Introduction to Chetsün Nyingtik
Introduction to Chetsün Nyingtik
by Adam Pearcey
Chetsün Nyingtik (lce btsun snying thig), The Heart-Essence of Chetsün, is a cycle of Dzogchen instructions belonging to the category of recollection or reminiscence (rjes dran) among the “seven types of authoritative transmission” received by the great Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820–1892). When Jamyang Khyentse was twenty-four years old, he visited the sacred place of Uyuk in the Tsang province of Central Tibet. His perception of ordinary phenomena vanished into an experience of pure luminosity, and he clearly remembered Chetsün Senge Wangchuk attaining the rainbow body in that very place. Before achieving the rainbow body, Senge Wangchuk had, for a whole month, experienced a vision of Vimalamitra, who bestowed upon him the quintessence of his teachings, the Vima Nyingtik.
Following this reminiscence, Khyentse Wangpo, who was an emanation of both Vimalamitra and Senge Wangchuk, put into writing the root text of the Chetsün Nyingtik. According to Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, among the Dzogchen teachings revealed by Khyentse Wangpo, the Chetsün Nyingtik represents the profound aspect, while the Vimé Ladrup (bi ma'i bla sgrub) from the Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik cycle constitutes the vast aspect.[1]
Khyentse Wangpo practised the Chetsün Nyingtik teachings in secret for many years. Then, when he was thirty-eight years old, the protectress Ekajaṭī requested him to reveal the teachings to others. According to the biography of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thayé (1813–1899), the empowerment of Chetsün Nyingtik was among the first empowerments that Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo gave. At the age of 40, he conferred three empowerments in Dagam Wangpuk to a group of eight students including the Fourteenth Gyalwang Karmapa, Tekchok Dorje, the six-year-old Tenth Tai Situpa, Palpung Situ Pema Kunzang Chögyal, and Jamgön Kongtrul. The three empowerments corresponded to three major cycles within his own profound revelations: Tsokyé Nyingtik, a guru practice; Tukjé Chenpo Semnyi Ngalso, a practice of Avalokiteśvara; and the Dzogchen empowerment of Chetsün Nyingtik.
Jamgön Kongtrul, wrote a series of texts for practising the cycle, including the commentary called The Completely Secret Essence (thig le gsang rdzogs). Tertön Sogyal Lerab Lingpa (1856–1926) is also credited with writing a famous commentary on the Chetsün Nyingtik,[2] although it might be more accurate to say that he was simply the scribe. Tertön Sogyal’s biography tells us that the work faithfully and accurately preserves Jamyang Khyentse’s own words. Not only that, Jamyang Khyentse also provided its title. Tertön Sogyal’s role was simply “to record in flowing prose all that was said in the beginning, middle and end.”[3] Indeed, the few first-person references in the text are to Jamyang Khyentse.
In addition, Adzom Drukpa (1842–1924) composed several texts related to Chetsün Nyingtik, including a commentary on the preliminary practices. Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö (1893–1959) wrote a set of notes called Ornament for Guru's Intent (bla ma'i dgongs rgyan). Khenchen Tashi Özer (1836–1910) wrote a set of notes based on the teachings he received directly from Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. Yukhok Chöying Rangdrol (1872–1952) also provided some notes to the commentary attributed to Tertön Sogyal.
The empowerment and transmission for Chetsün Nyingtik have been conferred a number of times in recent years, including by Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche in North America and by Trulshik Rinpoche in Europe. Khenchen Namdrol has also taught extensively on the cycle, in both France and America.
Further Reading
B. Alan Wallace. Open Mind: View and Meditation in the Lineage of Lerab Lingpa. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2017
Jamgön Kongtrül. The Life of Jamyang Khyentsé Wangpo. Trans. Matthew Akester. Delhi: Shechen Publications, 2012. Revised online edition, Khyentse Foundation, 2020.
Ricard, Matthieu. "Introduction" in lce btsun snying thig gi chos skor. Delhi: Shechen Publications, 2004.
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See Ricard's introduction to lce btsun snying thig gi chos skor and the foreword by Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche and Matthieu Ricard to Jamgön Kongrul, The Life of Jamyang Khyentsé Wangpo. ↩
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rdzogs pa chen po man ngag sde'i bcud phur man ngag thams cad kyi rgyal po klong lnga'i yi ge dum bu gsum pa lce btsun chen po'i bI ma la'i zab tig gi bshad khrid chu 'babs su bkod pa snying po'i bcud dril ye shes thig le. (Translated in Wallace, Open Mind: View and Meditation in the Lineage of Lerab Lingpa.) ↩
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See gter chen las rab gliṅ pa phrin las mtha’ yas rtsal gyi gsaṅ ba’i rnam par thar pa rmad du byuṅ ṅo mtshar padma dkar po’i phreṅ ba dad pa’i ‘khri śiṅ byin rlabs sprin dpuṅ sdud pa’i ma dros dga’ ba’i glu dbyaṅs: The esoteric biography of Gter-chen Las-rab-gliṅ-pa Phrin-las-mtha’-yas-rtsal by Tshul-khrims-bzaṅ-po. New Delhi: Sanje Dorje. 1974, p. 90 ↩
