The Pearl Necklace Tantra: Upadesha Instructions of the Great Perfection

Dzogchen (rDzogs chen), is a tradition of esoteric Buddhism that

propounds instantaneous enlightenment and was first brought to

Tibet in the Eighth Century of the Common Era. The Indian

manuscripts of this tradition have been lost in time. Only the Tibetan

translations remain. The original teachings of this tradition are

contained in Tantras, which are generally divided into three

categories: The Mind Section, the Space Section, and the Upadesha

Instruction Section. The Upadesha Instruction section is devoted to

the pointing out instructions or practical advice in the understanding

and application of the Great Perfection. It is generally described as

having seventeen root scriptures. The Pearl Necklace Tantra is one of

these seventeen works.

In this Tantra Hayagriva, the King of the Wrathful Ones,

presents Vajradhara with hard hitting questions about the structure

of reality and the nature of the awareness, how we are ensnared

and how we are liberated. The Tantra is a frank discussion of the

applicability of the great perfection to a world that is wrapped in

delusions.

I have included images of the Tibetan manuscript for your

convenience and to help preserve this ancient literature.