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Cutting Through Ego and Revealing Fearlessness: Chod Practice According to Jigme Lingpa’s Bellowing Laugh of the Dakini
Dzogchen teaches the essence of Chod. We could also say that Dzogchen practice is absolute Chod practice. Many of us know and practice the Dzogchen approach of Trekcho, which means “cutting thoroughly.” In Dzogchen, where are we cutting? We’re cutting in the space of the dharmadhatu. What are we cutting? All dualistic conceptions. While we’re cutting with this view, there is no cutter, no object to be cut, and no cutting. In other words, our practice is free from grasping on to subject, object, and action. This is the essential view that Dzogchen practitioners use to cut all dualistic conceptions, which is also the essential understanding to maintain during Chod practice. We can also regard Chod from yet another point of view. Machig Labdron said, “Chod practice is a combination of the view of the Sutras and the skillful means of the Tantras.” The view of the Sutras was taught by the Buddha in the Prajnaparamita Sutras, such as at the beginning of the Heart “Inconceivable, inexpressible, unborn, unceasing, by nature like the sky.” That is the view of the ultimate truth of reality that we discover within the nature of our own mind. Then we deepen this view using the skillful means of the Tantras, such as the ritual implements, chants, visualizations, and meditations that are taught in each specific sadhana. Combining this view with skillful means brings realization quickly.
298 pages, Textbook Binding
Published January 1, 2019
6 people want to read
About the author
Palden Sherab
51 books9 followersVenerable Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche (དཔལ་ལྡན་ཤེས་རབ dpal ldan shes rab) was a scholar and lama in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism particularly well known for his texts and teachings on Dzogchen. He was a close student of Dudjom Rinpoche and a frequent collaborator with his brother Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal, with whom he taught regularly in upstate New York.
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December 22, 2022
'Jigme Lingpa’s Chod sadhana practice commentary.'
It should be noted that this is a “restricted” text, a retreat commentary of a sadhana practice intended only for those who have received the appropriate (Jigme Lingpa, Longchen Nyingthig) lineage transmission. But as the authors also note, the essence of ALL Buddhist practice is Chod, and so this book can perhaps benefit anyone who is serious about cutting through their ego-clinging and getting to the terrifying heart of emptiness.
Especially for practitioners who’ve been initiated into other Chod lineages (since within Tibetan Buddhism Chod holds an unusual place of unifying sutra and tantra outside the regular sectarian divisions) this will be a very helpful explanation full of very clear and useful instruction about what Chod is, its history and symbolic language, the view needed to practice it, and of course, the specific steps of how to practice this Longchen Nyingthig lineage Chod.
Overall this is a sturdy and attractively published edition. Primarily based on a retreat given in the summer of 1991 in New Mexico along with additional materials from teachings in ’91, ’93, ‘99, ’05, ’14 and ’15, it includes three parts; 1] Introduction to the practice of Chod (p. 3-71), 2] Detailed commentary on the sadhana ‘Bellowing Laugh of the Dakini’ (p. 75-158), and 3] Practical advice for beginning Chod practitioners (p. 163-187), as well as, of practical use to only those so empowered, an appendix of two texts: the entire sadhana, and a song of supplication on the creation and completion stages of Machig Labdron, both of which include the text in original Tibetan, transliteration and English translation (p. 191-255). There are also a dozen beautiful color plates of thangka images related to the practice lineage.
Even though “restricted” (a specific sadhana commentary not intended for a casual audience), and not a book I probably would have bought if I'd known this ahead of time, I like that this is being offered for sale here, and give kudos to the authors who show such openness, presenting the subject not just as something exclusive but something we can all relate to (the need to face our fears in general and the Dzogchen view of uncontrived awareness/space in particular). I guess the idea of “restricted” here is more one of self-restriction where we use what we can in a general way and skip the formal practice aspect, perhaps planting a seed to actually have the connection to do it as a sadhana some day.
Although this is not one of the lineages I've received transmission to practice, I have always loved Chod with its beautiful melodies, ritual instrumentation, powerful visualizations, and shamanic roots since first exposure over 35 years ago, but oddly enough it was only many years later that I realized, although my heart practice, for me the main way of doing Chod was rock climbing! And yet, I greatly enjoy this clear and detailed presentation of the more traditional and ritualized approach.
I’ve read several other books (always retreat transcripts) from this pair of teaching brothers, and I’d have to say this stands out as exceptional and my favorite! If you are new to and/or unfamiliar with Chod then this book is a great introduction. If you already know and love Chod, you will love this book. The Rinpoches are always so sweet (loving) and directly penetrating (wise) in their teachings, and this one in particular is super inspiring.
“The special quality of Chod is that we’re no longer just quietly meditating or making an intellectual analysis. Instead we’re bringing our realization into action.” (p. 113)
"We must have a firm understanding that "demons" don't exist outside ourselves.... A demon isn't some kind of "darkness" trying to haunt you. It's not like that at all. The only demon we face is the "strangler" of our own ego-clinging, which exists entirely within our own mind. This is exactly what we work to remove by practicing Chod. According to the Buddha's teachings, as long as we have grasping and clinging we'll have demons and obscurations. This is what we need to cut. This is our target." (p. 55)
It should be noted that this is a “restricted” text, a retreat commentary of a sadhana practice intended only for those who have received the appropriate (Jigme Lingpa, Longchen Nyingthig) lineage transmission. But as the authors also note, the essence of ALL Buddhist practice is Chod, and so this book can perhaps benefit anyone who is serious about cutting through their ego-clinging and getting to the terrifying heart of emptiness.
Especially for practitioners who’ve been initiated into other Chod lineages (since within Tibetan Buddhism Chod holds an unusual place of unifying sutra and tantra outside the regular sectarian divisions) this will be a very helpful explanation full of very clear and useful instruction about what Chod is, its history and symbolic language, the view needed to practice it, and of course, the specific steps of how to practice this Longchen Nyingthig lineage Chod.
Overall this is a sturdy and attractively published edition. Primarily based on a retreat given in the summer of 1991 in New Mexico along with additional materials from teachings in ’91, ’93, ‘99, ’05, ’14 and ’15, it includes three parts; 1] Introduction to the practice of Chod (p. 3-71), 2] Detailed commentary on the sadhana ‘Bellowing Laugh of the Dakini’ (p. 75-158), and 3] Practical advice for beginning Chod practitioners (p. 163-187), as well as, of practical use to only those so empowered, an appendix of two texts: the entire sadhana, and a song of supplication on the creation and completion stages of Machig Labdron, both of which include the text in original Tibetan, transliteration and English translation (p. 191-255). There are also a dozen beautiful color plates of thangka images related to the practice lineage.
Even though “restricted” (a specific sadhana commentary not intended for a casual audience), and not a book I probably would have bought if I'd known this ahead of time, I like that this is being offered for sale here, and give kudos to the authors who show such openness, presenting the subject not just as something exclusive but something we can all relate to (the need to face our fears in general and the Dzogchen view of uncontrived awareness/space in particular). I guess the idea of “restricted” here is more one of self-restriction where we use what we can in a general way and skip the formal practice aspect, perhaps planting a seed to actually have the connection to do it as a sadhana some day.
Although this is not one of the lineages I've received transmission to practice, I have always loved Chod with its beautiful melodies, ritual instrumentation, powerful visualizations, and shamanic roots since first exposure over 35 years ago, but oddly enough it was only many years later that I realized, although my heart practice, for me the main way of doing Chod was rock climbing! And yet, I greatly enjoy this clear and detailed presentation of the more traditional and ritualized approach.
I’ve read several other books (always retreat transcripts) from this pair of teaching brothers, and I’d have to say this stands out as exceptional and my favorite! If you are new to and/or unfamiliar with Chod then this book is a great introduction. If you already know and love Chod, you will love this book. The Rinpoches are always so sweet (loving) and directly penetrating (wise) in their teachings, and this one in particular is super inspiring.
“The special quality of Chod is that we’re no longer just quietly meditating or making an intellectual analysis. Instead we’re bringing our realization into action.” (p. 113)
"We must have a firm understanding that "demons" don't exist outside ourselves.... A demon isn't some kind of "darkness" trying to haunt you. It's not like that at all. The only demon we face is the "strangler" of our own ego-clinging, which exists entirely within our own mind. This is exactly what we work to remove by practicing Chod. According to the Buddha's teachings, as long as we have grasping and clinging we'll have demons and obscurations. This is what we need to cut. This is our target." (p. 55)
Displaying 1 of 1 review