The Value of Ngöndro in Dzogchen

The Value of Ngöndro in Dzogchen

Thoughts for Practitioners

For centuries, masters of the Great Perfection have debated whether ngöndro — the “foundational practices” of refuge through prostrations, bodhicitta, Vajrasattva purification, maṇḍala offering and guru yoga — is required for entry into Atiyoga.

The issue is not merely academic. It touches the core question of spiritual maturity, readiness, and the delicate relationship between direct introduction and the actual capacity to sustain the experience of rigpa.

1. The Historical Reality: Early Dzogchen Did Not Require Ngöndro

Recently, a leading scholar of the Dzogchen system stated:

“In Dzogchen generally—not only in the Lama Yangtik—it is essential to place no trust in anyone, whether teacher or disciple, who denies the absolute necessity of completing the preliminaries (sngon 'gro).”

While we fundamentally agree with him, if we look strictly at history:

• Early Dzogchen (8th–11th centuries) predates the systematisation of ngöndro.

• Master-to-disciple transmission was simple: recognise the nature of mind.

• Preliminary practices existed, but were not standardised.

Thus, one could argue:

“Originally, Dzogchen had no ngöndro requirement.”

This is certainly true historically. But it is not the whole picture, and it is not the lived reality of Dzogchen transmission today. Why? Because the context has changed, and with it, the student’s mind.

2. The Traditional Three Capacities and Why They Matter

Dzogchen classifies students into:

1.    Superior capacity: these are students who instantly recognise rigpa

2.    Middling capacity: these are students who can recognise but cannot stabilise

3.    Lesser capacity: these are students who cannot recognise without extensive preparation

In this framework:

• The superior type is exceedingly rare.

• The middling type is the majority.

• The lesser type requires methodic preparation.

Hence, even in ancient times, it was recognised: “Direct introduction is not sufficient for most practitioners.”

Masters may grant direct introduction first but that does not mean recognition is stable. Seeing rigpa once is easy, remaining in rigpa is difficult. And integrating rigpa into conduct is rare. This is where ngöndro becomes essential.

3. Why Classical Masters Required Ngöndro

When Dzogchen became institutionalised in the Nyingma school, something became clear: Without purification and accumulation, students could not hold the recognition.

Jigme Lingpa, Longchenpa, Dodrupchen, Patrul Rinpoche, and Mipam— all legendary Dzogchen authorities — explicitly state:

• Ngöndro purifies obscurations that obstruct rigpa.

• Ngöndro opens devotion that makes recognition effortless.

• Ngöndro accumulates merit that stabilises the view.

• Ngöndro prepares the mind-body system for Tögal and Trekchö.

In the Nyingtik Tsapod, Jigme Lingpa is unequivocal: “The door to Dzogchen is the preliminary practices.” This is not because rigpa requires ngöndro — it does not — but because the practitioner’s obscurations require it.

4. The Paradox: Rigpa Needs No Preparation, but Practitioners Do

A refined Dzogchen understanding does not contradict itself. It distinguishes two truths:

4.1. Rigpa itself does not require preparation

It is primordially pure and present.

4.2. The ordinary mind cannot remain in rigpa without preparation

It is obscured by:

• karmic traces,

• emotional habits,

• conceptual overlay,

• psychological fragmentation,

• subtle energetic imbalances.

 Thus, there is a sharp difference between a momentary glimpse and stable realisation. A master can give direct introduction in a few seconds. Stabilisation may require decades. This is why ngöndro is not merely a tradition: it is an upāya, a technology to make stabilisation possible.

5. Why Modern Students Especially Need Ngöndro

There is a reason Dzogchen masters today, including the most respected Dzogchen masters like AR, almost universally insist on ngöndro.

Modern people:

• have restless minds

• lack deep devotion

• carry psychological trauma

• lack strong discipline

• live in materially distracting environments

• have little karmic connection to tantric culture

• are extremely conceptual and self-referential

Put bluntly: Most modern people are not superior-capacity disciples.

They may be intelligent, but intelligence and spiritual maturity are not the same. Thus, even if the Dzogchen lineage does not require ngöndro theoretically, modern masters require it practically. This is not gatekeeping or dogma, but because: Without ngöndro, recognition rarely stabilises.

6. Why Saying “Ngöndro Isn’t Necessary” Is Problematic

The statement is technically correct in certain lineages, but extremely misleading in practice.

For example:

• A master may give direct introduction to test a student’s capacity.

• If the student cannot sustain rigpa, the master assigns ngöndro.

• If the student can sustain rigpa, ngöndro may be unnecessary.

But many Western students hear: “In some lineages, ngöndro is not required.” and translate that as: “I don’t feel like doing ngöndro, so I’ll take the shortcut.”

This is spiritual self-deception. Without ngöndro:

• devotion is shallow

• attention is unstable

• karmic winds are unpurified

• pride is unsoftened

• the capacity for sustained rigpa is absent

This leads to frustration and confusion, not realisation.

Patrul Rinpoche, one of the greatest Dzogchen masters of the last 200 years, warned repeatedly: “Those who skip the preliminaries never reach the path.”

7. The Real Secret: Ngöndro and Dzogchen Are Not Two

Veteran practitioners discover this truth organically: Ngöndro is Dzogchen, not metaphorically but functionally.

Each ngöndro practice reveals:

• emptiness,

• clarity,

• awareness,

• self-liberation.

Ngöndro transforms the mind so that rigpa recognition becomes natural

rather than a rare event.

Those who complete ngöndro honestly often say: “By the end, I realised ngöndro was my first introduction to rigpa.”

This is why many masters insist:

• Do ngöndro first

• because doing it properly will make direct introduction work

8. The Final Answer: Is Ngöndro Necessary?

Historically: Not always.

Doctrinally: Not for a superior-capacity disciple.

Practically: Yes, for almost everyone.

In modern times: Yes, because the mind is unstable, obscured, distracted, and untrained.

For authentic realisation: Nearly always, yes.

Thus the traditional position is wise, compassionate, and realistic: Direct introduction may come at any time. But without ngöndro, the introduction rarely becomes realisation.

The question is not whether Dzogchen “requires” ngöndro as a doctrine. The question is whether you require ngöndro as a practitioner. The great masters answer clearly: Ngöndro is not necessary for rigpa. But it is necessary for you to remain in rigpa. And that is why ngöndro is indispensable.