A far more limited number of individuals move even further into and upward in the Mandala.  The individual must arrive at sufficient awareness and demonstrate sufficient commitment and at some point enter into a guru-disciple relationship with Lama Surya Das or one of his principal associate teachers.

Of course, this teacher-student relationship is a highly individual one and the content of the teachings, practices prescribed, roles assigned, and the like all vary greatly according to the individual’s needs, interests and skills.  However, participation at the innermost level of the Mandala also has many attributes, which are common to all individuals committing at this level – they are known collectively as “Lineage Students.”  Fundamentally, Lineage Students must accomplish all that the students of the inner level
accomplish as well as those substantially greater requirements of the innermost level which include:

1)      honor the Dharma and Dzogchen Student commitments as presented above;

2)      enter into a full samaya bond with Lama Surya Das;

3)      engage in the practice of Guru Yoga;

4)      live in integrity, “unmasking” one’s true self through striving to avoid “the Fifteen Deviations from the View in Dzogchen Meditation” and to cultivate “the Twenty Four Positives”:                  

The Eighteen Deviations = avoid

1)       Waiting, hoping, expecting

2)       Comparing

3)       Competing

4)       Hurrying

5)       Collecting

6)       Judging

7)       Reacting

8)      Controlling, dominating

9)      Interfering, manipulating

10)   Discouragement

11)   Elation, excitement

12)   Inauthenticity, pretense

13)   Fabricating, contriving

14)   Imagining, fantasizing,

15)   Over-idealizing, projecting

16)   Hesitating, self-doubting

17)   Demanding

18)   Grasping, fixating

                 The Twenty Four Positives = cultivate                                                                     

1)      Joy

2)      Inspiration

3)      Warmth and affection

4)      Gratitude

5)      Energy

6)      Balance, harmony

7)      Peace of mind, equanimity, inner detachment

8)      Fearlessness

9)      Authenticity

10)  Openness

         11) Patience

         12) Humility

         13) Tolerance, forgiveness, acceptance

         14) Pure perception, sacred outlook

      15) Confidence, dignity

         16) Spaciousness, inclusiveness

         17) Awareness, realization, insight

      18) Groundlessness, boundlessness

      19) Goalessness, aimlessness

      20) Trust, respect

      21) Lightness, sense of humor

      22) Wonderment, awe                                                                   

      23) Commitment

      24) Friendliness, “sacred friendship”

5) undertake the Dzogchen Samaya of

a.       voidness, mystery, not-knowing, nongrasping

b.      infinity, limitlessness

c.       spontaneity, naturalness, ordinariness, straightforwardness      

d.      oneness, one taste, impartiality

             6) complete a minimum of one section of the Vajrayana ngöndro;

7) participate in the vast majority of intensive retreats sponsored by the Dzogchen Foundation and virtually all of the special invitational retreats held for those participating in this discipleship effort;

8) undertake at least one pilgrimage to Tibet and major Buddhist holy sites in this    lifetime, preferably with Charles Genoud and the Dzogchen sangha groups;

             9) study and deepen understanding of the Five Guiding Texts of the Lineage Student:

a)      the Four Themed Precious Garland (Longchen Rabjampa)

                                     b)   the Words of My Perfect Teacher (Patrul Rinpoche)

                                     c)   the Life of Shabkar, Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogi

                                     d)   the One Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa

e)      the Flight of the Garuda

          10) serve when authorized and called upon as mentors, practice leaders, sangha and

          organizational leaders and the like;

          11) engage in continuing service to the teachers, the students, and all the elements of the

    Dzogchen Mandala;

          12) meet other similar expectations and lama-requests as they are developed over time.

All of the above constitute the Samaya of the Dzogchen Lineage Student.  This Samaya provides the energy
to move upward in the Mandala and to maintain one’s presence with inseparability on the innermost level
as a Heart-Disciple of Lama Surya Das and the Lineage of the Dzogchen Mandala.

The teachings of the third and innermost level of the Mandala are of course essentially limitless, as one can never reach the ultimate limit of the teachings until Perfect Enlightenment.  Additionally, the teachings must be quite focused, as ultimately the
Lineage Student will be called upon to share their depth of understanding and practice as “practice leaders” with others who are
newer to their practice.  Specific teachings include major emphasis on the Dzogchen View, Meditation and Action as well as on
Tögal and
ultimately Bok-den (enhancement, entering the Activity).  RuShen is emphasized as are supportive practices appropriate to each individual as found in the Vajrayana, particularly Guru Yoga, but also Chöd and Phowa.   The Six Yogas of Naropa also are emphasized here.  The teachings are comprehensive in that it is considered essential that the Disciple have a solid understanding of
the context of their spiritual practice in terms of the Dharma and the Vajrayana as they exist in the spiritual and cultural milieu of the West.  Most of the teachings are offered in the same space and time as those which come before; however, some teachings and practices are sufficiently esoteric that they are offered separately in special sessions within larger retreats.  The need for individual development and participant bonding as well as the requirements for presenting the ultimate teachings all require periodic special retreats as well.

The third and innermost level of the Dzogchen Mandala then is that of the Lineage Student.  The central path or “stairwell” through which one must pass is one of ultimate commitment; as such it narrows to such an extent that relatively few will enter here.  It is the Lineage Student’s samaya, devotion, inner conviction and deepening understanding that provide the energy for moving to and sustaining one’s presence at this level.

THE THIRD (LINEAGE STUDENT) LEVEL OF THE MANDALA

Note:  The Mandala provides multiple inherent opportunities for connection with its associated teacher at the deepest possible level without the practitioner’s necessarily engaging in any form of publicly identified or declared affiliation with
any collective enterprise, program, or “level” within the Mandala.  In fact, those who are absolutely committed and
devoted to attaining enlightenment-- those who are practicing at such a deep level that any and all of the usual distractions are put aside in order to deepen one’s practice and teacher-student relationships to the greatest extent possible in this lifetime-- are honored within the Mandala, as it is this level of commitment, however expressed, that will ultimately cause
the Dzogchen Mandala itself to be transcended to the ultimate benefit of all beings.