ATIKOPA


Generation Stage

Cultivating the "preliminary practices" to become a vessel for the Dharma

The generation stage of Dzogchen begins with the "Dzogchen preliminary practices".
"Preliminary practices of Dzogchen" are the foundations that must be acquired before actually practicing Dzogchen. They include methods for eliminating inner afflictions, accumulating causes and conditions, and reaping results. These processes are called "preliminary practices".
The "generation stage" is for the purpose of maturing the mindstream for the practice of the "completion stage." Ordinary people, due to unpurified karmic obscurations, insufficient accumulation of merit and wisdom, or lack of faith in the guru, cannot directly practice the main practices of Dzogchen. They must first practice purification and accumulation of merit to become a vessel capable of receiving Dzogchen teachings. Otherwise, when the guru reveals the "nature of mind," we will not be able to truly understand, resonate with, or enter into it.
The Great Perfection (Dzogchen) is the complete path that encompasses all the Buddha's teachings. Therefore, before practicing the main practice of the Great Perfection, all the Buddha's teachings, including the Anu Yoga of Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana, are the content of the "preliminary practices" of the Great Perfection.
In Tibetan Buddhism, especially in Vajrayana, "preliminary practices" are teachings with a lineage and sequence. Each school has its own curriculum for preliminary practices, including those of Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana, and Dzogchen.

 

The preliminary practices of Dzogchen
The preliminary practices of Dzogchen include the "common outer preliminary practices" and the "uncommon inner preliminary practices".
"Common preliminary practices" refers to a shared method. Since sentient beings are divided into those with superior, inferior, and intermediate capacities, the common practices required for sentient beings of different capacities to practice this Dharma are the "common preliminary practices".
The key to the "Common Preliminary Practices" is the "Four Turns of Mind," which uses four types of thinking—the preciousness of human life, the impermanence of life, the law of cause and effect, and the suffering of samsara—to help practitioners increase their renunciation, devotion, and bodhicitta, thus moving them toward the Dharma.
The preliminary practices of taking refuge and generating bodhicitta cultivate the practitioner's faith in the Guru and the Three Jewels, and generate compassion for all beings. Practicing the Vajrasattva purification practice eliminates karmic obscurations of body, speech, and mind. Offering a mandala quickly accumulates merit. Practicing Guru Yoga aligns one's ordinary mind with the wisdom mind of the Guru.
Through a series of practices, disciples become perfect vessels for the Great Perfection teachings. Experienced masters will, at the appropriate time, skillfully reveal the nature of mind, enabling disciples to realize the nature of mind.

 

【 The common preliminary practices 】
The common preliminary practices are divided into six parts: the preciousness of human life, the impermanence of all things, the suffering of samsara, the infallibility of cause and effect, the benefits of liberation, and reliance on the guru.


1、Precious Human Rebirth
Having a precious human body, being able to come into contact with the Three Jewels, hear the Buddha's teachings, and have the opportunity to learn the true Dharma from the lineage masters of all generations, is an extremely rare and precious human life.
The difficulty of obtaining a precious human rebirth can be discussed from the following four perspectives: the inherent leisure of human nature, the perfection of the special nature of human nature, the analogy of its rarity, and the difference in the number of rebirths.

2、All things are impermanent
Though we have a precious human rebirth and are connected with the Dharma, due to our habitual tendencies, we may want to be lazy and cling to pleasure. If we understand that everything is impermanent, our lazy tendencies will decrease.
There are two ways to understand "impermanence": one is to understand "impermanence" from the phenomena of the "five elements" such as formation, existence, decay, and emptiness; the other is to understand "impermanence" from birth, aging, sickness, and death.
Nagarjuna said, "Which will come first, tomorrow or the next life? No one can predict." Keep "impermanence" in mind and constantly observe all phenomena, being aware that nothing lasts forever. In this way, you will have a profound understanding of "impermanence," gradually reduce your attachment to worldly things, and decrease your inner afflictions. This will give rise to a strong "renunciation."
There are seven ways to contemplate "impermanence of all things": contemplating the external world and practicing impermanence, contemplating sentient beings and practicing impermanence, contemplating eminent monks and virtuous masters and practicing impermanence, contemplating worldly lords and practicing impermanence, contemplating various metaphors and practicing impermanence, contemplating the uncertainty of death and practicing impermanence, and contemplating intense desires and practicing impermanence.

3、Cause and effect are real
If life is impermanent, it is merely the separation of the body and consciousness brought together by causes and conditions. Our consciousness, still based on the good and bad karma accumulated in the past, is reborn in the cycle of rebirth, in the realms of good and evil. Rebirth arises from karma, and one suffers the consequences of karma. Therefore, we should constantly observe the cause and effect of good and bad deeds, eliminate all bad deeds, and practice all good deeds.
The concept of the infallibility of cause and effect; including the abandonment of unwholesome deeds, the cultivation of wholesome deeds, and the inherent nature of all karma.

4、The suffering of reincarnation
1.The "cycle of suffering" in thought
Because of the habitual tendencies accumulated since beginningless time, we continue to create karma, transmigrating in the cycle of rebirth in the three realms, with suffering and afflictions following us like a shadow. If we can truly observe and contemplate, and abide in the Dharma, "renunciation" will surely arise in our hearts, allowing us to escape the great ocean of suffering in samsara and attain the perfect enlightenment. Therefore, we should diligently practice, perfecting the preliminary practices, the main practices, and the final practices.

2.Contemplate the suffering of each of the six realms separately.
Sentient beings create various unwholesome and evil deeds due to greed, anger, and ignorance. At the time of death, they are reborn in the six realms according to their different evil deeds. The six realms include hell, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, asuras, and gods.

5.Liberation Benefits
By practicing the preliminary practices, we can understand the suffering of samsara. Since samsara is suffering, no one wants to be trapped in it, and there will inevitably be a desire for liberation.
「"Liberation" refers to escaping the great sea of suffering of samsara and attaining the stages of Arhat, Pratyekabuddha, or perfect enlightenment. Any of these stages is "liberation".
Beginning with the understanding that "human life is precious," one should harmonize one's own mindstream and then enter into the "uncommon preliminary practices," starting with "taking refuge" until the completion of the main practice. Each practice has its own merit, which is the cause of liberation.
The three stages of enlightenment—Śrāvaka, Pratyekabuddha, and perfect enlightenment—are all peaceful and cool, and one is liberated from the suffering of samsara. Therefore, one should rejoice in them.

6. Relying on the Guru
The order of choosing a guru is: first observe the guru, then decide to rely on the guru, and finally study the guru's intentions. Studying the guru's intentions is the purpose of relying on a guru.
（1.）The Importance of Relying on a Guru
From the preliminary practices, we deeply realize that samsara is suffering, and liberation from samsara is the only option. However, the path to liberation requires the guidance of a virtuous teacher to achieve success.
（2.）The Basic Virtues of a Guru
The requirements for a spiritual teacher differ between the exoteric and esoteric schools, and between Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism.

【 Uncommon Preliminary Practices 】
The "Uncommon Preliminary Practices" contain the preliminary practices of all teachings, including Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.
The first part of ""Uncommon Preliminary Practices" is "Taking refuge" "Taking refuge" begins with receiving the refuge vows, which belong to the "pratimoksha vows".
The initial step in Theravada Buddhism is to receive the Pratimoksha vows. Having established this foundation, one then receives the Bodhisattva vows, thus taking refuge in Mahayana Buddhism. Finally, one receives initiation, thus taking refuge in Vajrayana Buddhism. Therefore, refuge is the foundation of all teachings in Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.
The practical content of the "Uncommon Preliminary Practices" includes additional aspects between taking refuge and generating bodhicitta. "Prostration" Contents of practice.
The second part of "Uncommon Preliminary Practices" is "Generate Bodhicitta" It is the preliminary practice and foundation of Mahayana Buddhism, because the root, path, and fruition of Mahayana teachings are centered on "Bodhi-mind." To have Bodhi-mind, one must first receive the "Bodhisattva vows." There are two lineages of the "Bodhisattva vows": one is the "Madhyamaka" lineage, and the other is the "Yogacara" lineage. The "Madhyamaka" lineage originates from Shakyamuni Buddha, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, and others. The "Bodhisattva vows" transmitted from Shakyamuni Buddha, Maitreya Bodhisattva, Asanga Bodhisattva, and others are the "Yogacara" lineage.
The third part of "Uncommon Preliminary Practices" is "Offering Manda" " Offering mandalas" is the most excellent method for accumulating merit and wisdom. All the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, from Hinayana to Vajrayana, are attained through accumulating merit and wisdom.
The fourth part of "Uncommon Preliminary Practices" is “ Vajrasattva Practice “ The Vajrasattva practice, especially the preliminary practices of esoteric Buddhism, requires initiation according to the esoteric lineage. Upon reaching this stage of preliminary practice, one attains the three vows: the Pratimoksha vows, the Bodhisattva vows, and the Vajra vows.
The fifth part of the "Uncommon Preliminary Practices" is "Guru Yoga".“Guru Yoga”This is a preliminary practice of the highest tantric path, Dzogchen. Dzogchen directly points to the inherently complete Buddha-nature, and only through the blessings and wisdom of the lineage masters who have attained realization, and by directly guiding our practice, can we realize this inherently complete Buddha-nature. Guru Yoga is a preliminary practice of Dzogchen.