Bodhisattvacharyavatara

by Andreas Kretschmar | 246,740 words

The English translation of the Bodhisattvacharyavatara (“entering the conduct of the bodhisattvas”), a Sanskrit text with Tibetan commentary. This book explains the bodhisattva concept and gives guidance to the Buddhist practitioner following the Mahāyāna path towards the attainment of enlightenment. The text was written in Sanskrit by Shantideva ...

The quote from the Lalita-vistara-sūtra[1] links the declaration respect to the buddhas and bodhisattvas, the proclamation of the names of the buddhas [sangs rgyas kyi mtshan brjod pa], to the generation of immeasurable merit. The blessings of the buddhas and bodhisattvas will enter such a meritorious person’s mind-stream, and he will accomplish whatever he wishes.

Before a master teaches, he first offers three prostrations to the seat or throne from which he will teach the dharma. This cuts through any possible pride that he might develop, and instead produces humility. There is always the danger that sitting upon a high throne and teaching the dharma to many people might lead a teacher to become proud.

Whenever my teacher, Khenpo Pentse, entered into the Śrī Siṃha Shedra hall to teach, right at the door he would prostrate himself three time to the throne, books and statues. Then he would ascend the throne where he remained standing while the monks offered three prostrations to him. After Khenpo Pentse had sat down, all the monks also sat.

Apart from such teaching situations, Khenpo Pentse would refuse to accept prostrations from monks or lay people saying,

“Don’t prostrate to me. I am just an ordinary sentient being. Prostrate to the dharma books and statues.”

The tradition of offering prostrations to the throne started with the Buddha when he taught the Prajñāpāramitā [sher phyin] for the first time. Buddha arranged his own teaching throne and prostrated to it before sitting down. Buddha did this to acknowledge the ‘greatness of the teaching’ [chos kyi che ba].

The Prajñāpāramitā teachings are very profound [shin tu zab pa] and difficult to realize [rtogs dka’ ba]. From that time onward, teachers in the monasteries and shedras [bshad grva] of India and Tibet began prostrating to their thrones before they started teaching. The throne itself is not a sign of the greatness of the master, but rather symbolizes the greatness of the dharma.

Moreover, a teacher should always wash before he teaches. He should touch the scriptures only with clean hands. This is another gesture of respect to the dharma and to the scriptures. Once the teacher has ascended to the throne, the students must present three prostrations as a gesture of respect to the teacher who is the expounder of the dharma.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Lalita-vistara-sūtra [rgya cher rol pa’i mdo]

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