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 ...

Whatever adversities bodhisattvas may experience, however badly people might treat them, their dharma practice will not be impeded. They perceive negative conditions as something that purifies (their former) negative deeds [sdig pa’i bshags ma], as something that brings forth virtue [dge ba’i bskul ma]. Initially, everything they experience supports them, encouraging them toward virtue [dang po dge ba bskul ba’i grogs byed pa].

Next, adversities provide the condition for letting virtue increase [bar du dge ba’phel ba’i rkyen byed pa], eventually creating the causes for the bodhisattvas to attain complete and perfect enlightenment [tha mar mngon par rdzogs pa’i sangs rgyas kyi rgyu byed pa].

Many bodhisattvas attained enlightenment based on bad friends and difficult circumstances. The famous nun Palmo [dge slong ma dpal mo] suffered from leprosy. She practiced the sadhāna of Avalokiteśvara, was cured of her disease and, in her very body, went to the celestial buddha fields [lus ma spong bar mkha’ spyod]. Milarepa reached enlightenment due to the kindness of his enemies. A practitioner must know the key point of how to transform negative conditions into enhancements [rkyen ngan grogs su ’gyur] for practice. Only then will dharma practice flourish.

As serious as a practitioner’s difficult experiences may be, he should understand them as something that purifies his former negative deeds. People who slander him become the true object of his pity and compassion, since he knows they are accumulating bad karma. At the same time, he also knows that he is experiencing the slander due to his own bad karma. If a practitioner had no bad karma left at all, no one would ever speak negatively about him.

All the gossip, slander, evil talk, jealousy and so forth are simply a sure indication that one’s own bad karma is ripening. It is virtually impossible to say anything negative about the Buddha. One might not agree with his view, but to find a fault within the Buddha is difficult even for negatively-minded people. There are neither karmic causes [rgyu] nor karmic conditions [rkyen] remaining within the Buddha.

If true bodhisattvas are slandered, their fame becomes greater. If you beat and abuse a true bodhisattva, his charisma will shine forth to an even greater extent. All negative conditions are for him an enhancement [bog ’don] and remove obstacles [gegs bsal].

Tulku Urgyen instructed that every practitioner should apply the sūtra teaching on training in goodness in four ways [dge sbyong chos bzhi]:

Although accused, do not respond with accusation.
Although attacked, do not respond with aggression.
Although beaten, do not strike back.
Although exposed, do not respond by exposing others.

gshe yang slar mi gshe ba dang
khros kyang slar mi khro ba
brdegs kyang slar mi rdeg pa
mtshang brus kyang slar mi ‘bru ba’o

Tulku Urgyen commented that you might be falsely blamed for something terrible. You might be accused of something bad you did not do or say. A yogin does not respond to accusation by saying, “I didn’t do it.” He does not retaliate by accusing others. When anger or aggression comes at him, he never answers with aggression. However harsh the words may be, however bold the aggressor, the yogin does not get upset. Even if attacked physically and beaten, he never hits back; he sits still, taking the beating silently. As long as the yogin is on the path, he is not free from defects. So, when someone exposes his faults, he does not become upset or defensive.

He might say,

“What you observe is true. I am at fault.”

If you apply these points, you will have no enemies; you will not be a target for aggression. Whatever bad things might be said or done to you, they will cause no harm. As you do not respond to negativity, people will tire of picking fights with you. Train yourself and try to accomplish this much patience. If you stick to these points, you may be called a practitioner. Give the gain to others and keep the loss for yourself. Allow others to be right, even if it makes you wrong.

Behavior should always accord with the teachings. Do not be disturbed; harmonize with every situation. Do not waste time in pointless endeavors, such as socializing and watching movies. Do not spend time in idle talk and gossip. Do not be careless in your actions. Keep the precepts and vows you have taken. Persist in gathering the accumulations of merit and wisdom. Always generate devotion to your root guru. Be courageous in the view [lta ba la dpa’ dgos]; be humble in your conduct [spyod pa la sdar dgos].

Do as Tilopa advised Naropa:

Child, perception arises interdependently.
Naropa, until you realize the unborn essence
Never leave the vehicle
Of the two accumulations.

bu snang ba rten cing ’brel ’byung ’di
don skye ba med par ma rtogs par
tshogs gnyis shing rta’i ’phang lo dang
‘bral bar ma byed na ro pa

This is how Tulku Urgyen taught on training in goodness in four ways.

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