Each master's heart teachings are printed alongside his full colour image. These reproductions of traditional
tsakali
initiation cards, painted in Tibet before the Chinese invasion, help
the reader connect to the teachings in a direct and intimate way, and
are an inspiring aid to Guru Yoga practice.
The
Zhang Zhung Nyengyud is the most ancient
Dzogchen cycle still practised today. It began with the primordial
Buddha, Kuntu Zangpo, ran through a lineage of nine Dersheg-Buddhas,
then through Masters from the Deva and Naga realms, arriving in the
realm of humans in the country of Tagzig, from where it passed into
Zhang Zhung and Tibet in prehistoric times. It has never been
interrupted nor have the teachings been concealed; they are still very
much alive today, a great source of unmodified Dzogchen.
The informative Introduction by Dmitry Ermakov (author of Bө and Bn)
examines some key points of the Dzogchen path, and takes a quick look
at different types of Bn and the dissemination of Yungdrung Bon in
Zhang Zhung and Tibet against the backdrop of Central and Inner Asian
history. The question of the origins of Bnpo and Buddhist Dzogchen is
also touched upon, and in particular, the lineage of the Zhang Zhung
Nyengyud is discussed in detail alongside a unique and verified lineage
tree diagram drawn up with the help of Yongdzin Rinpoche himself, Khenpo
Tenpa Yungdrung and Geshe Namdak Nyima. This readily understood diagram
enables readers to see how the teachings of this unbroken lineage have
come down to us through the ages.
This book,
Masters of the Zhang Zhung Nyengyud,
is a rare treasure, both for those new to Dzogchen and to experienced
practitioners alike, because Yongdzin Rinpoche's lively translation and
comments put these teachings in the context of our modern times, helping
students to integrate this ancient wisdom with their daily lives. As
the living spiritual descendent of these Dzogchen Masters, Lopn Tenzin
Namdak Rinpoche carries the live current of this ancient transmission,
delivering these pith instructions directly to the reader in a powerful
and accessible way.