'du shes

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འདུ་ཤེས
conception. Characterized as perceiving as attributes. (See the discussion below.) DKC

perception [of characteristics] [as 'du shes phung po of phung po lnga], concept, idea[ology], consciousness [IW]

perception [of characteristics] [which in samsara is also fixation. 1 of the five ever-present mental factors kun 'gro lnga,] by which awareness discriminates characteristics not common to all objects by the power of how things are dngos stobs. thought concept[ion], idea, aggregate/ skandha of perception, apprehension, discernment, discrimination, notion, image, "ideation", consideration, name, discrimination, recognition, distinguishing, consciousness, think, entertain an idea, feel an inclination of, skandha of perception. perception, samjna.] [IW]

perception, notion, idea, thoughts, ideation, concept formation, imagination, discrimination, sentiment, conceptualization, mibp p.23, (collection of sensory data as an idea of the object of perception, a composite sensory impression of many different perceptions), ideology, discernment [JV]

perception [of characteristics] *, concept, idea[ology], consciousness [IW]

perception; idea; concept [RB]

conception, perception [thd]

Skt. samjna, 1) notion, conception, perception, activity, apprehension, concept, consciousness, consideration, discernment, discrimination, discrimination, distinguishing, idea, ideation, image, name, recognition, feelings, thought, perceptions; one of the phung po lnga. 2) 'du shes pa to perceive; hold a notion / an idea, entertain an idea, feel an inclination of, think [RY]

Discussion

conception. It is characterised as "perception of attributes" and frequently translated as "perception." This is, however, not the best translation. First of all there are examples of perception that do not involve perception of attributes, such as the post-meditation perception of a Bodhisattva on the three pure levels, so the word perception has a fault of excessive pervasion (khyab che ba'i skyon). Secondly, if you read the literature, the translation conception fits the usage of the word much better. See, for example, Area I verse 21 of the Treasury of Manifest Dharma, where conception is likened to view or belief that is the root of dispute between those who are fully-renounced. Thirdly, it seems a subtle but important point that all schools of Buddhism recognize that an attribute such as big or small, beautiful or ugly is a conception imposed by the perceiving mind and not an actual aspect of the object that is perceived.

In Tibetan, 'du shes is characterized as mtshan mar 'dzin pa. The la sgra on mtshan mar is best rendered in English by the word as. Sometimes this phrase is translated as "grasping attributes," or "perception of attributes," but those translations omit the la sgra and miss the meaning: we are conceiving of something as an attribute even though there is nothing inherent about it that actually is so. DKC