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 ...

Text Section 227 / Stanza 11

In ancient times, merchants traveled to remote islands to search for precious jewels under the skillful leadership of a knowledgeable guide, who led them to the right places and knew how to examine the stones. Jewels examined by such a guide were considered the finest jewels.

Following this example, the most skillful of all guides is the Buddha, who throughout countless aeons has examined teachings to discover which will lead beings from suffering to liberation and to the level of buddhahood. Buddha is the Sole Guide of beings because only a single [gcig pu] Buddha appears in this world at one time. Buddha is the only one who can teach the path to complete enlightenment. Even the supreme bodhisattvas need to rely on the Buddha as their teacher. Among all teachers who show the path to enlightenment, Buddha is supreme, and only he can reveal the complete path to enlightenment in its entirety.

With a mind [blo] endowed with immeasurable wisdom [tshad med pa’i ye shes] and immeasurable compassion [tshad med pa’i snying rje] Buddha has, for countless aeons, examined every possible path, every possible method, every possible meditation technique, searching for the path to enlightenment. In that way he discovered that bodhicitta is the only path to overcome suffering and achieve enlightenment.

Examining bodhicitta closely, he discovered that there is nothing in this world superior to it. He discovered that the relative [kun rdzob] and the absolute bodhicitta [don dam gyi sems bskyed] include all dharmas and that consequently, all who wish to be free from saṃsāric states should firmly hold on to this precious bodhicitta.

From among all sublime teachings [dam pa’i chos kun las] means from all the teachings of the Buddha, including those that do not teach bodhicitta. Among all of these, the Buddha found bodhicitta to be the only true path to achieve liberation and perfect enlightenment. Therefore, we should trust in the Buddha and firmly take hold of bodhicitta, just like merchants trust in the jewels identified by a skillful guide.

The beginning, main part and conclusion [sbyor dngos rjes gsum] are called the ’three-fold excellence’ [dam pa rnam pa gsum]: the excellent beginning, bodhicitta [sbyor ba sems bskyed dam pa]; the excellent main part, non-conceptual practice [dngos gzhi dmigs med dam pa]; and the excellent conclusion, dedication [mjug bsngo ba dam pa].

The excellent beginning of every practice should be the precious bodhicitta. Take the bodhisattva precepts every day, and then do all your practices while maintaining bodhicitta. For instance, if you offer prostrations, do this with the motivation to free all beings from suffering and to establish them on the level of complete enlightenment. That motivation is the excellent beginning, bodhicitta.

While offering prostrations, maintain the view free from the three factors. Offer prostrations with the understanding that ultimately there is no object to prostrate to, no prostration being offered, and no one offering prostrations. Maintain an understanding that everything is as real as an illusion or a dream. This requires insight into profound emptiness. While recognizing profound emptiness, offer the prostrations. Combine the relative practice of prostrations with the absolute practice of realizing emptiness. That is called the excellent main part, non-conceptual practice.

Profound emptiness is a very subtle subject, so beginners should be taught through examples and analogies [dpe].

Thus, one is taught that all phenomena are as real as
an illusion [sgyu ma],
a reflection of the moon in water [chu zla],
an optical distortion [mir yor],
a mirage [smig rgyu], a dream [rmi lam],
an echo [sgra bryan / brag cha],
a city of gandharvas [dri za’i grong khyer],
a magical trick [mig ’phrul],
a rainbow [’ja’ tshon],
a water bubble [glog chu bur],
a reflection in a mirror [me long nang gi gzugs brnyan],
and so forth.

Eventually, beginners should receive instructions on how to recognize profound emptiness from a qualified master.

At the end of a practice session, dedicate the merit and virtue accumulated during the session to all sentient beings. That is the excellent conclusion, dedication of merit. In this manner embrace [rtsis zin pa] all practices with the three-fold excellence.

Once bodhicitta has taken birth in your mind, protect it through mindfulness [dran pa], keeping it in focus all the time, as if you were tied to it with a rope. Next, protect it through introspection [shes bzhin], examining, analyzing and searching your mind. Finally, protect it by being attentive to it [bag yod]. With these qualities in mind, you will protect and nurture bodhicitta correctly.

The Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra has dedicated one chapter each to heedfulness [bag yod] and introspection [shes bzhin]. Mindfulness [dran pa] in this context means not forgetting the key points of what to avoid and what to accept [blang ’dor gyi gnas ma brjed pa byed pa]. A practitioner must always remember what to avoid, the ten non-virtuous actions [mi dge ba bcu], and what to accept, the ten virtous actions [dge ba bcu]. He should always remember the benefits of bodhicitta and the disadvantages of not having bodhicitta.

Heedfulness [bag yod] means to be aware of any action of body, speech and mind. A bodhisattva must be at all times careful not to engage in non-virtue [lus ngag yid gsum mi dge ba’i phyogs la mi ’gro ba]. Heedfulness is directed outward.

Introspection [shes bzhin] means to be constantly observing whether one should reject [spang bar bya ba] or accept [blang bar bya ba] any given situation. The Bodhisattva checks whether his actions of body, speech and mind are at any moment in accordance with bodhicitta or not. Introspection is directed inward. It is an introspective analysis that adjusts one’s reactions in order to safeguard bodhicitta in all situations, mentally, verbally and physically.

The excellent beginning can also be the aspiration:

“May the precious and supreme bodhicitta take birth in those in whom it has not yet taken birth.”

The excellent main part can be the aspiration:

“And where it has taken birth may it not decrease, but ever increase more and more.”

The excellent conclusion is the dedication of the virtue that has been developed through these aspirations. Practicing like this, bodhicitta will not decrease but will always be stable in your mind.

With the alchemical metaphor, Śāntideva shows us that bodhicitta can transform our ordinary body, speech and mind into the enlightened body, speech and mind of the Buddha. With the metaphor of the jewel, Śāntideva teaches us to rely on bodhicitta, since the Buddha thoroughly examined it for countless aeons and saw its great value in bringing us to enlightenment. We need not doubt its value. The Buddha decided that bodhicitta is the most valuable method, so we should resolve in our minds to practice it.

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