Longdé is the name of one of three scriptural divisions within Dzogchen, which is itself the pinnacle of the ninefold division of practice according to the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. The name "longdé" is translated as "Space Division" or "Space Series" of Dzogchen and emphasises the emptiness or spaciousness aspect of the Natural State. Penor Rinpoche states that due to the different approaches of various Dzogchen lineages, three sub-schools have developed, of which longdé is one. The other two divisions or schools are semde and menngagde. Penor Rinpoche refers to longdé as the Centredness School and is attributed to Dorje Zampa, Sri Singha and Vairotsana's lineage.
Background
These three divisions were introduced by the Buddhist scholar Mañjuśrīmitra. As Dzogchen texts, the texts of all three divisions are concerned with the basic primordial state; the nature of mind-itself. They are related to the "Three Statements" of Garab Dorje. It is important to note that the three series do not represent different schools of Dzogchen practice as much as different approaches to the same goal, that being the basic, natural, and primordial state. As is common throughout much Buddhist literature, Tibetan Buddhism in particular, gradations in the faculties of practitioners are also ascribed to the three divisions, they being seen as appropriate for practitioners of low, middling, and high faculties, respectively.
The Space Division is related to Garab Dorje's second statement, removing doubts. It teaches methods of meditation that enable the practitioner to get beyond any doubts he or she may have concerning the natural state.
Texts of the Space Division
"Samantabhadra’s Royal Tantra of All-Inclusive Vastness" is renowned as the “king” of tantras belonging to the Space Section. list the tantric texts belonging to the Space Division thus:
'King of Infinite Vast Space' or 'Longchen Rabjam Gyalpo' Skt: mahāvartta prasāraṇi rāja tantra
'Total Space of Samantabhadra' or 'Kunto Zangpo Namkhache' Skt: samanta bhadra mahā gagana mūla saṃgraha tantra
'Manifestation of the Creative Energy of Spiritual Awareness' or 'Rigpa Rangtsal Sharwa' Skt: bodhicitta samantabhadra vidyā parākramodaya tantra
'Wheel of Key Instructions' or 'Dam-ngag Natshog Khorlo' Skt:
'Array of the Exalted Path' or 'Phaglam Kodpa' Skt: ratnārya patha vyūha tantra
'Vajrasattva Equal to the Limits of Space' or 'Dorje Sempa Namkha'i Thatang Nyampa' Skt: vajra satvākāśānta sama mahā tantra
'Secret Pristine Awareness' or 'Lamp of Secret Pristine Awareness' or 'Yeshe Sangwa Dronma' Skt: jñāna guhya dīpa ratnopadeśa tantra
'Wheel of Precious Gems' or 'Rinpoche Khorlo' Skt: ratna cakra nāma tantra
'Perfect Pristine Awareness' or 'Yeshe Dzogpa' bodhicittāti jñāna sandhi tantra
'Total Revelation of the All-Pervasive Mind of Enlightenment' or 'Changchub Kyi Sems Kunla Jugpa Namtag Tonpa'
'Radiant Vajra of the Mind of Enlightenment' or 'Changchug Kyi Sem Dorje Odthro' Skt: bodhicitta vajra prabhā spharaṇa tantra paṭala
According to Thondup & Talbott there are only seven extant texts of the Space Class and they are collected in the Nyingma Gyubum. Additionally, there is one terma text in the Space Class, which is contained in the Chokling Tersar cycle of Orgyen Chokgyur Lingpa.
