Passage

ci'i phyir de dag la'ang 'phags pa'i bden pa bya zhe na/ 'phags pa rgyun du zhugs pa la sogs pas bden pa nyid du gzigs pa'i phyir ro/ 'phags pa'i mtshan nyid gang du bzhag na ma skyes dgra'i 'gyod pa gsal ba las/

rdul dang lta ba thams cad dang bral ba'i phyir 'phags pa zhes bya'o/

zhes bshad do/ rdul zhes bya ba gang yin na/ mau d+gal gyi bu (Maudgaliputra) sems can med pa de sems can gyi rdul bral/ bdag med pa ste 'dod chags kyi rdul bral/ srog med pa ste skye 'chi 'pho ba dang bral ba/ gang zag med pa ste sngon gyi mtha' dang phyi ma'i mtha' yongs su ma chad pa/ zhi ba dang nyer zhi'i mtshan nyid 'dod chags dang bral ba ls sogs pas bstan la/ de bzhin du 'phags pa ma yin pa ni nyon mongs can du klu'i dbang pos bshad pa yin no/ (quotes Nāgārjuna)

Note

In the following passage, 'Jigs med gling pa returns to his definition of "noble truths" (Bden gnyis shing rta 217.1)

by David Higgins

Passage

[233.1] ...bden pa bzhi char ma grub pa nyid de/ yum las/

'phags pa'i bden pa rnams kyang ngo bo nyid med do/ zhes dang

byin gyis brlabs pa'i bkar/ sdug bsngal ba dang/ kun 'byung ba dang/ 'gog pa dang/ lam med/ ye shes med/ thob pa med/ mthong ba yang med do/

zhes dang/

lang kar gshegs pa las/

skye ba med pa bden pa gcig yin te
byis pa rnams ni bden pa bzhi zhes smra
byang chub snying por zhugs nas bden gcig kyang
grub pa med na bzhi lta ga la yod/ ces so/

Note

Finally, 'Jigs med gling pa returns to the topic after discussing the Śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha yānas, this time seeing it as a heuristic fiction (Bden gnyis shing rta 231).

by David Higgins

Passage

gtso chen bden pa bzhi'i sgo nas blang dor du byed do/

de'ang sdug bsngal gyi bden pa nad dang 'dra ba lus ngag yid gsum la phyi'am nang gi rkyen gyis bslangs pas zug rngu yid du mi 'ong ba nad dang 'tshe ba la sogs pa sna tshogs pa dang/ des mtshon pa 'khor ba'i dus kyi phung po lnga nye bar len pa dang bcas pa spang ba'i phyir nan tan [139] la 'jug pa'i rang bzhin shes pa la 'jug go

kun 'byung ni nad kyi rgyu dang 'dra ba 'du byed pa'i las te ri mo mkhan gyi rnam pa sdug bsngal bskyed pa'i rgyu dug gsum la sogs pa rnams spong ba la 'jug go

'gog pa'i bden pa nad las grob ba'i bde ba lta bu 'khor ba'i 'obs sam rims nad las grol ba'i dga' ba can 'bras bu dam pa thob par bya ba la 'bad do/

lam gyi bden pa sman dang 'dra ba sdug bsngal gyi nad las grol bar bya ba'i phyir bsgom pa la 'jug ste/ (cites Rgyud bla ma, see under Yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me {116381})

Note

In the context of the Śrāvaka mārga, Klong chen pa gives a graphic portrayal of the four truths using the (not so figurative) simile of illness and its alleviation.

by David Higgins

Passage

b. bden pa lhag ma gsum rgyas par bshad pa

1. kun 'byung gi bden pa

gzugs la brten bcas tshor bas rang bzhin shes [rnam mkhyen shing rta:212.5, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:353.2]
'du shes las de rgyun chags 'du byed kyi
phyin chad sa bon bskrun dang rnam shes kyi
sdug bsngal nyams su myong ba'i nye bar len/

phung po lnga po 'di dag sdug bsngal rnams [yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:353.6]
kun gyis 'byung gnas kun gyi rten dang snod
kun gyis rgyu 'bras bdag por mkhyen 'tshal nas
kun 'byung las dang nyon mongs spang 'tshal lo/

2. lam bden pa

de ltar spangs nas skyes bu 'bring gi lam [rnam mkhyen shing rta:213.4, yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:358.4]
sden pa bzhi yi shing rta la zhon rnams/

3. 'gog pa bden pa

[21] 'gog pa mngon gyur mya ngan 'das pa'i khams [yon tan rin po che mdzod kyi 'grel pa nyi zla'i sgron me:360.5]
thar pa mchog gi go 'phang nyid du 'gro/

Note

'Jigs med gling pa portrays human misery eloquently in a summary passage in Bden gnyis shing rta 204.2. An overview of the remaining three truths is given in the root text.

by David Higgins

Passage

de ltar 'phags pa'i bden pa bzhi po de dag mthong bas mya ngan las 'das pa thob pa la sbyor bar byed pa ni khyim pa'i rten la'ang ma nges te/ snga ma [bshes sbring] las/

de ltar lags pas 'phags pa'i bden pa bzhi
'thob par bgyid slad rtag tu brtson pa bgyi
pang na dpal gnas khyim pa rnams kyis kyang
shes pas nyon mongs chu bo las brgal bgyis/

zhes khyim pa rgyal srid la gnas pa gzugs can snying po la sogs pas kyang 'phags pa'i bden pa bzhi shes pas nyon mongs pa'i chu bo las brgal bas na/ 'phags pa'i lam de ni skyes bu'i rtsal gyis bsgrub par byed pa yin gyis/ dang po nas shes pa yongs su grub zin pa cig gnam nas babs pa yang ma lags/ lo tog bzhin du sa rum nas 'thon pa yang ma lags ba na so so'i skye bo yin yang dge ba'i bshes gnyen la bsten nas 'bad de nyon mongs pa'i chu bo las brgal ba la skrag par ma byed cig ces....(quotes Nāgārjuna) (see under 'du shes phyin ci log for continuation)

Note

Summarizing the four noble truths in the commentary (Bden gnyis shing rta 214.2), 'Jigs med gling pa gives the following definition.

by David Higgins

Passage

mngon mtho'i gru bo mchog la bsten pa rnams
re zhig ngan song chu srin gdug pa'i lces
btang yang thar pa'i skam sar ma phyin pas
'phags pa'i bden pa bzhi yi ded dpon bsnyen/

Note

'Jigs med gling pa uses the four noble truths as a framework for discussing at length the preliminary topic of unsatisfactoriness or suffering (sdug bsngal). He begins the fourth chapter of the root text (Bden gnyis shing rta 153.1) with the following passage.

by David Higgins

Passage

...spyi'i don la bzhi ste/ ngo bo/ rnam pa/ sgra don/ go rim mo/

A. Essence of Each

dang po bden pa bzhi rang rang gi ngo bo ni/

sdug bsngal ni 'khor ba'i snod bcud gnyis po 'di thams cad yin/

kun 'byung ni las dang nyon mongs pa gnyis yin te/ las ni 'khor bar 'phen byed kyi dge ba dang mi dge ba sogs yin/ nyon mongs pa ni las de kun nas slong ba'i nyon mongs pa chags sdang rmongs gsum yin/

'gog pa ni sdug bsngal dang kun 'byung gnyis po de lam gyi mthus spangs pa'i cha de [291] dang/ spong gzhi chos nyid de bzhin nyid dang gnyis ka yin/

lam ni kha cig mthong sgom gnyis kho na la 'dod kyang gtso phal tsam las lam lnga yongs rdzogs yin/

B. 16 Aspects of These

gnyis pa de dag gi rnam pa bcu drug ni/

1a. skad cig gis skye 'gag byed pas mi rtag pa/

1b. gang ci tshor yang rung sdug bsngal las ma 'das pas sdug bsngal/

1c. nga yi ba'i dngos po rnams la bdag po med pas stong pa/

1d. gang zag gi gdags gzhi med pas bdag med pa ste sdug bsngal gyi rnam

pa bzhi/

2a. 'khor ba'i sdug bsngal thams cad 'byung bas kun 'byung/

2b. sdug bsngal thams cad kyi rtsa bar 'gyur pas rgyu/

2c. sdug bsngal drag po 'phral du bskyed pas rab skye/

2d. sdug bsngal nyams su myong ba'i mtshams sbyor bas rkyen dang bzhi

ste kun 'byung gi rnam pa/

3a. ma 'ongs pa'i sdug bsngal dang kun 'byung gi rgyun 'gog pas 'gog pa/

3b. 'khrul pa'i nyon mongs pa thams cad zhi bas zhi ba/

3c. phun sum tshogs pa mchog gi chos yin pas gya nom pa/

3d. slar mi ldog par 'khor ba las nges par thar pas nges par 'byung ba dang

bzhi ste 'gog pa'i rnam pa/

4a. gong nas gong du bgrod par bya bas lam/

4b. nyon mongs pa'i gnyen po byed pas rigs pa/

4c. sems phyin ci ma log par bsgrub pas sgrub pa/

4d. gtan du thar pa [292] myang 'das kyi gnas su 'khrid pas nges par 'byin

pa dang bzhi ni lam bden gyi rnam pa'o/

C. Definition

bstan pa dang mi mthun pa med pa dang/ de mthong na rnam par dag pa'i rgyur pa'i don ni bden pa'o/ zhes gsungs pas bden pa bzhi'i mtshan nyid 'di ltar yin no zhes sangs rgyas kyi bstan pa'i don ji lta ba bzhin yul bden bzhi rang rang gi ngos nas mi mthun pa med pas na yul gyi ngos nas bden pa dang/ bden bzhi'i mtshan nyid ji ltar bstan pa de ltar shes na shes pa'i blo de yang ma nor ba yin pas na yul can gyi ngos nas bden pa'o/ de yang bden bzhi rang rang gi mtshan nyid ji ltar gnas pa de 'phags pa rnams kho nas mkhyen pas na 'phags pa'i bden par bzhag la/ so skyes rnams la sdug bsngal kun 'byung sogs rang la yod kyang de dag gi mtshan nyid ji lta bar mi shes pas phyin ci log tu 'dzin pas na de dag gi bden par ma bzhag go

D. Sequence

lam mngon par rtogs pa'i go rim dang sbyar nas bzhag ste/ rgyud bla ma las/

nad ni shes bya nad kyi rgyu ni spang bya la
bden gnas thob phyir sman ni bsten pa bya ba ltar
sdug bsngal rgyu dang de 'gog dang de bzhin lam
shes bya spang bya rigs par zhing bsten par bya/

zhes pa ltar dang po sdug bsngal shes par byas nas 'khor ba la nges 'byung bskyed/ de nas sdug bsngal gyi rgyu kun 'byung spangs te 'gog pa mngon du bya bar 'dod pas lam rgyud la bsten pa'i go rim dang sbyar nas de ltar bzhag ste/ de yang 'khor ba'i rgyu kun 'byung yin la/ de'i 'bras bu sdug bden yin pas de gnyis kun nas nyon mongs pa'i phyogs dang/ mya ngan las 'das pa'i rgyu lam bden dang/ 'bras bu 'gog bden te de gnyis rnam par byang ba'i phyogs so/

Note

In this passage, Yon tan rgya mtsho presents the four truths as one of two basic doctrines that characterize the path of the mediocre person (ie. Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas). The other doctrine being the rten 'brel. His attempt to combine and reconcile the Dge lugs pa lam rim framework of Tsong kha pa and the Rnying ma lam rim teachings is evident.

by David Higgins

Passage

[45.3] 'di ltar/ sdug bsngal gyi chos rnams dang/ de bzhin du sdug bsngal kun 'byung ba dang/ sdug bsngal 'gog pa dang/ sdug bsngal 'gog par 'gro ba'i lam rnams la/ rang gi ngo bo ji lta ba bzhin yin te/ rtag tu phyin ci log med pas bden pa yin la/ de dag 'phags pa rnams kyi thugs su chud pa dang/ kha cig 'phags pa'i rang bzhin yang yin pas de skad ces bya'o/

Note

In discussing the meditation practiced by Śrāvakas, Rong zom defines the four "realities of those who have broken away" and lists the sixteen aspects pertaining to the emotions spanning the three realms. On page 54, he indicates how they relate to the rten 'brel. He gives the following definition.

by David Higgins