Dzogchen — Great Perfection, Great Completion, Natural Great Perfection, Atiyoga (utmost yoga), the highest and most definitive path of the Buddhist nine vehicles to liberation; method of pointing the meditator to the direct experience of the true nature of reality — the ultimate primordial qualities of purity (i.e. emptiness, Sunyata), spontaneity (luminous clarity, Bodhicitta), and compassion (Karuna).

Dzogchen | Dzogchen Teachings | Dzogchen View

Dzogchen Practice:

The View

The Basis

The Practice

Dzogchen practice relies on Dzogchen view, as well as on a relationship with a guru or lama who imparts specific practice instructions. The main practices are considered advanced, and thus preliminary practices, and ritual initiation are generally required. Although Dzogchen is portrayed as being distinct from, or beyond Tantra, it is more like a special part of it, or a natural progression of development of the view along the path — it embraces and incorporates a wide array of Tantric traditions and practice systems.

Dzogchen teachings emphasize naturalness, effortlessness, ease, spontaneity and simplicity.

Longchenpa (Longchen Rabjampa, Drimé Özer) (1308–1364/69), known of as the "all-knowing", was perhaps the most famous of the realized scholars in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. Commonly recognized as one of the three main manifestations of Manjushri (to have taught in Central Tibet) his monumental work is the "Seven Treasuries", while his more than 250 treatises encapsulate the core of the previous 600 years of monastic Nyingma doctrine and Buddhist thought in Tibet. Longchenpa was a critical link in the exoteric and esoteric transmission of the Dzogchen teachings. He was abbot of Samye, one of Tibet's most important monasteries, and the first Buddhist monastery established in the Himalaya, but spent most of his life travelling or in retreat.

The most widespread and influential tradition of Dzogchen is that of the "Seminal Heart" (Nyingthig, the "heart" or "innermost essence") traditions, which connotes "seminal essence" or "heart focus", the most popular of which is the Longchen Nyingthig (Tib: klong chen snying thig, "great vastness heart-essence") or "Seminal Heart of Longchenpa" is a terma, revealed scripture, which gives a systematic explanation of Dzogchen by terton Jigme Lingpa (1730–1798). The Longchen Nyingthig is Jigme Lingpa's "pure visions" (dag snang, visionary revelations, teachings received in experiences, or dreams) in which the texts were revealed.

The Longchen Nyingthig is said to be the essence of the Vima [Vimalamitra] Nyingthig and Khandro [Dakine] Nyingthig, the "Early Nyingthig", and has become known as the "Later Nyingthig". It is one of the most widely practiced teachings in the Nyingmapa school. It is worthy of note that thig is an etymon of thig le which is the Tibetan translation of the Sanskrit bindu (the essence drop), as well as the central point of the mandala (khor lo).

The Longchen Nyingthig tradition epitomized the Dzogchen teaching in three principles given by the Indian Prahevajra (an emanation of Vajrasattva, the first human lineage-holder of Dzogchen teachings) or Garab Dorje, known as "Striking the Vital Point in Three Statements" tsik sum nè dek (tshig gsum gnad brdeg). They give, in short, the development a student has to undergo:

1. Introducing directly the face of rigpa* itself (ngo rang tok tu tré) — introducing directly the face of the naked mind as the rigpa itself, the innate primordial wisdom.
2. Deciding upon one thing and one thing only (tak chik tok tu ché) — because all phenomena, whatever manifests, are none other than the rigpa’s own play, there is complete and direct decision that there is nothing other than the abiding of the continual flow of rigpa.
3. Confidence directly in the liberation of rising thoughts (deng drol tok tu cha) — in the recognition of namtok [arising thoughts], whatever arises, whether gross or subtle, there is direct confidence in the simultaneity of the arising and dissolution in the expanse of Dharmakāya, which is the unity of rigpa and śūnyatā**.

In Dzgochen there are methods which emphasize gradual practice and attainments, and methods which emphasize primordial liberation, simultaneous enlightenment, and non-activity. This seeming contradiction is explained by authors of the "Seminal Heart" tradition as being related to the different levels of ability of different practitioners:

Vajradhara using his skill in means, taught according to the categories of best, middling, and worst faculties, subdivided into the nine levels from sravaka to atiyoga. Although the "Great Perfection" is the path for those of the sharpest faculties, entrants are not composed exclusively of those types. With this in mind, having ascertained the features of the middling and inferior faculties of awareness holders, the tradition was established in this way.

It is likely that these instructions would be given to all student types, and the actual capacity of the practitioner would determine how they would attain awakening; for most people a gradual path of training is what is needed to reach realization.

The actual Dzogchen meditation methods, which are unique to the tradition, appear in "Seminal Heart" tradition texts such as "Yeshe Lama" (the most important practice manual on the Great Perfection teachings of the Nyingma tradition) by Jigme Lingpa, and Longchenpa's "Tsigdon Dzo" (The Treasury of Subjects) and "Tegcho Dzo" (The Treasury of the Supreme Vehicle) from a collection of seven works of "Seven Treasuries". The presentation of Dzogchen meditation methods in the "Yeshe Lama" is divided into three parts:

• Instructions for those of sharp faculties — which is where the actual Dzogchen meditation methods are found.
• Instructions for those of middling faculties — which discusses the bardo (intermediate state) of death.
• Instructions for those of lesser faculties — which discusses the transference of consciousness (phowa) at death to a pure land.

Structure of practice in the "Seminal Heart" tradition

The Dzogchen tradition contain vast anthologies of practices, including standard Buddhist meditation techniques and Tantra practices. With the influence of Tantra, and the systematisations, the main Dzogchen practices came to be preceded by preliminary practices (it simultaneously relegated these preliminaries to a lower status, while also emphasizing their necessity), the preliminaries are to prepare the practitioner for the main practice, they're the basis.

Longchenpa, in "Finding Comfort and Ease in Meditation" (Tib: bsam gtan ngal gso), uses the standard triad of meditative experiences (nyams) to structure the text and the practices:

— Bliss (bde ba)
— Radiance/clarity (gsal ba)
— Non-conceptuality (mi rtog pa)

This triad is also presented as preliminaries, main practice, and concluding phase, systematization contextualized in terms of Tibetan Buddhism.

In "Finding Comfort and Ease in the Nature of Mind", Longchenpa outlines 141 contemplative practices, split into three sections: exoteric Buddhism (92), Tantra (92), and the Great Perfection (27). Most of these practices are "technique-free." The typical Buddhist meditations are relegated to the preliminary phase, while the main meditative practices are typical "direct" approaches.

Longchenpa includes the "perfection phase" techniques of channels, winds and drops (Tib: tsa, lung, tigle or San: nadi, prana, bindu) into the main and concluding phases. The "concluding phase" includes discussions of new contemplative techniques, which aid the practice of the main phase.

The teachings based on the Longchen Nyingthig are also divided into preliminary practices (ngondro) subdivided into various classes, and main practices (trekchö and tögal). In "The White Lotus" (rgyab brten padma dkar po), Jigme Lingpa outlines the path of Nyingthig Dzogchen practice as follows:

Your mindstream is purified by the profound initiation, which is the cause of ripening, and then you begin with the outer, inner and secret preliminaries, which can be equated with the path of accumulation in the Paramitayana. For beginners, the way of practicing is explained by the practice instructions and the lama's instructions.

Longchenpa divides preliminary practices into:

— General preliminaries on impermanence and renunciation of samsara, which corresponds to the Sravakayana;
— Special preliminaries on compassion and Bodhicitta, which corresponds with the Mahayana;
— Supreme preliminaries, consisting of the Deity yoga generation and perfection phases, and Guru yoga.

Jigme Lingpa's 18th century Longchen Nyingthig system divides preliminaries into ordinary, and extraordinary types. The ordinary preliminaries are a series of contemplations of which there are two main instructional texts. One is based on Atisha's "Seven Point Mind Training" (Tib: lojong) and is called the "Tarpai Temke". The second is the "Laglenla Deblug", and it contains the following contemplations:

• appreciating our precious human existence
• contemplating death and impermanence
• contemplating the faults of samsaric existence
• contemplating karmic cause and effect of one's actions
• contemplating the benefits of liberation
• contemplating the qualities of the lama (teacher, guru)

The extraordinary preliminaries, which are discussed in the "Drenpa Nyerzhag", are the following:

• taking refuge in the three jewels (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha)
• cultivating Bodhichitta and the compassionate mind
• practicing Vajrasattva recitation, for purification of the gross obstacles
• practicing mandala offerings, in which we develop generosity and strengthen our enlightenment-building network of positive force
• making kusali offerings of chöd, in which we cut the attachment to our body
• practicing Guru yoga, in which we recognize, focus on, and merge with Buddha-nature in our spiritual mentors, and in ourselves

According the tradition these preliminary practices are the basis of the main practices, and thus, they are not to be abandoned at a later point.

Another important requirement for practicing Dzogchen is ritual initiation or empowerment (Tib: dbang) by an awakened lama. The empowerment is necessary, as it is a direct transfer or the enlightened energy, and it plants the "seeds of realization" within the body, speech and mind. Empowerment "gives us the ability to be liberated into the already present ground." The practices bring the seeds to maturation, resulting in the qualities of enlightened body, speech and mind.

Following Tantric initiation, one also engages in the Tantric practices of the generation and completion stages of Mahayoga and Anuyoga. These practices are the gradual steps to be cultivated which lead one to "Great Perfection" practice.

What is the main point of the excellent path of greatness? It is no more than wiping clean intellectual limitations. Therefore, the three vows, six paramitas, the development and the completion, and so on are all steps on the ladder to the "Great Perfection".

Jigme Lingpa mentions two kinds of Dzogchen preliminaries:

— Ru shan (Tib: khor 'das ru shan dbye ba) —"making a gap between Samsara and Nirvana";
— Sbyong ba — "training the body, speech and mind".

Ru shan is a series of visualisation and recitation exercises. The name reflects the dualism of the distinctions between mind and insight, Alaya and Dharmakāya. Longchenpa places this practice in the "enhancement" (Tib: bogs dbyung) section of his concluding phase. It describes a practice "involving going to a solitary spot and freely acting out whatever comes to your mind."

Sbyong ba is a variety of teachings for training the body, speech and mind. The training of the body entails instructions for physical posture (yoga). The training of speech mainly entails mantra recitation, especially of the syllable hūm. The training of the mind is a Madhyamaka-like analysis of the concept of the mind, to make clear that mind cannot arise from anywhere, reside anywhere, or go anywhere (in effect an establishment of emptiness by means of the intellect).

These practices serve to purify the mind and pacify the hindrances.

Dzogchen Practice

The Dzogchen meditation practices also include a series of exercises known as semdzin (sems dzin), which literally means "to hold the mind" or "to fix mind." They include a whole range of methods, including fixation, breathing, and different body postures, all aiming to bring one into the state of contemplation.

Longchenpa divides them into three categories of seven exercises. Exercises in the first category include:

Fixating on a white Tibetan letter "A" on the tip of one's nose. Linking the letter with one's breathing, it goes out into space with each exhalation and returns to the tip of the nose with each inhalation. This fixation inhibits the arising of extraneous thoughts [...], the second exercise in the same category involves the sounding of the syllable PHAT! which instantly shatters one's thoughts and attachments. Symbolically, the two parts of the syllable indicate the two aspects of enlightenment, that is, PHA signifies "means" (thabs), and T[A] signifies "wisdom" (shes rab). It is one of the specific semdzin practices which is used to provide a direct introduction to the knowledge of rigpa. It temporarily blocks the flow of thought, and brings the mind temporarily in a state of emptiness and clarity.

The practice of trekchö (Tib: khregs chod), "cutting through solidity", "thoroughly cutting through" (resistance, stubbornness, toughness and closedness), or "breakthrough" to reveal the view of primordial purity beyond conceptual elaboration (kadak trödral). Trekchö means cutting through delusion with fierce, direct thoroughness with the irresistible force of the view of rigpa, untill the primordial purity and natural simplicity of the nature of mind is laid bare.

It reflects the earliest developments of Dzogchen, with its admonition against practice. In trekchö one first identifies, and then sustains recognition of, one's own innately pure, empty awareness. Students receive pointing-out instruction (Tib: sems khrid, ngos sprod) in which a teacher introduces the student to the nature of his or her mind. These instructions are received after the preliminary practices, though there's also a tradition to give them before the preliminary practices.

Jigme Lingpa divides the trekchö practice into ordinary and extraordinary instructions. The ordinary section comprises the rejection of the "all is mind–mind is empty" approach, which is a conceptual establishment of emptiness. The extraordinary instructions give directions on the "breakthrough" proper, which consist of the setting out of the view (Tib: lta ba), the doubts and errors that may occur in practice, and general instructions thematized as "the four ways of being at leisure" (cog bzhag), which are a set of brief instructions on the spheres of view (lta ba), meditation (sgom pa), activity (spyod pa), and result ('bras bu).

To practice trekchö meditation, one sits cross legged with eyes open "...settle in the present moment of gnosis [rigpa], without spreading out or gathering in." Rigpa is defined as that knowledge where "the extremes of existence and nonexistence are unaccomplished", non-conceptual, non-dual primordial natural state with no boundary (like infinite space).

The "Seminal Heart" tradition in general considers that pointing out instructions should be kept secret until the moment the lama reveals it to the student. In the "Yeshe Lama", Jigme Lingpa gives the following passage as an introduction to the nature of mind:

Kye! Do not contrive or elaborate the awareness of this very moment. Allow it to be just as is. This is not established as existing, not existing, or having a direction. It does not discern between emptiness and appearances, and does not have the characteristics of nihilism and eternalism. Within this state where nothing exists, it is unnecessary to exert effort through view or meditation. The great primordial liberation is not like being released from bondage. It is natural radiance uncontrived by the intellect, wisdom unsullied by concepts.

The nature of phenomena, not tainted by the view and meditation, is evenness without placement, and post-evenness without premeditation. It is clarity without characteristics and vastness not lost to uniformity. Although all sentient beings have never been separate from their own innate wisdom even for an instant, by failing to recognize this, it becomes like a natural flow of water solidifying into ice. With the inner grasping mind as the root cause, and outer objective clinging as the contributing circumstance, beings wander in samsara indefinitely. Now, with the Guru's oral instructions, at the moment of encountering "awareness-without any mental constructions" [rigpa] rest in the way things truly are, without wavering from, or meditating on anything. This fully reveals the core wisdom intent of the primordial Buddha Kuntuzangpo (Vajradhara, Samantabhadra, Dorje Chang).

Prayer of Kuntuzangpo

 

Regarding "the four ways of being at leisure" (Tib: cog bzhags), in the "Yeshe Lama", these four ways of "freely resting" or "easily letting be" are described as follows:

— Placement in the mountainlike view: After realizing "the true nature-free of thoughts-as it is" remain in the naturally clear, great awareness that is not subject to mental efforts, grasping, or the usage of intentional meditation antidotes (against concepts).

— Oceanlike meditation: Sit in the lotus posture. Look at space in a state of openness. Avoid grasping at the perceptions of the "six consciousnesses" (senses). Clear your cognition like the ocean free of waves.

— Skill in activities: Abruptly relax your three "doors" of body, speech, and mind. Break free of the cocoon of view, and meditation. Just maintain your clear, naked wisdom naturally.

— Unconditional result: Let the "five mental objects" [*] remain naturally as they are. Then natural clarity arises vividly within you.

 

[*] The "five mental objects":

sparśa – contact, contacting awareness, sense impression, touch; vedanā – feeling, sensation; samjñā – perception; cetanā – volition, intention; manasikāra – attention. Or the five aggregates — form, or material image, impression (rupa); sensations, or feelings, received from form (vedana); perceptions (samjna); mental activity or formations (sankhara), and consciousness (vijnana).

 

The proper procedure is to introduce the practitioner directly to the state of contemplation by way of first dissolving one's mental activities (Tib: sems kyi yal ba ngo sprod pa). If one observes the mind and searches for where a thought (rnam rtog) arises, where it remains, and where it goes, no matter how much one researches and investigates this, one will find nothing. It is this very "unfindability" (mi rnyed) of the arising, the abiding, and the passing away of thoughts which is the greatest of all finds.

Thoughts do not arise from anywhere (byung sa med), they do not remain anywhere (gnas sa med), and they do not go anywhere ('gro sa med). They do not arise from within the body, nor do they arise from outside the body. They are truly without any root or source (ghzi med rsta bral). Like the clouds in the sky, they arise only to dissolve again. Thoughts arise out of the state of emptiness and return again into this state of emptiness, which represents pure potentiality. We only have to observe our mind to discover this for ourselves. And this shunyata, this state of emptiness, is in fact the very essence of the mind (sems kyi ngo bo stong pa nyid).

Tögal (Tib: thod rgal) means "leapover", "direct crossing", or "direct transcendence". The literal meaning is "to proceed directly to the goal without having to go through intermediate steps".

Jigme Lingpa follows Longchenpa in seeing the visionary practice of tögal as the highest level of meditation practice.

Tögal is also called "the practice of vision", or the practice of the "Clear Light" (od-gsal). It entails progressing through the "Four Visions" which are:

1. The absolute nature becoming manifest
2. The experience of increasing appearances (multiplying)
3. Awareness reaching its greatest magnitude
4. The exhaustion of phenomena in Dharmata (Tib: chö nyi, intrinsic nature of everything, essence of things as they are).

The practices engage the "subtle body" of psychic channels "nadi", "winds" and "drops" (rtsa, rlung, thig le). The 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. The meditator uses these to recognize his mind's true nature.

Tögal may lead to full enlightenment and the self-liberation of the human body into a "rainbow body" at the moment of death, when all the fixation and grasping has been exhausted. It is a non-material body of light with the ability to exist and abide limitlessly wherever and whenever as pointed by one's compassion, it is a manifestation of the Sambhogakāya.

Some exceptional practitioners such as the 24 Bön masters from the oral tradition of Zhang Zhung (Tapihritsa Bon and Dzogchen master) and Buddhist patriarchs Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra are held to have realized a higher type of "rainbow body" without dying. Having completed the "four visions" [of the "Clear Light" (od-gsal)] before death, the individual focuses on the "lights" that surround the fingers. His or her physical body self-liberates into a nonmaterial body of light (Sambhogakāya) with the ability to exist and abide wherever and whenever as pointed by one's will.

Another way to attain awakening is during the bardo (intermediate state during death) by following certain instructions on how to recognize the signs of death, and how to practice during the death process. Jigme Lingpa describes the process as follows:

Thus, assuming [one of] the three postures, or remaining in the sleeping-lion posture, focus awareness on the eyes. With eyes directed to the space of awareness, relinquish the present life and relax uncontrived within original purity. In an instant liberation will occur.

Jigme Lingpa also states one should practice this meditation while one is alive, to prepare for the death process meditation.

Even while one is alive, when the sky is pristine, direct awareness into space and think — "the moment of death has arrived, now I must pass into the peaceful unelaborate expanse." Exhale the breath and follow it by allowing the mind to remain without focus.

 

Various practices are also taught for those who are present when someone else is dying, such as the "three precious upadeshas of the great, profound tantra Conjunction of the Sun and Moon". These practices are meant to help the dying through the process, and lead them to awakening or a higher rebirth. Jigme Lingpa gives the instructions, meant to be recited by a lama or fellow practitioner at the time of death.

Further practices related to the "bardo of the nature of phenomena" are also taught. At this point, one should practice trekchö and tögal. There are also specific instructions for this phase of death, which occurs when "the connection between body and mind has ended." According to Jigme Lingpa, at this stage, the consciousness of the "basis of all" dissolves into the "basic space" of phenomena and "...in that instant, the natural clear light dawns like a cloudless autumn sky".

If one does not attain awakening, there will be a series of appearances which will be "extremely bright and colorful, devoid of distinctions such as outer, inner, wide, or narrow." There will also be appearances of the mandalas of peaceful and fierce deities. One is supposed to recognize all these appearances as being one's own mind, and as lacking true existence [specific teachings provide detailed instructions on the process].

Jigme Lingpa outlines the key point in bardo practice as follows:

The key point for achieving liberation in this way is to abide in unimpeded empty awareness, as the nature of original purity, beyond thought and expression. Having actually realized the ultimate ground of liberation, it is then necessary to encounter that which already is, decide upon that alone, and have confidence within liberation.

Appearances by nature, when observed objectively, seem to be limitless; but, when observed subjectively, nothing whatsoever exists. However, even fixation upon the thought of non-existence is naturally liberated in the first instant that one's own nature is nakedly revealed without mental analysis. This is the key point clearly defining the original ground of liberation.

In whatever way compassion engages with objects, do not try to stop this pursuit or hold this within. With awareness placed precisely upon its own source, unimpeded cognition is without the distinctions of outer, inner, and in between. In this way, the bardo appearances will be naturally pure in the radiance of awareness. This is a key point of the quintessential heart essence ("Seminal Heart") for recognizing the state of liberation with precise awareness.

Another opportunity for awakening during the bardo is a way to transfer consciousness to a "pure land" at the "bardo of existence". Once in this bardo, recognize you have died, and then recall the Guru with faith and remember the instructions. Think of the "pure land" and its qualities, and be reborn there. Jigme Lingpa recommends that one should practice this in daily life as well, as follows:

When falling asleep at night, with intense concentration one must think — "I am dying, so I must recognize the stages of dissolution and go to the natural pure realm". Then, one will fall asleep envisioning the arrangement and qualities of the pure realm. Between [practice] sessions, as mentioned earlier, it is essential to have developed the skill of training the "consciousness that rides the winds" (via pranayama and yoga).

Phowa

Phowa has many different meanings, in Tibetan it means "transfer of consciousness."

The method can be applied at the moment of death to transfer one's consciousness through the top of the head directly into a Buddha-field "pure land" of one's choice, while bypassing some of the typical experiences that are said to occur in bardo after death. Phowa is also performed by a lama specialist (Tib: ’pho ’debs bla ma) on the behalf of the deceased, as a post-mortem ritual.

Dzogchen Phowa

The highest form is known as the phowa of the Dharmakaya which is meditation on the "Great Perfection". When you do Dzogchen phowa meditation, there's no need to transfer anything, because there's nothing to transfer, no place to transfer it, nor anyone to do it. That's the highest, and greatest phowa practice.

The main lineage of phowa is one of the "Six Yogas Of Naropa", although other transmissions also exist. The chöd subsumes within its auspices aspects of phowa sadhana.

The Kagyu phowa lineage is from the "Six Yogas Of Naropa". Nāropa received it from the Indian mahāsiddha Tilopa and later passed it to his Tibetan disciple Marpa The Translator, and so on.

Nāropa's teachings describe a second method of ’pho ba that entails the transference of one’s consciousness to another body (’pho ba grong ’jug). Milarepa's query regarding these teachings forced Marpa to search for explanatory treatises on the subject among his Indian manuscripts, and, having found none, to return to India to obtain more scriptures.

The Drikung Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism is known for their phowa teachings. A major pilgrimage and cultural celebration is known as the Great Drikung Phowa (’bri gung ’pho ba chen mo) festival traditionally held once in every twelve-year calendrical cycle. Its last observance took place in August 1992 in Terdrom (a cave site and hermitage), Central Tibet. Choeje Ayang Rinpoche from Eastern Tibet belongs to the Drikung school and is an authority on Buddhist afterlife rituals; he gives teachings and initiations to the practice of phowa annually in Bodh Gaya, India.

In the context of Western Buddhism, the practice of phowa has become well known in two groups widespread in Europe and the Americas. Diamond Way Buddhism was founded in 1972 by Lama Ole Nydahl and Hannah Nydahl, offers intensive courses from a Nyngma and Karma Kagyu transmission, in which the outer signs (mark of a successful phowa practice) are achieved. Another known practitioner group is in Rigpa, which was founded by Sogyal Rinpoche in 1979.

The mark of a successful phowa practice is an appearance of a small opening, or a spot, directly from the center of the vertex. To demonstrate a successful practice traditionally a kusha-grass (halfa grass) was pushed into the small opening created in the fontanel.

Some lineages of phowa include a rite of incision, or opening of the Sahasrara at the cranial zenith, to assist with transferral.

Tsa lung (Skt: nadi-vayu; Tib: rtsa rlung, energetic channel exercises) trul khor (San: vayv-adhisāra "magical movement instrument, channels and inner breath currents"), known in short as trul khor "magical instrument" or "magic circle" (adhisāra) is a Vajrayana discipline which includes pranayama (prana, breath control) and body postures (asanas).

From the perspective of Dzogchen, the mind is merely vāyu (breath) in the body, or it "rides breath like a rider". Thus working with vāyu in the body is paramount, while meditation, on the other hand, is considered contrived and conceptual.

Trul khor could be taken as the equivalent of Yantra Yoga. Trul khor derives from the instructions of the Indian Mahasiddhas who founded Vajrayana (3rd to 13th centuries CE).

Trul khor traditionally consists of 108 movements, including bodily movements (or dynamic asanas), incantations (or mantras), pranayama and visualizations.

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