Vima Nyingtik
Encyclopedia
Vima Nyingthig or "Vimalamitra's Seminal Heart" (Tibetan: བི་མ་སྙིང་ཐིག་; Wylie: bi ma snying thig) is a practice lineage of Mantrayana. It is one of the nyingthig or seminal heart teachings of the Mennagde cycle of Dzogchen
and was codified and collated by Longchenpa
(1308–1364?) in the fourteenth century. The Mennagde all convey teachings and practices on Trekcho in a largely comparable manner but it is in their presentation of Togal that they greatly differ.
The Vima Nyingtik itself consists of tantras (rgyud), agamas (lung), and upadeshas (man ngag). The tantras here refer to the Seventeen Tantras. Namkhai (1991) & Vajranatha (1996: p.18) hold that agamas that pertain to the Vima Nyingtik were compiled by Vimalamitra
(fl. 8th century) and are known as the "five series" (W: sde tshan lnga), are the "Golden Letters" (W: gser yig can), the "Turquoise Letters" (W: gyu yig can), the "Copper Letters" (W: zangs yig can), the "Conch Shell Letters" (dung yig can) and the "Variagated Letters" (phra yig can). The upadeshas of the Vima Nyingtik refer to 119 treatises of pith advice.
The Vima Nyingthig is founded principally on the "Seventeen Tantras
" and the "Troma Tantra".
The Vima Nyingthig denotes the teachings both for and of the scholars or pandita
, brought to Tibet by Vimalamitra
.
.
These Seventeen Tantras are to be found in the Canon of the Ancient School, the Nyingma Gyubum
, volumes 9 and 10, folio numbers 143–159 of the edition edited by Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche commonly known as Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (Thimpu, Bhutan, 1973), reproduced from the manuscript preserved at Tingkye Gonpa Jang Monastery in Tibet.
, Manjushrimitra, Shri Singha and Jnanasutra
. These testaments are post-humous as they were delivered by the vidhyadhara to their senior disciple from within a thigle of the Five Pure Lights
in their Rainbow Body of Light. In this tradition, the thigle is understood to be comparable to a pure dimension
or mandala
. These were first compiled by Vimalamitra
in his five series (which consisted of the series of: Golden Letters, Copper Letters, Variegated Letters, Conch Shell Letters and Turquoise Letters). These posthumous teaching belong to the series of the "Golden Letters" .
Dzogchen
According to Tibetan Buddhism and Bön, Dzogchen is the natural, primordial state or natural condition of the mind, and a body of teachings and meditation practices aimed at realizing that condition. Dzogchen, or "Great Perfection", is a central teaching of the Nyingma school also practiced by...
and was codified and collated by Longchenpa
Longchenpa
Longchen Rabjampa, Drimé Özer "Longchenpa" was a major teacher in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. Along with Sakya Pandita and Je Tsongkhapa, he is commonly recognized as one of the three main manifestations of Manjushri to have taught in Central Tibet...
(1308–1364?) in the fourteenth century. The Mennagde all convey teachings and practices on Trekcho in a largely comparable manner but it is in their presentation of Togal that they greatly differ.
The Vima Nyingtik itself consists of tantras (rgyud), agamas (lung), and upadeshas (man ngag). The tantras here refer to the Seventeen Tantras. Namkhai (1991) & Vajranatha (1996: p.18) hold that agamas that pertain to the Vima Nyingtik were compiled by Vimalamitra
Vimalamitra
Vimalamitra ), an 8th century Indian adept, is key to the history of Tibetan Buddhist Dzogchen practice. He lived equally in China, Oddiyana and Tibet, but was known as the "Sage of Kashmir". According to tradition, he was born in Western India and travelled to China to become a disciple of Shri...
(fl. 8th century) and are known as the "five series" (W: sde tshan lnga), are the "Golden Letters" (W: gser yig can), the "Turquoise Letters" (W: gyu yig can), the "Copper Letters" (W: zangs yig can), the "Conch Shell Letters" (dung yig can) and the "Variagated Letters" (phra yig can). The upadeshas of the Vima Nyingtik refer to 119 treatises of pith advice.
The Vima Nyingthig is founded principally on the "Seventeen Tantras
Seventeen tantras
In Tibetan Buddhism, specifically in the literature and practice of Dzogchen, the seventeen tantras of the esoteric instruction cycle are a suite of tantras belonging to the textual division known as the "esoteric instruction cycle" .-History and tradition:The seventeen tantras, though not...
" and the "Troma Tantra".
The Vima Nyingthig denotes the teachings both for and of the scholars or pandita
Pandita
Paṇḍita is a Sanskrit word meaning learned master. The word pundit is derived from pandit or pandita...
, brought to Tibet by Vimalamitra
Vimalamitra
Vimalamitra ), an 8th century Indian adept, is key to the history of Tibetan Buddhist Dzogchen practice. He lived equally in China, Oddiyana and Tibet, but was known as the "Sage of Kashmir". According to tradition, he was born in Western India and travelled to China to become a disciple of Shri...
.
Troma Tantra
The "Troma Tantra" or the "Ngagsung Tromay Tantra" otherwise known as the "Ekajaṭĭ Khros Ma'i rGyud" focuses on rites of the protector, EkajatiEkajati
Ekajaṭī or Ekajaṭā, , also known as Māhacīna-tārā, one of the 21 Taras, is one of the most powerful and fierce goddesses of Indo-Tibetan mythology...
.
Seventeen tantras
The "Seventeen tantras of the esoteric instruction cycle" which are supports for the Vima Nyingthig are as follows (in no particular order):- "Self-existing Perfection"
- "Without Letters"
- "Self-arising Primordial Awareness"
- "Self-liberated Primordial Awareness"
- "Piled Gems"
- "Shining Relics of Enlightened BodyShining Relics of Enlightened BodyShining Relics of Enlightened Body is numbered amongst the 'Seventeen Tantras of Menngagde' within Dzogchen discourse and is part of the textual support for the Vima Nyingtik.-Translation:...
" - "Reverberation of SoundReverberation of SoundThe Reverberation of Sound, or Drataljur , is the root tantra of the Seventeen Tantras of the Upadesha-varga.These Seventeen Tantras are to be found in the Canon of the Ancient School, the 'Nyingma Gyubum' , volumes 9 and 10, folio numbers 143-159 of the edition edited by 'Jamyang Khyentse...
" - "Great Auspicious Beauty"
- "The Mirror of the Heart of VajrasattvaThe Mirror of the Heart of VajrasattvaThe Mirror of the Heart of Vajrasattva is numbered amongst the 'Seventeen Tantras of Menngagde' within Dzogchen discourse and is part of the textual support for the Vima Nyingtik....
" - "The Mirror of the Mind of Samantabhadra"
- "Direct Introduction"
- "Necklace of Precious Pearls"
- "Sixfold Expanse of Samantabhadra"
- "Blazing Lamp"
- "Union of the Sun and MoonUnion of the Sun and MoonThe Union of the Sun and Moon is one of the 'Seventeen tantras of the esoteric instruction cycle' which are a suite of tantras known variously as: Nyingtik, Upadesha or Menngagde within Dzogchen discourse....
" - "Lion's Perfect Expressive Power"
- "Array of Jewels"
These Seventeen Tantras are to be found in the Canon of the Ancient School, the Nyingma Gyubum
Nyingma Gyubum
'Nyingma Gyubum' is the 'Collected Tantras of the Ancients', that is the Mahayoga, Anuyoga and Atiyoga Tantras of the Nyingma.-Canonization:The Nyingma Gyubum of the Nyingma was a dependent arising resulting from the 'normalization' of the Kangyur and Tengyur by the Sarma traditions which for the...
, volumes 9 and 10, folio numbers 143–159 of the edition edited by Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche commonly known as Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (Thimpu, Bhutan, 1973), reproduced from the manuscript preserved at Tingkye Gonpa Jang Monastery in Tibet.
Lineage
Kumaradza was a senior disciple of Melong Dorje (1243–1303). Kumaradza studied with the grand master Orgyenpa (1230–1309), who conveyed teachings of "Vimalamitra's Seminal Heart" (Tibetan: བི་མ་སྙིང་ཐིག་; Wylie: bi ma snying thig) upon him.Testaments of the knowledge-holders
"The Posthumous Teachings of the Vidyadhara" are found in the Vima Nyingtik. These are the last testaments of the early vidyadharas: Garab DorjeGarab Dorje
Garab Dorje was the semi-historical first human teacher of the Ati Yoga or Great Perfection teachings according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Prior to Prahevajra, the Nyingma hold that the Dzogchen teachings had been expounded only in celestial realms and the 'pure lands' of the Buddhas,...
, Manjushrimitra, Shri Singha and Jnanasutra
Jnanasutra
Jnanasutra . is a Vajrayana Dzogchenpa who was a disciple of Sri Singha. Jnanasutra was a spiritual brother of Vimalamitra, another principal disciple of Sri Singha.-Disambiguation:...
. These testaments are post-humous as they were delivered by the vidhyadhara to their senior disciple from within a thigle of the Five Pure Lights
Five Pure Lights
The Five Pure Lights are experiential manifestations in the Dzogchen tradition of Bön and Nyingma and are aspects of non-dual clarity and primordial luminosity of dharmakaya, kunzhi and/or emptiness...
in their Rainbow Body of Light. In this tradition, the thigle is understood to be comparable to a pure dimension
Pure land
A pure land, in Mahayana Buddhism, is the celestial realm or pure abode of a Buddha or Bodhisattva. The various traditions that focus on Pure Lands have been given the nomenclature Pure Land Buddhism. Pure lands are also evident in the literature and traditions of Taoism and Bön.The notion of 'pure...
or mandala
Mandala
Maṇḍala is a Sanskrit word that means "circle". In the Buddhist and Hindu religious traditions their sacred art often takes a mandala form. The basic form of most Hindu and Buddhist mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point...
. These were first compiled by Vimalamitra
Vimalamitra
Vimalamitra ), an 8th century Indian adept, is key to the history of Tibetan Buddhist Dzogchen practice. He lived equally in China, Oddiyana and Tibet, but was known as the "Sage of Kashmir". According to tradition, he was born in Western India and travelled to China to become a disciple of Shri...
in his five series (which consisted of the series of: Golden Letters, Copper Letters, Variegated Letters, Conch Shell Letters and Turquoise Letters). These posthumous teaching belong to the series of the "Golden Letters" .