Great Secret of Mind: Special Instructions on the Nonduality of Dzogchen

The ancient teachings of Dzogchen—teachings that illuminate the nature of mind—speak of “compassionate power that is ceaseless and all-pervasive.” Founded on the precept of nonaction, Dzogchen rejects notions of goal-driven practice and cultivates radical, spacious awareness of the unity of all things. This text is based on the direct transmission of Dzogchen teachings that Tulku Pema Rigtsal received from his teachers in Tibet, combined with traditional instruction in meditation and practice.
Dzogchen (Great Perfection) goes to the heart of our experience by investigating the relationship between mind and world and uncovering the great secret of mind's luminous nature. Weaving in personal stories and everyday examples, Pema Rigtsal leads the reader to see that all phenomena are the spontaneous display of mind, a magical illusion, and yet there is something shining in the midst of experience that is naturally pure and spacious. Not recognizing this natural great perfection is the root cause of suffering and self-centered clinging. After introducing us to this liberating view, Pema Rigtsal explains how it is stabilized and sustained in effortless meditation: without modifying anything, whatever thoughts of happiness or sorrow arise simply dissolve by themselves into the spaciousness of pure presence. The book is divided into chapters on the view, meditation as the path, conduct, the attainment, and the four bardos. Each chapter consists of mini-sections that can be read as stand-alone Dharma talks. Pema Rigtsal has studied and lived with several authentic Dzogchen masters and has surprising stories to tell about their unconventional methods to introduce students to the subtle view of Dzogchen.