Trekchö: Cutting Through to the Primordial

“Leave the mind as it is,

uncontrived, open, naked—

and you will see what has always been.”

— Dzogchen Tantras

🕊 What Is Trekchö?

Trekchö (Tibetan: ཁྲེགས་ཆོད་) means “cutting through hardness” or “cutting through all fixations.”

It is one of the two main practices in the Dzogchen (Great Perfection) path, the other being Tögal. Trekchö is the direct recognition and resting in the nature of mind—called Rigpa, or primordial awareness.

Where most spiritual paths involve purification, concentration, or energetic ascent, Trekchö cuts through all effort. It is radical simplicity. Not doing anything. Not even meditating.

🌌 Recognition, Not Attainment

Trekchö begins with a moment of recognition:

“This… this open, unchanging awareness right now… is what I’ve always been.”

This awareness:

• Knows every thought without clinging.

• Embraces every sensation without judgment.

• Shines before, during, and after every experience.

• It is not cultivated. It’s not reached by mantra or ritual. It is discovered by turning attention inward, then leaving everything untouched.

🔪 What Does It Cut Through?

• The illusion of a doer.

• The fixation on past/future.

• The search for special states.

• Even the idea of spiritual progress.

• Trekchö does not destroy the mind.

• It simply refuses to contract around anything.

• Like space, it allows all phenomena—but clings to none.

🌿 How to Practice Trekchö

• There’s no method in the conventional sense.

• But here are the fragrance notes of Trekchö practice:

• Sit. Gaze. Relax.

• Let the spine be upright, eyes softly open or gazing into space.

• No modification of breath.

• Let it rise and fall like wind in an empty valley.

• Do not follow thoughts. Do not suppress them.

• Recognize them as self-liberating appearances—like writing on water.

• Rest as Rigpa.

• This spacious knowing is already complete.

  
  

“Do not meditate. Do not analyze. Leave it as it is, and let it be.”

If you're trying, you're missing it.

If you're resting, it's already here.

💎 What Arises from Trekchö?

Trekchö is not a withdrawal.

It’s the birth of effortless clarity in life.

From resting in Rigpa:

Compassion arises naturally, not as duty.

Emotions are not suppressed, but self-liberated in space.

One can engage in the world, but not be trapped by it.

This is not detachment—it’s undivided presence.

Trekchö vs Other Paths

• Zen:

  • Method: Sit, observe thoughts, return to breath.

  • Trekchö’s Uniqueness: Allows thoughts to self-liberate without redirection.

• Advaita:

  • Method: Neti-neti (not this, not that).

  • Trekchö’s Uniqueness: Starts from what is already recognized as awareness.

• Tantra:

  • Method: Visualize, invoke, dissolve.

  • Trekchö’s Uniqueness: Doesn’t fabricate—it reveals what’s always been.

• Mahāmudrā:

  • Method: Emphasizes mind’s emptiness.

  • Trekchö’s Uniqueness: Emphasizes mind’s luminous clarity and natural perfection.

A Glimpse Right Now

📿 For Further Exploration Connect with Master Padmasambhava

Ever wanted to chat with a legendary figure who’s been around longer than your grandma's secret cookie recipe? Now’s your chance!

Engage in a transformative dialogue with our AI module on Trekcho. Unleash your inner wisdom (or at least some questionable advice) by speaking with Master Padmasambhava today!

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Warning: Side effects may include enlightenment, spontaneous meditation, and an uncontrollable urge to wear flowing robes.

You can also check out the following

• Text: “The Heart of the Matter” by Dza Patrul Rinpoche

• Contemporary Teacher: Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, or Alan Wallace

Practice Tip: Combine Trekchö with short moments of looking at awareness during daily life.