Prakṛtistha-gotra

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Key Term	prakṛtistha-gotra
In Tibetan Script	རང་བཞིན་གནས་རིགས་
Wylie Tibetan Transliteration	rang bzhin gnas rigs
Romanized Sanskrit	prakṛtistha-gotra
Tibetan Phonetic Rendering	rangzhin nerik
Chinese Script	本性住種性
Jeffrey Hopkin's English Term	naturally abiding lineage; natural lineage
Ives Waldo's English Term	intrinsic potential; legacy abiding within; naturally present affinity
Term Type	Noun
Source Language	Sanskrit
Basic Meaning	naturally present potential
Related Terms	samudānīta-gotra
Definitions
Rangjung Yeshe's English Term	Naturally present potential applies to the mind essence present as the unobstructed potential for the qualities of dharmakaya arising from its empty aspect and the qualities of rupakaya arising from its manifest aspect. It is called 'all-ground wisdom' (kun gzhi'i ye shes) because of being the ground from which both samsara and nirvana arise and the 'defiled suchness' (dri bcas de bzhin nyid) because of being combined with defilement at the time of a sentient being.
Further Reading Material	In his Khenjuk, Mipham Rinpoche writes: The 'naturally present potential' (Skt. prakṛtistha-gotra; Wyl. rang bzhin gnas rigs) is the essence of the tathagatas. In essence, it is naturally arising and uncompounded wisdom, the union of awareness and emptiness, the dharmadhatu which has always been inseparable from the kayas and wisdoms. It is naturally pure, the nature of things, just as it is, pervading all phenomena, beyond any transition or change, like space. Although it is within this context that the ordinary aggregates, elements and faculties of beings are born and die, this nature itself remains beyond birth and death. It is through the realization of this nature that the Three Jewels come into being. This immaculate 'element' (Wyl. khams) is present in all beings without exception as the very nature of their minds, just like the example of a treasure beneath the earth and so on. Nevertheless, for those in whom this nature remains veiled by the four stains, and who have not activated their potential, despite its presence, it does not function in an apparent way [rather like a candle kept inside a jar]. And although they are naturally pure, because they are obscured by temporary veils, this nature is beyond most people's imagination. If the veils that obscure the potential are reduced, it serves to inspire us with a longing to leave samsara behind and attain nirvana. The four veils that obscure our potential are (1) an antipathy to the Mahayana teachings, (2) the view of self, (3) fear for the sufferings of samsara, and (4) a lack of concern for beings' welfare. The causes for purifying these veils are: (1) an interest in the Mahayana teachings, (2) a high degree of wisdom, (3) meditative concentration (samadhi), and (4) love. When we possess these four, through the force of awakening our potential, we come to possess the 'developing potential' (Skt. samudānīta-gotra; Wyl. rgyas 'gyur gyi rigs) through which we can properly cultivate the virtues of the Mahayana.

Disposition, lineage, or class; an individual's gotra determines the type of enlightenment one is destined to attain.

Disposition, lineage, or class; an individual's gotra determines the type of enlightenment one is destined to attain.

The potential for awakening that is inherently present in all beings.

Although it is commonly used as an abbreviation of ālayavijñāna (kun gzhi'i rnam shes), in later Tibetan traditions, particularly that of the Kagyu and the Nyingma, it came to denote an ultimate or pure basis of mind, as opposed to the ordinary, deluded consciousness represented by the ālayavijñāna. Alternatively, in the Jonang tradition, this pure version is referred to as ālaya-wisdom (kun gzhi'i ye shes).

Suchness itself, absolute reality, or thusness, as in the ultimate state of being of phenomena.

The state of being empty of an innate nature due to a lack of independently existing characteristics.

The fundamental expanse from which all phenomena emerge.