BP: Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds (20 April 2015)

0:08 Is that okay? Yeah? Reasonable? Report an error in the passage at 0:08 Highlight the passage at 0:08

0:17 Not through the... You can hear... Okay. Okay. Is that better? A little bit better? Report an error in the passage at 0:17 Highlight the passage at 0:17

0:41 You can hear me snoring. Report an error in the passage at 0:41 Highlight the passage at 0:41

0:55 Aside from the fact that it's very wet outside, does anybody have anything you'd like to share? Anything that came up over the week? You Report an error in the passage at 0:55 Highlight the passage at 0:55

1:20 thought a lot about Great Confession. What did you think about it? Report an error in the passage at 1:20 Highlight the passage at 1:20

1:27 It's very, very difficult. Report an error in the passage at 1:27 Highlight the passage at 1:27

1:43 I would agree, but we have to begin somewhere, don't we? Yeah. So maybe it's better to start where we're at than just kind of go from there. Report an error in the passage at 1:43 Highlight the passage at 1:43

2:01 Yeah, Report an error in the passage at 2:01 Highlight the passage at 2:01

2:08 that's the spirit. So in great compassion, what's the difference between great compassion and immeasurable compassion? Report an error in the passage at 2:08 Highlight the passage at 2:08

2:30 It doesn't cost them anything. Report an error in the passage at 2:30 Highlight the passage at 2:30

2:44 Every Monday night we recite the four immeasurables. Amongst them are immeasurable compassion. May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. Report an error in the passage at 2:44 Highlight the passage at 2:44

2:58 So what's that? Report an error in the passage at 2:58 Highlight the passage at 2:58

3:09 And great compassion? Report an error in the passage at 3:09 Highlight the passage at 3:09

3:30 I guess at this point in most of our practice it's rather a technical question. The immeasurable, as David just pointed out, is quite a large number. Whereas immeasurable compassion for immeasurable sentient beings in terms of the object of our compassion. But great compassion is usually... And it's just a technical way of looking at it or defining it. As Sue said, when we purposefully include in the objects of our compassion friend, enemy and stranger, we purposely meditate not just on lots of people but on these three categories of people. Report an error in the passage at 3:30 Highlight the passage at 3:30

4:12 We include our enemies. So that's all inclusive. It's just not a large number. But supposedly it takes in all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 4:12 Highlight the passage at 4:12

4:41 that in the... In the two traditions for developing an awakened heart, bodhicitta, one is called the seven cause and effect instruction. And the sixth is developing great compassion. Report an error in the passage at 4:41 Highlight the passage at 4:41

4:57 And then as a result of great compassion acting as a cause, we develop the exceptional result. That means I want to not just have this compassion. Report an error in the passage at 4:57 Highlight the passage at 4:57

5:15 It's something of the mind, but I wanted to put it into practice. So I'm going to do something about it. I'm going to become a Buddha for the sake of all sentient beings, for the sake of all sentient beings. So that becomes exceptional resolve, which leads directly to the development of the awakened heart, bodhicitta. So there's a subtle difference. Report an error in the passage at 5:15 Highlight the passage at 5:15

5:39 So compassion is an attitude wishing to relieve suffering. Exceptional resolve is determining to... Developed the actual ability to do that in fact. Report an error in the passage at 5:39 Highlight the passage at 5:39

5:52 So the cause of that exceptional resolve is great compassion. Report an error in the passage at 5:52 Highlight the passage at 5:52

6:22 Yeah, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 6:22 Highlight the passage at 6:22

6:27 What do you think about that? Report an error in the passage at 6:27 Highlight the passage at 6:27

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7:12 So, I mean, generally, no, that's quite wise in your giving. I think I was going to look for, there's a verse by Shantideva where it says, not to give anything which would bring about injury. Report an error in the passage at 7:12 Highlight the passage at 7:12

7:29 So, you know, giving requires some degree of discrimination about what to give and what not to give. I mean, it probably doesn't help to give an alcoholic a drink, for example, or money to drink. Report an error in the passage at 7:29 Highlight the passage at 7:29

7:44 I think it's, yeah, it's in your faith. Oh, Report an error in the passage at 7:44 Highlight the passage at 7:44

7:56 I see. Report an error in the passage at 7:56 Highlight the passage at 7:56

8:00 Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can't, yeah. I think it's, I mean, here we're probably somewhat distanced. Usually from seeing that kind of manifest external suffering, at least external physical suffering. In India, it's kind of in your face all the time. So I think it's quite easy to kind of numb out and desensitize yourself and begin to overlook it because it becomes rather hard to deal with if you keep your heart open and vulnerable. Report an error in the passage at 8:00 Highlight the passage at 8:00

8:40 But I think... going Report an error in the passage at 8:40 Highlight the passage at 8:40

8:42 I know once I went on a trip with my teacher, one of my main teachers in India, and he carried a bag of coins, you know, ten pesa. It's almost nothing. This was a couple of years ago, so it was a little more than nothing back then. And he would always give. So he would say, well, you know, it's not going to solve the problem. Report an error in the passage at 8:42 Highlight the passage at 8:42

9:11 But at least I am recognizing them as in need. I have shown some degree of respect and I'm manifesting some degree of giving. And Mother Teresa once said that she's, I think, an expert on poverty and giving and so forth. And she said the poor don't. And I don't know. It's easy to become glib about these things. Report an error in the passage at 9:11 Highlight the passage at 9:11

9:40 She said that more than anything, the poor want your respect. But nonetheless, some of them actually need it. Report an error in the passage at 9:40 Highlight the passage at 9:40

9:55 And even if they don't, you know, even if they're professional beggars. No, there are professional beggars. They come into the city from the villages and that's what they do for a living. And still, you know, they're asking. I don't know. Report an error in the passage at 9:55 Highlight the passage at 9:55

10:14 And you give. I think it's best to give. Report an error in the passage at 10:14 Highlight the passage at 10:14

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11:30 On a mission. Report an error in the passage at 11:30 Highlight the passage at 11:30

11:40 Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, you're quite right. You're quite right. Report an error in the passage at 11:40 Highlight the passage at 11:40

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16:44 In answer to, as an individual, Report an error in the passage at 16:44 Highlight the passage at 16:44

16:50 I have two questions. One of them is there are some who break out of that cycle. What is it about these individuals that makes them different? Report an error in the passage at 16:50 Highlight the passage at 16:50

17:03 Connections. Report an error in the passage at 17:03 Highlight the passage at 17:03

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22:43 Isn't there a difference between judgment and discrimination? It's Report an error in the passage at 22:43 Highlight the passage at 22:43

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24:17 a real practice, isn't it? In a very practical sense. Report an error in the passage at 24:17 Highlight the passage at 24:17

24:48 A typical question. Does anybody else have anything you'd like to add, a comment? I'd Report an error in the passage at 24:48 Highlight the passage at 24:48

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25:24 like to recite the verse of Refuge together. Report an error in the passage at 25:24 Highlight the passage at 25:24

25:32 I go for refuge until I'm awakened to the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha. Through the collections of merit and wisdom created out of generosity and the other practices, may I become a Buddha for the sake of all sentient beings. I go for refuge until I am awakened to the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha. Through the collections of merit and wisdom created out of generosity and the other practices, may I become a Buddha for the sake of all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 25:32 Highlight the passage at 25:32

26:01 I go for refuge until I am awakened to the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha. Through the collections of merit and wisdom created out of generosity and the other practices, may I become a Buddha for the sake of all sentient beings. May all sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness. May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. May all sentient beings be inseparable from the joy that is without sorrow. Report an error in the passage at 26:01 Highlight the passage at 26:01

26:28 May all sentient beings abide in equanimity, free from attachment for some and aversion toward others. Report an error in the passage at 26:28 Highlight the passage at 26:28

26:46 Stand and stretch and we'll sit together. Report an error in the passage at 26:46 Highlight the passage at 26:46

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27:21 Taking a comfortable but firm posture, Report an error in the passage at 27:21 Highlight the passage at 27:21

27:31 bringing your awareness. To the crown of your head, beginning with feeling or simply imagining the wrinkles between your brow and your forehead smoothing out, Report an error in the passage at 27:31 Highlight the passage at 27:31

27:46 the pressure in and around your eyes diminishing, Report an error in the passage at 27:46 Highlight the passage at 27:46

27:56 muscles of the face softening, relaxing. Report an error in the passage at 27:56 Highlight the passage at 27:56

28:13 Your tongue is soft, jaw relaxed, Report an error in the passage at 28:13 Highlight the passage at 28:13

28:21 bringing your awareness to the back of your neck and perhaps turning your head to each side a few times, very gently loosening, stretching. Report an error in the passage at 28:21 Highlight the passage at 28:21

28:33 The muscles of the back of the neck, your Report an error in the passage at 28:33 Highlight the passage at 28:33

28:47 awareness to your upper back and shoulders and drawing your shoulders up toward your ears and circling them to the back and down to the front. Rotating your shoulders a few times and Report an error in the passage at 28:47 Highlight the passage at 28:47

29:13 eventually returning your shoulders back up toward your ears and just allowing them to drop comfortably to the sides and with that the feeling of some kind of burden or weight that you may have. You've unknowingly been carrying around on your back over the course of the day, moving down and through your body into the ground as if some bird's been lifted from your shoulders, a feeling of relief. Report an error in the passage at 29:13 Highlight the passage at 29:13

29:52 And bringing your awareness all the way down to your hands. Your hands are soft and loose. And Report an error in the passage at 29:52 Highlight the passage at 29:52

30:14 your upper arms, Report an error in the passage at 30:14 Highlight the passage at 30:14

30:24 chest is at ease. The Report an error in the passage at 30:24 Highlight the passage at 30:24

30:37 heart area, the central space of the chest, a Report an error in the passage at 30:37 Highlight the passage at 30:37

30:48 portion of the back. Report an error in the passage at 30:48 Highlight the passage at 30:48

31:01 And releasing the tension we often hold on our stomach muscles, The belly to go soft throughout Report an error in the passage at 31:01 Highlight the passage at 31:01

31:18 the abdominal cavity. Report an error in the passage at 31:18 Highlight the passage at 31:18

31:27 And keeping your trunk erect, relax your lower back muscles. And Report an error in the passage at 31:27 Highlight the passage at 31:27

31:51 throughout the pelvic region, your Report an error in the passage at 31:51 Highlight the passage at 31:51

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32:41 feet soft, loose. Report an error in the passage at 32:41 Highlight the passage at 32:41

32:52 Again, scanning from the crown of the head down through the central portion of the body. And paying particular attention to any tightnesses and tensions. Report an error in the passage at 32:52 Highlight the passage at 32:52

33:07 Breathing in, following that breath with awareness to wherever the tightness is being held, the tension in the body. So if you see in that area with awareness, Report an error in the passage at 33:07 Highlight the passage at 33:07

33:23 and as if breathing out from that same area, and with that out-breath, imagining or actually feeling tension loosened, the tightness diminishing, again and again breathing through those areas, and again and again breathing out from Report an error in the passage at 33:23 Highlight the passage at 33:23

33:50 those same areas, and with that out-breath, the body softening, Report an error in the passage at 33:50 Highlight the passage at 33:50

33:58 loosening, relaxing. Report an error in the passage at 33:58 Highlight the passage at 33:58

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34:41 So each out-breath. The body becoming comfortable, relaxed, at ease. I Report an error in the passage at 34:41 Highlight the passage at 34:41

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36:26 invite you to become aware of the fact that you're breathing. Just now when you became aware, Report an error in the passage at 36:26 Highlight the passage at 36:26

36:37 the bodily sensation which indicates to you that you're breathing in and you're breathing out quite naturally. Just rest your attention, focus your awareness on that particular sensation. Report an error in the passage at 36:37 Highlight the passage at 36:37

36:52 And you can accompany this with counting the breaths, breathing in, breathing out, counting one and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 36:52 Highlight the passage at 36:52

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45:22 And we're going to shift our attention to a sensation other than the sensation of the breath, whatever is predominant, if it's the pressure of your buttocks on your chair and hands in your lap or whatever it might be. Report an error in the passage at 45:22 Highlight the passage at 45:22

45:39 Shifting your focus to a sensation of the body other than that of the breath. Report an error in the passage at 45:39 Highlight the passage at 45:39

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47:06 Getting our attention this time, listening to the sounds, both far and near. Focusing our awareness on sound. Report an error in the passage at 47:06 Highlight the passage at 47:06

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48:17 Listening to sound. Report an error in the passage at 48:17 Highlight the passage at 48:17

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49:07 And we're going to turn our attention inward to the mind itself, the various objects of our mind, the words and thoughts passing through our mind, images, pictures, and also the state of our mind. Report an error in the passage at 49:07 Highlight the passage at 49:07

49:24 Maybe it's sleepy, maybe it's restless, maybe it feels good, maybe it feels bad, maybe there's an emotion of some sort, the objects and states of mind, watching the mind itself. And Report an error in the passage at 49:24 Highlight the passage at 49:24

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50:56 then finally just allowing the mind to become... involved in any object that it naturally tends toward, whether might tend toward the breath, it might be a feeling in the body, sound, a thought. Report an error in the passage at 50:56 Highlight the passage at 50:56

51:11 It relaxes and easy-going manners. degree of so watch for just observe it. Report an error in the passage at 51:11 Highlight the passage at 51:11

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52:41 We're going Report an error in the passage at 52:41 Highlight the passage at 52:41

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55:35 to finish looking at the third chapter, Report an error in the passage at 55:35 Highlight the passage at 55:35

55:45 which has to do... The central focus of the third chapter is adopting the bodhisattva vows, committing ourselves in some way to the development and implementing a bodhisattva's way of life. Report an error in the passage at 55:45 Highlight the passage at 55:45

56:09 In terms of our texts, we're looking at a section which begins with verse 11. So this is the third chapter. So it's on page 5. The way of giving. So there's a number of verses which cover training and giving. And we talked about this last time, the nature of generosity and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 56:09 Highlight the passage at 56:09

56:41 The six transcendent practices of a bodhisattva, the training of a bodhisattva, the six perfections, if you like, are mental attitudes. So I guess maybe this connects back to what we were talking about before. you know Report an error in the passage at 56:41 Highlight the passage at 56:41

57:02 In terms of it's not so much the outer act of giving, but the attitude of mind behind the giving, the letting go of non-attachment. Report an error in the passage at 57:02 Highlight the passage at 57:02

57:13 But having heard that many times myself and having said that, we have to begin to question whether, you know, if we have this tremendous aspiration to be a giving person. But it never finds any outward expression in reality. We become a hero in our own minds in some way. So I think we can, though the six perfections, the six transcendent practices are an attitude of mind, I think if it doesn't show up, maybe we have to question ourselves and be honest with ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 57:13 Highlight the passage at 57:13

58:04 If it doesn't show up in some way, in some small measure in our practical everyday life and outward expression, we have to question, well, am I actually developing this attitude in mind or is it just simply a fantasy in my mind? Report an error in the passage at 58:04 Highlight the passage at 58:04

58:19 So here it talks about the training and giving. And we may talk last week about the, there's no particular chapter in the bodhisattva's deeds. Shantideva's text, which sets out specifically a training in generosity. It mentions it from here and there, especially in terms of dedication and coming in the last chapter. Report an error in the passage at 58:19 Highlight the passage at 58:19

58:51 There are various types of ways of giving that are outlined from verses 11 through 22. And I think it's interesting in the 11th verse. Report an error in the passage at 58:51 Highlight the passage at 58:51

59:08 Also my body, possessions and all the virtues are three times. So this is to be taken literally or metaphorically in terms of giving up one's body and so forth. It means that we're willing to give. These are simply representations of the areas that we might hold on to, mine, my body and my possessions and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 59:08 Highlight the passage at 59:08

59:37 My virtue, my future happiness is the causes of happiness and so forth. And then in verses, in beginning with verse 13 through Report an error in the passage at 59:37 Highlight the passage at 59:37

59:50 15AB, here I think there's an attitude and this is connecting with what we were talking about before. There's a sort of a, how Report an error in the passage at 59:50 Highlight the passage at 59:50

1:00:10 often do we give and there's some kind of string attached? Here there's an attitude of, well, there's no strings attached. Since I have offered this body to all sentient beings to do with as they please, they can always kill it, criticize it, or beat it, whatever pleases them. So, you know, how are we going to take that? Report an error in the passage at 1:00:10 Highlight the passage at 1:00:10

1:00:34 If you see someone misusing what you've given them, are you to give it anyway? It presents something of a dilemma for ourselves. Yeah, please. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:34 Highlight the passage at 1:00:34

1:00:55 I call it the three spheres. The giver, the recipient, and the action of giving. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:55 Highlight the passage at 1:00:55

1:01:17 Okay, yeah, that's a good point. So there's just this event, experience, and there's this exchange that takes place. There's no me, look what I'm giving to you, and so forth. That would normally accompany, might normally accompany our giving in some way. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:17 Highlight the passage at 1:01:17

1:01:45 Shantideva, there is a proviso made where he says, in 15AB, I shall allow them any action that does not harm them. He's not saying anything goes. There is some discrimination as long as they don't use it to harm themselves. I'm going to give them what they need. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:45 Highlight the passage at 1:01:45

1:02:13 I think we have to use our street smarts in some way around this. but I think that's a I did This development of this kind of discriminating awareness, I think it's a real challenge in a very real sense. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:13 Highlight the passage at 1:02:13

1:02:49 I think from our side, they can do with it whatever they want. I'm not going to... In... Report an error in the passage at 1:02:49 Highlight the passage at 1:02:49

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1:03:01 to Be judgmental about, oh, you should use that in a particular way. But from their side, if it causes them harm, then we wouldn't want to give it to them. If it causes harm to themselves. I think it's from which point of view. From our own side, they can do what they want. But from their side, I don't want them to hurt themselves. I don't know if that is doublespeak. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:01 Highlight the passage at 1:03:01

1:03:54 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:54 Highlight the passage at 1:03:54

1:04:05 Okay, so I, you know, from my side, if I were to give them, we can talk about this, we can debate this, I don't have a particularly good answer. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:05 Highlight the passage at 1:04:05

1:04:19 If I have some money and I give them money, someone might say, well, you know, and they go buy whatever, something, you know, they don't use their money wisely. In my opinion, I'm kind of projecting on how they should use that money in terms of my value. In terms of all of my middle class criteria and so forth, here it's saying, well, I'm giving in such a way as not to have, I'm not going to attach any judgment upon how you use it. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:19 Highlight the passage at 1:04:19

1:04:57 I'm going to let go in those terms. But from your side, I don't want you to, but nonetheless, I don't want you to hurt yourself. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:57 Highlight the passage at 1:04:57

1:05:10 So from my side, from my perspective, from my benefit, you can do with it whatever you want. But from your side, I don't want you to hurt yourself. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:10 Highlight the passage at 1:05:10

1:05:28 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:28 Highlight the passage at 1:05:28

1:05:36 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:36 Highlight the passage at 1:05:36

1:05:40 Maybe they put it in a closet or something. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:40 Highlight the passage at 1:05:40

1:05:59 Okay. Yeah. I Report an error in the passage at 1:05:59 Highlight the passage at 1:05:59

1:06:11 think that's a good example. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:11 Highlight the passage at 1:06:11

1:06:15 How would you resolve that dilemma? Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:15 Highlight the passage at 1:06:15

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1:07:05 Why? Not because of attachment to your own. well, what do, what do, what do? Report an error in the passage at 1:07:05 Highlight the passage at 1:07:05

1:06:16 don't know. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:16 Highlight the passage at 1:06:16

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1:07:07 body, but because it might work. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:07 Highlight the passage at 1:07:07

1:07:21 Yeah, that's right. So you could have the attitude of mine that you can do with my body with what you want from my point of view. But from your point of view, don't kill me because it's going to hurt you. Okay? So don't, nobody kill me. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:21 Highlight the passage at 1:07:21

1:07:45 Also, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:45 Highlight the passage at 1:07:45

1:07:51 I Report an error in the passage at 1:07:51 Highlight the passage at 1:07:51

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1:08:26 think so, exactly, yeah. The quality of our... of our giving is such. But then there's a certain discrimination from not wanting them to hurt themselves. I think, you know, we probably do that ourselves. I've probably done that myself. But there are strings attached. I mean, you give something and you don't want them to misuse it. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:26 Highlight the passage at 1:08:26

1:08:52 I know for myself, I always, you know, just by way of example, I do a bit of giving, and I'm always getting these letters quite expensive. I mean, the mail-outs for charities must be tremendously costly, and I wish they wouldn't do that. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:52 Highlight the passage at 1:08:52

1:09:17 I mean, they're just to debit my account, okay? But they still send me these expenses. So I kind of have this thing, well, they're kind of wasting my money in a way, but they must. It would be profitable for them to do that or they wouldn't be doing that. So there is this kind of string attached in some way. They're using my money and maybe not so in ways that I would prefer not to. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:17 Highlight the passage at 1:09:17

1:09:46 I don't know. But they don't seem to listen very well, even though I try to say, you know, you get my money regularly. Please don't send me any mail outs because it just costs you more money to do that. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:46 Highlight the passage at 1:09:46

1:10:15 And so talking about it in this way, like, you know, verses like 16 and 17, 16 through 22 are verses of generosity, you know, in terms of the ways in which we can dedicate in various ways. So, you know, Report an error in the passage at 1:10:15 Highlight the passage at 1:10:15

1:10:35 whether a mind of anger, for example, 16, whether a mind of anger or faith arises directly to me may become the causes for all the purposes to be continually fulfilled. And it goes on like that in that same vein. And so the Dalai Lama was once asked in connection with these ways of dedicating and so forth, are these verses really of any use if they are unlikely to become a reality? Report an error in the passage at 1:10:35 Highlight the passage at 1:10:35

1:11:12 And the Dalai Lama said that it's a matter of... Though we may never be able to, these ways of acting generously, we may never be able to embody them or manifest them. Nevertheless, just to acquaint ourselves, accustom the mind to these ways of giving is beneficial. Some of the aspirations of a bodhicitta are logically impossible. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:12 Highlight the passage at 1:11:12

1:11:44 And still it's... it might be Report an error in the passage at 1:11:44 Highlight the passage at 1:11:44

1:11:46 It's worthwhile simply to accustom ourselves to this attitude of aspiration, even though it may not, in fact, ever happen. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:46 Highlight the passage at 1:11:46

1:11:57 It's more in terms of our willingness. I wish this could be, even though it's not logically possible. I think one verse that we can kind of take note of is verse 17. even like Report an error in the passage at 1:11:57 Highlight the passage at 1:11:57

1:12:14 May whoever affronts me, harms me otherwise or backstabs me have the fortune of enlightenment. And this is coming from Shantideva. And if you remember when we discussed the origin of this text, the bodhisattva, his deeds, he was living at Nalanda and he was looked upon as he who, he had a nickname, he who was of three deeds. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:14 Highlight the passage at 1:12:14

1:12:45 It's, you Sleeping, eating and defecating. That was what he was noted for. And his fellow monks thought they would shame him into leaving their illustrious monastery by asking him to give a public teaching. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:45 Highlight the passage at 1:12:45

1:13:04 And so this is how the bodhisattva deeds, at least as the story goes, was composed. He actually got up in front of this gathered, A throng of monks and nuns and so forth and gave a teaching which they thought would so embarrass him he would leave of his own accord. But he actually composed the deeds of the bodhisattva. So he's forgiving them with no strings attached. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:04 Highlight the passage at 1:13:04

1:13:38 May whoever affronts me, harms me otherwise, or backstabs me have the fortune of enlightenment. It's like he's saying, I know it. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:38 Highlight the passage at 1:13:38

1:13:46 I know why you ask me to give this talk. Even by that intention of yours, may you achieve enlightenment or may you be awakened. So this verse is like instant forgiveness, I think, in some way. And then it goes on to, in verses 23 through 24. So this is the critical two verses in the third chapter. Are the central focus of the third chapter, adopting the bodhisattva vows of the awakened heart. So through the practice of the seven limbs, we've removed all the various inhibitory conditions through purification of negativities and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:46 Highlight the passage at 1:13:46

1:14:37 And we've created conducive conditions. We've created merit and virtue and so forth. And then having done that, now we're going to take... The bodhisattva vows. So I thought I'd just mention, just to put the bodhisattva vows in some kind of context. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:37 Highlight the passage at 1:14:37

1:15:04 In Tibetan Buddhism, there are three levels of vows. There's what's called the vows of individual liberation, the vows of bodhisattva and tantric vows. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:04 Highlight the passage at 1:15:04

1:15:21 In terms of... Report an error in the passage at 1:15:21 Highlight the passage at 1:15:21

1:15:46 In terms of the vows of individual liberation, there are eight types of vows of individual liberation. For example, there are the fully ordained monk, fully ordained nun, novice monk, novice nun. There's what's called a probationary novice nun, which precedes becoming a novice nun. And then there are the 24-hour vows, and that's six. And finally there are what's called Upasaka and Upasika, the five female and the five male lay vows. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:46 Highlight the passage at 1:15:46

1:16:30 So these are called vows of individual liberation. And here emphasis is placed upon restraint, kind of a simple, straightforward way of life that doesn't cause harm to others. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:30 Highlight the passage at 1:16:30

1:16:47 They're principally restraining ourselves physically and verbally from harming others. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:47 Highlight the passage at 1:16:47

1:16:57 In the bodhisattva vows, so that's one level of vow. In the bodhisattva vows, emphasis is on the development of compassion and love and finally the awakened heart. So the bodhisattva vows are being committed to. As a means to facilitate taking what is a general principle or an aspiration that we're trying to arrive at in our life and helping us to integrate it into a practical reality in our everyday life. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:57 Highlight the passage at 1:16:57

1:17:33 So its focus is on our relationships with others. Our aspiration to achieve Buddhahood or awakening for the sake of all others. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:33 Highlight the passage at 1:17:33

1:17:48 It's a vow of conscience. And it's violated even by the decision not to help a particular individual. So we're trying to develop an equanimity which includes caring for all others, regardless of how they might relate to myself. So there's a Report an error in the passage at 1:17:48 Highlight the passage at 1:17:48

1:18:19 wish to be a benefit to everyone, however they relate to ourselves. That's the kind of relation I want to, the way I want to spontaneously be in this world with others. So there are, as you have in your, we'll talk more about that. There are 18 root vows and 46 secondary vows of a bodhisattva. And then finally there are the tantra vows. So this, in the tantric vows, in tantra, the emphasis is on identifying ourselves directly with the awakened state. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:19 Highlight the passage at 1:18:19

1:18:58 Sometimes tantra is referred to as the resultant vehicle as opposed to a causal vehicle. Here we're talking in terms of when we talk about the six transcendent practices and so forth, we're talking about creating causes to become a Buddha, practicing those trainings as a means of achieving that goal. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:58 Highlight the passage at 1:18:58

1:19:19 In tantra, so it's generally termed the causal vehicle. We create the causes to achieve a result. In tantra, The result is sometimes termed the result of the vehicle. We take the result and we bring it into the path. And what is the result? The result we're trying to achieve is the awakened state. So we take that result, that awakened state, as if we had already attained it. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:19 Highlight the passage at 1:19:19

1:19:45 So we identify with the awakened state as if we are identifying with the result to facilitate its actual achievement. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:45 Highlight the passage at 1:19:45

1:19:58 There's some purposefulness in this imaginary quality of the practice. It requires a pure vision of the world and a commitment to maintaining this pure vision to maintain that vision. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:58 Highlight the passage at 1:19:58

1:20:18 There are 14 root vows and 8 branch vows. So these are the three. Levels of vows within Tibetan Buddhism. Vows of individual liberation, which include monk and nun's vows and so forth, lay vows, vows of a bodhisattva, and then finally tantra vows. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:18 Highlight the passage at 1:20:18

1:20:42 So here in verses 23 through 24, we're actually going to take the ceremony of actually adopting the bodhisattva vows. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:42 Highlight the passage at 1:20:42

1:21:07 Just as the previous Tathagatas generated the mind of enlightenment and continued in the gradual training of the bodhisattva, I too shall generate the mind of enlightenment for the welfare of sentient beings and train step by step in the trainings. So what I'd like to do is read you from, there's a book by the Dalai Lama, A Flash of Lightning on the Darkness of Night. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:07 Highlight the passage at 1:21:07

1:21:39 This is a teaching he gave in southern France in, I believe, 1999, where he gave a teaching on the text that we're looking at, Shantideva's Bodhisattva's Deeds. And just to show you how he went about using these two verses as a means of taking the Bodhisattva vows. So in his teaching on it, so he's going through the text, the entire text. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:39 Highlight the passage at 1:21:39

1:22:05 But when he comes to the third chapter, He gives a very short explanation of the first seven verses. And then he then goes on to say, now he begins the, he doesn't explain the intervening verses. He moves directly, skips to the 23rd and 24th verses. And text says, now begins the actual generation of bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:05 Highlight the passage at 1:22:05

1:22:33 Bodhicitta is the awakened heart. Both in here they call it aspiration, which we're calling in our text wishing, awakened heart, or the wishing heart. And here again it's a different term, application, that is say engaging awakened heart. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:33 Highlight the passage at 1:22:33

1:22:51 So he, just like those who in the past have gone through bliss, conceived the awakened attitude of mind, and in the precepts of the Bodhisattva, step by step abode and trained. Likewise, for the benefit of beings, I will generate this attitude of mind. And in those same precepts, step by step, I will train. So those are the actual verses according to this translation. And then in the words of the Dalai Lama, and I'll substitute the word wishing. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:51 Highlight the passage at 1:22:51

1:23:20 We're using the word wishing. Wishing bodhicitta, the wishing heart, is the vow to generate the same intention as the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the past. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:20 Highlight the passage at 1:23:20

1:23:32 wishing Wishing bodhicitta, and we'll go back through this in our notes that we've had on wishing bodhicitta, the wishing awakened heart and the engaging awakened heart, is this intention to achieve Buddhahood, awakening. Then the engaging is the vow to accomplish that as they did, all the activities to the path to enlightenment for the sake of beings. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:32 Highlight the passage at 1:23:32

1:23:57 And I'll just read through how he goes on to explain the taking of the vow. Today we shall only take the wishing vow. To do this we shall read through the second and third chapters of the Bodhicaryavatar, that's our present text, the Bodhisattva Dees, up until the second line of the verse 23. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:57 Highlight the passage at 1:23:57

1:24:21 So here it's verse 24. So I too shall generate the mind of enlightenment for the welfare of sentient beings. So up to that point. Reading verse 23 and the first two lines of 24 is the way that we take the wishing vows of a bodhisattva. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:21 Highlight the passage at 1:24:21

1:24:46 He goes on to say, try to concentrate on the meaning and afterward rejoice on what we have done. In order to take the vow, we should imagine in front of us are the Buddhas and his disciples. Including Shantideva and all the realized masters of the Buddhist tradition, in particular the holders of the Sakyak, Egelu, Kargyu and Nyingma schools of Buddhism. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:46 Highlight the passage at 1:24:46

1:25:09 In fact, all the Buddhism bodhisattvas. Consider also that we are surrounded by all the beings in the universe. With this, we visualize, we now read the seven branch prayer. So he goes on to read verses 18 through 22, which encompass the universe. The parts of the seven branch prayer that we've talked about. Having read those, he goes on to say the lives of, he comments on the last verse, which is verse 22 in our text. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:09 Highlight the passage at 1:25:09

1:25:44 Verse 22, likewise may I be the cause for the livelihood of all realms of sentient beings that stretch into the edge of space until they all go beyond misery. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:44 Highlight the passage at 1:25:44

1:25:58 These two last lines are very powerful, aren't they? The lives of the great beings depend upon the presence of the five elements. So let us think, just like the earth, may I support beings as numerous and as vast as the sky. And as long as they have not attained enlightenment, may I devote myself entirely to their happiness. Let us make a heartfelt wish to attain Buddhahood for their sake and vow never to give up this thought. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:58 Highlight the passage at 1:25:58

1:26:24 If some of you are not Buddhists or feel that you are not able to keep such vow, then you need simply think, May all beings be happy. Those of you who wish to take this vow of aspiration, please sit up straight or kneel on your right knee and fold your hands. Repeat after me three times the lines I am going to read in Tibetan. These are the first two lines of verses. These are the verses 23 and the first two lines of verse 24, preceded by teachers, Buddhists, bodhisattvas. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:24 Highlight the passage at 1:26:24

1:26:56 Listen. I have visualized the Buddha in front of me. And you should consider that I am sort of a messenger or intermediary. Consider that we are surrounded by all beings in the universe and generate compassion for them. Think of the Buddha and feel great devotion to him. Now with great compassion and devotion, pray, may I attain Buddhahood and recite. And then he goes on to recite. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:56 Highlight the passage at 1:26:56

1:27:22 Teachers, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas, listen. Just as you who in the past have gone to bliss, so he then... He precedes the words, teachers, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, listen. Then he recites verse 23 and the first two lines of verse 24. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:22 Highlight the passage at 1:27:22

1:27:41 When we recite these lines for the third time at the words, I will generate the same attitude, or in other words, in our text, I shall generate the mind of enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:41 Highlight the passage at 1:27:41

1:27:53 Think that you have generated this bodhicitta in the depth of your heart, in the very marrow of your bones, and that you will never... Go back on this promise. So this is how the bodhisattva has given the wishing bodhicitta vows in front of a formal ceremony in France during his teaching. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:53 Highlight the passage at 1:27:53

1:28:22 What I'd like to just talk a little bit about, you know, there's a talk about commitments and vows, just in general. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:22 Highlight the passage at 1:28:22

1:28:46 Really, you know, all the vows are a manner of ethics. Ethics, you know, most simply a description of a way of how a happy, healthy, loving, sane human being naturally thinks, speaks and acts. So in a way, you know, we're seeking to emulate someone who is a... Peace with themselves and the world about them. Who is aligned with their basic sanity. Who is in harmony with the world about them. What we're calling a Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:46 Highlight the passage at 1:28:46

1:29:27 Such a type of being. And a Buddha really doesn't need rules on how to act. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:27 Highlight the passage at 1:29:27

1:29:37 Their own natural way of being in the world Report an error in the passage at 1:29:37 Highlight the passage at 1:29:37

1:29:44 is beneficial. Both to themselves and to others. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:44 Highlight the passage at 1:29:44

1:29:53 That there's simply the way, the natural spontaneity way of being in the world promotes the welfare of not only their own welfare, but the welfare of others. So, you know, in saying this, you know, I think in saying it, what I'm not saying is if it feels good, do it. You know, that kind of attitude, whatever feels, because whatever feels right or whatever feels good or proper. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:53 Highlight the passage at 1:29:53

1:30:24 To an angry mind, whatever feels good or proper or appropriate to an attached mind or a confused mind will more than not be detrimental to or be the cause of both immediate and probably future problems, suffering for themselves and others. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:24 Highlight the passage at 1:30:24

1:30:41 So we can't quite go, if it feels right, do it. I think I confessed last week that I was an old hippie. And that was kind of our ethos. If it feels good, do it. There was something that was naturally appealing to that kind of way of mentality, that way of thinking. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:41 Highlight the passage at 1:30:41

1:31:03 Because we can't always rely on that we're coming from a place of wisdom. I don't know if you've ever noticed it about yourself, but I'm not always in that space. I'm not always coming from a compassionate place. Sometimes I'm confused. Sometimes I'm angry. Sometimes I'm full of attachment. Sometimes I'm completely overwhelmed by the eight worldly concerns. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:03 Highlight the passage at 1:31:03

1:31:23 And my criteria of how to act in the world is based upon a compulsive pursuit of pleasure and a compulsive avoidance of pain. That's my criteria. Or fame and notoriety or praise and criticism and so forth. That those aren't wise criteria for deciding what is a skillful action and what is not. So the problem becomes, though at times... Report an error in the passage at 1:31:23 Highlight the passage at 1:31:23

1:31:50 And I'm becoming more convinced that this is the case and to begin to develop the inner discrimination, the awareness of my own mind. There are times when our minds are in a wholesome state. And therefore, we can trust ourselves and what we feel and think. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:50 Highlight the passage at 1:31:50

1:32:11 But we have to ask ourselves, how often are those times? And what do we do in intervals? When our minds are not at peace, when we're not caring, when our vision is not clear, when we're clouded with confusion, when we're full of lust or we're full of anger and so forth, what do we do in those times? You know, the notion, ethics, the Sanskrit word for ethics is shila or palisila. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:11 Highlight the passage at 1:32:11

1:32:44 And its original, its root meaning essentially means cooling. It means that which our mind has a sense of being refreshed. The heat of the afflictions are cooled. Our minds are calm, clear. We know what we're doing. We know what we're about. There's a degree of discriminative awareness. So for most of the time, there's a disparity between our noble ideas, what we aspire to. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:44 Highlight the passage at 1:32:44

1:33:23 When we feel inspired, when we feel clear about, when we feel, when we're in touch with something intuitive and very deep in our being, where we've heard something that inspires us, Report an error in the passage at 1:33:23 Highlight the passage at 1:33:23

1:33:41 those principles and values that we would like to see our lives an expression of, Report an error in the passage at 1:33:41 Highlight the passage at 1:33:41

1:33:51 on the one hand, in our everyday practical reality of our mental attitude on the other. Quite often there's a great disparity. Quite often how we relate, how we act practically in our everyday life and what we aspire to, there's a great disparity. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:51 Highlight the passage at 1:33:51

1:34:19 There's often a conflict. Quite often it is not what we want for ourselves. And we only catch ourselves perhaps upon reflection, upon looking back. know, it's not. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:19 Highlight the passage at 1:34:19

1:34:38 I wish I had acted different. That's not the kind of way I want to lead my life. More often than not, our lives are governed by the pleasure-pain principle or the praise-criticism principle, the four worldly Report an error in the passage at 1:34:38 Highlight the passage at 1:34:38

1:35:02 concerns or worldly wins sometimes they're called. So if ethics is simply most a description, a way... Of the ways a clear-sighted and caring person speaks and acts, that it makes sense to temporarily emulate their behavior. So this notion is the basis for taking a vow, making commitments or promises in all the various modes of conduct. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:02 Highlight the passage at 1:35:02

1:35:38 It's an approach, a way that we can realign and transform our ways in which we express our ways of being. Generally speaking, commitments and vows are a means to aid our observance of general principles that we want to integrate into our daily lives. So that those principles don't simply remain, rather than remaining mere lofty aspirations or noble ideals, they become an integral part of our everyday life. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:38 Highlight the passage at 1:35:38

1:36:09 How do we take these noble notions, noble ideals with Shantideva, is presented to ourselves. Even when we want to, how do we take them and translate them into some of the practical everydayness, reality of our everyday lives? Report an error in the passage at 1:36:09 Highlight the passage at 1:36:09

1:36:30 Quite often there's a huge disparity, a gap, this bridge that we have to make. And that which helps us to transform these lofty ideas into some tangible reality Report an error in the passage at 1:36:30 Highlight the passage at 1:36:30

1:36:46 A way of assisting that process are vows and commitments and so forth. So the main point of commitments or vows and so forth are means to the end of greater awareness and greater care and skill in expressing healthy principles in our lives. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:46 Highlight the passage at 1:36:46

1:37:11 They're simply not rules to be obeyed for their own sake. I don't know, maybe. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:11 Highlight the passage at 1:37:11

1:37:21 I hope this is politically correct what I'm saying. They are intended as means of self-liberation and not self-oppression. There's a verse for Vinaya. Vinaya is one of the three baskets or categories of the Buddhist teachings dealing with discipline. And it says, for some, the monks' vowels... Our liberation for others, their enslavement. There's a profound thought that goes into this. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:21 Highlight the passage at 1:37:21

1:38:00 So taking vows can be a way of oppressing ourselves, of finding fault, beating up ourselves. Or they can be a means to help us liberate and live out our noblest ideas, our deepest values, the principles that we want to live our lives by. They're meant to assist ourselves in that way. They're not rules to be obeyed for their own sake, but a means for taking these values, love and caring and wisdom, and seeing how they can find practical expression in all the dealings of our everyday life. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:00 Highlight the passage at 1:38:00

1:38:45 So the function of ethics, the ethics of commitments and vows and promises is for us to... To look and see what we are thinking or what we're saying or what we're doing. To look at them and to inquire open-mindedly, is it really working? Report an error in the passage at 1:38:45 Highlight the passage at 1:38:45

1:39:05 Are our minds refreshed? That's the essential meaning of ethics. Are they cooled by the action? Is this behavior an expression of my basic sanity or not? you know, Is it tending toward the good of myself and others or not? Is it tending toward the living out of my deeper values or not? Report an error in the passage at 1:39:05 Highlight the passage at 1:39:05

1:39:36 Most basically, is what we're doing harming ourselves and others or not? So the vows, we have a template by which to begin to, forces us to question, to look at what we're doing. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:36 Highlight the passage at 1:39:36

1:39:58 I don't know if, hopefully I can, they're training rules, okay? The thing about training is we can misuse the rules. It becomes a matter of avoiding, you know, for example, you say, oh, I'm not going to talk badly about others. That's useful. I'm not going to gossip. Life would probably go a lot better for you if you stopped gossiping badly about others. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:58 Highlight the passage at 1:39:58

1:40:43 It would probably improve your relationship with others in general and so forth. So they're meant to be a way that we have some idea of how we would like to be. And we're trying to commit ourselves so it's able to translate just from A notion that we have once in a while to maybe some kind of everyday commitment and everyday reality that we can be mindful of and we can cultivate. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:43 Highlight the passage at 1:40:43

1:41:15 What would be wrong, where we could go wrong is when it becomes a way of suppressing. We become aware of the urge to, oh, I was going to put down that person. I was just going to gossip about them. We become more aware of... Those times when we are going to violate, otherwise, without that commitment, without that promise, it comes quite naturally. There's very little awareness and there's no questioning about, is this useful? Report an error in the passage at 1:41:15 Highlight the passage at 1:41:15

1:41:55 Anyway, the point that I was hoping to make or trying to make was that vows can be quite useful. They can be a means of assisting us from taking values and principles. suppose, finding it. Making them an integral part of how we live our daily lives. If they're used appropriately in terms of how they're intended, they can also be a means of oppressing ourselves, acting artificially, Report an error in the passage at 1:41:55 Highlight the passage at 1:41:55

1:42:33 deceiving with a degree of self-deception. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:33 Highlight the passage at 1:42:33

1:42:41 We no longer are trying to question. What it is we're trying to live up to, the vow becomes an end in itself. In terms of our vows, Shantideva is setting out a method for taking the bodhisattva vows. And we've talked about the fact that there are two levels of, and this is in note three, two levels of the awakened heart. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:41 Highlight the passage at 1:42:41

1:43:10 So the awakened heart most essentially is the mind that accompanies the aspiration to. So there are the wishing heart, the wishing bodhisattva vow, and the awakening bodhisattva vow. So here, by taking, wishing has the sense of this intention, this aspiration. May I become a Buddha for the sake of all sentient beings? There's the aspiration to achieve that in. Then one can commit oneself to a means of then one can Report an error in the passage at 1:43:10 Highlight the passage at 1:43:10

1:43:48 Maintaining that aspiration by means of the wishing vows. And the wishing vows are set out on note 3. The way it's taken is by, as mentioned by the Dalai Lama, and is using the Shantideva's text, making use of the verses 23 and the first two lines of 24. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:48 Highlight the passage at 1:43:48

1:44:17 So either... If possible from someone who actually has the vows themselves, if that's not the case, if that's not possible, then you can take them in terms of imagining the Buddhas and bodhisattvas have visualized before yourself. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:17 Highlight the passage at 1:44:17

1:44:36 Just as the previous Tathagatas generated the mind of enlightenment and continued in the gradual training of the bodhisattva, I too generate the mind of enlightenment for the welfare of sentient beings. Six lines, the four lines of verse 23 and the first two lines of verse 24 are the means of generating the aspiring or wishing, awakened heart, the wishing heart, and then going on to take the vows, making a commitment as is said out here. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:36 Highlight the passage at 1:44:36

1:45:12 The difference, as we mentioned previously, between wishing, awakened heart, And the engaging awakened heart is committing oneself. When this wishing attitude has become stable and one has the added courage and Report an error in the passage at 1:45:12 Highlight the passage at 1:45:12

1:45:34 inspiration, aspiration, to actually practice the deeds of a bodhisattva and the deeds of the bodhisattva, the six transcendent practices, the six perfections of generosity and ethics and so forth. Then one can take the six bodhisattva vows, the 18 root and 46 branch transgressions. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:34 Highlight the passage at 1:45:34

1:46:00 That is, one is actually going to involve oneself in the practices. One would add the third and fourth lines of verse 24, where it says, and train step by step in the trainings. So this is, so... The first six lines, let's say, verse 23 has four lines. Verse 24, the first two lines, are the way in which the wishing bodhicitta or wishing vows are taken. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:00 Highlight the passage at 1:46:00

1:46:32 And then if one wishes to go further than that, then one adds the next two lines, whereby committing ourselves to train in the deeds of the bodhisattva, the six transcendent practices that train step by step in the trainings, and committing ourselves to The 18 root vows and the 46 transgressions. And those are listed in our notes. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:32 Highlight the passage at 1:46:32

1:47:03 Sometime earlier we got a page of the chart for meditation, Engaging the Bodhisattva Deeds, where it lists on page 10 the 18 root downfalls. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:03 Highlight the passage at 1:47:03

1:47:20 And on page 11, the 46 transgressions, Report an error in the passage at 1:47:20 Highlight the passage at 1:47:20

1:47:27 page 11 and 12. Okay, so this is the method for adopting the wishing and engaging heart of the bodhisattva, the awakened heart, both verses 23 and 24. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:27 Highlight the passage at 1:47:27

1:47:49 So these verses are generally used in the actual ceremony. If you were going to involve yourself in the actual ceremony with a teacher, then by all means, I think it would be good to receive an explanation of the vows. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:49 Highlight the passage at 1:47:49

1:48:09 I think if a teacher is going to give vows, then I think it's most useful if they are then accompanied with some kind of commentary. What constitutes the various trainings, the ins and outs of the training, so that you have some, you know, it's just not the literal word, but you get a sense of what is intended in each of the vows and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:09 Highlight the passage at 1:48:09

1:48:46 Then in what Report an error in the passage at 1:48:46 Highlight the passage at 1:48:46

1:48:55 follows is, after Report an error in the passage at 1:48:55 Highlight the passage at 1:48:55

1:49:02 that, you know, 23 and 24 are taking the vows. What follows? From verse 25 through the remaining verses of the chapter are more or less verses of rejoicing or verses of happiness in what we've done. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:02 Highlight the passage at 1:49:02

1:49:22 For example, in verse Report an error in the passage at 1:49:22 Highlight the passage at 1:49:22

1:49:31 27, from now on I shall as much as possible engage in the actions befitting the lineage. I shall act in the ways. As not to dirty and defaultless and holy lineage. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:31 Highlight the passage at 1:49:31

1:49:48 In verse 25 through 34, it's like, for example, Report an error in the passage at 1:49:48 Highlight the passage at 1:49:48

1:49:56 after the wise, verse 25, after the wise ones took very joyfully the mind of enlightenment to engage and increase, they praised the mind like this. In verse 26, today my mind, my life has become fruitful. The human existence was well attained. Today I was born in the Buddhist family. Now I have become a child of the Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:56 Highlight the passage at 1:49:56

1:50:15 So when it is a way of... Here it's contemplating how one's fulfilled one's own welfare, one's own happiness through having taken the Bodhisattva vows, one's become a child of the Buddhas and so forth. And then, for example, in verses 29 through 33, Report an error in the passage at 1:50:15 Highlight the passage at 1:50:15

1:50:44 having brought happiness to others through this action. For example, where it says 29 B and C, it is also the inexhaustible treasure that eliminates sentient beings' poverty. It goes on to say it is also the supreme medicine, pacifying migrators, heavy diseases and so forth. So how one is going to bring about the benefit of others through fulfilling their wishes and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:44 Highlight the passage at 1:50:44

1:51:23 I might just... One time. Mention once. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:23 Highlight the passage at 1:51:23

1:51:37 And then finally the last verse of chapter 3. Today I have in front of all protectors served my graders the hospitality of the Tata Gata and intermediate happiness. The gods, demigods and so forth should be happy. So generating happiness in all the various ways that we can. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:37 Highlight the passage at 1:51:37

1:52:07 Of helping ourselves and helping others. So the fact of trying to generate this happiness and rejoicing in what we've done in our life has become fruitful through adopting the bodhisattva vows. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:07 Highlight the passage at 1:52:07

1:52:20 It's a matter of positive reinforcement, taking pleasure in what you've just done. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:20 Highlight the passage at 1:52:20

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:53:07 I get one point in the taking of the bodhisattva vows. With regard to the motivation, it's said that there are three levels of motivation of a bodhisattva. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:07 Highlight the passage at 1:53:07

1:53:29 There is what's called king-like or kingly motivation. How Report an error in the passage at 1:53:29 Highlight the passage at 1:53:29

1:53:38 do I say this? Boat-person-like, boatman-like, boatman-like motivation. And then there's the shepherd-like motivation. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:38 Highlight the passage at 1:53:38

1:53:52 It's quite interesting in a way to talk about these three levels of motivation. The kingly-like motivation is, you know, the Bodhisattva is trying to achieve Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings, awakening for the sake of all sentient beings. And in terms of the kingly motivation or king-like motivation, it's as if one is the head of a procession. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:52 Highlight the passage at 1:53:52

1:54:20 You know, the king leading a procession. And all sentient beings are as if following behind. I'm going to lead you to Buddhahood. But I'm going to get there first. Something like that. Kind of a kingly, majestic kind of fashion. In boatperson-like or boatman-like motivation, we're all in the same boat. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:20 Highlight the passage at 1:54:20

1:54:46 And we're all going to get there together. I'm going to row you across the sea of troubles to the other shore and we're all going to arrive at Buddha together in that way. We're all going to be liberated together. So that's one level of motivation. And the third level of motivation is that of a shepherd life. And the notion of a shepherd is that a shepherd herds his sheep in front of him. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:46 Highlight the passage at 1:54:46

1:55:19 There's a trail. And he's making sure all the sheep are gathered together and he's herding them down the trail together. He comes up from behind. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:19 Highlight the passage at 1:55:19

1:55:31 He's following up in the rear, herding the flock up toward their goal, wherever they're trying to get to. And so this third-like motivation is paradoxical in a way. It's like the Christian notion. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:31 Highlight the passage at 1:55:31

1:55:50 In the Christian Bible, in the last shall be first. The more that you're willing to be last, the faster you get there, the sooner that you get there. So if you're willing to be the last person enlightened for the sake of others, you're probably going to get there before everybody else. So I think it's quite a nice take on that paradox of the last shall be first. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:50 Highlight the passage at 1:55:50

1:56:22 Something like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:22 Highlight the passage at 1:56:22

1:56:27 That's right. It's sort of a willingness of mind. I'm willing to be the last. And in that willingness, it gets us there that much faster. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:27 Highlight the passage at 1:56:27

1:56:41 But we're willing to. We have that state of mind. So that's Chapter 3. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:41 Highlight the passage at 1:56:41

1:56:53 Next week, if you look at Chapter 4. Chapter 4 is on... In Chapter 1, we saw the benefits of the awakened heart. In Chapter 2, we began to create the conducive conditions and to remove the obstacles to developing it and so forth. In Chapter 3, we actually committed ourselves to adopting the bodhisattva vows. In Chapter 4, it goes on to talk about... Report an error in the passage at 1:56:53 Highlight the passage at 1:56:53

1:57:29 Conscientiousness or carefulness, I guess, if you like, or attentiveness. How we can maintain this attitude of wanting to achieve this end without allowing to degenerate or decline or simply, well, that was a nice idea, that was last year, and I'm going to move on to something else. So being conscientious and observing. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:29 Highlight the passage at 1:57:29

1:57:59 What we've committed ourselves to is the subject matter of the fourth chapter. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:59 Highlight the passage at 1:57:59

1:58:12 Basically ethics. How to practice the second of the six transcendent practices of transcendent ethics. So we can dedicate the positive energy we've created together. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:12 Highlight the passage at 1:58:12

1:58:34 Male beings everywhere plagued by sufferings of the whole body and mind. Attain an ocean of happiness and joy by virtue of my merits. May no living creature suffer, commit evil or fall ill. May no one be afraid or belittled with a mind weighed down by depressions. May the blind see forms and deaf hear sounds. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:34 Highlight the passage at 1:58:34

1:58:56 May those whose bodies are worn with toil be restored on finding repose. May the naked find clothing, the hungry find food. May the thirsty find water and delicious drink. May the poor find wealth, those weak with sorrow find joy. May the forlorn find hope, constant happiness and prosperity. May there be timely rains and bountiful harvests. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:56 Highlight the passage at 1:58:56

1:59:20 May all medicines be effective and wholesome prayers bear fruit. May all who are sick and ill quickly be freed from their ailments. Whatever diseases there are in the world, may they never occur again. May the frightened cease to be afraid and those bound be freed. May the powerless find power and may people think of benefiting each other. For as long as space remains, for as long as sentient beings remain, until then may I too remain to dispel the miseries of the world. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:20 Highlight the passage at 1:59:20

1:59:51 Through these skillful actions may I quickly become an awakened spiritual master and lead each and every living being to that awakened realm. May the supreme jewel of the awakened heart that has not arisen arise and grow. And may that which has arisen never decline, but increase more and more. In the land encircled by snow mountains, you are the source of all happiness and well-being. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:51 Highlight the passage at 1:59:51

2:00:17 Powerful Chenrizi Tenzin Gyatso, please remain to the end of cyclic existence. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:17 Highlight the passage at 2:00:17