The Changeless Nature

168 The Changeless Nature3. Ultimate space: the dharmadhatu — space of the true nature of mind, free ofconceptual interference.4. Prajna: see Note 9, Part One.Samadhi: (Tib: TingNGe. 'DZin): one-pointed-meditation.5. Fear of the sufferings of samsara: if this only inspires the desire for selfliberation,without concern for that of others, then its effect is a negativeone. Otherwise it can be a useful factor in dharma practice.6. Thirtika: (Tib: Mu. sTegs. Pa): taking the Tibetan word, syllable by syllable,Mu refers to those who are on the 'outskirts' of the path, near to the path ofdharma. sTegs literally means 'a step' or 'a rung' away from worldly life andtowards the dharma. This word refers to those who follow religious beliefs orphilosophies which mistakenly believe in an I or a self-entity.7. Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas: both part of the Hinayana, see Note 25 toPart One.8. Supreme Yana: the mahayana - see Note 25 to Part One.9. The sons born of the buddha: bodhisattvas.10. The four ways of straying from the dharmakaya are the belief in the purityof the ordinary body, in the happiness of samsaric life, in its permanence andin the existence of a 'self-entity' in oneself and in phenomena.The four hinayana antidotes are to understand the impurity of the body, thesuffering inherent to life, impermanence and the absence of a real, abidingself-entity. Here, however, the fruit is beyond both pure and impure, self andno-self, happy and unhappy, permanent and impermanent.11. Five aggregates: see Note 17 in this chapter.12. Clear cognition: (Tib: mNGon. SHes) to know an object clearly and directlywithout relying upon external signs or reasons. Clear cognition comes fromsamadhi but until the 1st bodhisattva level it only sees the illusory nature ofbeings. From the 1st level onwards, it sees both the illusory and the truenature of beings.13. Unrealised beings ; believe in permanence; those who see the truth (the 4truths) understand impermanence and the buddhas have no obscurations andperceive the buddha-nature just as it is.14. Tathagathas: see Note 7 on Part One.15. Reality: (Tib: CHos. NYid, Skt: dharmata) universal essence — the unchangingaspect as opposed to the changeable aspect of things. This definitionapplies throughout.16. Same after purification as it was before: purifying its incidental impuritiesdoes not change the nature of the buddha-essence, which is always perfectlypure.17. The Aggregates: (Tib: PHung. Po Skt: skandha) the five psycho-physicalaggregates are 1. Form 2. Feeling 3. Perception/Cognition 4. Mental Factorsand 5. Consciousness.18. The Elements: (Tib: KHams Skt: Dhatu) the 18 elements, comprising thesix sensory faculties, the six sense objects and the six linking consciousnesses.