Teaching

Dzogchen, or "The Great Perfection", is considered the most immediate path towards spiritual progress. Rather than a religious doctrine it is better defined as a system of inner knowledge, given the great importance to the development of individual awareness. This spiritual path, which is open to all, involves working towards self-awareness; personal freedom is an essential aspect so there is no obligation to follow rules or take monastic vows.

The fundamental practice consists of reaching a deep knowledge of oneself and one's essential existence through the various experiences of daily life. For this reason, Dzogchen is particularly well suited to the needs of modern society.

Chögyal Namkhai Norbu is an influential figure of undisputed prestige as one of the present day exponents of this ancient tradition.

Chögyal Namkhai Norbu was born in 1938 in Derghe, in Eastern Tibet and was recognised at birth as the reincarnation of a noted exponent of the Dzogchen tradition. 



Notwithstanding his youth, he was already well known by the end of the 1950s as a person with a profound knowledge of the Dzogchen teachings and also as a spiritual teacher. His fame, in India and in Tibet was such that in 1960 Professor Giuseppe Tucci, an eminent scholar and founder of the Is.MEO (one of the major institutes of oriental studies in Italy), invited him to Rome to collaborate in research at what is today known as Is.I.A.O, (Istituto per l'Africa e l'Oriente). 



It was thus that Namkhai Norbu came to Italy where he contributed actively in the development of Tibetan studies in the West.In 1962 he took up a post teaching Tibetan language and literature in Naples at the Istituto Universitario Orientale di Napoli where he worked until 1992.From the mid seventies Namkhai Norbu began to teach Yantra Yoga and Dzogchen meditation to a few Italian students and the growing interest in his teachings convinced him to dedicate himself increasingly to such activities.



Together with a number of disciples he founded the first Dzogchen community in Arcidosso in Tuscany and then later founded other centres in various parts of Europe, Russia, the United States, South America and Australia

Dratalgyur is the root Tantra of Upadesha - the secret instructions series of Dzogchen Teaching.

For recent years Choegyal Namkhai Norbu has been writing a commentary on this Tantra based on commentaries of Vimalamitra - the great Tibetan master of ancient times - found in Kathog Monastery in Tibet and in the library of the Fifth Dalai Lama.

This year Rinpoche is giving the whole series of retreats on the essential teachings of Dratalgyur, which reveal the view and different methods of the Dzogchen Teaching, aimed for development of capacities of individuum and reawakening of the true knowledge of one's real nature.