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The Citadel of Awareness: A Commentary on Jigme Lingpa's Dzogchen Aspiration Prayer
Dzogchen is a particular practice that has its own history and tradition while it illuminates a timeless, universal truth. It can be regarded as the nondual aspect of Buddhism that transcends most doctrines. The aspiration prayer by eighteenth-century Dzogchen master, Jigme Lingpa, thoroughly covers the entire system of Dzogchen. It allows people to have a full comprehension of Dzogchen, including its philosophy. This book is a commentary on Jigme Lingpa's Dzogchen Aspiration Prayer, one of the most revered texts in the Nyingma Tibetan Buddhist tradition. It is written by Anam Thubten, a contemporary Tibetan Buddhist teacher known for his scholarship and ability to make ancient teachings accessible.
- GenresNonfictionBuddhism
187 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 22, 2022
"The Challenge of Radical Dzogchen"
This is a wonderfully lucid explanation of Jigme Lingpa's Aspiration Prayer and introduction to the Dzogchen view and path. Anam Thubten undertook this project during the Covid isolation of the winter of 2020, dictating his commentary to his collaborator/editor Laura Duggan via Zoom, and it gives the whole thing a quality of relaxed immediacy. The structure of the book follows each of the nine verses of the original text with a separate chapter, but in a continuous, flowing way, like a rambling Dzogchen rap from one friend to another, that strikes me as inspired, and thus, inspiring.
"There are individuals throughout history who came to a crossroad in their spiritual journey where they wanted to outgrow all the conceptual doctrines, rules, and regulations - the nitty-gritty religious observances - and wanted to experience absolute freedom. They wanted a state where they were no longer bound by the chains of the mundane world and were freed from the chains of dualistic doctrines.
"Many individuals who call themselves spiritual or religious feel that they have been on a journey of awakening or inner transformation. Yet at some point, they feel exhausted on their journey, especially if the journey feels too arduous or futile, and the destination is not in sight. They may have a sense that the journey itself has become the very realm from which they want to be free....
"At some point on the path, a powerful impulse arises in some individuals for a shortcut, for a more radical approach that takes one to the heart of the matter. Yet this impulse is quite courageous, a kind of divine chutzpah. It is chutzpah because people have a fear of making the radical jump into absolute freedom. There were many people who felt they were not good enough, not ready to practice Dzogchen, because it requires a kind of divine chutzpah to drop all the struggles on the spiritual journey and experience the highest freedom here and now. Dzogchen was even shunned, and many opponents in the past wrote texts refuting it. For these reasons, Dzogchen was kept secret, and the ancient masters taught it in a more quiet fashion, often to select individuals who were ready or courageous enough to practice it." (p. 2-3)
This is a wonderfully lucid explanation of Jigme Lingpa's Aspiration Prayer and introduction to the Dzogchen view and path. Anam Thubten undertook this project during the Covid isolation of the winter of 2020, dictating his commentary to his collaborator/editor Laura Duggan via Zoom, and it gives the whole thing a quality of relaxed immediacy. The structure of the book follows each of the nine verses of the original text with a separate chapter, but in a continuous, flowing way, like a rambling Dzogchen rap from one friend to another, that strikes me as inspired, and thus, inspiring.
"There are individuals throughout history who came to a crossroad in their spiritual journey where they wanted to outgrow all the conceptual doctrines, rules, and regulations - the nitty-gritty religious observances - and wanted to experience absolute freedom. They wanted a state where they were no longer bound by the chains of the mundane world and were freed from the chains of dualistic doctrines.
"Many individuals who call themselves spiritual or religious feel that they have been on a journey of awakening or inner transformation. Yet at some point, they feel exhausted on their journey, especially if the journey feels too arduous or futile, and the destination is not in sight. They may have a sense that the journey itself has become the very realm from which they want to be free....
"At some point on the path, a powerful impulse arises in some individuals for a shortcut, for a more radical approach that takes one to the heart of the matter. Yet this impulse is quite courageous, a kind of divine chutzpah. It is chutzpah because people have a fear of making the radical jump into absolute freedom. There were many people who felt they were not good enough, not ready to practice Dzogchen, because it requires a kind of divine chutzpah to drop all the struggles on the spiritual journey and experience the highest freedom here and now. Dzogchen was even shunned, and many opponents in the past wrote texts refuting it. For these reasons, Dzogchen was kept secret, and the ancient masters taught it in a more quiet fashion, often to select individuals who were ready or courageous enough to practice it." (p. 2-3)
December 23, 2021
Among the very best Dzogchen books I’ve had the pleasure reading, and therefore essential for those interested in these profound teachings.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews