Dzogchen: "Roaring Silence" (book)

Shambhala.com, Roaring Silence; CC Liu, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

According to later Vajrayana Buddhist tradition, Dzogchen (/sog-chen/, "Great Perfection," "Great Completion," "Ultimate Yoga") is the direct experience of enlightenment.

In Roaring Silence: Discovering the Mind of Dzogchen, Vajrayana teachers Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen walk readers through meditation techniques.

These techniques "enable us to side-step the bureaucracy of intellectual processes and experience ourselves directly" — to discover this direct experience of enlightenment that is the mind of Dzogchen.

Surprisingly, the approach is very pragmatic. Offering an investigation of the necessary steps, the authors begin with how to prepare for the journey:

• the lama is essential
• as are a sense of humor
• inspiration, and
• determination.

What is the Great Completion?

They continue by describing the path of Dzogchen from sitting meditation to the direct perception of reality.

The chapters include exercises for sharpening the presence of our awareness, for simple visualizations, and for investigating how to "remain uninvolved" with mental activity for a period — with follow-up guidance on how to view our experiences.

Practical and inspirational, the authors' exquisitely precise guidance is all presented with the caveat, "Be kind to yourself, and don't push yourself beyond your limits." More

Review

"Readers conversant with Buddhism (especially Zen) will find much that is familiar, but this is no dry doctrinaire treatise. The authors have a pleasant conversational style and a lighthearted approach to religious practice. They strive to make Buddhist spiritual ideals intelligible to Westerners."

— Library Journal