Hip Glossary: Dzogchen

Dzogchen:dzogchen The natural, intrinsic state of every sentient being. Our ultimate nature is said to be pure, self-existing, all-encompassing awareness. This ‘intrinsic awareness’ has no form of its own and yet is capable of perceiving, experiencing, reflecting, or expressing all form. It does so without being affected by those forms in any ultimate, permanent way. The analogy given by Dzogchen masters is that one’s nature is like a mirror which reflects with complete openness but is not affected by the reflections, or a crystal ball which takes on the color of the material on which it is placed without itself being changed. Other evocative phrases used by masters describe it as an ‘effulgence’, an ‘all-pervading fullness’ or as ‘space that is aware’.

source:wikipedia