A-tri (Tib. A-Khrid). Guide of the A. One of the three main Dzogchen lineages of the Bön tradition.
Bardo (Tib., bar do; Sans., antarabhava). Bardo means "intermediate state" and refers to any transitional state in existence: life, meditation, sleep, death. However, it is generally used to refer to the intermediate state between death and rebirth.
Bön (Tib., [bon], Tib., [chos]; Sans. Dharma). It is the original spiritual tradition of Tibet that predates Buddhism from India. Its origins in our world are located in Olmo Lungring, part of the territory of Tazig. Later, this tradition expanded to the country called Zhang Zhung, conquered and annexed by Tibet (see Zhang Zhung). The Bön tradition has uninterrupted lineages dating back 18,000 years. It is characterized by different iconography, a rich shamanistic tradition, as well as teachings of Sutra, Tantra, and Dzogchen, and all lineages that come from Buddha Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche. Historically, Bön is divided into three stages of development: 1) Primitive Bön, related to rituals and elements, corresponds to the ancient shamanism and animism of North Asia. It represents Tibetan culture prior to the influences of Yungdrung Bön. 2) Yungdrung Bön contains all the teachings of Buddha Tonpa Shenrab. It is the spiritual path to enlightenment taught by Tonpa Shenrab in Tazig (Central Asia) and which later spread to Zhang Zhung (Western Tibet), from where it was adopted in Central Tibet where it flourished and remains to this day. 3) New Bön, a product of the fusion of Bön with teachings originating from India. It appeared in the 15th century and is very similar to the teachings of the Nyingmapa. Yungdrung Bön possesses teachings classified as The Nine Vehicles of Bön, where the first four are causal, the following four are vehicles of result, and the last refers to Dzogchen teachings (see Vehicles of Bön).
Bonku See Dharmakaya.
Bu (Tib.) The Son. Wisdom originating from oneself, primordial awakened consciousness. The clarity of primordial consciousness present in internal and external appearances, the basis of changing manifestations. It is the true nature of the mind, instantaneous pure presence. The inseparable son of the mother (ma), of emptiness. It is also known as clear light, rigpa, clarity.
Buddha (Sans., Pali)/(Tib., sangye [sang gyel). Literally: "the awakened one." Buddhas are fully realized enlightened beings in the Trikaya. They achieve complete liberation from the cycle of samsara (death and rebirth). In Tibetan, sang means "pure" and gye means "expanded."
Channel (Tib.: rtsa, [rtsal]; Sans.: nadi). Channels are the "veins" of the body's energy circulation system; subtle energy currents that sustain and stimulate life flow through them. Channels are not found in the physical dimension but in the energetic one; however, individuals can become aware of them through practices to develop natural sensitivity.
Chakra (Tib.: khor-lo, [khor lo]; Sans.: chakra). Literally, "wheel" or "circle." Chakra is a Sanskrit word referring to energy centers in the body. A chakra is a place in the body where several energy channels (154) meet. Chakras are used in various practices.
Dakini See Khandro.
Dedication of Merit Compassionate and selfless offering of one's accumulated merits for the benefit of other beings. Unlike merit generated for oneself, which can degrade, dedicated merit is definitive and cannot be lost.
Dharma Spiritual teaching. See Bön.
Dharmakaya (Tib.: bon ku | chos ku, [bon sku | chos sku]; Sans.: dharma- kaya). The non-dual essence, it is free of concepts and free of form and any characteristic. It is the emptiness that contains everything. It is said that a buddha possesses three bodies (kayas): dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, and nirmanakaya. Dharmakaya, often translated as "the body of truth," "the body of Dharma," is the emptiness of the natural state of reality.
Dzogku. See Sambhogakaya.
Dzogchen (Tib.: [rdzogs chen]). The "Great Perfection" or "Great Fullness." Dzogchen is considered the highest teaching and practice of both the Bön and Nyingma schools in Tibetan Buddhism. It is called "the great single sphere" and is described with three aspects: the basis, the path, and the fruit. Basis because the foundation of Dzogchen is the primordial state of the mind; path because Dzogchen is the supreme and direct path to realization; and fruit because Dzogchen is the consummation of enlightenment. The essential practice of Dzogchen is "self-liberation": allowing everything that arises in experience to exist as it is, without any elaboration by the conceptual mind and without coveting or rejecting it.
Dzogchenpa Dzogchen practitioner.
Emptiness (Tib.: stong pa nyid; Sans.: shunyata). The absence of inherent existence.
Esfera única, or verdad única (see Dzogchen).
Five [pure] lights (Tib. nga- 'Od Inga) They are the source of the five elements, the underlying structure of the world's structure and the individual's internal existence. The energy of the five pure lights arises in the primordial basis.
Guru See Lama.
Guru yoga A practice essential in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Bön, in the teachings of Sutra and Tantra, as well as in Dzogchen. The practice develops a heart connection with the master; by continuously strengthening our devotion, we reach the place of pure devotion within us, which is the powerful and unshakeable foundation of the practice. The essence of Guru yoga is to unite the practitioner's mind with that of the master.
Huella kármica (Tib.: bag-chag [bag chags)). Any action—physical, verbal, or mental—that an individual performs with a certain intention or even with the slightest aversion or desire, leaves a trace in the individual's mental continuum. The accumulation of these karmic traces conditions each moment of that individual's experience in a positive or negative way.
Hung Seed syllable representing the inseparability of clarity and emptiness.
Jalu (Tib.: [ja lus). The "rainbow body." The sign of full realization in Dzogchen is the attainment of the rainbow body. Realized Dzogchen practitioners—who are no longer deceived by the apparent substantiality of dualisms such as mind and matter—release, at the moment of death, the energy of the elements that constitute the physical body. The practitioner consciously enters the process of death, dissolving their physical body.
Karma (Tib.: las, [las]; Sans.: karma). Literally means "action." It is useful to think of karma as a process of cause and effect. Any action performed physically, verbally, or mentally serves as a "seed" that will bear the "fruit" of its consequences in the future, when the propitious conditions for its manifestation arise. Negative actions have negative effects, such as unhappiness. Positive karma is the result of virtuous actions and sows the seed of compassion, which includes all qualities. Karma does not mean that life is predetermined, but that present conditions always arise from past actions. See also karmic trace.
Kaya (Tib.: ku, [sku]). It has various meanings. In the context of this book, it means "body" or "dimension of experience." See trikaya.
Khandro or khandroma (Tib. mkhagro ma; Sans., dakini) Literally in Tibetan: "celestial traveler." Sky refers to emptiness, the space in which the khandro travels. That is, she acts in the full realization of emptiness, of absolute reality. A khandro can be a human woman who has recognized her true nature or an enlightened deity. Khandro also refers to a class of beings born in the pure realm of the khandros.
Khata Comes from the word "kadag" which means "primordial purity." Khata is a strip of cloth that represents our true nature. Symbolically, practitioners offer a khata to Masters as a sign of their devotion, and they return it along with their blessings.
Kuntu Zangpo (Tib. [kun tu bzang po] | (Sans.) Samantabhadra). Primordial Buddha. Corresponds to the dimension of bonku (Dharmakaya).
Kunzbi (Tib.: [kun gzhí], Sans.: alaya). In Bön, kunzhi is the basis of everything and corresponds to self-arising wisdom and the principle of enlightenment. It has the quality of permeating everything. It is symbolized by the boundless space of
extension and direction. It is not synonymous with the term kunzhi namshe (see below).
Kunzbi namshe (Tib.: [kun gzhi rnam shes]; Sans.: alaya vijnana). It is the basic consciousness of the individual. It is the "deposit" or "storehouse" where karmic traces are kept, and from which future experiences arise.
Lama (Tib., bla ma; Sans., guru). Lama literally means "supreme mother." Lama refers to the spiritual master or mistress, who is of primordial importance to the student and practitioner. In the Tibetan tradition, the lama is considered more important than the buddha, as it is he who provides living teachings to the student. At the highest level, the lama is one's own buddha nature, and at the relative level, it is the personal master.
Lbag tong (Tib.) Direct and profound experience of the natural state.
Lhun drup (Tib.: [lhun grub]). Spontaneous perfection or spontaneous presence. In Dzogchen, it refers to the incessant and spontaneous manifestation of phenomena.
Lo (Tib. bLo) Mind. In the Dzogchen context, it refers to the intellectual aspect of the mind.
Loka (Tib. Jig-en/rig, jig rten/rigs). Literally, "world" or "world system." In the West, it is used to refer to the six realms of cyclic existence; but in reality, loka refers to major world systems, one of which is that of the six realms. (See realms of cyclic existence, six).
Lópon Principal master of the tradition. The director in charge of the education of young lamas in Bön monasteries.
Lópon Sangye Tenzin Accomplished Master of Sutra, Tantra, and Dzogchen. Lópon Sangye Tenzin lived a very simple life, yet he was considered by many to be the foremost Bön scholar of his generation. Lópon Sangye Tenzin Rinpoche was the master of Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak (see) and Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, and was known for his extremely direct, clear, and strict teaching style. As Tenzin Rinpoche's first root master, Lópon Sangye Tenzin imparted the formal teachings of the Zhang Zhung Nyan Gyud (Oral Transmission of Zhang Zhung; see) to Tenzin Rinpoche. A few months later, he fell gravely ill and asked Yongdzin Rinpoche to replace him as Lópon (see Lópon) at the monastery. After his death in 1977, his savings were used—as he wished—to found the school of dialectic.
Ma The mother. The basis of the primordial state. Ma is kunzhi (see kunzhi). It is a symbol of the emptiness of the natural state.
Mala A string made of different materials for counting pronounced mantras. The large bead at the end of the mala symbolizes the wisdom of emptiness, and the
round or cylindrical beads symbolize emptiness itself. All together they represent the overcoming of all obstacles. The Buddhist mala has 108 beads.
Natural Mind See Mind, natural.
Nang wa (Tib. snang ba) Vision. It includes every perception, sensation, mental and emotional event, as well as everything that appears external to us. It is what we "see" as experience; it is our experience.
Nature of the mind See Mind, natural.
Nangzher Lodpo, Gyerpung He was the 26th Master of the unbroken lineage of Zhang Zhung Nyyen Gyu. He lived in the 8th century AD, when Tibet and Zhang Zhung were no longer two separate countries. His conquest was completed around 640 AD, during the reign of Emperor Srongtsen Gampo, although the occupation occurred during the reign of Emperor Trisong Detsen (642-797). In its time, Zhang Zhung comprised the lands of Western Tibet and parts of the northern Tibetan plateau. Its capital was Khyunglung Ngulkhar ("The Silver Palace of the Garuda Valley"), located west of Mount Kailash. The last king of Zhang Zhung was Ligmincha (Ligmirya), murdered by Trisong Detsen.
Nirmanakaya (Tib.: tul-ku, [sprul sku]; Sans.: nirmanakaya). Nirmanakaya is the "emanation body" of dharmakaya. It is the movement of energy in the inseparability of emptiness and clarity.
Nirvana (Tib.: mya-ngen las de-pa, [mya ngan las das pal; Sans.: nirvana). The transcendence of all suffering. This term is given different emphasis in the various schools of Bön and Buddhism. Generally, it is understood as the opposite of samsara, conditioned existence, subject to pain and sorrow.
Om Seed syllable representing the incessant nature (of the qualities that are always present within us) and is related to the qualities of dzog ku (Sambhogakaya).
Paramitas (Sans.) The Ten Perfections or virtues, which are: compassion, patience, joyful effort, generosity, prayer, wisdom, discipline, samadhi (practice), method, and power.
Pé (Tib.: Phar) Sacred syllable or sound used in various Dzogchen practices, primarily helping to cut off the continuous internal discourse of the intellectual mind.
Prajnaparamita (Sans.). See paramitas.
Realms of cyclic existence, Six (Tib., rig-drug, rigs-drug). Commonly known as the "six realms" or the "six lokas" (see loka). The six realms refer to six classes of beings: gods, demigods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings. Beings
in these six realms are subject to suffering. They are literally realms in which beings are born, as well as experiential and affective specters that limit and shape potential experience in our lives.
Rigpa (Tib.: [rig pa]; Sans.: vidya). Literally, "awakened consciousness." In Dzogchen teachings, rigpa refers to innate, primordial, pure, non-dual consciousness, which, in union with kunzhi (see kunzhi), emptiness, is the true nature, the natural state of the mind.
Rinpoche (Tib.) [rin po che]. Literally: "the precious one," "precious jewel." An honorific title used when addressing an incarnate lama. It commonly refers to a spiritual master with recognized achievements on the path of dharma (see dharma).
Sabor único (Tib.: ro chig, ro cig) The non-dual essence. See also Dharmakaya. Samantabhadra. See Kuntu Zangpo.
Sambhogakaya (Sans.)/(Tib.) dzog ku [rdzogs ku] The "bliss body" of the buddha. Sambhogakaya is a body made entirely of light. It is the clarity or alert consciousness of the natural state in emptiness, the dimension of energy. Here, the three great visions manifest: sound, light, and rays. Sambhogakaya is the potential quality of manifestation of the movement of sound, light, and rays. It is usually visualized in Tantric and Sutric practices in the form of deities endowed with attributes and ornaments, while in Dzogchen, the image of Kuntu Zangpo or Tapihritsa, representing Dharmakaya, is generally visualized.
Samsara (Tib.: khor-wa, ['khor ba]; Sans.: samsara). The realm of suffering that arises from the dualistic and limited mind, in which all entities are impermanent and lack inherent existence, and where all sentient beings are subject to suffering. Samsara includes the six realms of cyclic existence (loka), but in a broader sense refers to the characteristic mode of existence of sentient beings who suffer from being trapped in the illusions of ignorance and duality. Samsara ends when a being is completely liberated from ignorance.
Sem (Tib.: [sems]; Sans.: citta). One of the multiple Tibetan terms for "mind." Sem is usually translated as "conceptual mind," and it refers to the changing mind, rather than the nature of the mind.
Sem yi (Tib.: [sems nyid]) See Mind, natural.
Shenla Odkar (Tib., Shenlha Wokar, gShen lha 'od dkar). Shenla Odkar is the sambhogakaya manifestation of Shenrab Miwoche, the buddha who founded the Bön tradition.
Sherab Chamma The Loving Mother of Wisdom.
Stupa (Sans.) | (Tib. chorten [mchod rten]) Sacred monument that often contains relics of saints and sacred texts. It is built according to universal principles of harmony and order. It is often large; it concentrates and radiates healing energy to the six realms (lokas) of existence. They symbolize the enlightened mind. Yungdrung Kóleg Chorten, the best-known image of a Bön stupa, is one of the 360 images described in the biography of Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche known as Zhij.
Sutra (Sans.)/(Tib. Do [mdo]) In the final cycle of Tonpa Shenrab's teachings, it corresponds to the external precepts. Sutra teachings are based on the path of renouncing poisons and negative emotions (ignorance, attachment, and anger being the main ones).
Ta wa (Tib. lta ba) Perspective. Point of view. The capacity of the individual's mind to see the reality of all phenomena.
Tantra (Tib.: rgyud, [rgyud]; Sans.: tantra). Like sutras, tantras are teachings of the buddhas; but many of them were rediscovered by yogis of the terma tradition (see terma). Tantras are based on the path of transformation and include practices such as working with body energy, consciousness transference, dream yoga, and sleep yoga, among others. Certain classes of tantras, such as those of the non- gradual transformation path, also contain Dzogchen teachings.
Tapihritsa (Tib.: [ta pi hri tsa]). Although considered a historical figure, Tapihritsa is iconographically represented as the Dharmakaya Buddha (see Kuntu Zangpo), in a body of light, surrounded by a rainbow, naked and unadorned, personifying absolute reality. He is one of the two main Dzogchen masters of the Zhang Zhung Nyan Gyud lineage.
Terma (Tib.) [gter ma] (Tib.) [dgong gter]. Literally: "mind treasure." In Tibetan culture, there is the tradition of termas: sacred objects or texts, texts or teachings hidden by masters of one era for the benefit of later times when the termas will be discovered. Masters who discover termas are known as tertons, treasure discoverers [gter ston]. Termas have been and can be discovered in physical locations such as caves or cemeteries, in elements like water, wood, earth, or space; or received in dreams, during visionary experiences, and finally found in the deep levels of awakened consciousness. The latter is known as gong-ter, "mind treasure."
Togal (Tib.) [thod rgal] Literally: "to traverse" or "to go beyond." One of the two main practices of Dzogchen. The emphasis is on integrating everything that arises. Togal uses vision practices such as dark retreat and practices of contemplating the sky and the sun. The ultimate purpose of this practice is to realize the body of light.
Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche [ston-pa gShen-rab mi-bo-che] The Nirmanakaya Buddha who founded the Bön teachings. According to the traditional biographical account,
in a previous era Shenrab was called Salwa and studied Bön doctrines with his two brothers: Dagpa and Shepa in the paradise Sidpa Yesang, under the guidance of the wise Bön Bumtri Logi Cesan. After finishing their studies, the three brothers visited the God of Compassion—Shenla Odkar—to ask how they could alleviate the suffering of sentient beings. He advised them to act as guides for humanity in the three successive eras of the world: in the past, in the present, and in the future era. Thus, Dagpa taught in the past era, Tonpa Shenrab is the guide and master of the current era, and Shepa will come to instruct in the next era. Tonpa Shenrab descended from the celestial planes and manifested at the foot of Mount Meru. According to mythological literature, there were three cycles of dissemination of the Bön doctrine, in three dimensions: the highest dimension, of gods [lha], the middle dimension of humans [mi], and the lower dimension of nagas [klu]. In the human dimension, Shenrab sent emanations to three continents for the well- being of sentient beings. In this world, he originally imparted his teachings in the region of Olmo Lungring, located northwest of Tibet, and part of a larger territory called Tazig, identified by some modern scholars as Persia or Tazikhistan. See Bön teachings, Vehicles of Bön, and within it, Bön Portals.
Trekchöd (Tib.: trekchöd, kbregs chod). Literally "cutting off" or "severing." One of the two main parts of the Dzogchen practice. The emphasis is on cutting off at the root all distractions and obscurations to be able to dwell in the natural state.
Trikaya. Kaya means "body" or "dimension of experience." According to Bön teachings, the three bodies or dimensions are themselves the buddha state. According to an exclusive explanation from the Zhang Zhung Nyan Gyud, in the heart there is pure emptiness, which is Dharmakaya; this generates the light, which is Sambhogakaya, and this light communicates with the eyes; the inseparability of the emptiness of the heart and the light generated in the heart is Nirmanakaya, the dimension of manifestation. Thus, the light projected through the eyes (and the other senses) manifests as the three great visions: sound, light, and rays. The Dharmakaya Buddha, Kuntu Zangpo, represents kunzhi, the basis of everything. In that formless, empty space, there is the clear and pure presence that is Sambhogakaya. In the inseparability of formless, empty space and clear presence, movement arises. This is Nirmanakaya. All existence, in the form of the three great visions, derives from the movement of energy in the dimension of Nirmanakaya. See Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, and Nirmanakaya.
Tsal (Tib: rtsal) Energy in its various manifestations. Tulku. See nirmanakaya.
Upadesha (Sans.; Tib.: man ngag) "Secret instruction." A series of Dzogchen teachings that constitute the cycle of the inseparability of emptiness and clarity.
Vehicles of Bön The first of the cycles of Tonpa Shenrab's teachings. "The Nine Vehicles of Bön" have three different classifications: The Northern Treasures, The
Southern Treasures, and The Central Treasure. The teachings were hidden during the early persecutions of Bön and later rediscovered in the south, north, and center of Tibet, from where the names of the treasures originate. In The Southern Treasures, the Nine Vehicles are divided into: Four Causal Vehicles (lower) [rgyu theg-pa] which contain myths, legends, rituals, and practices concerning primarily energy work related to magic for healing and prosperity, and Five Fruit Vehicles (higher) [bras-bu'i theg-pa] whose purpose is to liberate the practitioner from the cycle of samsaric transmigration. The nine vehicles are: 1) The Vehicle of Shende Practice Prediction, the methods used are: divination [rtsa], astrological and geomantic calculations [rtsis], rituals [gro], medical diagnosis [dpyad], and therapies [sman]. 2) The Vehicle of the Shen of the Manifest World (or of the production of visible signs). This vehicle contains rituals for dealing with the aspects of phenomena, contemplated either as gods [lha] or demons [dre]. The main practices comprise the Four Portals [Gyer], the nine [Ke cong], and the forty- two [Tang rag]. The Four Portals are divided into: a) Black Waters. b) White Waters. c) [Phan yul]. d) Master Guide. 3) The Vehicle of the Shen of Magical Power, which contains magical rituals to ensure the help of nature. 4) The Vehicle of the Shen of Existence. This deals mainly with the three hundred and sixty funeral rites and propitiatory consecrations. 5) The Vehicle of Virtuous Lay Practitioners specifies the moral and ethical rules for lay practitioners. 6) The Vehicle of Ascetic Sages formulates strict ascetic and disciplinary rules for ordained monks. 7) The Vehicle of White A deals with the tantric practice of transformation into a yidam and practices concerning the mandala. 8) The Vehicle of the Primordial Shen deals with esoteric tantric practices. 9) The Supreme Vehicle describes the absolute basis of enlightenment and illusion, the path—the mind dwelling in its primordial natural state—and the fruit—enlightenment and supreme achievements—. This is the Dzogchen teaching.
Unique Truth See Dzogchen.
Yidam (Tib., yid dam; Sans., [ishta-]devata). The yidam is a tutelary or meditative deity that embodies an aspect of the enlightened mind. There are four categories of yidams: pacifying, increasing, powerful, and wrathful. Yidams manifest in these different forms to overcome specific negative forces.
Yogi (Tib.: nel-jor pa, rnal "byor pa; Sans.: yogin). A practitioner of meditative yogas, such as dream yoga and sleep yoga.
Yogini (Tib.: nel-jor ma, [rnal byor ma]; Sans.: yogini). A practitioner of meditative yogas.
Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Principal master of the Bön Tradition and root master of Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. He attained the degree of geshe at age 27, at Menri Monastery in Tibet. He has published several books: The Nine Paths of Bön, [Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings], and Drops of the Heart of Dharmakaya
(Commentaries on the book by Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen), among others. He currently resides at the Triten Norbutse Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal, founded by him. He gives teachings in France, where he founded the Shenten Dargye Ling Institute, as well as in Germany and other European countries.
Yungdrung Bön It is the spiritual path to enlightenment. It contains all the teachings of Buddha Tonpa Shenrab.
Yungdrung (Tib.) [g.yung-drung] Swastika. It symbolizes the Dharma of the Eternal Bön, indestructible and immutable.
Zhang Zhung The country where the teachings of Yungdrung Bön originated and developed. Until the 6th century AD, it was a country independent of Tibet. Its conquest was completed around 640 AD, during the reign of Emperor Srongtsen Gampo, although the occupation occurred during the reign of Emperor Trisong Detsen (642-797). In its time, Zhang Zhung comprised the lands of Western Tibet and parts of the northern Tibetan plateau. Its capital was Khyunglung Ngulkhar ("The Silver Palace of the Garuda Valley"), located west of Mount Kailash. The last king of Zhang Zhung was Ligmincha (Ligmirya), murdered by Trisong Detsen.
Zhang Zhung Nyan Gyud (Tib.: [Zhang zhung snyan rgyud)). One of the most important cycles of Dzogchen teachings in Bön. This series of teachings was systematized by Master Gyerpung Nanghzer Lodpo in the 7th century. It belongs to the series of upadesha teachings (see upadesha).
Zhiné (Tib.: [zhi gnas]; Sans.: shamatba). Dwelling in calm or tranquility. The practice of dwelling in calm uses focus on external or internal objects to develop concentration and mental stability. Dwelling in calm is a fundamental practice, the basis for the development of all other elevated meditative practices.
This work was finished printing in October 2008, at the Workshops of IREMA, S.A. de C.V. Oculistas No. 43, Col. Sifón 09400, Iztapalapa, D.F.