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24-Indian History-BC-1 - Bodhisattwa Practices
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India has a continuous civilization since 2500 BC. During the 2nd millennium, Aaryan speaking tribes migrated from northwest into the Indian subcontinent. The following information has been take from "The Aangirasa Dictionary of the Hindu Religion and Culture", by Aangiras Muni. 1999. p 249-254.
[Text in green is my comments]


Bodhisattwa Practices -
Taken from - Inputs from HH Dalai Lama's writings.

In the Mahaayaan stream of Buddhist practice, a Bodhisattwa, once embracing the practice of Dharm, is supposed to adhere to 37 strict guidelines and practice them diligently to achieve Liberation; they are briefly explained below:

1 .Precious Human Life:
When the elusive great vessel of leisure and beneficial circumstances has been obtained, it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to listen, contemplate and meditate day and night to free themselves and others from the Ocean of Sansaar.

2. Conducive Circumstances for Practice-I:
It is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to renounce their Homeland; which condition desire like water, wavering towards relatives; anger like fire, spreading towards enemies; and, ignorance creating a cloudiness in the mind so one forgets what to accept and discard.

3. Conducive Circumstances for Practice-II:
It is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to remain in remote places where afflictions gradually diminish by abandoning disturbing locations, where wholesome deeds naturally increase by being undistracted, and where clear-mindedness gives rise to conviction in the Dharm.

4. Death and Impermanence:
It is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to renounce this life, since relatives and friends of long-standing must part; wealth and material goods accumulated with great effort must be left behind and the body, like a guest-house, must be discarded by the guest of consciousness.

5. The Importance of Having Proper Friends-I:
It is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to abandon non-virtuous friends who, when associated with, cause the three poisons to increase, the actions of listening, contemplating and meditating to diminish, and love and compassion to become non-existent.

6. The Importance of Having Proper Friends-II:
It is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to hold excellent spiritual friends as even more dear than their own bodies; when relying on them fault decrease and good qualities increase like waxing of the moon.

7. Safe Refuge:
How can a worldly god imprisoned in the jail of Sansaar, be able to protect anyone . . . . ? so, it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to go to the refuge of the Triple-gem, which will never deceive the person who does so.

8. Refraining from Destructive Behavior:
It is said by the Muni that the unbearable sufferings of the lower realms are the result of negative Karm; therefore, it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa never to create negative Karm, even at the cost of their lives.

9. Working for Liberation:
The happiness of the three worlds like dew-drops at the tip of a blade of grass has the nature of vanishing in a moment; therefore, it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to strive for the excellent state of changeless Liberation.

10. Developing Bodhichitta Behavior:
What is the use of our own happiness when all mothers who have been kind to us since beginning-less time are suffering . . . ? therefore, it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to generate Bodhichitta in order to liberate all sentient beings.

11. Exchanging Self with Others:
As all sufferings are born out of desiring one's own happiness, and Buddha are born out of the mind which benefits others; it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to engage in the actual exchange of their happiness for the sufferings of others.

12. Bodhisattwa Behavior-I:
If someone, under the power of strong desire, robs or forces others to steal all one's belongings; it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to dedicate their body, wealth and the virtues of the three times to them.

13. Bodhisattwa Behaviour-II:
Even if someone to cut-off one's head, without any fault within oneself, it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to take on all that person's negativity with the power of compassion.

14. Bodhisattwa Behavior-III:
Even if someone were to shout different types of insults at oneself throughout the three thousand worlds; it is the practice of the Bodhisattwas still to speak of the person's good qualities with loving mind.

15. Bodhisattwa Behavior-IV:
Even if someone to uncover one's most intimate faults and say harsh words in the centre of a crowd of many people; it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to bow humbly to that person, with the thought that he is a spiritual master.

16. Bodhisattwa Behavior-V:
Even if a person whom one has cared for lovingly like one's own son were to regard one as an enemy; it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to show greater kindness , like a mother to her son who is stricken by an illness.

17. Bodhisattwa Behavior-VI:
Even if a person of same or lower status than oneself were to attempt to insult one out of arrogance; it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa respectfully to take that person, like a Guru, on top of their heads.

18. Critical Dharm Practice-I:
Even if one has a poor livelihood, is always insulted by people and is afflicted by a very severe illness or evil spirits; it is still the practice of the Bodhisattwa undauntedly to take on the negativity and sufferings of all living living beings.

19. Critical Dharm Practice-II:
Even if one is famous, respected by many and with the wealth of Vishravan (the guardian king); it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa, having seen the essencelessness of the glory and wealth of worldly existence, to remain without pride.

20. Overcoming Hostility:
If outer enemies are destroyed while not restraining the enemy of one's own hatred, the outer enemies will increase; therefore, it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to conquer their own minds with the powerful army of love and compassion.

21. Overcoming Attachment:
Sensual pleasures, like salt water, increase desire no matter how much they are enjoyed; so the practice of the Bodhisattwa is to immediately abandon all objects that generate a desire towards them.

22. Developing deepest Bodhichitta (Realization of Voidness)-I:
Whatever appears is the manifestation of one's own mind, the nature of mind itself is primordially free from fabrication; knowing this, it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa not to conceive the signs of subject and object.

23. Developing deepest Bodhichitta (Realization of Voidness)-II:
It is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to renounce clinging attachment when meeting with pleasant objects; for although they appear beautiful, like a rainbow in summer, they should not be seen as truly existent.

24. Developing deepest Bodhichitta (Realization of Voidness)-III:
The various sufferings are like a death of a son in a dream, there is weariness due to holding illusive appearances as real; therefore, meeting with unfavorable conditions, it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to view them as illusory.

25. The Far-reaching Attitude-I:
If it is necessary to give up even one's body when seeking enlightenment, what need is there to mention giving up external objects . . . . ? therefore, it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to be generous without hoping for reward or ripening merits.

26. The Far-reaching Attitude-II:
If through lacking moral discipline, one can not achieve one's own purpose, it is laughable to want to benefit others; therefore, it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa, who have no craving for worldly pleasure, to preserve moral discipline.

27. The Far-reaching Attitude-III:
To the Bodhisattwa, who desire the wealth of virtue, all agents of harm is like a precious treasure; therefore, cultivating the practice that is free from hatred and animosity towards all is the practice of Bodhisattwa.

28. The Far-reaching Attitude-IV:
Even if Sarvakas and Pratekshabuddhas, working for self gain, are seen to make efforts as if their heads on fire; it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to benefit all beings by expending joyous effort, the source of all good qualities.

29. The Far-reaching Attitude-V:
Through having realized that calm abiding in combination with special insight completely destroys afflictions, it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to train in the concentration which surpasses the four formless stages.

30. The Far-reaching Attitude-VI:
It is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to train in the wisdom supported by method that does not conceptualize the three spheres; without wisdom one will be unable to achieve complete Buddha-hood by means of the five perfections.

31. Bodhisattwa Daily Practice-I:
With the external appearance of a practitioner, if one does not examine one's own mistake, one may act in opposition to Dharm; therefore, it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa always to examine one's own mistakes and abandon them.

32. Bodhisattwa Daily Practice-II:
If, due to power of afflictions, one were to discuss the faults of other Bodhisattwa, one would degenerate; therefore not speaking of the faults of others who abide in Mahaayaan is the practice of the Bodhisattwa.

33. Bodhisattwa Daily Practice-III:
Material offerings and gifts cause arguments among people, and degenerate the actions of listening, contemplating and meditating; so it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to abandon attachment to the households of friends and patrons.

34. Bodhisattwa Daily Practice-IV:
Using harsh words disturbs the minds of others and cause the character of Bodhisattwa to degenerate; therefore it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to abandon abuse directed at others which is unpleasant to hear.

35. Bodhisattwa Daily Practice-V:
Habitual afflictions are hard to reverse with an antidote; so it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to destroys afflictions, such as attachments and others, as soon as they appear, by bearing the additional sword of mindfulness and introspection.

36. Bodhisattwa Daily Practice-VI:
In brief, wherever one is and whatever one's behavior, one should always possess mindfulness and introspection to examine the condition of one's own mind; in that way, it is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to achieve benefits for others.

37. Bodhisattwa Daily Practice-VII:
It is the practice of the Bodhisattwa to dedicate the virtue achieved by enduring in this way to Enlightenment, in order to eliminate the sufferings of limitless migratory beings, with the wisdom of the purity of the three spheres.

 

 

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Updated on 12/17/12