The three gateways to liberation (Tib. རྣམ་ཐར་སྒོ་གསུམ་, nam tar go sum, Wyl. rnam thar sgo gsum) are features of all phenomena which provide a means to realize their absolute nature. They are:
-
absence of characteristics or attributes (Skt. animitta; Tib. མཚན་ཉིད་མེད་པ་, tsen nyi mépa, Wyl. mtshan nyid med pa)
wishlessness, absence of expectancy (Skt. apraṇihita; Tib. སྨོན་པ་མེད་པ་, mönpa mépa, Wyl. smon pa med pa)
Quotations
All phenomena have the nature of emptiness, beyond conceptual reference. <br/>
All phenomena have the nature of characterlessness, beyond conceptual
thought. <br/>
All phenomena have the nature of wishlessness, beyond acceptance and
rejection. <br/>
:::Buddha Shakyamuni, Sutra of the Questions of Brahma
Alternative Translations
three gates of emancipation
three doors of deliverance
three approaches to liberation (Dorje & Kapstein)
three avenues/doorways to liberation
three doors of perfect liberation (Padmakara in Treasury of Precious Qualities)
Further Reading
Kangyur Rinpoche,
Treasury of Precious Qualities (Boston: Shambhala, 2001), Appendix 10, pp. 347-8
External Links