Garab Dorje is a seminal figure in Tibetan Buddhism, and is renowned as the first human teacher of Dzogchen – the Great Perfection or Ati Yoga. His life and teachings have profoundly shaped the Dzogchen tradition in particular and more widely the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism .
Garab Dorje (Wylie: dga’ rab rdo rje) is also known as Prahevajra or Pramodavajra in Sanskrit.
Miraculous Birth
Garab Dorje is said to have lived in the land of Oddiyana (Uddiyana) which has been associated with present-day Pakistan or Afghanistan, most often believed to be in the Swat Valley, Pakistan. This is a region which has been rich in spiritual legends and spiritual traditions. According to tradition, he was born around 665 CE
Garab Dorje’s birth is surrounded by legend and symbolic mystical narrative. His mother, Sudharmā, a nun and the daughter of King Uparāja, had a dream in which a divine figure placed a crystal vessel on her head, leading to her immaculate conception. From this divine intervention a pure light appeared at the time of Garab Dorje’s conception.
After his birth, Sudharmā attempted to hide him in a pit of ashes due to the absence of a father, but divine light and music emanated from the pit, revealing his divine origin. After his birth, he was instantly able to speak and expound the Dharma. Garab Dorje recited Dzogchen tantras, indicating his extraordinary nature from the very beginning.
Child Prodigy
As a child, Garab Dorje was recognized for his exceptional wisdom. He was around six or seven years old when he began to attract attention for his profound understanding of the Dharma.
Despite his young age, Garab Dorje had already been chanting teachings known as ‘Dorje Sempa Namkha Che‘, which challenged conventional Buddhist views on cause and effect—a core principle in Buddhist philosophy. The Dzogchen position on cause and effect has remained somewhat contentious in non-Dzogchen circles to this day.
His fame spread to India, prompting scholars from Nalanda University, including the renowned Manjushrimitra, to travel to Oddiyana to meet this extraordinary boy. They were initially skeptical of Garab Dorje’s abilities.
At the age of seven, he debated with 500 panditas at the royal court and emerged victorious, earning the name Prajnabhava, or Wisdom Being. The Dorje Sempa Namkha Che played a key role in this debate. Manjushrimitra, recognizing the profound wisdom in Garab Dorje’s words, admitted his mistake in doubting him and sought guidance on how to rectify his previous misconceptions. This event marked the beginning of his fame across India as a profound spiritual teacher.
Transmission of Teachings
The biography’s tell of Garab Dorje receiving the complete direct transmission of Sutra, Tantra, and Dzogchen teachings from celestial beings such as Vajrasattva and Vajrapani.
He became the first human vidyadhara in the Dzogchen lineage. He spent his life propagating these teachings, which emphasize the innate purity and completeness of mind’s true nature.
One of his most famous students was Mañjuśrīmitra, to whom he passed on the heart essence of Dzogchen. Mañjuśrīmitra’s presence at the debate also marked the beginning of his journey as Garab Dorje’s foremost disciple.
Parinirvana
At his parinirvana, Garab Dorje performed an extraordinary act: he ascended into the sky and dissolved into rainbow light. In response to Manjushrimitra’s plea for guidance, he reappeared briefly and manifested a small golden casket containing the essential Dzogchen teaching known as ‘The Three Words that Strike to the Heart‘, also known as ‘The Three Statements of Garab Dorje‘. This act ensured ensured the preservation and transmission of the fundamental Dzogchen teachings.
Teachings
Garab Dorje is most famous for his ‘Three Words that Strike to the Heart,’ which guide practitioners to recognize mind’s nature directly and how to stabilise this realisation.This teaching forms the essence of Dzogchen practice:
- Direct introduction to one’s own nature.
- Not remaining in doubt concerning this unique state.
- Continuing to remain in this state.
I have written an extensive guide to the Three Statements of Garab Dorje on this blog. This teaching continues to be fundamental to Dzogchen practitioners to this day, peerlessly steering them to realisation and liberation.
Legacy
Garab Dorje’s influence extends through his chief disciple, Manjushrimitra, to whom he passed the profound transmission of Dzogchen. The lineage continued through other great masters, including Padmasambhava, who is credited with bringing Buddhism to Tibet. We will share biographies of these masters over time.
What were the core elements of his legacy? Well, he was said to be the first human teacher of the tradition. And his Three Statements are so foundational for Dzogchen – I’m not sure there is another pith teaching like this which has had such an impact. They are utterly core to the tradition.
Garab Dorje beyond his direct teaching
There isn’t a huge textual legacy beyond the Three Statements, but the Seventeen Tantras of Dzogchen are traditionally said to have been revealed to Garab Dorje. This form the tantric basic for the Dzogchen tradition. Modern scholars suggest that they show signs of being compiled by multiple authors over a long period, however. Further, he is said to have spontaneously recited the Dorje Sempa Namkha Che whilst a child.
One additional area where Garab Dorje is prominent is in the range of ritual devotional practices which invoke him. There are Guru Yoga practices for him, where Garab Dorje is visualised either above the meditators head or in front of them as a source of blessings and wisdom. He’s further invoked in the lineage prayers of the various Dzogchen traditions.
Garab Dorje sits in my heart
For myself his Three Words that Strike to the Heart is the central framework for my practice, should I choose to call it practice. All the rest is elaboration. This is the core. He points directly to it. Then points you to how to hold that which has been pointed to.
As they say ‘sometimes the teaching finds you, rather than you finding the teaching’. That’s exactly how I would describe it in this case. How blessed I am!
Finally, I just want to share one further image, which may be a bit surprising? I particularly love this image of Tapihritsa, from the Bon tradition. However, I believe he is also invoked in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, as well as in Bon.
I sometimes find myself drawn to seeing Garab Dorje in this form, appearing Samantabhadra-like. The unadorned pristine purity of his form exactly matches the unadorned pristine purity of this core teaching from Garab Dorje:
