crown jewel of the scholars and sages of the Land of Snow, a second buddha, was
known as the Samye Savant, with knowledge equivalent to all the Six Ornaments
and Two Excellencies of India. He was an incomparable genius free of all bias. But
the bodhisattva Tara told him in a vision that his lineal lama was the mahasiddha
Kumaraja. Immediately Longchenpa stood up and went to find him and, once
there, requested the heart-essence [nying-tik] teaching and received many
transmissions.
The great Naropa was a famous pandita at the Vikramashila Academy in India,
and there he saw a vision of the Dakini who told him, “You are now an expert in
words; go and see the mahasiddha Tilopa and train yourself experientially in the
natural perfection of reality.” And Naropa went to serve Tilopa.
The hermit lord Dewai Gyelpo spent many years in retreat and became
accomplished in the creative and fulfillment stages, and he exhibited many signs
as clear as a rainbow on a summer’s day. But he was left with some attachments,
however, and later on, when he ran into Traktung Dudjom Lingpa, the latter
shouted at him, “Now tell us the signs of your experience!” And with the chaff of
conceptually elaborated signs all dissolving into space, the mind of the lama and
the disciple become inseparable. Relying upon that experience, Dewai Gyelpo
gained realization. To find the natural state of mind that is the great perfection,
there is no other way than through a lama. Furthermore, we need to depend upon
such a one with faith, pure vision, and devotion. If we recognize our lama as
buddha, then we will receive the blessings of buddha; if we recognize our lama as
a yogin, then we will receive the blessings of a yogin; and if we see our lama as an
ordinary human being, then we will receive no blessings at all. As the sutras say,
Whoever has yearning aspiration
Sits in front of buddha.And as the tantras say,
The lama is the Buddha;
The lama is the Dharma;
The lama is the Sangha;
He is the incomparable creator,
The Heruka, the great and glorious guru.Real blessings will only come from a rigzin-lama. As is said, “The rigzin-lama’s
followers receive the accomplishment.” Moreover, in The Aspiration of Ground,
Path, and Fruit, Ju Mipham says, “Through the power of the lama’s precept, may I
see!”
If we understand the Dzogchen view completely, powerful kindness will arise in
us toward those sentient beings of the six realms continuously plagued by
suffering who have not understood as much as we have because of the curse of
their attachment to samsara’s bewildering deceptive illusions as something
substantial and real. As Shantarakshita says in The Ornament of the Middle Way,