srid pa'i rtse mo'i rten

three stages of existence [RY]

three stages of existence. The objects to be purified in the development stage are defined as the 'three stages of existence' with five aspects of involvement through the way they ripen. That is to say: Since all things, inside or outside, that have substantial existence, are self-existing awareness and emptiness, therefore, the existence of dying, as the first stage, is ultimate truth; the existence of taking rebirth, as the next stage, is conventional truth; and the existence of rebirth, as the last stage, involving childhood, youth and maturity, is the nondual two truths. "The branches of involvement are defined as five." These are: the dying state of existence as the ultimate truth, the intermediate state of existence as the relative truth, and the reborn state of existence, which has three progressive stages. These three are the stage from taking birth to childhood, the stage of youth and prime of life, and the stage from adulthood to old age. In this way there are five stages. [RY]