Svasaṃvedana

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Key Term	svasaṃvedana
Hover Popup Choices	rang rig; self-awareness; reflexive awareness; self-aware
In Tibetan Script	རང་རིག་
Wylie Tibetan Transliteration	rang rig
Devanagari Sanskrit Script	स्वसंवेदन
Tibetan Phonetic Rendering	rangrik
Chinese Script	自證分
Chinese Pinyin	zìzhèngfēn
Japanese Transliteration	jishō
Korean Transliteration	chajŭng
English Standard	self-awareness
Karl Brunnhölzl's English Term	self-aware(ness)
Richard Barron's English Term	self-knowing awareness [Dzogchen]; self-aware(ness) [Yogachara]; reflexive consciousness
Jeffrey Hopkin's English Term	self-cognizing consciousness; self-knowing
Sarah Harding's English Term	reflexive awareness
Dan Martin's English Term	reflexive awareness
Gyurme Dorje's English Term	intrinsic awareness; reflexive awareness
Alternate Spellings	svasaṃvitti
Term Type	Noun
Source Language	Sanskrit
Basic Meaning	An important term for the Yogācāra that refers to a consciousness of consciousness itself, or how one knows that they know something. It was a hotly debated topic that was disputed by followers of the Madhyamaka. In Tibet it would later become a common Dzogchen term, though with the entirely different meaning of one's own innate awareness (rig pa), a crucial concept in the Dzogchen teachings.
Has the Sense of	Mind seeing mind. The classic example is that of a lamp that illuminates the surrounding area as well as itself.
Definitions
Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism	See page 882: In Sanskrit, lit.“self-knowledge” or “self-awareness,” also seen written as svasaṃveda, svasaṃvit, svasaṃvitti. In Buddhist epistemology, svasaṃvedana is that part of consciousness which, during a conscious act of seeing, hearing, thinking, and so on, apprehends not the external sensory object but the knowing consciousness itself.
Rangjung Yeshe's English Term	self-cognizant awareness. self-aware[ness] [thd]. Self-cognizance. self-cognition, apperception [ggd]. one's own insight; 1) self awareness; aware of oneself; 2) self consciousness (according to Chittamatra), [svasamvedana]; self-cognizing (intrinsic) awareness; [lit.] your mind, inherent cognizance. [one's] self-cognizance. 1) self-known, self-aware, natural awareness, intrinsic awareness, apperception. 2) abr. of {rang byung rig pa} self-existing insight. 3) self knower, proprioceptive, self-consciousness [apperceptive], self-knower, one's mind, one's own insight, insight, my own mind. 4) the absolute truth in Y. comp. {rang gi rig pa}; self-existing awareness

An important term for the Yogācāra that refers to a consciousness of consciousness itself, or how one knows that they know something. It was a hotly debated topic that was disputed by followers of the Madhyamaka. In Tibet it would later become a common Dzogchen term, though with the entirely different meaning of one's own innate awareness (rig pa), a crucial concept in the Dzogchen teachings.

An important term for the Yogācāra that refers to a consciousness of consciousness itself, or how one knows that they know something. It was a hotly debated topic that was disputed by followers of the Madhyamaka. In Tibet it would later become a common Dzogchen term, though with the entirely different meaning of one's own innate awareness (rig pa), a crucial concept in the Dzogchen teachings.

An important term for the Yogācāra that refers to a consciousness of consciousness itself, or how one knows that they know something. It was a hotly debated topic that was disputed by followers of the Madhyamaka. In Tibet it would later become a common Dzogchen term, though with the entirely different meaning of one's own innate awareness (rig pa), a crucial concept in the Dzogchen teachings.

An important term for the Yogācāra that refers to a consciousness of consciousness itself, or how one knows that they know something. It was a hotly debated topic that was disputed by followers of the Madhyamaka. In Tibet it would later become a common Dzogchen term, though with the entirely different meaning of one's own innate awareness (rig pa), a crucial concept in the Dzogchen teachings.

Along with Madhyamaka, it was one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Asaṅga and Vasubandhu around the fourth century CE, many of its central tenets have roots in the Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra and the so-called third turning of the dharma wheel (see tridharmacakrapravartana).

Along with Madhyamaka, it was one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Asaṅga and Vasubandhu around the fourth century CE, many of its central tenets have roots in the Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra and the so-called third turning of the dharma wheel (see tridharmacakrapravartana).

Along with Yogācāra, it is one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Nāgārjuna around the second century CE, it is rooted in the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras, though its initial exposition was presented in Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā.

"Ultimate truth" or "absolute truth"; the reality of things as they truly are.