The Bepai Gumchung was translated by Samten Karmay in his book ‘The Great Perfection’. Though I can heartily recommend this work, it is rather expensive. Another source, which is free, and the work of a skilled translater, is the website http://www.zangthal.co.uk. Here you will find Karen Liljenberg’s translations of some early Dzogchen texts including this one.

Best regards,
Sam

Being a disciple of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, I am hoping to obtain the corresponding translation into English of the text mentioned below:

The upcoming retreat on “Experiential instructions on “Bepa’i Gumchung” THE HIDDEN COLLECTION OF BUDDHAGUPTA, an ancient dzogchen text found among the Tunhuang Manuscripts”,
to be held by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in Merigar West, Italy, will be transmitted in OPEN webcast starting on October 2 at 17:00 Italy time. Subsequent sessions from October 3 to October 10th will begin every morning at 10:00 Italy time.

You can find out your own local time using the time converter here: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

This Webcast will be OPEN (no password required for audio connections).
URLs and instructions on how to connect are found here:
http://www.dzogchencommunity.net/webcast/index.php?Listen

—————–

Please be so kind as to inform us of any tips. Heartfelt thanks, Sam for your writings, which have allowed me to deepen my studies, reflection, and practices.

May it be Auspicious!

Samten

Will the Samten Migdron be fully translated into English in the near future? I have read Karmays excerpts. I feel this work is one of the most important for understanding the doctrinal context of Dzogchen at that time.

Are you familiar with Guenther’s work on Padmasambhava? He claims in his book on PS that his original writings were kept out of the Nyingma collection deliberately… these were his earliest writings on the Yang-ti and sPyi-ti traditions. Your thoughts?

Also I am looking for a translator for a small translation project…do you know of anyone or someone you would recommend? Probably 25 hours of work… that could lead to more. You can contact me directly at ejackpete@aol.com

I appreciate the time you have taken to answer my questions!

I am looking forward to reading your posts on early Dzogchen.

Best,

Jackson

Very interesting responses… thanks so much!

I see your point on the Mahayoga and Dzogchen. What I meant by “anti-tantric” was the juxtaposition between the tantric texts and the view espoused by the Kunje Gyalpo. Norbu has told me that he considered the Kunje Gyalpo as one of the earliest texts that really differentiates the Dzogchen view from the tantric, especially in its rejection of the “10 Aspects of Tantra” (mantra, mandala, diety yoga, samaya… etc.) Being the expert you are on Tunhuang documents, I was wondering if you saw further evidence of the Kunje Gyalpo having been in existance that early, as it ties itself to the 6 Vajra verses in such an intimate manner… or do you suspect this was a later redaction by the authors of the Kunje Gyalpo? Is it possible that the Kunje Gyalpo is a key to an earlier, pre-tantric non-tantric tradition of Dzogchen ( like Chan)? (a question I also posed to David G. this last summer while he was in Tibet)

In other words, what are your opinions regarding the origins and authenticity of the Kunje Gyalpo and its relationship to the formation of early Dzogchen?

I look forward to your upcoming postings as well!

Best,

Jackson

Thanks for your kind words about the book. I didn’t translate the Yeshe Lama, but there are a number of restricted translations in circulation, which you are probably aware of. As for Dungtsho Repa, no I haven’t heard of any translation work on his terma material. I’ll respond to your other interesting questions briefly:

1. I don’t think there’s much in the theory that Hwashang Mahayana was Shri Singha, apart from Shri Singha’s Chinese connection. I’m more inclined to explore the possibility that Shri Singha was Sūryasasiṃhaprabha, the author of a major ‘Dzogchen-style’ Guhyagarbha commentary.

2. I don’t think it makes much sense to imagine Mahāyoga ‘incorporating’ Dzogchen. Since the central Mahāyoga tantra, the Guhyagarbha, uses the term rdzogs chen in much the same way as later Dzogchen texts. That is, all qualities (yon tan) and enlightened activities (‘phrin las) are perfected (rdzogs) from the beginning (ye nas), i.e. everything is spontaneously present (lhun gyis grub). The tantra also emphasises the transcendence of concepts in a state beyond the reach of thought (bsam gyis mi khyab). So as soon as there is anything we can call ‘Mahāyoga’, there is also Dzogchen. For the same reason, I don’t think the term ‘anti-tantric’ is very useful. Is the Guhyagarbha anti-tantric? Perhaps, but in the same way the Prajñāpāramitā sutras are ‘anti-sutric’. In both cases the practices are placed in a context of immanence and non-conceptualization, without being negated as such.

3. As for thögal, I haven’t investigated this subject at all. David Germano has, and has written a book on the development of the whole Dzogchen tradition (as yet unpublished). I believe he sees an influence from the Kālacakra tantra here.

Anyway, I will start a series of posts on early Dzogchen shortly. Watch this space!

Another question: you say “In brief, the textual evidence
suggests that Dzogchen emerged from Mahāyoga as a contextualization of the experiences arising from the meditation
practices.”

How do we then account for the clearly anti-tantric rhetoric as exhibited in the Kunje Gyalpo as well as the “formless” descriptions of practice described in the “sBas’pa i’ rgum chung” of Buddhagupta from Tun Huang”?

Wouldn’t the various Ten Aspects of Tantra, as comprised within the Mahayoga, preclude such a heretical approach from arising
within its own milieu of samaya and ritualistic practice?

Couldn’t it be the other way around… that Mahayoga incorporated
the non-dual Dzogchen level into its protocal as means of maintaining the claim of its being the highest view and approach?
Just a thought…

I would be inclined to think Dzogchen came from Mahamudra and
the Nath traditions… except the level of thodgal seems completely absent from those sources, at least Buddhist. Could thogal have
been a inserted as a wholesale redaction from Saivist traditions and texts such as the Advaya Taraka Upanishad, which discusees
subtle body physiologies and the development of “bindus” (thigle
of light appearing in front of the eyes and the attainment of “immortality” and transformation into light through the practices with various photisms that appear externally as well as internally.
Also suspect could be sects associated with the early Sahajayana. I would not rule out the sources also coming from the
Kashmiri Trika as there are many references to “light pracitces”
as in the Bhairava Tantra in its referencing seeing photisms
like “the circles within Peacock’s feather…” which of course
is a major symbol for the “lhundrub” aspect in the Dzogchen Mengagde referencing the thigle of thogal and yang-ti.

I would love to hear your thoughts concerning the above
possible connections…

Thanks so much!

Best,

Jackson

Also, I am trying to trace the sources for the thogal practices. I have found some very similar practices in non-dual Shaivite teachings. I have received the transmission of Jigme Lingpa’s thogal practices from his Yeshe Lama and do practice. Have you translated those sections of the Yeshe Lama?

I also have received the transmission of Chan from my late teacher who I studied with in Southern China in 1978, Yen Why Shih. His teacher was the famous Hsu Yun.

Have you heard or discovered that the famous Hwashang was actually Shri Singha of Dzogchen fame? Guenther claims such.

Enough for now… I am truly honored to be be able to dialogue with you!

Best,

Jax (Jackson Peterson) ejackpete@aol.com

The Nyingmapa defences of Heshang Moheyan link appears to be non-functional, and I couldn’t find the article with the search function. Can you check the link again.

Thanks,
Todd