highest
   rDzogs pa chen po in relations with other paths, means to
have the general view as explained in rDzogs pa chen po texts,
while practicing any of the paths 1 through 8. An individual
does not have to begin with the first. Beginning practice is
according  to  the  capacities   of  each  individual.   The
important  point is to maintain  the rDzogs  pa chen po view
while doing any practice.  The basis of this view is that we
are all already  Buddhas.  We engage in the activity  of any
path because that is the activity of a Buddha.  For example,
while Sakyamuni fully realized the rDzogs pa chen po view he
followed  the  Hinayana  systems  in  order  to  teach.   He
practiced  the tantras in order to worship other buddhas  as
well  as  to  teach.  Therefore.  it  is important  to learn
something  of the other  paths  to be able to engage  in the
activity of Buddhas.
　　 The Great Explanation relates to the three divisions of
the  rDzogs pa chen po.   These are the Mind class the Great
Expanse  class  and the Instructions  class.  The Mind class
teaches the seeing the mind in its
 
 
　　　　　　　　　　  P.315
 
nakedness.  The Great Expanse class teaches the openness  of
being(=experiential  aspect  of  sunyata).  The  Instruction
class  teaches  the  techniques  for  stablizing  and  total
incorporation   of  the  overall  view  and  experiences  of
enlightenment.
   There are of course many fine points that are not presented
here   in  our  brief   outline.   Basically,  the   various
meditations are aimed at producing a state of no-thought and
later   no-thought   of  no-thought.   There  are  visionary
techniques  used which  make for a close contact  with other
tantra classes.  The metaphors  used are usually  drawn from
the tantras.  However, even  the visionary  meditations  are
considerably  simplified when compared with other classes of
tantras.  The highest  levels  of practice  are that  of the
direct viewing of the non-dual state.
   Rong  Zom had  inherited, from  the teachings  of Kham, a
system of rDzogs pa chen po that had already mixed the Ch'an
of China with the Indian teachings  on sudden enlightenment.
As noted these teachings were introduced by Vairocana. Also,
as noted, Ch'an  was associated  with the mind class  of the
rDzogs  pa chen po.  When Rong  Zom had brought  these  Kham
teachings  together with the teachings of Vimalamitra, Ch'an
maintained its association with the Mind class.
 
CONCLUSION
 
   We have seen that it was the famous scholar/yogi Rong Zom
who had brought the teachings  of  Vimalamitra and Vairocana
together and there by forming  a  comprehensive whole to the
teaching  of rDzogs pa chen po.  Previous  to this, the Mind
class  of teachings  had become  associated  with  the Ch'an
teachings coming from China.
   Seeing that the Ch'an teachings had a very close doctrinal
affilitation  with the rDzogs  pa chen po, the mixing of the
two was a natural event. Later Tibetan teachers forgot about
this connection  and went on to teach  Ch'an  in association
with other teachings of rDzogs pa chen po.  This association
was so completely  forgotten  that in later  years, when the
rNyingma  were accused  of spreading  teachings  similar  to
Chinese  thought  (a maior religious  crime  in Tibet), they
would  strongly  deny  such charges.  In defence, they would
point to the Indian origin of the rDzogs pa chen po.
 
 
　　　　　　　　　　   P.316
 
NOTES
 1. see a;  Norbu, Namkha.  "rDzogs  Chen & Zen." Zhan Zhung
　　 Press 1985. b; Broughton, Jeffrey."Early Ch'an   Schools
　　 in  Tibet"  c;  Gomez,  Luis  O."The  Direct  &  Gradual