · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very small and effective book on Dzogchen. I even gifted this book out to friends because of how simple and powerful this practice is. Truly any sort of suffering you are going through can be overcome with this book. A hard and simple practice the perfect state is unexplainable with words but must be experienced to fully appreciate.

[Jay Callahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things that matter, clearly explained.