Jax wrote:I agree Namdrol...
However, well placed "pointing out" can easily bring about an " aha" moment. That is the reason the great masters like Longchenpa and others wrote so extensively. Their writings like Tilopa's, Maitripa's, Saraha's and Niguma's to mention just a few, were meant to trigger a realization of one's Natural State.
Let us take for example the chos dbyings mdzod. This text is not literature in the commonly understood western idea of the term. This text is meant to be used as a tool for giving introduction by a qualified master. Once someone has received Dzogchen transmission in a proper way, then the text may be used in order to reinforce the meaning of the teachings. But it was never the intent of the authors of texts like Chos dbyings mdzod, the Shabar's Flight of the Garuda and so on that they be read in absence of proper transmission by a qualified Guru.
I actually have never been asked to agree to any samaya by any teacher at any time.
This is a misunderstanding on your part. While it is true that samaya in Dzogchen is not really a catechistic list such as one finds in Mahayoga and so on, everyone who is an authentic Dzogchen pracitioner from having received Dzogchen transmission has samaya. For example, all Dzogchen practitioners have a samaya not to take life. This is the fundamental samaya of the body. Dzogchen practitioners do have a fundamental obligation to observe the principles of basic human decency which is embodied in avoiding the ten non-virtues and adopting the ten virtues. Longchenpa, of whom you are fond, writes in the Ocean of Liberation
which is from the Lama Yangthig
:Now then, although there is nothing to damage or transgress, the natural great completion being beyond a boundary to protect, it is necessary for yogins on the path of practice to abide in samaya...
He then goes on to describe in great detail the 27 samayas of a practitioner of Dzogchen (body, speech and mind * outer, inner and secret * outer, inner and secret).
Such tantras as the sgra thal gyur, the rig pa rang shar and so on very clearly explain the meaning of samaya, how it must be kept, the fruit of keeping it, and consquences of not doing so.
Of course, if you choose to ignore samaya, that is your choice, and fundamentally the only person you are harming is yourself.
I guess it's not clear to me why you post here if you feel it can't be of any real value regarding Dzogchen.
There are some people who have received transmission from authentic lineage holders of the teachings of Dzogchen, and since I have developed the skill of reading Tibetan, and since I have access to texts normally unavailable to people or only avalable in translations of questionable merit, people sometimes find my contributions of value. But in general I do not fund my contributions concerning Dzogchen to be of any value whatsoever to people who have not received transmissions in a proper way. For example, many times people from outside the Dzogchen tradition ask me questions about what sets Dzogchen apart -- and they cannot find any answer that I give satisfactory, The reason of course is that I do not feel it is appropriate to discuss various topics with people who do not have transmission, who do not have the fortune to meet an authentic teacher of Dzogchen like Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, Loppon Tenzin Namdak and so on, to name three, still living, masters of Dzogchen. Even were I to "tell all" they still will not understand because the nine yānas are all paths based on mind, where as true Dzogchen goes beyond mind and is based on wisdom from the very beginning. Further, this basis in wisdom is based on one's personal experience which arises from one's interaction with a guru, and not on any sort of intellectual analysis.
I differ perhaps in feeling a responsibility to guide and share to the best of my capacity.
There are many ways to act responsibly. My approach is encourage people to discover the value of Dzogchen teachings by first and foremost receiving transmission from a qualified master. Encouraging them to learn things like Song of the Vajra, and so on as detailed in the Tantras of the Sun and Moon. Encouraging them to keep up ganapujas offered to qualified masters, as is recommended quite clearly in the ultimate root tantra of Dzogchen, the sgra thal gyur, to encourage people to learn about the peaceful and wrathful deities which are crucial part of Dzogchen teachings detailed no less than twice in the Rig pa rang shar, etc. I encourage people to understand the length and breadth of the Dzogchen teachings. Sems sde is fine, but it is primarily confined to view. Those who want to go deeper must engage the Nyinthig teachings. And the details of Nyinthig teachings just are not appropriate for discussion in a public forum, just as it is not proper to run one's mouth about tögal in a bar.