Basic State

rgyu 'bras kyi theg pa - rgyu dang 'bras bu'i theg pa - causal and resultant vehicles. The teachings of Hinayana and Mahayana which regard the practices of the path as the causes for attaining the fruition of liberation and enlightenment and the Vajrayana system of taking fruition as the path by regarding buddhahood as inherently present and the path as the act of uncovering the basic state. The great master Longchenpa defined them as follows: "The causal vehicles are so called because of accepting a sequence of cause and effect, asserting that buddhahood is attained by increasing the qualities of the nature of the sugata essence, which is merely present as a seed, through the circumstance of the two accumulations. The resultant vehicles are so called because of asserting that the basis for purification is the (sugata) essence endowed with qualities that are spontaneously present as a natural possession in sentient beings, just as the sun is endowed with rays of light; that the objects of purification are the temporary defilements of the eight collections of consciousnesses, like the sky being (temporarily) obscured by clouds; and that one realizes the result of purification, the primordially present nature, by means of that which purifies, the paths of ripening and liberation. Besides this, there is no difference (between the two) in sequence or quality." [RY]

rtog med rang gsal - Nonconceptual self-cognizance. The basic state of mind that is pointed out by the root guru; free from thoughts and yet naturally cognizing whatever is present [RY]

tha mal gyi shes pa - ordinary mind [mahamudra technical term for unfabricated/genuine perception the enlightened essence, the natural mind, basic state] [IW]

tha mal gyi shes pa - ordinary mind; a Mahamudra term describing the enlightened essence, the natural / ordinary mind, basic state. {don tha mal gyi shes pa rjen pa la} in the nakedness of true ordinary mind [RY]

gnas lugs - basic state [RY]

rnam par mi rtog pa'i ye shes - Nonconceptual / thoughtfree wakefulness. The basic state of mind which is pointed out by the root guru; free from thoughts and yet cognizing whatever is present [RY]

rnal - basic state, fundamental condition, real situation, rest, dreamful sleep [JV]

'bras bu'i theg pa - ('bras bu gsang sngags) - Resultant vehicle. The Vajrayana system of taking fruition as the path by regarding buddhahood as inherently present and the path as the act of uncovering the basic state. This is different from the 'causal philosophical vehicles' of Mahayana and Hinayana which regard the path as that which leads to and produces the state of buddhahood. Ultimately, these two approaches are not in conflict. See also 'Secret Mantra.' [RY]

gshis lugs - the basic state, fundamental nature / reality; essential conditions, way of being, inherent / intrinsic nature, fundamental character, fundamentally unconditioned nature mode of being. Syn {gnas lugs} [RY]

srog sdom gzer bzhi - four stakes to bind the life-force; [detailed expl., The Light of Wisdom ISBN 962-7341-33-9 , Vol. 2, page 108]. Furthermore: To explain the 'four stakes to bind the life-force,' the object to be purified is the state of affairs of a sentient being's body, speech and mind as well as its activities. The result of purification is the Body, Speech, Mind, Qualities and Activities of buddhahood. Even though the basic state of affairs of a sentient being is primordially pure as these aspects of buddhahood, in the apparent state they are seen as being impure and involved in the cause and effect of samsaric existence. The means that purify are to apply the key points of instruction in the four stakes to bind the life-force and hereby you are able to realize the way it ultimately is. Thus, by binding samsara and nirvana with the life-force of their purity in being equality, both the basic and the apparent aspects - the practitioner's three gates and activities and the deity's Body, Speech, Mind and Activities - are brought into the path as the great primordial purity. This is therefore the extraordinary key point of the unity of development and completion and the special feature of the Old School of the Early Translations, Ngagyur Nyingma. [DILGO KHYENTSE] [RY]

bsam gyis mi khyab pa'i gnas lugs - inconceivable basic state [RY]