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

e. kun gzhi chos sku'i shan 'byed

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

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 {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 [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 kyis 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 byung bas da lta gang la'ang 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 bstar 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 bstar 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 [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 [thal 'gyur 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