The Marvelous Guide to Actual Practice

The 14th century Tibetan meditation master known as Rangjung Dorje, the 3rd Karmapa, is historically significant within the Tibetan Buddhist world for many reasons, one of which being that he is widely regarded as the first officially recognized tulku. A master of many aspects of the vajrayana tradition, his works and impact still remain fresh and vital to understanding mahamudra, the vajra body, and a host of other topics.

Rangjung Dorje was also a contemporary of the great Dzogchen master Longchenpa, and studied and practiced under Longchenpa’s primary teacher Rigdzin Kumaradza. According to Rangjung Dorje’s biography, he had a vision in which the early Dzogchen masters Vimalamitra and Padmasambhava appeared and dissolved into the point between his eyebrows. It is said that as this happened, Rangjung Dorje instantly received the transmission for all of the Dzogchen tantras along with a visionary cycle of Dzogchen meditation that arose in his mind…