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 ...

Such feeble copies of practitioners are like candles in the wind. Wind can be either an aid [grogs] or a hindrance [dgra] for fire. When the wind rises, a small candle is blown out. In that case the wind has become a hindrance to the fire. Even when a strong wind blows, is does not harm a forest fire but enhances it. In the same way, a feeble practitioner falls apart in the face of obstacles, while a true practitioner is stable in his bodhicitta practice and transforms every situation into an aid on the path to enlightenment. In adversities his realization is greatly enhanced. He is like a forest fire that is supported by the wind. The stronger the wind blows, the stronger does the fire blaze.

The signs of a good dharma practitioner are devotion [dad pa], compassion [snying rje], renunciation [nges ’byung], wisdom-knowledge [shes rab], certainty [nges shes], radiant confidence [spobs pa], a happy frame of mind [sems bde ba], a peaceful frame of mind [sems zhi ba], inner courage [khungs dpa’ ba] and fearlessness [’jigs skrag med pa]. He practices the ten virtuous actions to the best of his ability and avoids the ten non-virtuous actions as much as he is able. He embraces all his actions with bodhicitta. The abovementioned qualities all stem from a mind well trained in bodhicitta. These are some guidelines for a practitioner.

There are two kinds of circumstances, positive circumstances [rkyen bzang po] and negative ones [rkyen ngan pa]. A practitioner must train in bodhicitta so that he no longer becomes afraid and weak in the face of negative circumstances. Negative circumstances are easy to recognize. One should understand that positive circumstances can become a great obstacle for a practitioner. When a yogin becomes famous, gathers many students and receives great donations and offerings, he must by all means remain humble [khengs ba med pa] and free from attachment [zhen pa med pa].

He must constantly meditate on the ’four ends of impermanence’ [mi rtag pa’i mtha’ bzhi]:

The end of birth is death.
The end of gathering is dispersal.
The end of riches is loss.
The end of high positions is to fall.

skyes pa’i mtha’ ’chi ba
‘dus pa’i mtha’ ’bral ba
‘byor ba’i mtha’ rgud pa
mtho ba’i mtha’ ltung ba

When people treat a bodhisattva respectfully, he must respond with humility [nymas chung]. When others treat him badly, he must generate internal courage [spobs pa] and never lose his composure.

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