Dzogchen’s heart rests on three pillars: lung, wang, tri. Each plays a vital role on the path to recognizing rigpa, the innate brilliance of mind.

Transmissions (lung) serve as the thread weaving lineage from master to student. When a text or refined instruction is read aloud and “lunged,” the blessing and potency flow straight into the practitioner’s stream. It’s a bit like receiving the original source code rather than a hacked copy. In our digital age, live-streamed lung ceremonies from remote Himalayan retreats show that centuries-old wisdom can ride the internet’s fast lane, making timeless guidance available across time zones.

Empowerments (wang) act like a key unlocking inner doors. Through ritual symbols, visualizations, and mantras, wang calibrates the subtle channels and energy centers. This initiation tunes the mind-stream so trekchö and tögal practices can unfold safely and effectively. Without these permissions, the most profound practices remain inert—imagine installing top-of-the-line software with no activation code.

Oral instructions (tri) are the heart-to-heart pointers, the nitty-gritty “how-to” for resting effortlessly in awareness beyond conceptual chatter. These teachings flow like snowmelt down a mountain stream—fluid, responsive, tailor-made to each practitioner’s capacity. Sometimes a single pith instruction clicks the final piece into place, akin to striking gold in a lone moment of clarity.

Together, lung, wang, and tri offer a balanced scaffolding: lung provides unbroken lineage, wang empowers the subtle body, tri fine-tunes the mind’s natural rest. With these three supports in place, the Great Perfection’s promise shifts from lofty aspiration to vibrant, lived reality—one breath at a time.