Absolute Truth

kun gzhi - Alaya - All-ground. Literally, the 'foundation of all things.' The basis of mind and both pure and impure phenomena. This word has different meanings in different contexts and should be understood accordingly. Sometimes it is synonymous with Buddha Nature or Dharmakaya, the recognition of which is the basis for all pure phenomena; other times, as in the case of the 'ignorant all-ground,' it refers to a neutral state of dualistic mind that has not been embraced by innate wakefulness and thus is the basis for samsaric experience [RY]

chos nyid 'od gsal - Luminous dharmata. The innate wakefulness that is the nature of mind of all sentient beings [RY]

pad ma 'byung gnas - In his Pond of White Lotus Flowers (p. 19-20) Shechen Gyaltsab Pema Namgyal explains that Padmasambhava was predicted in the Tantra of the Perfect Embodiment of the Unexcelled Nature, "Eight years after I pass into Nirvana, I shall reappear in the country of Uddiyana by the name Padmasambhava and be the lord of the teachings of Secret Mantra." Following this prophesy, Padmasambhava appeared in this world in the following way: The fully perfected Buddha Amitabha, sovereign of the vajra speech of all the buddhas of the three times, resides in an immense celestial palace composed of the self-display of innate wakefulness in the center of the pure realm of Sukhavati. Inseparable from the luminous Dharmakaya essence of Amitabha's mind, Padmasambhava is an unceasing miraculous display of the natural expression of compassionate energy, a manifestation of outer, inner and secret emanations that appear according to the countless beings to be influenced and to accomplish their welfare. In particular, in this world Padmasambhava appeared as the regent of Buddha Shakyamuni by taking birth from a lotus flower in Lake Danakosha. Through the miraculous display of his amazing deeds he was equivalent to a second buddha for Buddhism in both India and Tibet. On the relative level, in Maratika he appeared to realize the Vidyadhara level of life mastery, the unified stage of the path of training, the Realization of which is equal to that of a Bodhisattva on the eighth level (SA bhumis) according to the causal vehicles. In the Cave of Yangleshö he acted as if reaching the Mahamudra level of the path of cultivation by the samadhi that illuminates the wisdom mandala of the nine divinities of Vishuddha and thus attained a state of realization corresponding to that of a bodhisattva on the tenth level according to the causal vehicles. In fact, his state of realization is indivisible from that of the buddhas of the three times and possesses the nature of wondrous manifestations that surpass the boundary of ordinary thought [RY]

byang sems - byang chub kyi sems - Bodhichitta. 'Awakened state of mind,' 'enlightened attitude.' 1) The aspiration to attain enlightenment for the sake of all beings. 2) In the context of Dzogchen, the innate wakefulness of awakened mind; synonymous with nondual awareness [RY]

bzo med - Nonfabrication. The key point in the training of Mahamudra and Dzogchen; that innate wakefulness is not created through intellectual effort [RY]

ye shes 'od gsal ba'i dgongs pa - luminous realization of innate wakefulness [RY]

rang gnas kyi ye shes - innate wakefulness, wisdom exists within [one] [RY]

lam gyi ye shes - Path wisdom. The experience of innate wakefulness pointed out by one's master in which full stability has not been reached. Compare with fruition wisdom [RY]