Tashigar South, December 27, 2008

By
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

Dzogchen and Direct Transmission
Dzogchen Teachings are related to transmission. We do not learn Dzogchen only through intellectual understanding. In this case, transmission becomes important. What is transmission in Vajrayana teaching? In Vajrayana you need to receive initiations with any kind of practice and teaching. If you don’t receive initiations at least you need to receive the transmission of the lungs of all mantras. It doesn’t mean when you receive a lung all is perfect. A lung is a kind of permission. You can recite mantras and produce the recitation of mantras. To make the recitation complete you need initiation, transmission of lung and instruction - all these three. Then you learn how to do the practice as well. This is generally done in Vajrayana teaching.
Dzogchen teaching is part of Vajrayana. Vajrayana, for the most part, is the path of transformation. That is the reason for the initiations. For example, if you are following sutra teaching, you don’t need any initiation. You only need to do something like refuge and, in the Mahayana system, cultivating bodhicitta. You can study and learn everything related to the teachings in a more intellectual way. So you can see the difference.

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