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 ...

Considering the positive aspects of a human existence, the ten advantages [’byor ba bcu] are enumerated. These include the five individual advantages [rang ’byor lnga] and the five circumstantial advantages [gzhan ’byor lnga].

Nāgārjuna enumerates the individual advantages:

  1. To be born as a human being,
  2. in a central land,
  3. with all one’s sense faculties intact,
  4. Not in an extreme karmic predicament, and
  5. with faith in the dharma.

1. To be born as a human being [mi nyid]: Without a human life, one cannot even encounter the dharma. It is only the human realm that is truly conducive to dharma practice. Thus, the human body is the advantage of the support [mi’i lus rten gyi ’byor ba].

2. To be born in a central land [dbus skyes]: If one is born in a remote place where dharma is unheard of, there is no opportunity to come across it. You, however, were born in a region that is central as far as dharma is concerned and thus have the advantage of the place [yul gyi ’byor ba]. As to what is meant by a Central Land [yul dbus; madhyadeśa], one should distinguish between a geographically central land [sa tshigs kyi yul dbus] and a central land in terms of the dharma [chos tshigs kyi yul dbus].

Geographically speaking, the central land is said to be the Vajra Seat [skr. vajrāsana] of Bodhgaya, India, at the center of Jambudvīpa, the Southern Continent [lho ‘dzam bu’i gling gi yul gyi dbus rgya gar rdo rje gdan], where the thousand buddhas of this Fortunate Aeon all attained enlightenment. In terms of dharma, a central land is any land where the dharma has spread [chos dar sa yi yul]. All other countries and regions are considered to be peripheral countries and border regions [mtha’ ‘khob].

3. To be born with all one’s sense faculties intact [dbang po tshang]: Not to have all sense faculties intact is a hindrance to the practice of dharma. For instance, if you have no eyesight, you cannot see the representations of the body, speech, and mind, such as statues, scriptures, and stūpas. If your mental faculties [yid kyi dbang po] are impaired, you may be in a state of confusion that does not allow you to understand and practice the dharma. Being free of such disabilities, you have the advantage of possessing the sense faculties [dbang po yon tan gyi ’byor ba].

4. To not be born in an extreme karmic predicament [las mtha’ ma log pa]: Perverted lifestyle refers to a lifestyle of people born in communities of hunters, butchers, mercenaries and so forth, who are immersed in non-virtuous actions from their early youth onward. This also includes anyone whose every thought, word and deed is contrary to the dharma. Since you now wish to engage in positive actions, this is the advantage of an exalted particular intention [bsam pa’i khyad par gyi ’byor ba].

5. To be born having faith in the dharma [gnas la dad]: Lacking faith in the Buddha’s teachings you would not feel any inclination toward the dharma. Being able to turn your mind to the dharma, as you are doing right now, constitutes the advantage of faith [dad pa’i ’byor ba].

Because these five advantages depend on the individual, they are called the five individual advantages, or the five advantages of the individual.

According to Nāgārjuna, the five circumstantial advantages are:

  1. A buddha has appeared and
  2. has taught the dharma;
  3. His teachings still exist and
  4. are practiced; And
  5. there are those who are kind-hearted toward others.

1. A buddha has appeared [sangs rgyas byon]: Those not born in a bright aeon, one in which a buddha has appeared, have never even heard of the dharma. We are now in an aeon in which a buddha has appeared, however, so we possess the advantage of the presence of the exalted teacher [ston pa khyad par can gyi ’byor ba].

2. He has taught the dharma [des chos gsungs]: Although a buddha has come, had he not taught, no one would have benefited. Since the Buddha did turn the wheel of dharma in three successive stages, however, we have the advantage of the teaching of the sublime dharma [bstan pa dam pa’i chos kyi ’byor ba].

3. His teachings still exist [bstan pa gnas]: Although the Buddha has taught, had his doctrine died out, it would no longer be there to help us. However, the period during which the doctrine will remain in existence has not yet ended, and so we have the advantage of the time [dus kyi ’byor ba].

4. The teachings are practiced [de’i rjes ’jug]: Although the teachings still exist, unless we follow them they can be of no benefit to us. Since we have taken up the dharma, however, we possess the advantage of our own good fortune [rang gi skal bas ’byor ba].

5. There are those who are kind-hearted toward others [gzhan phyir snying ni brtse ba’o]: Although we have taken up the dharma, without the favorable circumstance of being accepted by a spiritual friend we could never learn what the dharma is really about. Since a spiritual friend has accepted us, we possess the advantage of his extraordinary compassion [lhag pa’i thugs rje’i ’byor ba].

Because these five factors depend on circumstances other than one’s own and need to be complete, they are called the five circumstantial advantages, or the five advantages of the circumstances.

There are two kinds of benefit for people [skyes bu’i don]:

  1. temporary benefit [gnas skabs kyi don]
  2. and ultimate benefit [mthar thug gi don].

With this human rebirth we have now attained the opportunity [go skabs] to accomplish this twofold benefit. Not taking advantage of this present opportunity would be very foolish, as we will have great difficulty attaining such a perfect situation [rten phun sum tshogs pa] again in future lifetimes.

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