- kun gzhi/
- ID:
- T2626
- ཀུན་གཞི (Tibetan, Tibetan script, Original)
- > kun gzhi/ (Tibetan, Latin script, Transliteration-THL Extended Wylie Transliteration)
- > künzhi (Tibetan, Latin script, Transcription-THL Simplified Tibetan Transcription)
David Higgins Lexicon of Tibetan Buddhist Topics and Terminology
- is part of the compound
- kun gzhi'i rnam shes/
- is contrasted with
- chos sku/, ka dag, ka dag, chos sku/
- has as a division
- kun gzhi gnyis/
Passages
Passage
e. kun gzhi chos sku'i shan 'byed
de bzhin kun gzhi dang ni chos sku gnyis [rnam mkhyen shing rta:648.3, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:636.5]
dbyings su gcig kyang chos sku rgya mtsho 'dra
kun gzhi'i rnam shes de yi sgrib cha ste
gru pa bzhin du [128] 'khor 'das gnyis kar lding/
f. 'khrul grol skabs kyi shan 'byed
gzhi de nyid nas 'khrul grol chos nyid kyang [rnam mkhyen shing rta:648.3, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:641.4]
gnyid du song dang de las sad pa bzhin
'khrul pa dbang po nyams pa'i gnyid stug bzhin
grol ba de las sad ba'i gnas skabs 'dra/
Note
After elucidating the other central Rdzogs chen distinction (shan 'byed) between sems and rig pa (see under sems) and three related distinctions, the authors of this passage go on to distinguish kun gzhi and chos sku. Their commentaries must be read in connection with the Tshig don mdzod {115736} and Theg mchog mdzod {115751}, which are their primary sources.
by David Higgins
Passage
kun mkhyen pa sems can la/ dag pa ye shes kyi kun gzhi dang/ ma dag pa rnam shes kyi kun gzhi gnyis yod par 'dod cing/ de gnyis rang bzhin mi gcig par 'dod pa ...
Note
In this short text which refutes the positions of Dol po pa and Bu ston regarding the Tathagatagarbha and kun gzhi, 'ba' ra ba argues that a rigid distinction between two types of kun gzhi (pure and impure) leads to a form of dualism which is self-contradictory and inadmissible. He outlines the two positions as follows, before going into the details of each and finally refuting them on the basis of authoritative sources. (See also 469 f.)
by David Higgins
Passage
[21] dris lan nyer gcig pa [128.5]
[kun gzhi chos sku gnyis gnad gang]
kun gzhi dang ni chos sku'i gnad
de la kun gzhi re zhig bshad
chos dang chos min kun gyi gzhi
ngo bo nges tshig dbye ba bshad
ngo bo bag chags rnams kyi snod
dbye ba yul dang sbyor ba dang
sna thogs pa dang ye gzhi'o [129]
nges tshig kun ni 'dus pa las
gzhi ni tshogs shing sogs pa'o [Tshig don mdzod has sog pa'o]
chos kyi sku ni spros bral te
rang gar 'dzin pa'i mtshan ma med
ngo bo stong gsal dbyer med la
dbye ba chos dang longs sprul sku
gsum gyi dbye bas khyad par 'jug
nges tshig chos ni yang dag lam
sku ni de las grub pa'o
de ltar dbye ba'i gnad kyis ni
dus dang thabs dang dpe nyid dang
phyed pa'i tshid kyis 'bras bu'o//
Note
In this passage, kun gzhi and chos sku are clearly defined and contrasted in response to the 21st question of chapter two on the seminal Rdzogs chen distinction between the two terms. See also the parallel distinction between sems and ye shes (under sems).
by David Higgins
Passage
kun gzhi dang kun gzhi'i rnam par shes pa gnyis kyi so mtshams ni/ kun zhes pa 'phro byed rnam par rtog pa gya gyu dang/ gzhi zhes pa g.yo med chos kyi sku gnyis 'dres pa bag chags bzang ngan gyi gnad do/ kun gzhi rnam shes pa ni/ yid kyis kun gzhi la spyod nas dran rig tu shar pa'o/ de nyams su len pa'i dus/ gzhi dngos po don gyi gnas lugs ma bcos pa de la/ yid kyi dran pas ma bskyod pa/ lham me/ lhan ne/ rtog med du gnas pa de kho na la kun gzhi dang/ rnam shes dngos po don gyi gzhir shes pas/ chos kyi skur rang sar dag pa'i gnad do//
Note
In discussing the interface between kun gzhi and kun gzhi rnam shes (fifth of thirty-two), Padmasambhava defines each, concisely but very precisely, and indicates how they relate experientially to the actual ground of Being (dngos po don gyi kun gzhi). (See also under sems/sems nyid, yid/yid kyi rnam shes.)
by David Higgins
Passage
a. kun gzhi khyad par dang/
b. chos sku'i khyad par bshad pa'o/
II.1.ii.a. dang po
1. kun gzhi'i ngo bo/
2. nges tshig/
3. dbye ba/
4. byed las/
5. sgra 'jug pa'i rgyu mtshan dang lnga las/
II.1.ii.a.1. ngo bo ni sems sems byung gis nye bar bsdus pas 'khor 'das kyi las dang bag chags thams cad kyi rten du gyur pa ste/ ma rig pa'i sa ba lung ma bstan te/ thal 'gyur [sgra thal 'gyur {115721:128.6}] las/
ngo bo bag chags rnams kyi snod/ ces pa dang/
rang shar las/
kun gzhi rnam rtog 'dzin pa las
sna tshogs pa yi shes pas bslad
kun gzhi ma rig dngos po yin/ zhes [53b] so/
II.1.ii.a.2. nges tshig ni/ bag chags du ma'i gzhi yin pas kun gzhi ste/ thal 'gyur {115721:128.6} las/
nges tshig kun ni 'dus pa la
gzhi ni tshogs shing sog pa'o/ zhes so/
II.1.ii.a.3. dbye na bzhi ste/
(i) ye don gyi kun gzhi ni rig pa'i steng na ye thog dang po'i dus nas gser dang g.ya' bzhin lhan cig skyes pa'i cha rig pa la ltos pa'i ma rig pa ste/ 'khor ba'i chos kun gyi dang po'i gzhi dang/
(ii) sbyor ba don gyi kun gzhi las kyi cha'i gzhi de 'khor 'das su las dang so sos sbyor zhing 'phen pa'i rtsa ba'i rten can lung ma bstan pa dang/
(iii) bag chags sna tshogs pa'i kun gzhi sems dang sems byung gi 'khor bar bskyed pa'i cha'i las sna tshogs pa bag la nyal gyi cha lung ma bstan pa dang/
(iv) bag chags lus kyi kun gzhi yan lag dang nying lag rdul phran cha shas su snang ba rags pa'i lus dang/ dangs pa 'od kyi lus dang/ ting nge 'dzin ltar snang ba'i lus gsum du so sor snang ba'i gzhi ma rig pa'i rten gyi cha can te/ thal 'gyur las/
dbye na lus dang sbyor ba dang
sna tshogs pa dang ye gzhi'o/ zhes so/
kha cig gis rig pa dngos dri bcas kyi cha nas kun gzhir btags pa 'dug ste/ chos dang gcig tu 'dres pa'i skyon yod pas bag chags la kho nar 'jog pa 'di 'thad do/ 'di dag kyang ngo bo ma rig pa'i shes pa lung ma bstan bag chags kyi sa par gcig [54a] la ldog pa tha dad pa tsam mo/ de yang lus su bag chags pa'i gzhi kun gzhir byung bas da lta lus su snang ba'i gnad de yin la/ sems su bag chags pa'i gzhir byung bas da lta rnam shes du ma'i tshogs pa sems byung dang bcas par byung la/ bag chags sna tshogs pa'i gzhir byung bas da lta snang ba tha dad du shar mdangs sa snang du byung la/ ye'i gzhir bhung bas da lta gang la'ng ma rig dang mtshungs ldan du byung ba'o/ kun gzhi bzhi po 'di bag la nyal gyi cha lung ma bstan yin pas sa 'og gi sa bon dang 'dra bar dngos su bltar med la/ mngon gyur gyi chos rnams kyi rgyu tsam du yod cing lus sems snang cha'i ma rig pa bzhi po myu gu dang 'dra bar dngos su bltar yod pa'i gnad de las byung ba'o/ de thams cad kyang kun gzhi zhes bya ba gcig tu 'du ba ni/ ngo bo gcig pa'i chas bzhag la/ bye ba bzhi ni ldog pa tha dad la ltos nas bzhag go
II.1.ii.a.4. byed las ni bag chags snga phyi'i rten byed/ las dang nyon mongs pa'i rgyu byed/ lus dang tshogs pa du ma'i 'char gzhi byed/ lus sems dang 'khor 'das so so la skyor ba'i cha byed de/ mu tig phreng ba las/
kun gzhi nyid ni bsags pa'i phyir/ zhes so/
II.1.ii.a.5. sgra 'jug pa'i rgyu mtshan ni/ bag chags snga phyi'i nyid [54b] mtshams dang/ rnam smin snga phyi'i 'brel dang/ rgyu 'bras kyi stobs dkar nag so so ba'i rten byed pas kun zhes bya la/ lhan cig tu tshogs pa'i gnas yin pas gzhi zhes bya ste/ thal 'gyur {115721:128.5} las/
de la kun gzhi re zhig bshad
chos dang chos min kun gyi gzhi/ zhes pa dang/
rgyud bla ma'i 'grel par/
kun gzhi kun gyi gzhi yin te
rnam par byang ba'i gzhi ma'ang yin/ zhes so/
'khor ba'i gzhir 'thad kyi rnam byang gi gzhi ji ltar yin zhe na/ spyir gzhi la dngos kyi gzhi zer las nyi ma lta bu dang/ de la sbyor ba'i gzhi dge bas mtho ris kyi gzhi byed pa lta bu las/ 'di sbyor ba'i gzhi la ming du btags pa ste/ myang 'das la sbyor ba'i thar pa cha mthun gyi dge ba sgo gsum gyis bsags pa'i kun gzhi'i steng na yod pa'i cha las so/ thar pa cha mthun gyi las de myang 'das kyi cha la sgrib pa'i dri ma sel ba'i rgyu byed pa la myang 'das kyi rgyur btags kyi bskyed bya bskyed byed kyi rgyu 'bras su mi 'dod de/ myang 'das kyi ngo bo 'dus ma byas pa yin pas rgyu rkyen gyis gsar du byed par 'gal ba'i phyir te/ rgyud bla ma las/
'dus ma byas shing lhun gyis grub
gzhan gyi rkyen gyis rtogs min dang
mkhyen dang brtse dang nus par ldan
don gnyis ldan pas sangs rgyas nyid/ ces so/
de'i phyir kun gzhi'i [55a] gnas dang chos sku gnyis shes pa'i steng na 'dra gzhi gcig pa la 'khrul nas/ rig pa dri bcas/ kun gzhi dri med chos sku'o zhes 'dod pa ni 'dres pas ma phyed pa yin te/ ngo bo gcig la ldog pa tha dad du song ba'i don gyi khyad par ma shes pas/ tshig gis so sor phye yang phan med de/ klong drug pa las/
de'i phyir na kun gzhi dang chos sku ma phyed na gzugs gnyis la tha dad du 'dzin pa'i shes pa dang 'dra ste don so sor snang bar mi nus so zhes so/
'di gnyis ni nor sa che bas khyad phyed pa shin tu gces so/
II.1.ii.b. gnyis pa chos sku'i khyad par bshad pa la:
1. ngo bo/
2. nges tshig/
3. dbye ba/
4. byed las/
5. sgra 'jug pa'i rgyu mtshan dang lnga las/
II.1.ii.b.1. chos sku'i ngo bo ni 'khor bas ma gos pa'i rig pa nam mkha' lta bu ste/ thal 'gyur [129.1] las/
chos kyi sku ni spros bral te
rang gar 'dzin pa'i mtshan ma med
ngo bo stong gsal dbyer med la/ zhes dang/
mu tig phreng ba las/
chos kyi sku ni zag pa zad
stong zhing gsal la gsal zhing khyad
bsam pas ma spags dran pa sangs
spros pa nyid dang bral ba ste
nam mkha' lta bur khyab cing stong
rang gar mtshon pa kun dang bral/ zhes so/
II.1.ii.b.2. nges tshig ni thal 'gyur [129.2] las/
nges tshig chos ni yang dag lam
sku ni de las grub pa'o/ zhes so/
II.1.ii.b.3. dbye na gsum ste/ de nyid {115721:129.2} las/ [55b]
dbye ba chos dang longs sprul sku
gsum gyis phye bas khyad par 'jug/ ces so/
II.1.ii.b.4. byed las ni/ lta sgom spyod 'bras yon tan phrin las kyi rol pas dri ma med par byed pa ste/ rang shar las/
'gag med zhen med chags pa med
chos kyi sku yi spyod pa'o
lhan ne lhang nge yengs ba med
chos kyi sku yi sgom pa yin
bltar med bltas zin lta ba rdzogs
chos kyi sku yi lta ba yin
byas med byung med 'byung ba med
chos kyi sku yi 'bras bu yin
bsgrub med bsgrubs zin sgrub pa rdzogs
chos kyi sku yi phrin las yin
gcig byung gnyis byung thams cad byung
chos kyi sku yi yon tan yin/ zhes so/
II.1.ii.b.5. sgra 'jug pa'i rgyu mtshan ni/ stong pa dngos po dang mtshan ma med pa'i sku la stobs dang mi 'jigs pa dang ma 'dres pa'i yon tan gyi chos rdzogs pas chos sku zhes bya ste/ de nyid las/
mi 'jigs stobs dang gsal ba dang
bya ba thams cad rdzogs pa ni
chos kyi sku yi nges tshig yin/ zhes so/
skabs 'di'i chos sku ni gzhi gnas kyi chos sku rang bzhin rnam dag ngo bo rang bzhin thugs rje gsum gyi mtshan nyid can la 'dod de/ rang shar las/
ngo bo rang bzhin thugs rje gsum
chos kyi sku yi mtshan nyid yin/ zhes so/
Note
This passage provides the classic Rdzogs chen elucidation on the distinction between kun gzhi and chos sku (see also the entries from Theg mchog mdzod {115751:299a.5}, Rnam mkhyen shing rta {115786:648.3}, Yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me {116381:v3:636.5}, and Tshig don mdzod {115736:52b.3}).
by David Higgins
Passage
kun gzhi la ye shes dang rnam shes su 'byed pa...
Note
Dol po pa maintains a view, typical of most Gsar ma traditions, that kun gzhi is differentiated into ye shes and rnam shes (see also 199b.2). For a critique of Dol po pa's and Bu ston's theories regarding kun gzhi, see Byang chub lam rim dang gzhi 'khrul gyi mun pa gsal ba nyi ma'i 'od zer {115561:459;496}.
by David Higgins
Passage
'khor ba byed po kun gzhi yi
rnam shes nyid las gzhan du med
myang 'das byed po kun gzhi yi
ye shes nyid yin de yi mtshon
gal pa mngon pa phyung ba dang
rdzogs pa chen po zhes su btags/
Note
In this passage Pan chen Śākya mchog ldan distinguishes between two aspects of kun gzhi: (1) rnam smin kyi cha and (2) ye shes kyi cha. He says that this latter aspect, the kun gzhi ye shes, is what the Rnying ma tradition calls "Rdzogs chen". In his Rang gzung gsal ba'i me long, he provides the following thought. See Samten Karmay's thesis, An Annotated Translation of the Treasury of Good Sayings (Legs-bshad-mdzod) {116251:354:n32}.
by David Higgins
passage translation (English)
The nature (mtshan nyid) of kun gzhi as understood by the lower spiritual pursuits is that it serves as the momentum and fruition (cause and effect) of all perishable phenomena and their maturation, and is thus comparable to the ripening of a fruit. As such, it is merely the basis or setting for imperishable phenomena, like medicine which is present in a jar of poison. The nature of kun gzhi as understood by the higher spiritual pursuits is such that being pure since beginningless beginning as the natural expression of the energizing core of transformative awakening, kun gzhi is referred to as byang chub kyi sems. The sedimented tendencies due to emotionality and the habituation to evil situations are incidental grime which, like patina on gold or a swamp engulfing a precious gem, prevent even the slightest inborn capabilities from shining forth so that no effort is made to experience it as it is.
Note
In this passage Rong zom pa sees kun gzhi as being both a primordially pure (unconditioned) matrix and the source of impure, conditioned phenomena. This is a view which is maintained, in one version or another, by most Gsar ma traditions (especially the Bka' brgyud tradition), but definitely rejected by later Rdzogs chen scholars (especially Klong chen pa) who radically contrast conditioned kun gzhi ('sems) from the unconditioned gzhi ('sems nyid) and from chos sku (based on the Ati Tantras).
by David Higgins
See the entries from Tshig don mdzod {115736:53a.3} and Theg mchog mdzod {115751:299a.5} for Klong chen pa's most exhaustive discussions on the difference between kun gzhi and chos sku.
This passage provides Sog zlog pa's (1552-1624) responses to 8th Karmapa Mi bskyod rdo rje's (1507-1554) questions regarding the difference between kun gzhi and ka dag. Sog zlog pa relates ka dag to grol gzhi, kun tu bzang po, and rig pa on the one hand, and relates kun gzhi to sems on the other hand. He concludes, however, by claiming that kun gzhi dang ka dag gnyis gcig dang tha dad gang yang ma yin no. See also queries of Dge lugs pa master Dkon mchog bstan pa'i sgron me in the in Zhal lung bdud rtsi'i thigs phreng, 582 and comments of Dpal mang dkon mchog rgyal mtshan in the Collected works v. 5, 284. (See Samten Karmay's thesis, An Annotated Translation of the Treasury of Good Sayings (Legs-bshad-mdzod) {116251:326.7;354:n41}.
According to this Bon po text, there are two types of kun gzhi: (1) absolutely pure (like the sky) and (2) defiled by tendencies connected with the eight-fold pattern of consciousness.
In this text, Bon po scholar U ri bsod nams rgyal mtshan distinguishes between gnas pa don gyi kun gzhi and shes rig rgyud kyi kun gzhi.
Other Dictionaries
1. Jeffrey Hopkins Dictionary
Hopkins' Translations: basis-of-all
Others' Translations: storehouse; hang on to; settling place
Sanskrit: {LCh,L,ME}ālaya
Comment: Often to be distinguished from kun gzhi rnam par shes pa (mind-basis-of-all, ālayavijñāna), in which case kun gzhi refers to the seeds themselves and not the mind in which they reside.
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2. Dan Martin Dictionary
'all basis.' Vijñānavāda idea used, but not accepted as ultimate in, Rdzogs-chen thought. See 91 I 582.6 ff.; 367 II 133.1. kun gyi gzhi dang kun gzhi rnam shes. Chödag. Dung-dkar 87
1. ye don gyi kun gzhi.
2. sbyor ba don gyi kun gzhi.
3. bag chags sna tshogs pa'i kun gzhi.
4. bag chags lus kyi kun gzhi. Thondup BM 211-2.
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3. Rangjung Yeshe Dictionary
-
all-ground
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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
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alaya 1) all-ground, basis of all, ground-of-all; gathering place, storehouse, ground of all (ordinary/ samsaric) experience; basis of everything, basic nature. 2) abbr. of ཀུན་གཞིའི་རྣམ་པར་ཤེས་པ་, ཀུན་གཞི་རྣམ་པར་ཤེས་པ་
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4. Ives Waldo Dictionary
1) collecting place, begging bowl; 2) continuum of mind, one's nature; 3) alaya [one of the 8 consciousnesses all-ground, basis/ ground/ fundamental structuring of all [experience], the basic store of all consciousness) either samsaric or someties when purified = dharmadhatu. Sometimes aspects of alaya and alayvijnana are distinguished]
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5. Jim Valby Dictionary
alaya, (universal, primal, common) ground, substratum-awareness, foundation of everything, stratum of all and everything, accounts for unity of being all ground, common comprehensive foundation of both samsara and nirvana, fundamental structuring of all experience spirit, primeval in a special sense, innermost essence, inherent nature all-ground spirit, basis, mind, base of all, base, (sometimes synonymous with rang byung ye shes, byang chub sems, bon nyid), primordial base, universal ground of emptiness, the basis of everything, universal base consciousness
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7. bod rgya tshig mdzod chen mo
[24] ༼ཨཱལཱཡཿ༽ ? 1༽ འདུ་བའི་གནས་དང་བཟེད་སྣོད། ... 2༽ གཤིས་རྒྱུད་དམ་སེམས་རྒྱུད། ... ཀུན་གཞི་དུལ་བ། ... 3༽ ཀུན་གཞིའི་རྣམ་ཤེས་ཀྱི་བསྡུས་ཚིག་
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- English
8. dung dkar bod rig pa'i tshig mdzod chen mo
འདི་སེམས་ཙམ་པས་ཁས་ལེན་པའི་ཀུན་གཞིའི་རྣམ་ཤེས་ཞེས་པ་དེ་མིན། འདིར་ཀུན་གཞི་ནི་བཀའ་བརྒྱུད་པ་རྣམས་ཀྱིས། འཁོར་བ་དང་། མྱང་འདས་གཉིས་ཀྱི་གཞི་རྩ་སེམས་གསལ་ཞིང་རིག་པ་དེ་ལ་ཟེར། དེ་ཉིད་དང་པོ་ནས་སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་ངོ་བོར་ཡོད་པ་ལ། དེ་ལྟར་ངོ་མ་ཤེས་ན་འཁོར་བར་འཁྱམས་པ་དང་དེ་ལྟར་རྟོགས་ན་སངས་རྒྱས་རང་ངོ་འཕྲོད་པ་ཡིན་པས། སེམས་འཁོར་འདས་ཀུན་གྱི་གཞི་མ་དེ་སངས་རྒྱས་སུ་ཁས་ལེན་ཞིང་དགེ་ལུགས་པས་དེ་ལྟར་ཁས་མི་ལེན་ནོ། །
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- Tibetan
9. Thupten Phuntsok Dictionary
〔ཨཱལཱཡཿ〕 (１) འདུ་བའི་གནས་དང་བཟེད་སྣོད། (２) གཤིས་རྒྱུད་དམ་སེམས་རྒྱུད། ཀུན་གཞི་དུལ་བ། (３) ཀུན་གཞིའི་རྣམ་ཤེས་ཀྱི་བསྡུས་ཚིག
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- Tibetan
10. smon lam tshig mdzod chen mo
-
1.ཀུན་གཞི་རྣམ་ཤེས་ཀྱི་བསྡུས་མིང་།
- language:
- Tibetan
-
2.གཤིས་རྒྱུད་དམ་སེམས་རྒྱུད་ཀྱི་དོན་ཏེ།
- Model Sentence
(དཔེར་ན།) གཤིས་རྒྱུད་དུལ་བ་ལ་ཀུན་གཞི་དུལ་བ་ཟེར་བ་ལྟ་བུ།
- language:
- Tibetan
-
3.(ཨཱལཱཡཿ) འདུ་བའི་གནས་དང་བཟེད་སྣོད།
- language:
- Tibetan
11. Yogācāra Glossary
- Sanskrit:
- ālaya
12. Lokesh Chandra Tibetan-Sanskrit dictionary
- Sanskrit:
- ālaya
13. Negi Tibetan-Sanskrit Dictionary
-
saṃ. = རྟེན ālayaḥ, sthānam — ālayaḥ sthānamiti paryāyau tri.bhā.149kha/36; ādhāraḥ vā.ko.822;
- language:
- Sanskrit
-
pā. (yo.vi.) = ཀུན་གཞི་རྣམ་ཤེས ālayam, ālayavijñānam — tatrālayākhyaṃ vijñānaṃ vipākaḥ sarvabījakam tri.2.
- language:
- Sanskrit
kun gzhi/ has 6 other terms directly related to it, which are presented here.