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Kyerim (Tib. བསྐྱེད་རིམ་, Wyl. bskyed rim; Skt. utpattikrama) is the ‘generation stage’ or ‘development phase’ of practice — otherwise known as visualization practice — the goal of which is to purify our perception into the purity of our inherent nature.

Sogyal Rinpoche writes:

:The development stage consists of three phases, known as ‘the three samadhis’:

  1. The practice of Mahayoga begins with meditation on emptiness, the ‘samadhi of as-it-isness’ where all phenomena are realized as empty in their pure nature. This is the realization of absolute bodhichitta.
  1. From this state arise exuberant waves of compassion in what is known as the ‘samadhi of all-perceiving compassion’. This is the realization of relative bodhichitta.
  1. The union of these two is known as the causal samadhi, in which state arises a seed-syllable, from which rays of light emerge, purifying the entire environment of samsara and the beings within it into the nature of emptiness. One’s mind becomes this seed-syllable, which in turn transforms into the pure appearance of the deity. The mandala is seen as the palace of the deity. The form of the deity is the indivisible appearance of skillful means and wisdom. All experience is perceived as the retinue and activity of the deity. As one realizes that all perceptions, sounds and thoughts are the vajra-nature, one rests in this state of vajra dignity.<ref>Dzogchen and Padmasambhava, Rigpa Fellowship, 1989, page 62.</ref>

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche says:

:“To practice the Inner Tantra one should realize that everything is primordially pure. Accordingly all outer elements are not perceived as ordinary, but as the five female buddhas. The five aggregates within the body are also not perceived as ordinary, but as the five male buddhas. In the same way, the eight consciousnesses as well as their eight objects are perceived as the eight male and eight female bodhisattvas. In this way one will not only see the purity of all phenomena, but one will also perceive the ‘great evenness of samsara and nirvana’. So samsara is not considered to be something to be discarded and nirvana something to be achieved, but as the Great Union of purity and evenness. Such a state is not something which has to be fabricated anew; it has been there since the very beginning.

:The essence of kyerim, or Mahayoga is to recognize all appearances as the deity, all sounds as the mantra, and all thoughts as the dharmakaya (see Dharmakaya). This is the most profound path, through which one can actualize all of the qualities of the body, speech and mind of the Buddha.”<ref>Dzogchen and Padmasambhava, Rigpa Fellowship, 1989, pages 62-63.</ref>

Notes

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Oral Teachings Given to the Rigpa Sangha on Kyerim

Edited Teachings (restricted titles)

Further Reading

Key Terms Kyerim Vajrayana