Passage

[Essence]

8 sems bskyed pa ni tshad med 'gro ba'i phyir [531.5]

yang dag sangs rgyas thob par 'dod pa ste
smon dang 'jug pa'i rang bzhin gnyis yin no
de yang bsam pas smon dang sbyor bas khyab
'gro bar 'dod dang 'gro ba nyid bzhin no/

9 smon pa tshad med bzhi yi ngo bo la [541.4]

'jug pa pha rol phyin pa drug tu 'dod

[532.1] de yang sems ni don gyi ngo bo rigs pa yin la/ sems byung de'i khyad par la dpyod pas na/ 'dir ngo bo bskyed pas khyad par zhar la bskyed par 'gyur te/ 'dun pa sems bskyed la sogs pa zhar la thob pa bzhin no/ de la ngo bo gnyis las/ smon pa sems bkyed ni byang chub thob par 'dun pa yin la/ 'jug pa ni de'i chos la sbyor ba ste/ bsam pas smon pa dang sbyor bas khyab pa nyid 'gro bar 'dod pa dang 'gro bzhin pa lta bur (Spyod 'jug I, 15).

Note

This seminal chapter is the source for many other later Rnying ma expositions on the Bodhisattva path (Kong sprul, Mi pham, 'Jigs med gling pa, Yon tan rgya mtsho, to name only a few). See also under the terms don gnyis, bden gnyis, pha rol tu phyin pa, and sdig pa bshags pa. This chapter also provided the framework for Klong chen pa's more mature reflections on the topic in his Yid bzhin mdzod {116191} (see the entry from p. 658). The following are excerpts (from p. 531 onward) giving the essence and definition of the term.

by David Higgins

Passage

[540.4] sems bskyed pa'i ngo bo yang/ gzhan don du rdzogs pa'i byang chub thob 'dod dang ma bral ba'i sems smon 'jug gis bsdus pa gang zhig pha rol tu phyin pa drug gi ngo bor gyur pa ste/... (quote from Sngon po bkod pa) de'ang byang chub kyi sems gnyis dang/ tshul khrims gsum dang/ sdom pa zhes ldog pas phye yang ngo bo gcig ste/ gzhan don du sems pa dang dge ba spyod pas smon 'jug ste...

[Incentive]

[539-40] sems bskyed pa'i rgyu ni sangs rgyas la dmigs pa'i dad pa/ sems can la dmigs pa'i snying rje/

Note

See also 538.3 for how smon and 'jug are both present throughout path, rather than sequentially as Ye shes grags pa maintains (out of the 22 stages or analogies, the first three are to do with smon and the remaining 19 with 'jug), because both aspects of seeking the goal of byang chub and making it specific through putting it into practice work in combination throughout. However, see also pp. 576-7 where Klong chen pa cautions that the two are facets of a single dynamic process and not discrete entities (quotes Byang chub sems dpa'i sa).

by David Higgins

Passage

[Definition]

[533.1] (Quotation from Byang chub sems bskyed pa chen po'i mdo)

...sems ji ltar bskyed par bgyi/ bka' stsal pa/ chos thams cad nam mkha' ltar mtshan nyid med cing ya nas 'od gsal ba rnam par dag pa de la ni byang chub ces bya'o/ de dang mthun pa'i sems sngon ma skyes pa'i sems rin po che skyes pa la ni byang chub tu sems bskyed pa bya'o zhes so/

[Classifications]

de la 'dir dbye tshul du ma shes par bya ste/

2 fold: (a) kun rdzob dang don dam pa'i sems bskyed pa gnyis su yang yod de/ (myang 'das)

(b) de'ang so so'i skye bo dang 'phags pa'i sems bskyed pa gnyis sam/

(c) phyi rol sems can la dmigs pa dang/ nang sems nyid la dmigs pa gnyis kyis kun rdzob dang don dam pa'i sems bskyed ces bya ste/ (Byang chub tu sems bskyed pa chen po'i mdo)

3 fold: (a) tshul khrims gsum mam bslab pa gsum la ltos nas sems bskyed pa gsum du'ang yod de/ (Yum bar ma)

4 fold: tshogs sbyor na mos pas spyod pa dang/ sa dang po nas bdun pa'i bar lhag bsam dag pa dang/ dag pa sa gsum na rnam par smin pa dang/ sangs rgyas kyi sa na sgrib pa spangs pa'i sems bskyed pa ste bzhir yang/ (Mdo sde'i rgyan)

5 fold: [534]...lam lnga'i sems bskyed pa lngar yang yod de/ (nyi khri)

6 fold: pha rol tu phyin pa drug la ltos nas drug tu yang yod de/ (nyi khri)

10 fold (and intervening numbers 1-10): 10 pāramitā etc.

22 fold (1-22): 22 similes ranging over 10 levels from blo gros rgya mtshos zhus pa'i mdo (quotation is from Mngon rtogs rgyan).

Note

See also pp. 582-90 for a detailed and moving description of developing the motivation for sems bskyed.

by David Higgins

Passage

'dir sangs rgyas kyi sa na sems bskyed yod dam med ce na/ slob lam pa'i sems bskyed ltar da gzod thob par 'dod pa med de thob zin pa'i phyir dang/ khas blangs pa'i dus las 'das pa'i phyir tshogs blangs pa'i sems bskyed med pa yin no/ don dam sems bskyed yod de chos nyid kyis thob pa'i sems bskyed thob la ma nyams pa gong nas gong du yod pa'i phyir te/ dor ba med pa'i stong pa nyid yod pa'i phyir dang/ dmigs pa med pa'i thugs rje chen pos don mdzad pa yod de/...

Note

Here the question arises as to whether the sems bskyed is present on the Buddha level [537.4].

by David Higgins

Passage

3. byang chub sems kyi dbye ba bshad pa

a. gnas skabs dang grogs kyi dbye ba

dbye ba'i sgo nas skye 'phags sems bskyed gnyis [bden gnyis, also 78 f]
bslab pa gsum la ltos pa'i sems bskyed gsum
khyad par tshogs sbyor lam na mos pas spyod
dang po'i sa nas bdun par lhag bsam dag
dag sa gsum na rnam par smin pa dang
sangs rgyas sa la sgrib pa spangs te bzhi [52]
de bzhin lam lnga'i rjes 'gro sems bskyed lnga
pha rol phyin pa drug ltos de snyed grangs
sa mtshams dbye ba nyi shu rtsa gnyis sogs [22 similes, 59.1]
bsam pas smon dang 'jug pas khyab la 'du/

(b. phan yon gyi dbye ba; c. blo stobs kyi dbye ba)

Note

'Jigs med gling pa discusses various ways of classifying byang chub sems bskyed. In the first method, the classification by way of situations and catalysts, he presents 2-fold up to 6-fold classifications (and up to the 22). This subject matter is copied directly from the Shing rta chen po {116031} (but rendered in meter). The author also reproduces the quotation from the Byang chub sems bskyed pa'i mdo.

by David Higgins

Note

Later [56.1], Yon tan rgya mtsho quotes the same passage from the Byang chub tu sems bskyed pa'i mdo as the Shing rta chen po does (see the entry {116031:531}). This passage is also quoted in Bden gnyis shing rta {115781:479.4}.

by David Higgins

Passage

stobs gsum las ni byang chub sems skye bas [bden gnyis shing rta:493.4, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:94.1]

snying rje dang tshogs bsags skyabs su 'gro
bsam dang sbyor ba rgyu yi stobs su bshad/

[bden gnyis shing rta:493.5] ...'dir cho ga'i sngon du 'gro ba ni (1) bsam pa'i stobs snying rje chen po la blo 'byongs pa/ (2) sbyor ba'i stobs tshogs bsags pa dang/ (3) rgyu'i stobs skyabs 'gro khyad par can byas pa las skye ba yin te/ de la snying rje chen po ni byang chub kyi sems dam pa'i rtsa bar gyur pa'i tshul yang yang smos zin la/...

[bden gnyis shing rta: 496.6] ...rkyen bzhi ni (1) de bzhin gshegs pa'i phun sum tshogs pa mthong nas sems bskyed pa dang/ (2) phan yon mthong nas sems bskyed pa dang/ (3) dam pa'i chos 'jig pa'i nyes dmigs mthong nas sems bskyed pa [bden gnyis shing rta:497] dang/ (4) sems can sdug pa mthong nas sems bskyed pa'o/

stobs bzhi ni rgyu'i stobs dang/ sbyor ba'i stobs dang/ gzhan gyi stobs so/ (1) de la dang po ni/ sngon theg chen la goms pa'i rigs sad pas da lta sangs rgyas dang byang chub sems dpa'i yon tan thos pa tsam gyis skye ba'o/ (2) gnyis pa ni/ skyes bu dam pa la brten cing/ de las chos thos pa dang/ de'i don sems pa la sogs kyis dge be'i phyogs la goms par 'gyur ba'o/ (3) gsum pa ni/ rang gi dge ba goms pa'i mthus tdzogs byang 'dod pa rang stobs dang/ (4) bzhi pa ni/ gzhan gyis bskul ba'i mthus tdzogs byang 'dod pa gzhan stobs te/ rgyu rkyen brgyad po'ang/ rang dang rgyu'i stobs las skyes nas 'jug sems kyi rgyu brtan la/ gzhan dang sbyor ba'i stobs las skyes na smon sems kyi rgyu mi brtan par byed pa las bshad yin no/

de dag gi don nye bar bsdu na/ (1) sangs rgyas la dmigs pa'i dad pa/ sems can la dmigs pa'i snying rje/ byang chub sems kyi phan yon shes pa gsum ni sems bskyed skye ba'i rgyu ma nor ba yin par rig par bya'o/

[bden gnyis shing rta:546.3] ...de bzhin du chos bcu pa las sems bskyed pa'i rgyu bzhi gsungs pa'i dang po de bzhin gshegs pa'i nyan thos la sogs pas bskul zhing skyo bar byas nas 'dzin du bcug pa dang/ gnyis pa byang chub sems kyi bsngags pa thos nas 'dzin pa dang/ gsum pa sems can mgon dang/ skyabs dang/ dpung gnyen med par mthong nas snying rje'i bsam par bskyed pa dang/ bzhi pa de bzhin gshegs pa'i rnam pa thams cad rdzogs pa mthong nas dga' skyes te bskyed pa rnams las kyang/ bdag nyid snying rje chen pos zil gyis non nas sems can la phan pa'i phyir sems bskyed pa kho na khyad par che bar 'phags pa de bzhin gshegs pa'i ye shes phyag rgya'i ting nge 'dzin las bka' stsal ba yin no/

Note

In this passage 'Jigs med gling pa discusses three powers (stobs gsum) for developing byang chub sems (see Yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me {116381:74.1}) based on numerous sources, as well as four determinants (rkyen bzhi) and four powers (stobs bzhi) that engender it, based on Asaṅga (quoted 496.5). He later takes up the four causes for developing byang sems according to the Chos bcu pa [546.3].

by David Higgins

Passage

de la sems bskyed skye ba'i rgyu thun mong ma yin pa ni/ sems can gyi khams bde gshegs snying po'i khyab byed can yin pas na sa bon las myu gu bzhin du cho ga'am/ brda can gyi sgo nas kun rdzob byang chub kyi sems bskyed pas/ mthar thug don dam pa'i sems bskyed mtshan nyid bsgom stobs kyis 'thob pa'i tshul zla ba sgron ma'i mdo las/

bde gshegs snying pos 'gro ba yongs la khyab
sems ni rgya chen mchog tu rab bskyed de
'gro ba 'di dag ma lus sangs rgyas rgyu/ zhes so/

Note

In this passage, 'Jigs med gling pa discusses the extra ordinary motive for generating Bodhicitta.

by David Higgins

Passage

spyir smon 'jug gi ngos 'dzin la gnas brtan mche ba'i se la sogs pa 'jig rten pa'i lam smon pa dang/ bden pa mthong ba'i dbang las 'jug par brjod pa dang/ la la bsod nams mngon par 'du bya ba dang ldan pa la 'jug pa dang/ de dang mi ldan pa la smon pa zhes 'dod pa dag gi lugs su yod de/ krish+na pa'i dka' 'grel [commentary on Bodhisattvabhūmi ?] las/

kha cig bsod nams mngon par 'du bya ba dang ldan pa'i sems bskyed pa ni 'jug pa byang chub kyi sems [540] zhes brjod la/ bsod nams mngon par 'du bya ba dang mi ldan pa'i sems bskyed pa thams cad smon pa can no zhes brjod pa de dag drang ba ma yin te/ 'dir ni sems sbyangs pa'i gang zag byang chub tu smon lam btab cing/ bslab pa la gnas pa de'i bslab pa mi 'jig par rjes su gsungs pa pha rol tu phyin pa drug la sbyor pa de nyid sems bskyed pa 'phel ba dang/ 'jug pa'i byang chub kyi sems so zhes pha rol tu phyin pa dag 'chad do/

zhes smon 'jug ngo bo gcig par bzhed do/...

Note

'Jigs med gling pa indicates that the smon and 'jug aspects of are not essentially different, although they may be differentiated for practical purposes (he cites the Bodhisattvabhūmi). He goes on to say (539.5):

by David Higgins

Passage

8 de nas byang chub sems mchog bskyed pa ni [819]
gzhan gyi don phyir sangs rgyas 'dod pa ste [658]
smon dang 'jug pa'i rang bzhin gnyis yin no

9 sems bskyed pas ni sems byung zhar la bskyed [819]
sems ni don gyi ngo bor rang stobs rig [659] (see Sems nyid ngal gso)
sems byung don gyi khyad par rang stobs rig

10 'khor ba'i dus na sems dang sems 'byung gi [820]
bya dang byed pa rnam par g.yo bas na [659]
ye shes mi snang phyir na sems bskyed de
ye shes rab gsal don la nus pa 'jog

11 rgyun mthar sems 'gag de bskyed cho ga las [821]

nye bar thob pa'i sems bskyed ldog na yang [659]
de yi nus ldan ye shes la bgos pa
sangs rgyas sar rgyas thugs rjes don mdzad la
sgrib pa spangs pa'i sems bskyed ces byar brjod

12 tshogs dang sbyor bar khams de'i rang bzhin nyid [822]
mos pas don spyi'i tshul du 'jal(mjal) bas na [660]
sems bskyed de yang mos pas byung zhes brjod
dang po'i sa nas bdun pa'i bar nyid du
khams kyi sgrib pa phyogs re rnam dag pas
ye shes rgya che lhag bsam dag ces brjod
dag pa'i sar ni sgo lnga kun gzhi'i shes
rnam dag smon lam yon tan rgya che bas
rnam par smin pa'i sems bskyed ces su brjod
khams la sgrib bral sangs rgyas sa de ni
sgrib pa spangs pa'i sems bskyed ces byar brjod

13 ji ltar bskyed tshul rnam pa gnyis yin te [824]
bla ma mchog dang dkon mchog drung du len [662]
bla mar len tshe de yis chos bshad de
sngon 'gro yan lag bdun pa skyabs 'gror bcas
dngos gzhi rgyal dang de sras bla ma mchog
dgongs su gsol zhes legs par (dang) brjod rjes su
ji ltar sngon gyi rgyal ba sras bcas kyis
byang chub thugs bskyed bslab la gnas pa ltar
de bzhin bdag gis 'gro la phan don du
byang chub sems bskyed bslab la gnas par bgyi
de skad ces ni lan gsum brjod par bya/

Note

In these verses and the autocommentary, Klong chen pa builds on earlier formulations (in particular the Sems nyid ngal gso {116036} and its autocommentary Shing rta chen po; see the entry {116031:531}), here elucidating the significance of developing the impulse toward awakening for the sake of others as a necessary preparation for the developing and completion phases of Mantrayāna (see also the term dkon mchog gsum). Essentially, the sems bskyed involves a directionality of thinking which frees itself increasingly from the action agent dichotomy of ordinary thinking, thereby allowing pristine awareness to come to the fore (from adventitious obscurations) and regain its full expressive power. The page numbers in the following passage are from two editions of Yid bzhin mdzod autocommentary. One edition is not identified.

by David Higgins

Passage

ces sems na don gyi ngo bo rig pa brgyal ba las sangs pa lta bu rang stobs kyis rig la/ sems byung don gyi khyad par yul gyi rang bzhin phra rags la dpyod pas snang ba dkar dmar rang stobs kyis rig pa ltar/ sems dang sems byung mtshungs par 'jug pas ngo bo bskyed pas khyad par zhar la thob par bzhed de/ dbus mtha' las kyang/

de la don mthong rnam par shes
de yis khyad par sems las byung/

Note

'Jigs med gling pa here elaborates on Klong chen pa's terse passage from the Yid bzhin mdzod (stanza 9 of the entry {116191:658}).

by David Higgins