In Dzogchen, tögal (Tibetan: ཐོད་རྒལ་, Wylie: thod rgal) literally means "crossing the peak."[1] It is sometimes translated as 'leapover,' 'direct crossing,' or 'direct transcendence.'[2][3][4]Tögal is also called "the practice of vision,"[5] or "the practice of the Clear Light" (od-gsal).[5]
Lukhang Temple mural depicting sky gazing visionary practice
Vimalamitra's Great Commentary, defines tögal as "the practice of the direct perception of pristine consciousness" which is for "the diligent who gradually attain buddhahood through meditation."[1]Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche glosses the term as "to proceed directly to the goal without having to go through intermediate steps."[6] Jigme Lingpa follows Longchenpa in seeing the visionary practice of tögal as the highest level of meditation practice.[4]Tögal is also called "the practice of vision",[5] or "the practice of the Clear Light (od-gsal)".[5]
Tögal is practiced in a completely dark setting or through sky gazing.[7] The practices engage the subtle body of psychic channels, winds and drops (rtsa rlung thig le).[8] These practices aim at generating a spontaneous flow of luminous, rainbow-colored images (such as thigles or circles of rainbow light) that gradually expand in extent and complexity.[9] The meditator uses these to recognize his mind's nature. According to Hatchell, these visionary yogic techniques:
[...] are based on the idea that pure awareness is locked away in the body’s core, localized at the heart. A set of luminous energy channels then run from the heart to the eyes, acting as pathways through which awareness can travel and exit the body. Based on special yogic techniques, awareness can be induced to emerge from the eyes and light up into visionary appearances. This provides an opportunity for recognition: for the yogi to realize that the visionary appearances “out there” are none other than presencings of an internal awareness, and thus to undo the basic error of ignorance.[10]
Tibetan depictions of tögal visions
Four visions
The practice of tögal entails progressing through the "Four Visions" (snang ba bzhi), which are:[11][12][13]
"The Absolute Nature Becoming Manifest" or "The Vision of Awareness' Immediacy" - This refers to initial visions of lights in the visual field, such as circles called thigle, and "linked chains of spots".
"The Experience of Increasing Appearances" or "The Vision of the Intensification of Experience" - According to Hatchell, in this stage "visionary experience becomes more intense. The number, shape, and size of the appearances increase, and they begin to assemble together in simple configurations."[14]
"Awareness Reaching its Greatest Magnitude" or "The Vision of Awareness' Optimization" - Hatchell writes that "at this stage, the abstract lights begin to organize themselves, ultimately taking shape as a mandala of 100 peaceful and wrathful deities."[14]
"The Exhaustion of Phenomena in Dharmata" or "The Vision of Exhaustion within Reality" - In this final vision, appearances dissolve back into the expanse and fade away.
This article lacks ISBNs for the books listed in it. Please make it easier to conduct research by listing ISBNs. If the {{Cite book}} or {{Citation}} templates are in use, you may add ISBNs automatically, or discuss this issue on the talk page.(January 2022)
Buswell, Robert; Lopez, Donald S. Jr., eds. (2014). The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton University Press.
Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche (1994). Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen. Rangjung Yeshe Publications.
Germano, David (2005). "Dzogchen". In Jones, Lindsay (ed.). Macmillan Encyclopedia of Religion. Vol. 4: Dacian Riders – Esther. MacMillan Reference USA.
Hatchell, Christopher (2014). Naked Seeing The Great Perfection, the Wheel of Time, and Visionary Buddhism in Renaissance Tibet. Oxford University Press.
Reynolds, John Myrdhin (2005). The Oral Tradition from Zhang-Zhung: An Introduction to the Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings of the Oral Tradition from Zhang-Zhung Known as the Zhang-zhung snyan-rgyud. Vajra Publications. ISBN978-99946-644-4-3.
Ricard, Matthieu (2001). The Life of Shabkar: The Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogin. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications.
Smith, Malcolm (2016). Buddhahood in This Life: The Great Commentary by Vimalamitra. Simon and Schuster.
van Schaik, Sam (2004). Approaching the Great Perfection: Simultaneous and Gradual Methods of Dzogchen Practice in the Longchen Nyingtig. Wisdom Publications.
Further reading
Baker, Ian A. (2011). The Dalai Lama's Secret Temple: Tantric Wall Paintings from Tibet. Thames & Hudson. ISBN9780500289617.
Olds, Robert & Rachel (2011). Luminous Heart of Inner Radiance: Drawings of the Tögal Visions. Heart Seed Press. ISBN978-0983194507.
February 10, 2023
tögal, dzogchen, tögal, tibetan, wylie, thod, rgal, literally, means, crossing, peak, sometimes, translated, leapover, direct, crossing, direct, transcendence, also, called, practice, vision, practice, clear, light, gsal, lukhang, temple, mural, depicting, gaz. In Dzogchen togal Tibetan ཐ ད ར ལ Wylie thod rgal literally means crossing the peak 1 It is sometimes translated as leapover direct crossing or direct transcendence 2 3 4 Togal is also called the practice of vision 5 or the practice of the Clear Light od gsal 5 Lukhang Temple mural depicting sky gazing visionary practice Contents 1 Definition 2 Practice 2 1 Four visions 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 Works cited 5 Further readingDefinition EditVimalamitra s Great Commentary defines togal as the practice of the direct perception of pristine consciousness which is for the diligent who gradually attain buddhahood through meditation 1 Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche glosses the term as to proceed directly to the goal without having to go through intermediate steps 6 Jigme Lingpa follows Longchenpa in seeing the visionary practice of togal as the highest level of meditation practice 4 Togal is also called the practice of vision 5 or the practice of the Clear Light od gsal 5 See also Luminous mindPractice EditTogal is practiced in a completely dark setting or through sky gazing 7 The practices engage the subtle body of psychic channels winds and drops rtsa rlung thig le 8 These practices aim at generating a spontaneous flow of luminous rainbow colored images such as thigles or circles of rainbow light that gradually expand in extent and complexity 9 The meditator uses these to recognize his mind s nature According to Hatchell these visionary yogic techniques are based on the idea that pure awareness is locked away in the body s core localized at the heart A set of luminous energy channels then run from the heart to the eyes acting as pathways through which awareness can travel and exit the body Based on special yogic techniques awareness can be induced to emerge from the eyes and light up into visionary appearances This provides an opportunity for recognition for the yogi to realize that the visionary appearances out there are none other than presencings of an internal awareness and thus to undo the basic error of ignorance 10 Tibetan depictions of togal visions Four visions Edit The practice of togal entails progressing through the Four Visions snang ba bzhi which are 11 12 13 The Absolute Nature Becoming Manifest or The Vision of Awareness Immediacy This refers to initial visions of lights in the visual field such as circles called thigle and linked chains of spots The Experience of Increasing Appearances or The Vision of the Intensification of Experience According to Hatchell in this stage visionary experience becomes more intense The number shape and size of the appearances increase and they begin to assemble together in simple configurations 14 Awareness Reaching its Greatest Magnitude or The Vision of Awareness Optimization Hatchell writes that at this stage the abstract lights begin to organize themselves ultimately taking shape as a mandala of 100 peaceful and wrathful deities 14 The Exhaustion of Phenomena in Dharmata or The Vision of Exhaustion within Reality In this final vision appearances dissolve back into the expanse and fade away See also EditRigpa Trekcho Trul khorReferences EditCitations Edit a b Smith 2016 p 26 Germano 2005 p 2547 Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche 1994 p 44 a b van Schaik 2004 p 101 a b c d Reynolds 2005 Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche 1994 p 224 Hatchell 2014 p 61 Buswell amp Lopez 2014 Germano 2005 p 2548 Hatchell 2014 p 57 Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche 1994 p 38 Ricard 2001 Hatchell 2014 pp 61 63 a b Hatchell 2014 p 62 Works cited Edit This article lacks ISBNs for the books listed in it Please make it easier to conduct research by listing ISBNs If the Cite book or Citation templates are in use you may add ISBNs automatically or discuss this issue on the talk page January 2022 Buswell Robert Lopez Donald S Jr eds 2014 The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism Princeton University Press Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche 1994 Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen Rangjung Yeshe Publications Germano David 2005 Dzogchen In Jones Lindsay ed Macmillan Encyclopedia of Religion Vol 4 Dacian Riders Esther MacMillan Reference USA Hatchell Christopher 2014 Naked Seeing The Great Perfection the Wheel of Time and Visionary Buddhism in Renaissance Tibet Oxford University Press Reynolds John Myrdhin 2005 The Oral Tradition from Zhang Zhung An Introduction to the Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings of the Oral Tradition from Zhang Zhung Known as the Zhang zhung snyan rgyud Vajra Publications ISBN 978 99946 644 4 3 Ricard Matthieu 2001 The Life of Shabkar The Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogin Ithaca Snow Lion Publications Smith Malcolm 2016 Buddhahood in This Life The Great Commentary by Vimalamitra Simon and Schuster van Schaik Sam 2004 Approaching the Great Perfection Simultaneous and Gradual Methods of Dzogchen Practice in the Longchen Nyingtig Wisdom Publications Further reading EditBaker Ian A 2011 The Dalai Lama s Secret Temple Tantric Wall Paintings from Tibet Thames amp Hudson ISBN 9780500289617 Olds Robert amp Rachel 2011 Luminous Heart of Inner Radiance Drawings of the Togal Visions Heart Seed Press ISBN 978 0983194507 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Togal amp oldid 1122030399, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
