Ris-mthun
likeness (in the context of life) or similar class (in the context of discards, etc.) DKC
(to be) alike [RB]
the 'similar class' [RY]
similar class, same status; Def. by Jamg?ongtr?khams gsum pa'i sems can de dang de dag gis gang la bdag gi dngos por 'dzin pa ni phung po yin zhing de nyid 'dod gzugs su lnga dang gzugs med ud bzhi'i rgyun 'dra pa'am / yang na 'gro ba dang lus la sogs pa tha dad pa'i sems can gyi lus nang phan tshun 'dra ba similar class, as one of the fourteen non-concurrent formations. Syn skal mnyam [RY]
same/ similar class/ status = [[skal mnyam - similar class, syn skal mnyam see also same status- similar class [one of the 14 non-concurrent formations gang sems can rnams kyi lus 'dra ba ste, mi dang lha dang dud 'gro la sogs pa lam rgyud lngar skyes pa rnams so so nang 'dra ba'o,//. khams gsum pa'i sems can de dang de dag gis gang la bdag gi dngos por 'dzin pa ni phung po yin zhing de nyid 'dod gzugs su lnga dang gzugs med ud bzhi'i rgyun 'dra pa'am/ yang na 'gro ba dang lus la sogs pa tha dad pa'i sems can gyi lus nang phan tshun 'dra ba] [IW]
same/ similar class/ status = [[skal mnyam - similar class, = skal mnyam see also same status- similar class [IW]
Discussion
The word ris mthun pa is used in two different contexts in the Abhidharma literature. When it refers to discards of seeing or meditation, then it can be translated as "similar class." However, when it refers to that which the faculty of life-force exercises power over, then it should be translated as "likeness." The first word in the Tibetan compound, can mean either a picture or a class. In the case of discards, ris mthun is used to indicate that they are in the same class--i.e., two discards that are both discards of seeing suffering are in the same class.
When it refers to a being's life, then it is the likeness of a being throughout its lifetime. That is, yesterday's Devadatta and today's Devadatta are similar in many ways and thus share a likeness. Each being is said to have a single likeness from the moment of rebirth-linking to the moment of death, and this likeness is propelled by a single karma. DKC
