One of the core texts of the Drikung Kagyu tradition that is reported to be the oral teachings of Jikten Gönpo that were written down and edited together by his student Sherab Jungne. Although not all manuscripts are alike, a beautiful reproduction from Garchen Stiftung (2015) that was studied by Dr. Jan-Ulrich Sobisch contains the following chapter topics:
- (1) Pure View, Practice, and Conduct
- (2-4) The Three Vows
- (5) Three Dharma Wheels
- (6) Dependent Origination
- (7) The Resultant Stage of Buddhahood
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| Other Titles | ~ dgongs gcig ~ dgongs gcig gi rtsa tshig ~ dam chos dgongs pa gcig pa'i rtsa tshig rdo rje'i gsung brgya lnga bcu pa ~ 'bri gung dgongs gcig |
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People/'bri gung skyob pa 'jig rten mgon po
Sherab Jungne
Explaining the Drigung Kagyu Understanding of Buddha-Nature Based on the Single Intent
Khenpo Dawa Tsering starts by mentioning how buddha-nature is a profound and difficult topic to fathom even by enlightened beings, and he can merely make an attempt. In his presentation, Khenpo presents the theory and practice of buddha-nature in the Drigung Kagyu tradition, primarily based on the two verses on buddha-nature found in the Single Intent of Drigung Kyobpa Jikten Gönpo. To put it in historical context, he shares that Jikten Sumgon lived in the 12th century and the Single Intent has since had commentaries written on it not only by Drigung masters but also by Kagyu and Nyingma masters.
Based on the Single Intent, he confirms that the Drigung understanding of buddha-nature aligns with the direct experiential meditative tradition rather than the inferential and exegetical tradition. Out of many verses comprising 150 points in the Single Intent, there are only two lines explicitly mentioning buddha-nature. Like the Kagyu and Nyingma schools, the Drigung school also accepts that buddha-nature has the sublime qualities of the Buddha latent in it. These sublime qualities are, however, obscured by the impurities, which do not really penetrate or contaminate the actual state of buddha-nature.
In this respect, the term glo bur, or adventitious, does not have a temporal connotation of something happening suddenly and temporarily. The impurities have been around since the beginning. Rather, the term refers to the removable or separable nature of the impurities which cover buddha-nature. Following the Kagyu tradition originating in Dvagpopa, or Gampopa Sonam Rinchen, the Drigung school asserts that buddha-nature avoids the problems of denial and exaggeration. Because buddha-nature is free from or empty of impurities, it avoids the problem of imposition or exaggeration. Because buddha-nature primordially possesses noble qualities, it avoids the problem of denial or rejection.
Buddha-nature endowed with all sublime qualities of enlightenment is presented as being unconditioned and eternal, and three names of the impure, partially pure, and fully pure are used to refer to it in three stages. Just like Devadatta is known as a gardener for gardening, cook while cooking, etc., buddha-nature is also given three different titles at three stages, although it is one and the same in its essence.
According to the Single Intent, the third wheel of dharma on buddha-nature is said to be clearly definitive, while the middle wheel is not fully definitive, as it also teaches emptiness which is a nominal ultimate. Khenpo also adds that the two truths are perspectives and not two different ontological states and that the sūtras often classed as Mind Only-sūtras are considered as ultimately Mādhyamika. Sūtras themselves cannot be classed as Mind Only or Middle Way sūtras. While the three wheels of dharma are considered as progressive teachings for a person to follow gradually, the Single Intent also claims that the three wheels of dharma differ in focus and emphasis and they share all aspects with varying stress.
Early in the history of the Kagyü school, the teachings of Jikten Sumgön were condensed into 150 core formulations called vajra statements. These pithy, revelatory statements comprise the Single Intention (Dgongs gcig), which presents the thought of the Buddha and the nature of the ineffable (brjod du med pa) in concise and direct expression. The Single Intention weaves the thread of ineffable mahāmudrā through the entire fabric of Buddhism. It presents mahāmudrā as pervading disciplined conduct, meditative concentration, and discriminative knowledge; ground, path, and result; view, practice, and conduct; and the “three vows” of prātimokṣa, of the bodhisattvas, and of mantra. Jikten Sumgön teaches how the fundamental values and insights revealed by the Buddha are woven into reality and therefore accessible to all.
