Bodhicitta and Bodhisattva Vows 

First, I would like to say Tashi Delek to all the sangha assembled here and also to all the disciples (including beings who are higher, lower and in between). All of us who came here are sangha and if only four sangha comes together then this gathering is very meaningful. So, therefore, I am very grateful for all of the sangha assembled here and we are all very fortunate. I would like to thank you all for coming here. This term here higher, lower and in between is a very meaningful term. What it means is Buddha nature and Buddha himself had said that all sentient beings are actually Buddhas. They are only obscured by adventitious stains and within true Buddha nature, these differences of high, low and in between do not exist at all.​

All beings are actually Buddhas and within Buddha nature, we are all the same. There is no difference between higher, lower and in between.​ But secondly Buddha said beings are obscured by adventitious stains. It is like the vast ocean water and when we think about water, we can think about pure and impure water.​ The natural state of any water is clear and pure but only due to some conditions that it becomes defiled. Since beginningless times in samsara, we have habituated to a sense of a self and due to that, we have formed many habitual imprints in our mind. From that perspective there appears to be a separation between higher, lower and in between. For example, we have humans and animals existing together. Still, we say that our minds are one and the same. So, if the mind is the same why then do we speak about these differences of high and low?

Some say that because of Buddha nature there is a single basis, but two paths and two fruitions.​ But others say that there is only one basis and one fruition. Temporarily, we all experience suffering and yet all sentient beings in the six realms possess Buddha nature.​ It is due to this temporary arising of suffering that we speak about this division of higher, lower and in between. First the Buddha had said all phenomena arise from their causes. First, we will recite the opening refuge prayers and then we cultivate bodhicitta and bring to mind the cause of all happiness and suffering.

We say:  ‘May sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness. May they be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.’ That is one thing that we all want is to be happy and be free from suffering. Even just in a worldly sense, we strive constantly day and night only to achieve happiness and to be free from suffering.​

Even though we want to be happy and make a great effort,​it still often doesn’t happen the way we intended it to be.​That is because we do not understand the actual causes of happiness. So, Buddha said ‘may all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness’. What is the cause of happiness? This is what the Buddha had realized after having accumulated merits throughout countless eons. What he realized is that the only cause of happiness is love. He realized the cause of suffering and that is what we first need to understand. So, what is the cause of suffering? The six afflictive emotions cause us to accumulate karma and that leads to suffering. Where do these afflictions come from? It comes from a sense of an “I” so that is what intelligent individuals can clearly see. When you think about it and look at your mind, a self and other do not exist. So, the Buddha basically said that you only believe that there is a self. But there is no self and that is a mistaken belief. It is due to this perception of self and other that we develop 84,000 different afflictions. It is first important to understand the cause of all suffering. Because if you want to become free from suffering, you need to separate from the cause of suffering. If you do not do that, once the result has ripened, there is nothing that can be done about it. Then it makes no difference if you are a famous king or a poor beggar. Suffering will come your way without any choice and no one can protect you. For example, no powerful country can protect you from an earthquake or floods and so on. All the sufferings of the outer, inner and secret level. On the inner level, you experience torment and misery and no one and prevent that on the outer level.​

Therefore, it is important to avoid the causes of suffering and I myself am not somebody with a lot of learning and many great qualities. But​ this is something I really reflect upon and recognize what is the cause of happiness or suffering.​ So now, when you look at your life, you have a precious human body and that distinguishes you from animals. Because as a human being you experience much more happiness even though our minds are still the same. So, who has realized that? Lord Jigten Sumgon also said in the Gongchik that karmic ripening is the momentary manifestations of one’s inner thought. And when I heard those words, my mind opened up.​

This is the difference between humans and animals although the nature of our minds is one and the same. Although the mind is the same there is a difference temporarily when it comes to the afflictive emotions and our acting upon them. This quote by Jigten Sumgon is indeed very meaningful. Buddha had said that ‘May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness’. But how do we find happiness? We find it by cultivating love. We find it between a mother and a child. A mother loves her child and the child respects the mother. Because there is mutual love, naturally both of them will experience happiness. That is the one cause that will never separate and that is the source of all good qualities.​

Also my own guru, Lama Chime Dorjee had given me these teachings on the 37th Bodhisattva practices. This is one thing that I have memorized as a daily prayer which I constantly recite and practice. In there, it says, ‘All suffering without exception comes from wishing for one’s own happiness. The perfect Buddhas arise from the altruistic mind.’ All suffering without exception comes from the afflictive emotions and there is no other suffering that that. Even the slightest moment of joy and happiness comes from love. Where do these enlightened qualities of Buddha come from? It really only comes from bodhicitta.​

When there is bodhicitta, then one will engage in the activities of the six paramitas. And as a result of practicing the six paramitas, all enlightened qualities arise. So, who has created the idea of the six paramitas? The liberated beings did not think about it, it just happens naturally. If you love then the six paramitas arise naturally. Even if you are engaged in mundane samsaric activities, we practice the six paramitas. But often we do not practice the paramita of wisdom which is to realize the indivisible nature of self and other. But, however, samsaric beings like a mother thinks that this is her child and because of this attachment she lacks the paramita of wisdom. But she still practices all the other five paramitas.

The other five paramitas (generosity, patience, ethical discipline, diligence and meditation) are complete. These arise naturally as the self-light of love just like the sun rays emerging from the sun and all qualities arise from that.​ There is nothing more important than this. We all possess love to some extent but mostly it is very limited and very small. We love our friends and companions but this kind of love is also tainted by self-grasping. In this way, it becomes attachment and that is what happens in samsara. A good quality of love is transformed into the fault of desire and attachment.​

Today all of our assembly here has gathered to receive the bodhisattva vow and first the nature of bodhicitta is explained extensively in the scriptures. But in essence what do we have to practice and hold on to when we take the bodhisattva vow? It is nothing else but love. That is what we need to identify and recognize. We have said that we identify love by looking at the love that a mother has for her child. In the morning we recite the prayer, ‘May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness’. There is not a single good quality of the higher realms that arises without love. Everything good arises from love and that is the actual quality of the dharma.

There is a text by Gampopa which speaks about the quality of the holy dharma. He says love really is the essence of dharma. When that arises anywhere in the six realms of samsara, you experience even just the slightest happiness. For example, even if you are born as an animal, if there is some love in your heart then you will be a beautiful animal. An animal that does not cause harm towards others, with a beautiful voice and a beautiful body. And others will treat the animal well. If you cultivate love, you will naturally become a source of joy and respect for others. On the other hand, what happens when there is self-clinging? Then the six afflictions will arise and just naturally there will be a cause of harm towards others just in order to protect ourselves. So, the essence of the Buddha’s teachings is a principle of non-violence. The Buddha said ‘Do not commit any wrong, strive to practice virtue.’ What is a wrong; it is to get angry at others or to hurt and harm others. And why is that wrong? It is because now we don’t understand it but everything that new do (big or small) leads to a result. It will all come back to us and we just don’t see it right now. But once the time is right, like when a crop is ready to grow it will emerge.​

All of our experiences of happiness and suffering arise from our own actions. Therefore, it is very important to reflect on the workings of karma really well. All happiness has a single root and that is love. And where is this love? You bring to mind anyone that you love very much and that is the love that we need to develop. Once you have recognized that, you know that this is the only thing which you need to sustain and to develop.​ In order to do so, the Buddha taught many different methods. First the method to cultivate love where it has not yet arisen and by applying this method we become free from the sufferings of the six realms of samsara. Secondly the Buddha taught the method to not allow it to decline where it has arisen and that is the practice of the six paramitas. Thirdly is the method to further increase love and that refers to the Vajrayana teachings especially meant for those with sharp intellect. Who understands that primordially the universe and its beings are inherently pure.​ ​ ​

This is the three-fold path of individual liberation, bodhisattvas and the Vajrayana where the Buddha had taught. First it begins with taking refuge in this excellent path and that is something that no one but the Buddha have realized. And that is why we take refuge in the Buddha first and foremost. What he had realized is one precious jewel that he has found which is the precious bodhicitta. And this is the teachings of all the Buddhas of the three times (past, present and future). In general, once we are Buddhist practitioners, this precious bodhicitta is the one thing that needs to be developed. You might wonder is that something that is only practiced in Buddhism. That is also not true;​ as you can find it anywhere in this world. It is just called different names and it arises on different levels and degrees. There is no one who doesn’t have it as everyone possesses love even animals. When they develop love, they experience happiness to some extent. Then there is no religion in the world who doesn’t speak about love.

Because of that, we really only have two systems in this world; the worldly system and the spiritual religious system. According to the religious system, the Buddha had said ‘completely tame your own mind this is the Buddha’s teaching’. That is the one thing to purify; the clinging to a self. So, what is it that makes the mind pure or impure? It is just the clinging to a self and in order to purify it, cultivate the two-fold bodhicitta. First you cultivate the relative bodhicitta whereby we purify the self-cherishing mind. We recognize that if we engage in any activity with body and speech and an afflicted state of mind then we will accumulate the karma of the six afflictions. And this is what causes our mind to be temporarily impure. Likewise, if we cultivate an altruistic mind, then all good qualities arise from that.

The idea of cultivating bodhicitta is that even if we are not able to put others before ourselves, at least we should equalize ourselves with others. And see others like a mother sees her child. Even if you engage in mundane activities, you will be liked by others. For example, there are certain leaders of countries who really want the best for their countries; freedom and so on. Everyone likes people like that and they would want to be close to them and listen to what someone who possesses bodhicitta have to say. ​ It is just the nature of it. We all have that to some extent and we can find it anywhere in this world. It just arises in different degrees but however much bodhicitta there is, the quality that comes from it are really incredible. This is what we call the precious jewel; which is really love and compassion.​

As we have mentioned we find that in every religion in any circumstance in this world. If you understand that then there is no more basis in saying that you are a Buddhist or he is not a Buddhist and so on. It all really becomes the same. Even if someone were to say that he doesn’t need any religion or any dharma is just like saying that he doesn’t need any love. Nobody would really say that as everyone needs love and wants love. Love is our actual ultimate source of refuge or protection. It is our only cause of happiness in the world and also in the dharma.​ In the dharma all the different religions in the world have one goal and responsibility. And that is to bring about peace and happiness in the minds of sentient beings. To create peace and happiness, we need to create the right causes.​

Everyone speaks only about freedom and independence in countries but no one really has that kind of freedom. If we do not create the causes we will not reap the results of freedom. And the one who understood that was the Buddha himself and that is why we first and foremost take refuge in the Buddha. This is one thing that all religions agree upon and that is the mind of bodhicitta. When we cultivate bodhicitta, first we speak about the aspiration bodhicitta. The great scholars and masters can explain that very extensively and it has many different qualities. But then people like myself do not have much learning so how can I explain the aspiration bodhicitta. What I have understood is the quality of bodhicitta and to understand that you have to think about even the slightest happiness that you experience. Where does it come from? It is very important to really think about that carefully. ​If you think that you do not have a lot of problems, you have a lot of possessions and you are very wealthy. Then that is because in the previous life, you have practiced generosity. Or what distinguishes you as a human being from an animal is that you have practiced ethical discipline and abandoned sexual misconduct in previous lives.​

Or for example, if you have a beautiful face and long life, and harmonious companions. All of these qualities come from having practiced patience. All the qualities of the higher realms come from generosity, ethical discipline and patience. When we look at our own mind, how much of that do we actually practice? We don’t practice it so much but on the other hand it is also said that if you only take the vow of Nyungne with a single mind you have already created the cause for birth as a human being. In this way, we have to reflect upon the causes because we want to experience happiness. You think that ‘I always want to be happy and ultimately I want to attain enlightenment.’ So, if you want that then you need to understand the causes for attaining such a freedom. For example, who has attained such a freedom in this world now? There are some people who have lived through the first and second world wars and they are still alive. They were somehow not negatively affected by all of that and have lived to 80 or 100 years old.​

It is really strange because on one hand you have people who are very concerned about their health but they die first. We don’t have so much control over it as it is all determined by karma. So, first develop a good trust in karma and that is the way to really attain freedom. Freedom is something you have to create for yourself by understanding the quality of love. Also, Jigten Sumgon had said that if you really understand the workings of karma, then that is what makes you a true dharma practitioner. Then you understand the dharma. For example, I myself do not have any learning or any great qualities but I really thought about karma well and have developed great trust in karma.​ And although I don’t have much learning, I understood that it is enough to just have a very good heart. So, taking the bodhisattva vow is really the essence. If you want to be happy you have to understand the causes of happiness.​

We want to experience happiness so therefore we have to reflect upon the causes of happiness which is love. That is what needs to be sustained. There is one example that I forgot to mention before (in terms of karma) and that is the manifestation of bodhicitta.​ For example even in the animal realm, it arises as an animal that is very peaceful, joyful and very pleasing to others. Then there are other animals which are manifestations of hatred and jealousy like a poisonous snake or a scorpion. When you encounter such an animal, we don’t really want to kill them but you often have no choice but to recite the six syllable mantra (Om Mani Padme Hung) and then kill them.​

But who really kills them? It is themselves due to the force of their karma. When we look at this human world, this is where you observe a lot of harm, conflict and killings. All of that is really a manifestation of hatred and jealousy. When you see that, you look into your own mind and see where are those afflictions. So, when you see the afflictions, the suffering of others also helps us to recognize our own afflictions. Then it is important to see that your own afflictions and the afflictions of all beings in the six realms of samsara are one and the same. So, when we take the bodhisattva vow, first we understand that the basis of our minds and our afflictions are one and the same. And for this reason, if you eliminate one affliction, you have made the burden of the affliction of all sentient beings somewhat lighter.​

It is just like they are all buried under this heavy mountain of affliction and if you take a little piece off, it becomes lighter. So, with that understanding develop deep trust in karma and from this trust the vast activities of bodhicitta arise. For example, someone sits there to meditate on bodhicitta and it looks like he is not doing anything. But such a person has understood that the afflictive emotions of others and oneself are one and the same. And on the ultimate level, our minds are inseparable. Such a person has understood the essence of the Vajrayana and the method to overcome the afflictions.

So, it really begins with recognizing those causes and to recognize that how they are responsible for all of our suffering.​ That is the meaning when we say ‘May beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering’. For example, you might think that there is this person who caused a lot of harm and took all of your money and never paid it back. First you get very angry at that person but then when you think about the cause, then recognize that it is only because you must have taken something from him in the previous lives. Right now, he is taking your wealth and you are really paying back your karmic debts. And why do we steal others wealth and engage in these activities? It is because of greed, stinginess, jealousy and desire.​

When an affliction arises, then that affliction causes us to do something wrong. And now the result of that is ripening. It all comes from this same root of self-clinging and all the afflictions arise from that. So, recognize your own afflictions when there is a difficult arising in your life. When an affliction arises, instantly recognize it and when you observe the affliction in others, recognize that very affliction within your own mind. Recognize that this affliction is your true and only enemy. So, think about this really well and think about what is the cause of happiness. There is nothing higher or greater than love. ​ People often think that if they make a lot of money they will be happy so they just work very hard to get really rich. They think that they can have everything in this life and that is what they need. But then they die and have to leave everything behind. It will cause more harm then benefit because they die with this deep attachment to wealth.​

If you really want to experience wealth which comes effortlessly, cultivate love and a good heart that wish to benefit others. This is how you provide for the future. Actually, it occurs in other religions like in Christianity where I once saw a quote: ‘Whatever I give to others is actually mine, I put my wealth into the treasure house of the heavens’. What they really speak about here is the practice of generosity. All religions recognize that quality of love and kindness. That is the cause that leads to the desired result. So, when you die, that is the one thing that you must not leave this life without. Do not lose your love, that is the one thing that will stay with you. So, if you die with love, thinking ‘may everyone in this world be happy’. Then just naturally after death the Purelands will manifest to you. Everything that appears will appear as a friend and that will happen with a hundred percent certainty. This is how myself have understood the truth of the Purelands.​

The Purelands are nothing else but a manifestation of bodhicitta. All those who possess love and bodhicitta will go to those Purelands. Everything will appear as a Pureland and already now everything becomes just like a Pureland. So this is something that you have to decide upon and this is how I have also decided upon myself.​ This is one thing that all religions agree upon and that is the mind of bodhicitta. When we cultivate bodhicitta we first speak about the aspiration bodhicitta.​

We have to think about the state of this world and the differences that we can observe over and over again.​ We can see that some people in this world who experience more happiness and wealth than others. And some suffer more than others. Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of karma; one is the collective karma and the other is the personal individual karma. Collective karma for instance is that some are born in an independent free country but some are not. And then the personal individual karma is that wherever you are born or country you live in, even if you are in a prison you have your own karma. That distinguishes you from others karma and often there is nothing we can do about it.​ ​

If you are karmically meant to experience happiness, it will happen naturally and the same is true for suffering. If you think about karma, there is also a very good teaching given by Sakya Pandita in the Treasury of Good advise. He speaks about what merit really is and how merit is accumulated.​ First, we recognize merit to be nothing else but love. In previous lives, if a person has done something with a loving mind, then they are born wealthy. If that person has a good heart, and want to do good things and feed everyone in the world. For example, how many people could they feed in one month and so on. Then this is how they accumulate the merit for more happiness in the future. There are others who don’t have that and they can’t even take care of themselves; they take drugs and have to beg for food and so on. What is the difference?​

Ultimately it is only a difference in love; how much love has been cultivated.​Because when there is love, you naturally also develop wisdom. And the ice-block of self-grasping melts into water; the water-like state is a state of wisdom. Even though all sentient beings possess Buddha nature, they don’t recognize that and their mind is like an ice-block. And that ice-block cannot perform any meaningful activities. So, the only difference between Buddhas and sentient beings is like that between ice and water. So, in this world, happiness and suffering and all the good things in this world arises from karma.​

With that understanding, encourage yourself to practice accordingly. Coming back to this quote by Sakya Pandita, he said that for a person who possesses merit, things are accomplished effortlessly. He is like the sun all illuminated. For those who do not possess merit, they are like a flame of a butter lamp in the wind. For as long as you have the oil and the lamp, you have a light. But once the oil is finished, you have no more light. That is referring to those individuals who lack merit and who try to accomplish happiness only through their own efforts. Often no matter how hard we try, if we don’t have the merit, nothing will be accomplished. Everything depends on the merit we have accumulated and the merit arises from within the mind. There is nothing good that can be achieved without merit.

For example we have this precious human body because we have accumulated merit. And merit again is nothing but love. Because we love, we practice generosity, ethical discipline and so on. Even if you do not seal it with real bodhicitta and have not heard about Buddhism before, there are many people in this world who love others and therefore practice the six paramitas like generosity, ethical discipline and so on. Naturally it happens everywhere all the time for example between her mother and her child. So, we need to accumulate merit and that arises from within the mind. In this way, the Buddha had explained that if you cultivate bodhicitta, and on the basis of bodhicitta practice even a slight small merit the result of that will be great (and multiplied through the force of bodhicitta). That is the significance of the bodhisattva vow. It is a method for us to accumulate merit.

Therefore, we first need to understand the significance and the preciousness of bodhicitta. And if you have bodhicitta, whatever you do (even the smallest virtue or positive action) turns into a vast source of merit. To achieve that, Buddha provided various methods and one of these methods to achieve merit is taking the bodhisattva vow.

First it is very important to recognise the preciousness and significance of receiving such a vow. When I was first released from prison, I wanted to receive this vow and so for that I travelled to Lhasa. And there was a Drikung Geshe Ngawang Phuntsok who was quite renowned at that time for conferring the sojong vows of the Mahayana. He was the disciple of Ashang Rinpoche and I received the Sojong vows again from Geshe Ngawang Phuntsok. So through him, I heard that it all depends on your motivation and he spoke much about how the different levels of merit are accumulated depending on mind generation. He gave me many scriptures on the Nyungne vows, the Sojong vows and so on.

Next, it also explains that whatever vow you take; be it the refuge vows or the other 7 vows of the Pratimoksha, the individual and the liberation vows. Even a single vow can be extremely meaningful if you cultivate the right motivation. If you take a single vow of abstaining from alcohol, it can also become very meaningful. Lord Jigten Sumgon also had said that if you perfectly uphold a single vow, the result will be nirvana. If you hold a single vow with the mind generation of bodhicitta, then after having taken that vow, whatever merit you accumulate will become very vast in result. It is important to think about the difference between having taken a vow or not.

The difference really comes down to motivation; the mind generation. For example, when we take refuge, we say ‘I take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, for the benefit of all beings.’ That is the mind generation and if you take a vow with that motivation it is like you are putting all your money into the bank for all the Buddhas of the three times. That becomes very powerful and whatever virtue you practice becomes very powerful. That result will always stay with you. On the other hand, if you do things for this life, then in the end, it might ripen but it will also come to an end. So, it is just like the oil in the butter lamp. Once the oil is finished, the light is gone. Some people practice generosity in order to get rich and they get rich. But then the merit comes to an end and they lose everything. For example, there are some businessmen who are very wealthy in the early part of their life. But then lose everything in the later part of their life.

It is important to think about the difference in this mind generation; of taking or not taking a vow. It is said that if someone who has not taken a vow (and without any mind generation), offers an ocean or a mountain filled with butter lamps to the Buddhas, the merit would not be as great as someone who has motivation or bodhicitta and who only offers a wick of a single butter lamp. So that is much more powerful if you have the motivation or bodhicitta. That multiples the effect to anything that you do thereafter. And the difference is the motivation; this motivation or the vow of bodhicitta is extremely significant. That is because whatever you do then is driven by this wish to benefit all sentient beings. That also distinguishes the benefit of a refuge vow. It really comes from the motivation of the bodhisattva’s vow.

If you have the mind of bodhicitta, then whatever you do will always bear a two-fold result. That is the temporary result of birth in the higher realms and the achievement of happiness, wealth and so forth in all future lifetimes. Second is the ultimate attainment of enlightenment. All the qualities of the Buddha arise from this altruistic mind. It is very important to understand clearly the difference between taking a vow and not taking a vow that is based on the vow of bodhicitta.

There is another quote by Sakya Pandita where he said that a sign of various past and future lives is that for some children, no matter how much you try to make them learn, they just won’t remember anything. And they don’t want to learn no matter how much money you spend on their schooling. Then there are others who instantly and naturally have a very curious mind and they understand everything. That is because they already have studied in previous lives and have this habitual imprint. Sakya Pandita said that even if you were to die tomorrow, you should learn today. Because whatever you learn will be brought with you into the next life. The mental continuum remains the same.

So, this is how we take the bodhisattva vow into our future lives. For example, for some children the moment they are born they have this continuum of bodhicitta and they are not afraid of others, they smile alot and let people touch them. That is actually the meaning of a bodhisattva; it is someone who is courageous and fearless. Fearless because there is altruism so naturally there will be less fear no matter how difficult things get. When you really think about it, you can probably say that this is usually the case. The more self-grasping there is, the more fear there is. The more fear and self-grasping there is, the more likely we are likely to get jealous or angry and we develop hatred.

In this way the mind solidifies more and more into an ice-block. There are some children that have a lot of fear, they cry and always hide behind their mothers. When you think about that, then even in a samsaric sense you can develop trust in the workings of karma and the quality of bodhicitta. So, when bodhicitta arises, you have to identify this feeling. Speaking about this aspiration bodhicitta, we really have to recognize how precious this is. And this is something we really want and we have to develop it by all means. 

Of all the precious objects in the world, we often consider gold as most precious. Bodhicitta is like gold and there are many examples of bodhicitta but I will just mention one today. It is like a very precious piece of gold and we can do a lot of things with gold. For example, we make a small piece of jewelry and give it to someone and the person will consider that very precious and dear. This gold is directly related to bodhicitta and it has a quality of a beautiful appearance, stability, trustworthiness, patience and so forth. Also, when you have bodhicitta, you will be able to protect others.

Bodhicitta is like a piece of gold; it is undefiled and steadfast. Just like protecting a piece of gold you should protect your bodhicitta. For example, if you have some gold you would lock it up in a nice box so nobody can steal it. And you don’t want to lose it so you want to take care of it very well. This is how you have to protect your love. Recognize the importance and think that ‘this is what I need to sustain by all means necessary. I must not lose it, therefore I must practice patience’; and that is the aspiration bodhicitta. Here you understand the quality of bodhicitta and the necessity of sustaining it and protecting it.

From there we come to the actual taking of the bodhisattva vows; where you then vow to protect your love and compassion. That leads to the second bodhicitta of engaging bodhicitta. Now you have a firm resolution; ‘this is what I need and must protect.’ Having taken this vow you will practice accordingly and regarding these vows some people might think that they will receive the bodhisattva vow today and this is the first time as they have never received it, but that is not true too. We call it the bodhisattva vow very explicitly but actually whatever we do in Buddhism, when we take refuge, we already say ‘May I attain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings’. Whatever practice or retreat we do, we do it for the benefit of others knowing that this is actually to our own greatest benefit.

For example whenever we receive an empowerment you also receive the bodhisattva vow or every short sadhana that you practice also includes that. It is just that today we are being pointed out that this is what it is. But actually, it is everywhere; we always encounter it. It is just that we haven’t really recognized it. But today in the context of the bodhisattva vow, we are being told that bodhicitta is like a piece of gold and we have to protect it. We encounter bodhicitta everywhere so now you are introduced to it directly today. Protect it, use it and apply it in any circumstance in whatever you do in the world or in the dharma.

This bodhisattva vow is the essence of all the dharma and it is also said that if you have bodhicitta then that is all you need to attain enlightenment. And if you do not have bodhicitta, nothing else will lead to enlightenment. So, it is absolutely indispensable and if you do not have bodhicitta, you might attain birth in the higher realms temporarily but it will not lead to the ultimate attainment of enlightenment. An outer example of the mind is like space and everything is related to outer, inner and secret. For example, the person’s body is exactly the same as the entire outer universe. And the entire outer universe is like one large person.

When His Holiness the Dalai Lama gives the Kalachakra empowerment, he explains the outer, inner and other aspect of the Kalachakra. The other also is the secret aspect which is within the mind. The mind is actually the Buddha and the outer example is space because you cannot speak about it. You cannot speak of it in terms of its existence or non-existence. It transcends the four extremes. It is nothing that can be explained in any way. The Buddha is an example of space and the dharma is like the sun; and sunrise like the moon. So, the sun, moon and space like in this ‘Hung’ sign here represents the three jewels. And the ‘Hung’ syllable in the centre of it (in our logo) also represents the mind of all the Buddhas which has the power to destroy all our thoughts. It renders the mind clear and empty. That is why it is printed on our t-shirts and that is why I always like to wear this t-shirt because people like to take pictures with me.

Other than that there is actually really no great benefit in taking pictures with me. I am just an ordinary old man. But then I also feel that if I have this liberation mantra and the hung sign on my shirt， people will put the photo on their shrine and they might even say a few Mani mantras for me. That will also benefit me after I pass away. Regarding the two-fold bodhicitta, this term bodhicitta in Tibetan is ‘Jangchup Sem’. ‘Jang’ means to purify and ‘Chup’ means to master. So, what is purified is the cause of suffering and self-grasping; this thought of ‘me’ or ‘I’. When that is present then with a sense of an ‘I’ then we naturally perceive others.

For example, it is like you have two vases filled with empty space and you think that this vase is him and that vase is me. And when the vase is broken, the inside emptiness becomes one and the same. So, the mind is one and the same; and the person who understands the view understands the mind just like that. Self and other actually is indivisible. Milarepa also explained that this is how dualistic consciousness becomes primordial wisdom.

One might then wonder does one become like a different person? It seems like that from the perspective of not having realized the nature of the mind. But when you really understand the nature of the mind you realize that the very nature of this dualistic consciousness is primordial wisdom. That then becomes ultimate bodhicitta and what do we really mean when we speak about realizing emptiness? Actually, it means to cultivate bodhicitta and realize that a self does not exist. There is no benefit in just intellectually understanding that the self doesn’t exist. We can understand that a self does not exist but that in itself is of not much use because we have habituated to this sense of ‘me’ for a very long time; since beginningless time. So, if you have intelligence, you understand that the mind is just like space. When you want to look at the sun and the clouds vanish, you see the sun within space.

This sense of emptiness, what really needs to be empty is the sense of a ‘me’ or ‘I’. And that becomes empty only if you develop this light sun of bodhicitta. Otherwise even if you intellectually understand that there is no ‘I’, we still continue to reinforce this sense of ‘me’ day and night due to habit. It is like a constant snowstorm. You always think about ‘me’ that ‘I am going to drink this’ or ‘I need to buy a house’ and so on. For example, once you have bought a house, you identify with the house. If someone comes along to throw a rock at your house, you get very angry with them and you suffer. This is something that we need to see; this feeling of ‘I’ and this sense of ‘me’. It is always there pervading our entire life and our mind. This is what leads the mind to remain in this ice-block solidified state. This is the source of all faults and suffering; and that must be cleared away. We cannot clear it away only by understanding it.

Nowadays, scientists can understand that the universe is empty and doesn’t really exist. But what we really need to understand in terms of emptiness is the empty nature of the self that can only truly be experienced if you cultivate an altruistic mind. That is why it is said that the perfect Buddhas arise from an altruistic mind. Therefore, in order to bring about your own greatest benefit, you have to separate from this self-cherishing mind by cultivating an altruistic mind. And that will be the greatest benefit of others. Whenever you cultivate an altruistic mind, the ice block is somewhat melting and connecting more and more to the ocean water.

Whenever the ice block is melting, even to some extent, qualities inherent within your own Buddha nature becomes apparent and revealing themselves. This is really the essence of bodhicitta or ‘Jangchup sem’. So, what is purified is self-grasping and what is mastered is the altruistic mind; and it really happens simultaneously. By cultivating an altruistic mind, one naturally purifies self-grasping. For that, first identify love and then hold on to it from now onwards until it becomes immeasurable love. It is something that you have to develop and cultivate by reflecting over and over again. For example, the Buddha says ’Do you love your mother and you say ‘of course I love my mother’. Buddha with his skillful means then says ‘can you understand how many mothers you have had since beginningless times in samsara’. And then you contemplate that you have actually taken birth in so many different bodies since beginingless times. Of course, I had so many mothers and of course everyone, every animal, every living being has been my mother.

So, in this way love arises and becomes vaster and vaster. And whenever you meet someone then you will feel a sense of love and affection towards them. A real feeling for them arises. For example, you are sitting here in this room filled with people then you would feel that everyone in this room is just like family. As explained in the ‘Prayer for Excellent Conduct’ where it speaks about the power of love being the all-pervasive power. When there is love, wisdom arises and that is because if you love others naturally you become aware of other people’s suffering. That is extremely important for the engaging bodhicitta. It has to be cultivated until it becomes boundless love. Then once you have cultivated bodhicitta, it is said that any samsaric fault can be transformed into a great quality through bodhicitta. Likewise, if you lack bodhicitta, any good quality is transformed into a fault. For example, love and compassion which are good qualities become attachment.

Generally love is a great quality; we love our companions, our cats, dogs and so on. But often this love is related to attachment. If someone really understands the quality of bodhicitta, the kind of compassion they cultivate is a compassion that is infused with immeasurable loving kindness. So, you recognize that everyone has been your parent or your friend just like you love your present friends. Everyone has been just like that. For example, if you have a cat you recognize that this cat has also been my parent or my friend and now it comes back to my family. So, you remember the kindness of others and you want to repay that kindness. Now there is no need to mention of course our present parents but even our enemies. When we talk about cultivating immeasurable love and compassion, we need some kind of measure whereby we can measure whether we have cultivated it or not.

The best measure was actually taught by Lord Jigten Sumgon where he said ‘let’s not think about all mother sentient beings now but think about our enemies. There is someone who caused a few harms right now. If you are able to cultivate true compassion for them, then you can say you have cultivated true compassion and that is the ideal measure of immeasurable compassion’. And you have to be honest with yourself because when you die, it doesn’t matter what anyone else have ever taught. You have to die with your own trust in your mind and your own bodhicitta. That is very important because that is what really leads to liberation from samsara. We need to have trust in your own compassion and now you should ask ‘Do I really feel compassion for someone who causes a lot of harm or not’.

First, we need to understand why this person appears as a harmed one. It is because in the previous life you were someone who was extremely loving and kind. The Buddhas speak about crucial individuals and our parents are some of those crucial individuals. Also, our lamas and our dharma companions. That is because they love us very much and if we do something to upset them or make them angry, then that kind of anger that comes first from great love is very powerful. And there is nothing we can do about it; it is very powerful form of anger. But it is said that virtue accumulated in many eons is destroyed by a moment of anger.

For example, how many years have you been married or love your mother?  Today something happens; someone takes your money or your house (or something else happens) and both you and your parents get angry. That anger and hatred cuts through that bond of love and then you do unspeakable things like hurting or even killing each other. If you are somebody who understands the quality of bodhicitta, you will by all means not allow their love to become spoiled. They will just think that whatever they have done wrong let it go. Don’t think about what they have done wrong just think of their good qualities. Such a person who understands bodhicitta will not be able to say one negative word about anyone. They will be able to practice patience and everything becomes an expression of bodhicitta even in a samsaric worldly sense. Therefore, such a person with bodhicitta naturally develops wisdom.

In this way, recognize this quality of bodhicitta and that everyone had been our parent in previous lives. And if you have this sense of gratitude for anyone, that will always bear a two-fold result. A temporary birth in the higher realms and the ultimate attainment of enlightenment. If you are able to do that, then whatever other fleeting thoughts of anger and jealousy arise, you will be able to overcome them. This is how you practice the engaging bodhicitta. You must have a firm resolution that you are going to hold on to love no matter what.

For example in the 37 practices, it says in verse 13 ‘even if others cut off one’s head when one is utterly blameless, taking upon oneself all their negative deeds by the power of compassion is the bodhisattva’s practice’. You would recognize that it is all your karma; if you have the karma to be hurt or killed then this is what’s going to happen. And if I do not have the karma, no one can hurt me. There is no point in getting angry; ‘I must not get angry even at the cost of my life.’ And when I die, I will die with faith in karma and the three jewels. So, this is to really practice the engaging bodhicitta and is something that has to be applied in your daily life. In whatever you do or say, you have to hold on to it.

Even at the cost of your life think that no matter what, you will hold on to love and compassion in all your activities (in whatever you say or do). In this way you have to habituate to it over and over again. The cultivation of immeasurable love is really most important and this has been the focus of my life. Because I am actually a very sinful person and I really have only been concerned about cultivating this boundless mind of love. Because when that arises, this sense of ‘me’ naturally disappears. You will just always think about others and then eventually you realize that others do not inherently exist. They are nowhere separate from you and from that understanding, that naturally leads into recognizing the nature of the mind. We call it the true seeing or insight or the wisdom that recognizes the nature of the mind.

So it is when immeasurable love first arises, self-grasping naturally dissipates just like an ice-block melting into water; becoming one with the ocean. At this point there is no more distinction between you and others. And so, this is how you finally realize emptiness (the ultimate truth). So, first when we take refuge we say ‘I take refuge from now on until I attain enlightenment.’ One might wonder when once one has attained enlightenment, do we still need to take refuge and so on. But actually, at that point of having attained enlightenment, there is no more duality between someone to be protected and someone who grants protection any longer. It is just like water granting protection and refuge to water. Once you have gained such an understanding you have somewhat gained an understanding of Mahamudra.

So, my dear dharma friends we are starting with the bodhisattva vows and first for that, we visualize that Buddha Shakyamuni and all the Buddhas appear in space before us. And this is just how we imagine as beginning practitioners; that they are always there. But now for the sake of beginning practitioners, we will first perform an invitation and we offer the 7 branches to those Buddhas. For the visualization it says in the beginning of the book for conferring the bodhisattva vow ‘May the entire earth become a Pureland devoid of barren land even like the palm of a hand the colour of lapis lazuli naturally smooth.’

Protectors of all sentient beings without exception,

Deity who destroys horrible demons together with the host

Knower of all things without exception

Conqueror please come to this place together with your retinue

To you in the vast blissful sphere

I offer fertile hundred petalled lotuses equal in number to all billion world systems

Thus I beseech you to be seated in whatever way is pleasing.

Whatever slight virtue I have accumulated through prostrations, offering, confession, rejoicing, beseeching and requesting

I dedicate it all for the sake of complete enlightenment

So now think that in the space before you appear all the Buddhas of the three times. In the center Buddha Shakyamuni and think that in their presence you receive the bodhisattva vow. And actually, Buddha Shakyamuni himself had said ‘Whoever thinks of me and supplicates, I will be right next to them and grant them blessings. So, the Dharmakaya nature of the Buddhas always pervade like space and the Sambhogakayas appear like rainbows in the sky. And whoever supplicates to them, they will actually manifest to them.

So now there will be a few things to repeat and since there are quite a few Tibetans here, we will repeat it first in Tibetan and then in the other languages. Actually, we are not going to repeat it because of time constraint. So, while they read it in Tibetan we will read it in English; after that repeat after Rinpoche.

I take refuge in the three jewels and reveal each and every wrong doing and unvirtuous actions

I rejoice in the virtues of all wayfaring beings and delight in the mind of the Buddhas

In the Buddha, dharma and the supreme assembly.

I take refuge until attaining enlightenment

In order to accomplish the supreme two-fold purpose of others and myself, I generate bodhicitta.

Having given rise to the mind of supreme enlightenment

I welcome all sentient beings engaging in pleasing supreme bodhisattva’s conduct

May I accomplish enlightenment for the benefit of sentient beings

 

What Rinpoche said here now was wanting to accomplish the dual purpose of others and myself. That purpose is when you only give rise to an altruistic mind, you naturally accomplish the benefit of others and yourself. This altruistic mind is this mind of bodhicitta and how does that feel? In that prayer we said ‘I welcome all beings’. So now you have understood that until now you have only loved your family and friends. Those who are close to you but not everybody else. Today you understand that everyone is your parent so you love them all. And everyone really had been your parent. It is just that until now you didn’t know that and that was your own mistake. And now, whenever we meet an older person, we recognize them as our parent. When we meet a younger person, we recognize them as our friend. When we see a child, we recognize them as our own child. When we see an animal, we recognize them as our parents. So, there is no being that has not been our parent in previous lives; everyone had been our parent. It is just that we didn’t know that until today. But now we have understood this point.

One of those branches is the confession of wrong doing and so now when we take the bodhisattva vow, we confess and purify all our wrong doings. First, we feel regret for the wrong we have done and then we also develop a commitment to not repeat those actions again. In this way, all negativities become purified and these negativities are all those things we have done since beginningless times with an afflicted mind (the 6 afflictions). The antidote to these wrong doings is the seven branches and so it’s the six afflictive emotions plus self-grasping. The antidote to which is the dedication of one’s roots of virtues.

There are many explanations on those seven branches but now in brief, what we are confessing or laying aside or purifying are all the afflictive emotions that are still present within our mind. They have always been there since beginningless time and these are the ones that obscure the mind. These are the ones that have accumulated all these negative karmas which now comes to ripening. So, recognize them just like a thief or a criminal that finally you arrest and put in jail. So, who is that criminal? It is just the afflictive emotions present in your own mind; that is the one which commits all wrong and negativities. So, whenever they arise recognize them as a thief that needs to be caught. In this way, every time afflictions arise, you are able to overcome them. When you overcome your afflictions, that is when you have successfully performed confession and the negativity becomes purified.

So then for the future, having recognized your afflictions, you will not again become controlled by them. In this way we are laying aside all negativities through regret, and a commitment to not repeat those actions again. Of those seven branches which are a way to accumulate merit and purify obscurations, they can be explained very extensively. In the wishing prayer of Dewachen, Chakme Raga Rinpoche also explains it very clearly (and all of you have received this text). For example, it explains the nature of the ten virtuous and ten non-virtuous actions. But in brief, the first branch is that prostration is an antidote to pride. That is the actual meaning although there is much to be said about it. Pride means that (even though you might not have any power) you might not have the assurance that you will not be reborn in the three lower realms. But still, you think that ‘I do not need any dharma. Everything is up to me and I am fully capable’. The antidote to that prideful mind is going for refuge and prostrating.

The essence of that is to cultivate faith and devotion to the three jewels. And to recognize that in the future, ‘I want to be free from suffering and I need to seek refuge in the three Jewels’. And with that mind you bow down and prostrate and you take refuge. Therefore, in this sense, offering and prostrations becomes an antidote to the affliction of pride. Making offerings is the antidote to attachment and stinginess. Even if you don’t have a lot of things to offer, you can mentally think that you are offering your body, your enjoyments and everything you own to the three jewels. Even if you just have a small thangka of an arm’s length, or a small statue the size of a thumb; you think that it all belongs to the three jewels and nothing belong to you. In this way, you become free of self-grasping and so this is how making offerings becomes an antidote to stinginess and attachment.

Third is the branch of confessing one’s negativities which is mainly anger or hatred. So now even if you have taken a vow, still afflictive emotions arise naturally and often there is nothing you can do about it. But you should confess that and recognize it without letting one day slip by. For examples if you had a fight in the morning, then you should feel sorry and apologize latest by evening. Confess and be able to laugh about it the same day and really regret from the bottom of your heart. And if that arises, then along with that all negativities since beginingless times will become purified. So that is the branch confession which applies to all of the afflictive emotions.

Fourth is the antidote to jealousy which is to rejoice and jealousy is the most subtlest of the afflictions. It is very hard for us to recognize it; we never really notice it but it is naturally always present. It is said that jealousy is the most powerful affliction to destroy all of our merits. Jealousy is for example when there’s someone who we don’t like (and who experiences difficulties) and we rejoice in that. And if its somebody who experiences success and happiness, you get jealous about that. Basically, whatever you rejoice in you will get it yourself in the future. So, by being jealous and competitive, your virtue and merit declines. As an antidote to that state of jealousy and competitiveness, you should rejoice every time you see others experiencing happiness. In that way, you will receive the same happiness that they experience.

Next is the antidote ignorance which is to request to turn the wheel of dharma. Ignorance means that one doesn’t fully trust in past and future lives; karma, cause and effect. As an antidote to that, we supplicate the masters to turn the wheel of dharma so that wisdom and compassion may arise within our mind. Next the antidote to doubt which is to supplicate not to pass into nirvana. Doubt is also a branch of ignorance; there are many things that we doubt. But mainly it is about doubting in the Buddha and some people doubt that he even exists. And other people think that even though he did exist in the past, he doesn’t exist now. So, there is this believe that things can stop to exist but actually that is not true as the Buddhas will never cease to be. And that is on the ultimate level; Buddha nature never ceases to be. On the relative level, bodhicitta never ceases to be.

But to clear away these doubts, please supplicate not to pass into nirvana. And the last branch is to dedicate which is the antidote to self-grasping; of holding on to one’s roots of virtue, thinking that I have done this and that great thing. Instead of holding on to it and obsessing over the virtue, we give it up for the sake of sentient beings. In this way, the virtue will be sealed and not lost. If we fail to dedicate our own merits then we can easily loose it again when anger and jealousy both arise. So, these it is really extremely important to understand the meaning of those words very clearly because these 7 branches are very powerful.

Also, in our supplications we have said ‘I will engage in the conduct of the bodhisattvas that is pleasing to all.’ Whether in the practice of dharma or engaging in ordinary world activities, if you possess bodhicitta then everything becomes virtuous and pleasing to all. That is the quality of bodhicitta. Even when we take refuge we say ‘I take refuge for the benefit of all sentient beings so that all beings attain enlightenment’. So, we come to the actual supplication of the bodhisattva’s vow, we will do it in Tibetan first and after that in English and then Chinese. Basically, whatever you do in the world or in the dharma you need to do it undefiled by a selfish self-clinging mind. Then whatever you do naturally becomes the benefit of sentient beings. That is really the beginning of the mind generation of bodhicitta.

I will cause all mother sentient beings infinite as space, particularly enemies who despise me, obstructors who do harm and those who hinder liberation and omniscience to have happiness and be free from suffering and swiftly attain precious unsurpassed perfect complete enlightenment.

What we have just recited; this is really how we measure our level of love and cultivate our love and compassion. There are many people that we love but there might be one particular person that we despise; and we have all kinds of views about this person. And for that person, it is very difficult to develop a sense of loving kindness and compassion. For example, I had a disciple who said that I really want to come to the teachings today but I can’t because there is this person I really don’t like; so I won’t come.

So people really feel like that and that is the nature of aversion which is like poison. When you see a poisonous snake, you will naturally feel afraid. That feeling of resentment and aversion generates such a feeling of not wanting to be there; of being afraid and wanting to go away. And many faults come from that; especially that resentment which is the very seed for hell. If that stays in your mind then later everyone that you see appears as a threat and so on. And even if you see a dharma friend, you criticize them and you point out what they did wrong. You just reinforce these negative thoughts in your mind and these feelings increase more and more. Later it becomes the very cause for falling into hell and as an antidote to that, consider that all beings without exception had been our parents in the previous lives. And especially those who hurt us, we must treat them with even greater love. So, all those that cause harm and obstruction to liberation; whatever they have done (even the slightest harm), comes from an afflicted state of mind.

But when you feel afflicted about it, how does that harm you? It is because when you think about what wrong they have done, you develop negative thoughts and anger. What happens then? Then both of you will be reborn in the hell realms. If the person wants to hurt you, the person will only be successful if they can trigger anger in you. Then you get hurt because with a hundred percent certainty it will plunge you into hell. It is said that there is no greater negativity than hatred. But think that all beings have been your kind parents. Think that may they all be happy and be free from suffering. And when that feeling arises in your mind, this is where immeasurable love begins. So that is something which you really have to think about; bring to mind someone whom you really don’t like. Then see what kind of feeling arises and then based on that feeling you will know where you are at in the cultivation of immeasurable love and compassion.

When these enemies arise, bring to mind this person that you sincerely dislike. At first you think that you must have done something to this enemy in the previous lives; which has created this karmic bond and now they return as a karmic creditor. Whatever you do to others will come back so reflect on karma when harm is experienced even in the smallest sense. And remember the 37 bodhisattva practices. Also, elsewhere it is said that if there would be no one to trigger our anger, then how could we ever cultivate patience? So, from that perspective, the person who made you angry really becomes like your lama or your teacher. For example, Vidyadhara Jigme Lingpa had said that to such a person, every enemy and harm doer is like an enhancement or a stepping stone in one’s practice. All false accusations and harm received are positive things because in this way, we are able to eliminate our anger and cultivate patience. At that time when anger arises and you are able to practice patience, your love increases. The nature of patience and love are really one and the same. And they are also related to emptiness. Of course, anger will always arise and it is said that until we have attained enlightenment (until there is no more self at all), afflictions will still arise. And until then you won’t get rid of them.

So they will arise and you have to recognize them and practice with them. For this reason, because they have to come up, the person who triggers your anger really is just like your teacher. Every time you get angry, you practice patience and in the end the anger disappears. And you will see how this person really becomes your greatest lama/teacher. This is how we transform everything into a good quality. Also remember that everyone has been your kind parent in the previous lives. See the suffering and the harm caused just like having to undergo a necessary surgery (from a karmic perspective). And also see the one who causes the harm as your teacher. When the anger arises, recognize it and do not think about the enemy or the person. But just look directly at the nature of the mind and your emotions. It is that very emotion that has created all of your suffering since beginning-less times. So, when you look at the nature of anger, according to Vajrayana, anger is by nature mirror-like wisdom. Actually, all the afflictions are wisdom and so why is that?

When strong anger arises, the anger has the power to bring an end to all of the thoughts of the three times. It is the most powerful emotion. For example, if you had a friend for 20 or 30 years and you love them the whole time. But one day you get very angry and all of that love is destroyed instantly. You might even kill that person and at that time you can see how powerful anger is. Anger has the power to destroy all thoughts of the past. So, if at that time you are able to meditate, the anger is recognized as the mirror-like wisdom. When you recognize the essence of anger the mind becomes pristinely clear. You come to the natural state of the mind; the state of Mahamudra. If you really know how to view at that time, then the person who has triggered your anger becomes your greatest lama. The one who has actually shown you the natural state of Mahamudra. So, he becomes a lama who introduces you to the nature of the mind. And there are many methods to cultivate bodhicitta to deal with the afflictions in the way. From a relative perspective, that person becomes a support for you to cultivate love and patience.

And from an ultimate perspective that person becomes your root guru who shows you the nature of Mahamudra. This is how you can transform all faults into good qualities just through the precious bodhicitta. Once you have taken this bodhisattvas vow, what is most important is that you think even at the cost of your life, I will recognize that the fault lies in my own anger and I will not live out my anger unrecognized’. So, in this way you apply many different methods but the essence of all of these is that you have to find a way. You have to strive towards eliminating negative thoughts, resentment, anger and aversion and so on towards others.

This is now the activity bodhicitta:

For that purpose, I will apply body, speech and mind to virtue until enlightenment is attained.

Until death I will apply body, speech and mind to virtue.

From now until this time tomorrow, I will apply body, speech and mind to virtue.

 

So now up until this point, we spoke about the aspiration bodhicitta and that is something which you all have understood. You all understand the quality of bodhicitta that is why we are here. And you know how precious bodhicitta is because you want to take this vow. We came from far and near and endured many hardships. But once you have understood that, you have to engage bodhicitta and for that we have just recited this engaging bodhicitta prayer. The first one, ‘until enlightenment I will practice with body, speech and mind’ relates to the Mahayana way of taking refuge. Where we vow that from now onwards until we attain enlightenment even at the cost of our life, we will never forsake bodhicitta. For example, in the context of the refuge vow, we first cultivate bodhicitta and as a result of that, we will always attain birth in the higher realms temporarily and ultimately attain enlightenment.

Once you have attained enlightenment, all dualistic perceptions of self and other is cleared away. We then realize non-dual primordial wisdom; and there is no more duality between the one who is taking refuge and one’s refuge. It all has merged into one; as we say the guru, the Buddha and my own mind are all one. And until we have reached that state of enlightenment, we will apply our body, speech and mind to virtue.

The second one is the vow where we apply body, speech and mind to virtue from now onward for as long as we live. This particular vow is related mainly to one’s actions of body and speech and also to any of the seven different vows of the Pratimoksha. You can bring to mind any vow and practice that perfectly. For example, it could be a monk’s vow, a fully ordained or novice or an Upasakha vow (a lay person). Among those vows of a lay person, you can take four root vows or choose one of them. However, many even if it’s just one vow, in terms of timing, you can think that you will take this vow for as long as you live. So, think about what you can do; if there’s something which you can do, then think this is the vow you will take from now on for as long as you live.

If it’s the case that you are not able to do something for as long as you live, you can also take a vow for a shorter period of time. For example, think that for a year you will not drink alcohol, or not eat meat or not to smoke and so on. Or even for example if you are a not a smoker you can still take a vow of not smoking. That not smoking still becomes a merit so this is the kind of vow you can also take, however many from any of the ten non-virtuous actions and so on. In terms of timing you can take a vow from now until you die or for a month or a year. Or even just for 24 hours. That is the third level of vows you have just repeated which is related to the Nyungne one day vows. Every time you take one of those one day vows, you create the cause for birth as a precious human being. This merit is really inconceivable.

Aside from that, there are many benefits of taking these vows and you can read more about that yourself. Especially there is the Mahayana or Sojong practice which also has also been translated into Chinese. And that is a very beneficial text to read. In brief there are many different commentaries written by great masters that are very important. But in particular this one that has also been translated into Chinese. You can read that and for those vows, you just think that you are taking these vows from now onward until you die or for a year or a month. However long you are able to keep that vow, uphold this vow perfectly.

Aside from that, there are many benefits of taking these vows and you can read more about that yourself. Especially there is the Mahayana or Sojong practice which also has also been translated into Chinese. And that is a very beneficial text to read. In brief there are many different commentaries written by great masters that are very important. But in particular this one that has also been translated into Chinese. You can read that and for those vows, you just think that you are taking these vows from now onward until you die or for a year or a month. However long you think you are able to keep that vow, uphold this vow perfectly.

So now we have directed our body, speech and mind to virtue and of body, speech and mind the mind is most important. Therefore, with our mind we should remember the kindness of others and develop a wish to repay their kindness. From now onward wherever you go, if you meet an older person think that this person has been your parent. And if you meet a younger person, think that this person has been your friend. And if you see a child then think that he has been your child. If you habituate to this over and over again, eventually this feeling arises naturally. Every time you look at someone, instantly this feeling of closeness arises and you feel that everyone is just like family. Until then you have to practice and when that feeling arises, this is the beginning point of actual true love. From this point then all you do with body and speech naturally becomes virtuous practice. This is the foundation of true immeasurable love and until that has been planted firmly within your mind, you have to cultivate it by reflecting on it over and over again.

For example it is like planting a flower, you have to water it every day so that it grows. That water is the water of love and compassion. So, we always say ‘all mother sentient beings limitless as space’ and it all becomes so vast and abstract. Everyone has been our parent but how we really need to practice this is in a much closer sense. Those that we are actually connected to in a very direct way. In particular we have to cultivate a sense of love and gratitude for our teachers and our country. Most people love their mothers although there are some who don’t. But in any case, we are born as human beings in this world and there is no one more kind to us than our teachers. Also, our worldly teachers who taught us everything about this world. Everything that we are able to do and every comfort and happiness really are given to us by those teachers. So, they are all extremely kind.