Passage

kun nas nyon mongs pa dang rnam par byang ba'i chos thams cad don [5] dam par ni rang bzhin med pa yin la/ kun rdzob du ni sgyu ma tsam du so so'i mtshan nyid ma 'dres par yod de/

don dam par rang bzhin med ces bya ba la/ don dam pa rang gi ngo bo ni/ chos nyid spros pa dang bral ba la bya ste/ don gyi sgra yul la 'jug pas/ ye shes dam pa'i yul yin pas de skad ces bya'o/ rnam pa gcig du don gyi sgra dgos pa la 'jug pas/ thob par bya ba'i dgos pa rnams kyi nang na dam pa yin pas de skad ces bya'o/ de dag ltar na spyir chos nyis du mthun yang/ snga ma ni de bzhin nyid spyi la 'jug/ phyi ma ni chos nyid dag pa ste/ mya ngan las 'das pa la 'jug go de nyi phyin ci ma log pas dom dam pa'i bden pa zhes kyang bya ste/ 'phags pa' bden pa mthong ba rnams la de ltar bden par grub pa'i phyir ro/ 'dir yang shes pa ni rnam par mi rtog pa'i ye shes kyi yul du byas zhe'o/ de la dbye ba ni rnam pa gnyis te/ rnam grangs kyi don dam pa dang/ spros pa dang bral ba'i don dam pa'o/ de la (1) rnam grangs kyi don dam pa ni/ spros pa' phyogs re chad pa dang/ [63] phyogs re ma chad pa'i blo'i yul te/ 'di ltar stong pa nyid bco brgyad las stsogs pa/ don dam pa'i rnam grangs kyi tshig gis bstan par bya ba'i tshig gi don rnams so/ (2) spros pa bral ba'i don dam pa ni/ spros pa thams cad yongs su zhi ba'i rang bzhin gang yin pa'o/ de'i dbang du byas na dngos po rnams kyi rang bzhin gang yang mi 'grub pas/ don dam par rang bzhin med ces bya ste/ tshul 'di ni lung brtson par bsgrub pa'i tshul zhes bya'o/ rigs par brtson par bsgrub pa'i tshul ltar na/ don dam par rang bzhin med ces bya ba la/ dam pa ni blo'i dam pa ste/ dngos su so sor rtog pa'i shes rab kyi mthar thug pa/ rig pa'i dam pa la bya ste/ de'i yul du bsgrub du rung ba'i dngos po'i rang bzhin gang yang mi 'grub pas/ don dam par rang bzhin med cesa'am/ dam pa'i don du rang bzhin med ces bya'o/

kun rdzob ces bya ba'i rang gi ngo bo ni/ 'khrul pa'i shes pa snang ba dang bcas pa la bya ste/ de yang "samvrita" zhes bya ba'i sgra/ sam ni samaka ste yang dag pa/ vritti sgrib pa'i don al 'jug pas/ yang dag sgrib ces bshad de/ de lta 'khrul pa'i blo nyid kyis blo de nyid la bsgribs nas/ yang dag [64] pa'i don mthong ba la gegs byas pas yang dag sgrib ces bya'o/ de ltar na blo'i snang ba la kun rdzob pa zhes btags/ yang na sam ni sam ste kun la bya/ br^ita ni brdzabs pa'i tshig ste/ de lta na mkhas pa panaditas/ zab po ba lang rdzi yan chad kun gyis mthun par/ blo bur 'khur pa'i blos brdabs shing brtags te/ rnam par bzhag pa'i don yin gyi/ don ma bcos pa/ ma brtags pa/ ma bslad pa/ gnyug ma'i don ma yin pas/ kun rdzob ces bya ste/ de lta na snang ba'i don ni kun rdzob yin la/ 'khrul pa'i blo ni kun rdzob pa zhes bya'o/ kun rdzob kyi 'jug tshud ni/ ji srid du mngon par 'du bya ba dang bcas pa'i blo'i spyod yul du byas pa/ tshig dang yi ges brjod pa thams cad kun rdzob ces shes par bya'o/ 'di ni so so'i skye bo rnams kyi blo la grags pa dang/ tha snyad tsam du bden pas/ kund rdzob kyi bden pa zhes kyang bya'o/ 'dir yang shes pa ni 'khrul pa'i shes pa'i spyod yul dus byas so/ zhes sbyar ro/ dbye ba ni rnam pa gnyis te/ yang dag pa'i kun rdzob dang/ log pa'i kun rdzob po/ (1) de la yang dag pa'i kun rdzob ni/ dang po rgyu rkyen las skyes pa/ [65] mthun par snang ba/ don byed nus pa/ brtags na dben pa'i mtshan nyid can rnams so/ (2) log pa'i kun rdzob ni/ snang du 'dra yang de ltar don byed mi nus pa rnams so/ gzhan yang gzugs brnyan lta bu/ snang yang don byed mi nus dang/ bdag pa lta bu/ snang yang mi snang don byed kyang mi nus pa dang/ yi ge dang ming dang tshig gi tshogs lta bu/ dngos po med pa la dngos por brtags pa rnams ni/ log pa'i kun rdzob po zhes 'byung ngo /

Note

Commenting on a passage from Padmasambhava's Man ngag lta ba'i phreng ba {116076} on the Bodhisattvayāna, Rong zom pa elucidates the two aspects of reality.

by David Higgins

Passage

don dam pa dang kun rdzob gnyis kyi sa mtshams ni/ don dam pa zhes pa blo'i spyod yul du ma gyur pa'o/ kun rdzob ces pa ni/ blo 'khrul pa'i snang ba gang la yang ma 'gag par snang ba'o/ de nyams su len pa'i dus/ kun rdzob la bltas pas kun rdzob blo'i yul du ma grub pa/ rang bzhin gyis ma grub par 'dug/ de kho na nyid la kun rdzob don dam du rang sar dag pa'i gnad do/

Note

In discussing the interface between don dam and kun rdzob (seventh of thirty-two), Padmasambhava defines the former as what does not become an object of intellectual deliberation and indicates that the latter dissolves naturally into the don dam when one sees that the random intellectual vagaries of the kun rdzob cannot actually be verified as something (such as objects for the intellect).

by David Higgins

Passage

[693.5] de'ang chos zhes bya ba'i rang bzhin tsam zhig dbye ba'i gzhir byas nas/ snang lugs kun rdzob kyi bden pa dang/ gnas lugs don dam pa'i bden pa gnyis su phye'o/ snang lugs la'ang 'khrul pa dang ma 'khrul pa gnyis so/

Note

Klong chen pa examines the two realities within the framework of describing the "study" (thos) aspect of shes rab. He begins with the following passage.

by David Higgins

Note

The 'khrul pa aspect comprises all those mistaken identifications that perpetuate saṃsāra (this is further subdivided into a distorted and undistorted mode of kun rdzob that accounts for epistemological misperception vs. perception and deluded vs. pure modes of vision). The ma 'khrul aspect comprises two aspects. The first is non errancy with respect to traversing the levels of Being. Klong chen pa writes: "Since the path which does not go astray from its goal, but is suffused with the capabilities of pristine awareness which is the ground of Being, is impermanent insofar as it changes and goes higher and higher, it is described as non errant with respect to traversing the levels of Being" [695.1]. The other aspect of non errancy has to do with visionary experiences such as maṇḍalas which although described as "conventional" from the standpoint of their being presences, are actually inseparable from the chos sku, and thus remain like the sky, neither undergoing transmigration or transformation.

After a lengthy discussion of the distinction between two aspects of reality, Klong chen pa examines how they are classified in each of the philosophical systems [703.6 f] and concludes with his own way of understanding them. [706 f.]

by David Higgins

Passage

2. gzhal bya dam chos mdzod kyi rnam bzhag

A. bden gnyis kyi rang bzhin spyir bshad

a. mdor bstan

(1) gzhal bya'i ngos nas rgyal bas chos kyi sgo [rnam mkhyen shing rta:828.4, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:444.1]
brgyad khri bzhi stong gsungs pa mtha' dag don/

b. rgyas par bshad

(3) 'jig rten kun rdzob pa dang don dam ste
bden pa (4) gnyis las gsum pa ma mchis so/

(6) kun rdzob pa la snang lugs rnam pa gnyis [rnam mkhyen shing rta:829.1, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:451.6]

'khrul shes ngo la snang ba ji snyed kyi
snang tshod nyid dang mthun par don byed rnams
yang dag kun rdzob nyid de snang na'ang
don mi byed la log pa'i kun rdzob grags/

don dam bden pa gshis kyi bzhugs tshul te [rnam mkhyen shing rta:830.3, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:456.2]
'khor ba dang ni mya ngan 'das pa'i chos
ngo bo gnyis med gdod nas bsam brjod 'das
rtogs dang ma rtogs blo yi ma bzhag go

bden gnyis 'dres pa'i snang stong zung 'jug ni [rnam mkhyen shing rta:832.1]
rdzing bur zhugs pa'i zla ba'i skye mched bzhin
snang ba'i cha nas kun rdzob bden pa dang
rang bzhin ma grub don dam bden pa'o/

yul lnga'i shes pa (84) tshon ris ma 'dres ltas [rnam mkhyen shing rta:833.2, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:460.6]
gzugs sogs 'dod pa'i longs spyod cha bzung ba
de la der 'dzin dgag bsgrub blo rtog gi
'khrul snang sgyu ma'i dpe brgyad nyid du brtag/ (8 similes) [yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:461.4]

mthar thug blo yis rnam par dpyad bzod na
don dam ma yin blo ni kun rdzob phyir don dam def [rnam mkhyen shing rta:835.4]
gcig dang du mar 'gal ba'i mtshan nyid rnams
blo yi yul la nam yang gnas ma myong/

B. grub mtha' 'dod bzhung bye brag tu bshad

a. bye brag smra ba (Def. 835.3)

re zhig grub pa'i mtha' yi rnam bzhag ni [rnam mkhyen shing rta:835.3, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:464.4]
shes pa'i don dam blo yis dpyad pa dang
dngos po'i don dam tho bas bcom pa yi
rdul phran cha med nyan thos sde ba'i lugs/

b. mdo sde (Def. 838.4)

don byed nus pa gang yin de 'dir ni [rnam mkhyen shing rta:838.3, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:469.4]
don dam yod min gzhan ni kun rdzob yod
de la rang spyi'i mtshan nyid kyis bshad pa
mdo sde pa'i lugs ngo bo rtog ger mthun/

c. sems tsam (Def. rnal 'byor spyod pa 841.3)

gzung 'dzin gnyis su snang ba'i yul yul can [rnam mkhyen shing rta:841.1, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:474.6]
[rnam mkhyen shing rta:841.1, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:474.6]
kun rdzob bden pa nyid de gang las gzhan
gnyis med shes pa don dam bden pa ru
'dod pa sems tsam pa yi grub pa'i mtha'/

d. dbu ma pa

i) rang rgyud [rnam mkhyen shing rta:843.4, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:479.6]

ji ltar snang ba thams cad kun rdzob tu
grub pa sgyu ma lta bu'i mtshan nyid de
don dam grub pa med pa nam mkha' ltar
'dod pa dbu ma rang rgyud pa yi lugs/

ii) thal 'gyur (Def. 851.4) [rnam mkhyen shing rta:850.4, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:485.5]

'di ltar snang ba nyid ni kun rdzob dang
stong pa don dam zhes bya tha snyad kyis
btags pa gang [85] yang spros pa'i mtha' dang bral
snang dus nyid nas skye 'gag 'gro 'ong med
gzhan dbang dngos por 'dod pa'i kun rdzob kyang
de yi grub pa'i mtha' ru khas ma blangs
de ni thal 'gyur shing rta'i srol 'byed che
klu dbang zla ba grags pa'i khyad chos yin
'dir ni 'og ma'i rnam pa thams cad la
brtsad cing brtags pas gong ma nor mi 'gyur/

iii) de dag gi don bsdu ba

rang rang 'dod zhen gyis sbyar ltos grub kyi [rnam mkhyen shing rta:853.6, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:526.4]
grub pa'i mtha' yi mtshan nyid nyams 'og chud
de las dngos dang dngos 'dra dngos min gyi
mtshan nyid legs par phyed pa'i shes rab kyang
thos la brten 'byung de yis nyon mongs bcil
nyon mongs med la bdud kyis glags mi rnyed/

C. skab kyi mjug bsdu ba

'dir gang bzung na gshis kyi bzhugs tshul la [rnam mkhyen shing rta:865.2, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:529.3]
smra bsam brjod med don dam bden pa yin
blo yi cha nas smra bsam brjod pa ru
btags shing snang ba kun rdzob bden pa'i char
bzhag nas bden gnyis rtogs bye rtogs byed las
'das pa sus kyang mngon du byar med la
bltar med thob dang ma thob gnyis ka med
stong pa nyid dang nges par rjes mthun pa'i
blo skyes pa la rtogs pa'i bla dwags btags/ (bla dwags is a primative word
for rnam grangs)

Note

'Jigs med gling pa renders the subject matter of the Shing rta chen po (see the entry {116031:693.2}) into meter, with clear references to the Yid bzhin mdzod {116191} as well. Yon tan rgya mtsho discusses the bden gnyis in considerable detail, examining their: (1) essence [445.1], (2) defining characteristics [446.2], (3) definitions [447.1], (4) enumeration [447.4], (5) means of verification [448.6], (6) classification [449.2] and (7) the need to settle the matter (through understanding) [463.3].

by David Higgins

Passage

mu tig phreng ba las/

bden pa gnyis kyi rang bzhin ni
'jig rten kun rdzob tsam du ste
yang dag nyid la 'brel ba med
stong pa nyid kyi dbyings la ni
de yi ngo bor thams cad grol/ zhes so/

de bas na lam bden thams cad 'dus byas yin pa'i phyir mthar gyis zhi ba chos sku'i dbyings su 'gog pa'i tshul/ bden gnyis las kyang skye med spros kun zhi ba la/ dom dam zhes pa'i brda mdzad do/ zhes don dam pa nyid kyang tshig gis bzhag pa'i brda tsam las ngo bo nyid med pa'i phyir ro/ ngo bo nyid med pa'i mtshan nyid rang grol ma yin na/ de'i mi mthun phyogs rnam par shes pa'i tshogs brgyad dang bcas pa'i rkyen gzhan gyis grol bar mi nus te chos thams cad ngo bo nyid med pa'i ldog phyogs de dag yin pa'i phyir ro/

Note

On the topic of rang grol in Rdzogs chen (see under the term grol ba, the passages that discuss the five modes of grol ba), 'Jigs med gling pa quotes the Mu tig phreng ba {115636} on how the two realities are merely worldly conventions, bearing no connection to ultimate reality. As his commentary indicates, bden gnyis may here refer both to the truth of cessation and the path, and to the kun rdzob and don dam.

by David Higgins