Bodhisattva Vow

Introduction

What makes someone a Mahayana Buddhist is her or his dedication to the ultimate welfare of other beings.

May I attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.

This is the root Mahayana aspiration. No one has to take this vow, but the decision to adopt it is a turning point in anyone's practice.  It is usually based on the conclusions that we reach after extensive analysis and profound insight into the nature of existence and of our own origins.

Khenpo Karthar, who is the abbot of Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, has said that it is important that we recognize the distinction between feeling loving-kindness to others, acting out of general compassion for others, and this special bodhisattva aspiration.  For in taking this vow, we voluntarily give up the pursuit of individual enlightenment except that it may benefit all sentient beings in their quest for enlightenment.

The Bodhisattva Vow

May I assist all sentient beings to attain Buddhahood, and may I be the last one to attain Buddhahood when all sentient beings have attained Buddhahood, as did Avalokiteshvara (Tib.Chenresi) pictured here.

It is not possible to succeed on the Mahayana path without keeping in mind the 64 bodhisattva vows.  They are found in Highway for Bodhisattvas (Tib.: Jangchub Shunglam) by Je Tsongkapa (1357-1419) which contains Asanga's root text along with a commentary.

  

In it are the definition and types of bodhichitta, the types of morality, the types of vows and how bodhisattva vows are taken, an explanation of the eighteen root bodhisattva vows and the forty-six secondary ones; the four factors that cause one to break bodhisattva root vows, how the vows are broken, how they may be lost; how to keep them, how to restore them, and all the benefits of keeping the bodhisattva vows.

May I be a guard for all those who are protector-less,

A guide for those who journey on the road,

For those who wish to go across the water,

May I be a boat, a raft, a bridge.

For all those ailing in the world,

Until their every sickness has been healed,

May I myself become for them

The doctor, nurse, the medicine itself.

~ Shantideva (more of his famous aspiration poem below)

On Bodhicitta, The Compassionate Heart of the Enlightened Mind

It is the supreme elixir

That overcomes the sovereignty of death.

It is the inexhaustible treasure

That eliminates poverty in the world.

It is the supreme medicine

That quells the world's disease.

It is the tree that shelters all beings

Wandering and tired on the path of conditioned existence.

It is the universal bridge

That leads to freedom from unhappy states of birth.

It is the dawning moon of the mind

That dispels the torment of disturbing conceptions.

It is the great sun that finally removes the misty ignorance of the world.

   ~ from Bodhisattvacharya Avatara by Shantideva (700 CE)

The Difference Among Caring (Skt. maitri, Pali metta,) Compassion, and Bodhicitta

Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche explains:

"Loving-kindness and compassion alone are not bodhicitta. They constitute the critical foundation for bodhicitta, but should not be mistaken for the mind of enlightenment itself. Some places say that compassion is the same as bodhicitta, but this is not always so. There are many beings, even animals, who have love and compassion, but they do not have bodhicitta. On the other hand, if you have bodhicitta, then compassion and loving-kindness are definitely also present as they are its predecessors. So, in order to cultivate bodhicitta properly, it is important to study and practice these two first.

Plant the seed of bodhicitta in the well-ploughed ground of your mind that has been fertilized with compassion and moistened with loving-kindness."

~ courtesy Ani Trinlay

What does a bodhisattva look like? 

"When the 16th Karmapa came to America, at one time he was asked, "Are there other emanations of bodhisattvas in the world? For example, do they exist in our society, in countries like America and Europe, and so on?" 

In answer, His Holiness said, "There are a lot of them. They are all over the place. But they are difficult to recognize. They are not necessarily going to look like me. They are not necessarily going to have a shaven head, wear the robes of a Buddhist monk, and so on."  

~  Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. Densal, Spring/Summer 2000 [v.15, n.1] 9. 

18 bodhisattva vows and 46 corollaries following from them.

Corollaries or Vows that Follow from the Bodhisattva Vow:

We pledge to AVOID:

1. Praising yourself and belittling others because of your attachment to receiving offerings, being respected and venerated as a teacher, and gaining profit in general.

2. Not giving material aid or teaching the Dharma to those who are pained with suffering and without a protector because of your being under the influence of miserliness and wanting to amass knowledge for yourself alone.

3. Not listening to someone who has previously offended you but who declares his offense and begs forgiveness, and holding a grudge against him.

4. Condemning the teachings of the Buddha and teaching distorted views.

5. Taking offerings to the Three Jewels of Refuge for yourself by such means as stealth, robbery or devious schemes.

6. Despising the Tripitaka and saying these texts are not the teaching of the Buddha.

7. Evicting monks from a monastery or casting them out of the Sangha even if they have broken their vows, because of not forgiving them.

8. Committing any of the five heinous crimes of killing your mother, your father, an Arhat, drawing blood intentionally from a Buddha or causing a division in the Sangha by supporting and spreading sectarian views.

9. Holding views contrary to the teachings of the Buddha such as sectarianism, disbelief in the Three Jewels of Refuge, the law of cause and effect, and so forth.

10. Completely destroying any place by means of fire, bombs, pollution and black magic.

11. Teaching Sunyata to those who are not ready to understand it.

12. Turning people away from working for the full enlightenment of Buddhahood and encouraging them to work merely for their own liberation from suffering.

13. Encouraging people to abandon their vowed rules of moral conduct.

14. Causing others to hold the distorted views you might hold about the Hinayana teachings, as well as belittling the Hinayana teachings and saying that their practice does not lead to Nirvana.

15. Practicing, supporting or teaching the Dharma for financial profit and fame while saying your motives are pure and that others are pursuing Dharma for such base aims.

16. Telling others, even though you may have very little or no understanding of Sunyata, that if they obtain as profound an understanding as you have, that then they will become as great and as highly realized as you are.

17. Taking gifts from others and encouraging others to give you things originally intended as offerings to the Three Jewels of Refuge.

18. Taking anything away from those monks who are practicing meditation and giving it to those who are merely reciting texts.

     ~ from The Complete Six-Session Guru-Yoga Primer, 

      courtesy K. McD.

Some related links:

Ven. Thrangu Rinpoche on the ever-renewable nature of the vow.

Taitaku Pat Phelan

Taking the vows:  S. Gilman's pilgrimage.

                                  

Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva, or "What a Bodhisattva Does," a colloquial version explaining the classical text by the Sakyapa, Thogmed Zangpo (1245-1369) a.k.a. Ngulchu T'oh-meh.

bodhichitta: An attitude of compassion towards other beings that can be aroused through contemplation and and meditation.

[SOURCE: www.khandro.net/Bud_bodhisattva_vow.htm]

Three Types of Bodhisattvas

Buddhism Is generally divided into two main groups Theravada and Mahayana (a less flattering way to say it is Hinayana or ‘Small Vehicle” or Srvakayana – monastic Ideal, in which the goal is the level of Arhat; and Mahayana or ‘Great Vehicle’) (Mahayana can also be divided into two groups. Sutrayana and Vajrayana).

The defining modality of practice in Mahayana Buddhism is the Bodhisattva Ideal. Bodhisattva literally means ‘Enlightening Being’. Generally speaking, a Bodhisattva is one who staves off final enlightenment in order to remain within Samsara (Deluded Existence), helping all Sentient Beings within the Six Realms of Existence achieve Liberation. It also implies that there is a broader place for all people, not just the Monastic Community, as implied by the Lesser Vehicle, to achieve the final goal.

Now, the definition of what or who a Bodhisattva is, can be a complicated process to explain. Yet, there is a generalized way of dividing up this category of Practitioners. This method of explanation is divided into three groups: 

1. Bodhisattvas of the Vow. That is, those of us that have undertaken the Vow to reach enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. Most of us fall under this category.

2. Bodhisattvas who have achieved one of the Ten Bhumis

[See explanation of the Ten Levels].  

3. Bodhisattvas as Emanations of Buddhas. 

As stated, most of us followers of the Great Vehicle fall under the fist category. We have attended a ceremony, administered and witnessed by a Monk or Lama, acknowledging our motivation to cultivate the Path. We have taken the Vow, but have most likely not yet achieved any permanent state of Awakening. We are working on ourselves, following the Paramitas, the Eight Fold Path, Meditation practices, etc. 

The next level is a Bodhisattva who has achieved attainments equal to one or above of the Ten Bhumis. 

The word Bhumi means Stage or Ground. The Ten Bhumis are as follows: 
(Skt. daśabhūmi; Tib. sa chu) * 

1. Pramudita - Perfect Joy/Very Happy Station (Tib. rabtu gawa - rab tu dga’ ba)

2. Vimala - Immaculate/Stainless/Renounce the Defilement Stage (Tib. drima mepa - dri ma med pa)

3. Prabhakari - Luminous/Illuminating/Shines Light Stage (Tib. ö jepa - ‘od byed pa)

4. Arcismati - Radiant/Burning Wisdom/Glowing or Burning Wisdom Stage (Tib. ö tro chen - ‘od ‘phro can)

5. Sudurjaya - Hard to Keep/Hard to Conquer/Very Difficult to be Victorious by Others (Tib. shintu jankawa - shin tu sbyang dka’ ba)

6. Abhimukhi - Clearly Manifest/Appearance Stage (Tib. ngöntu gyurpa - mngon du gyur ba)

7. Duramgama - Far Progressed/Far from the World Journey Stage(Tib. ringtu songwa - ring du song ba)

8. Acala - Immovable/No Moving Stage (Tib. miyowa - mi g.yo ba)

9. Sadhumati - Perfect Intellect/Very Good Wisdom Stage ( Tib. legpe lodrö - legs pa’i blo gros)

10. Dharmamegha - Cloud of Dharma/Dharma Cloud (Tib. chökyi trin - chos kyi sprin) 
The Eleventh Bhumi, Universal Radiance, is Buddhahood according to the Sutra system. 

So when we talk about the Bodhisattva, or the Path of Mahayana, we should understand the systematic practice each Being undertakes, and the stages through which one achieves the goal. 

The primary canonical source for the Bodhisattva Stages is: 

Daśabhūmika-sūtra -十地經 (Sutra of the Ten Bhumis) which is the 26th Chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra. Vasubahandu wrote an important commentary to this sutra entitled:Dashabhumivyakhyana (extant only in Chinese). 

There is also a valuable description of the Ten Bhumis and other indispensable teachings concerning the Bodhisattva Path in Gampopa's Jewel Ornament of Liberation. 

There are in fact quite a few useful books available for someone practicing as a Bodhisattva. One such title that is very concise, contains not only the basic Vows, but also contains a translation of The Three Heaps Sutra, called The Bodhisattva Confession of Moral Downfalls, in which we undertake to purify our broken vows related to the Bodhisattva Path: 

Taking The Bodhisattva Precepts  
By Bokar Rinpoche 

Another wonderful offering: 

The Bodhisattva Vow  
By Geshe Sonam Rinchen 

There are countless other books that guide along the Stages to Awakening engaging in the Practice of the Bodhisattva. 

More later on Bodhisattvas as Emanations of Buddhas 

In Mahayana Buddhism, a Bodhisattva has the compassionate determination to aid all beings on their quest for the highest state of development, full enlightenment of a Buddha. This type of motivation is known as Bodhicitta.

Remaining in this world of uncontrolled rebirth (Wheel of Life), this individual has taken the bodhisattva vows not to pass into Parinirvana. Also known in Sanskrit as Paranirvana and in Pali as Paranibbana or (most often) Parinibbana. Paranirvana is the final Nirvana, traditionally understood to be within reach only upon the death of someone who attained the state of Nirvana.

According to the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism, on his/her way to becoming a Buddha, the bodhisattva proceeds through ten (sometimes fourteen) grounds or bhumi.

Before a bodhisattva arrives at the first ground, he or she first must travel the first two of the five paths (marked also with the syllables from the Heart Sutra that represents each path):

the path of accumulation (gate)

the path of preparation (gate).

The ten grounds of the bodhisattva then can be grouped into the next three paths

Bhumi 1 the path of insight (paragate)

Bhumi 2-7 the path of meditation (parasamgate)

Bhumi 8-10 the path of no more learning (Bodhi Svaha)

[QUOTE SOURCE] 

Purify Our Mind

By Hank Fu

The most important thing in our life should be "To Purify Our Mind". In this page I will donate my knowledge and time to work with those who are interested in this field. Any questions are welcome.

To purify our mind, we need to first broaden ourselves with activities of compassion so as to gradually get rid of the self-centered habits.

To broaden ourselves, we should first fill our mind with beautiful thoughts:

We should try to make our mind like land, because land has beautiful virtues: when animals shed their excrement on land, land never express anything angrily, because it is not swayed and is completely indifferent; when humans (the rich and famous, sages and saints, or perfect people) walk over land, land feels nothing, again because it is not swayed and is completely indifferent.

Land is not involved or affected by favorable or dangerous situations. Land always welcomes all kinds of situations. It will not take or give up anything, is never confused, is never swayed or attracted by anything, never starts an idea or gives up an idea, peacefully enjoys leisure and endures patiently, and is completely serene. These are some of the beautiful virtues of the land that we step on every day.

If you have no mind to all living things, then what's the harm of letting these things surround you? We really should learn the spiritual part of land and cultivate the broad and generous mind. This will help to purify our mind.

The Good and The Bad: 

When you face favorable situations or dangerous situations, you can still do everything without the least worry and feel comfortable and able to do anything of your own free will. When you meet somebody, perhaps the person you like the least in your life, a person who looks at you with dirty stares, do you still feel comfortable and free? As a matter of fact, in these kinds of moments, there is a fight between "The state of holiness and wisdom" and "The temptations or evil influence." If we use the worldly words it's like a fight between "The Good" and "The Bad." Becoming The Good or The Bad is all depended on our mind.

Because The Good and The Bad are decided by our mind, maybe we can put it this way: The Good and The Bad share our mind. When The Good defeats The Bad, the whole of our mind is Good. When The Bad defeats The Good, the whole of our mind is Bad. From this angle you might have an idea that The Good and The Bad are all from our mind. 

The way our mind treats the situations we face creates the difference between "The state of holiness and wisdom"(The Good) and "The temptations or evil influence"(The Bad). If our mind is contaminated by situations, the mind becomes "The Bad." If our mind is not contaminated by situations, the mind becomes "The Good".

Why Bother: 

When adverse circumstances come, just let them do what they like; when adverse circumstances go, just let them do what they like also. When fortunate circumstances come, just let them arise naturally without extra effort; when fortunate circumstances go, again just let them depart naturally without extra effort. Our mind should not be linked up with any circumstances, whether good circumstances or bad circumstances. This will help Purify Our Mind.

When adverse circumstances come, do not feel delighted, when adverse circumstances leave, do not feel disappointed. If the mind feels delighted or disappointed, it shows that we can not control ourselves. In this moment, our mind will have all kinds of entanglements of love, hate, desire, and possession by force. After this step, all kinds of problems will follow and never end.

The Idea Of the word "Impermanent": 

If we observe things around us, we will find out that "None is permanent". Things, whether material or non-material, change constantly. Some of the changes are evident, some of them are not. Ever since life began, natural phenomena have been like this. From this point of view, we should understand that things always arise depending on conditions. When the appropriate conditions come together, things arise; when those conditions disperse, things cease. 

If you could understand the point that Nothing is permanent, you will not keep thinking of something in your memory all the time, because it is impermanent and will eventually vanish, no matter how much you keep remembering it. In such a case, why don't we just leave it alone?

In the Universe, everything that we can see, hear, and think of all arising depending on conditions, meaning that everything is impermanent. The people we love the most or the situations we like the most will all vanish. The people we hate the most or the situations we like the least will all vanish too. Do we still want to persist in our own opinions of things that happen one minute and vanish the next in this world? 

The Thoughts in Our Mind:

There are all kinds of thoughts in our mind: evil thoughts, greedy thoughts, and kind thoughts. These thoughts are always confused, tangled, profuse, disordered, and most of the time, we can not control them. Actions, motions, works, and even mistakes all arise from thoughts in our mind. When we put an idea of going to a place in our mind, then action will lead our body to that place. When we start an idea of going to the church, then action will bring us to that church. We will spend our entire fortune doing something because of a little thought in our mind. We will begin to be deeply attached to one thing or act on momentary impulse because of a little thought in our mind. We will offend people by our words because of a little wrong thought in our mind. We might do something offensive or harmful to society's morals because of a little evil thought in our mind.

We always maneuver for positions or benefits against rivals. We try to cause alienation between friends or relatives by spreading rumors or doing something. Does anybody know why? It is because "What one is thinking of at any given moment is often evil thoughts." 

The Good and The Bad all are from our mind. We are the masters of the mind and also are the watershed of The Good and The Bad. Mind produces all kinds of thoughts; mind is the origin of events that follow from Good thoughts and Bad thoughts. From this point of view, we all should understand how important it is to purify our mind. 

To Deal with Thoughts:

If we want to avoid disasters or calamities made by ourselves, we have to stop putting ideas in our head. The moment we stop an idea arising is called "True Awakening".

There is all kinds of garbage in our mind. If we want to purify our mind, getting rid of the garbage in our mind might be the first thing we have to do. What is the garbage of mind? Dirty and polluted thoughts, greedy thoughts, hateful thoughts, infatuated thoughts, worried thoughts, suffering thoughts, haughty thoughts, impudent thoughts, envious thoughts, indecent thoughts, heterodox thoughts, dreary thoughts, and hollow thoughts. These can all be called garbage of the mind. 

Someone in history said once that one who can govern a battalion of a million soldiers is not a hero: the real hero is that person who can govern his mind. We should understand the meaning of these words. 

If an evil thought arises in our mind, then more evil thoughts like water will come in torrents; nothing can ward them off. These evil thoughts will forever lead us to thinking, speaking, and acting evil. Ever since life began, the habitual temperament of human beings makes us like this. It is doubly difficult to get rid of them. 

When we can govern our thoughts, our mind will not be affected by situations. From this, our mind can be free. This is a very hard level to reach, but the first step always is hard.

For those who have too many friendly feelings (such as being crazy about women), if they do not control their feelings well, they will follow their thoughts and will sink into the deep sea of feelings. For those who desire wealth and honor greatly, their minds are clouded by material desires, the covetous thoughts will lead them to fame and wealth, and they will be in the bondage of reputation and wealth forever.

Always keep a watch on thoughts in your mind. Try to realize or know what and where your thoughts are. As a matter of fact, according to the experienced people's idea, "Thoughts always vanish when you watch them." If we could practice like this all the time, the power of our thoughts will decrease over time. This is not a very easy level to reach, but at least we have an idea that there is a way to get rid of thoughts. 

Like we mentioned, things arise always depending on conditions: when conditions come together or gather together, things arise; when conditions disperse or dispel, things cease. [This is a doubly important notion]. When we understand this notion, we will also understand that everything in the universe is impermanent; from this point of view, it should be easy to get rid of clinging, and always persisting in our opinion. Always remember and practice the notion of impermanence. This will help to purify our mind a lot.

The Original Nature of Human Being:

We should live in a world which belongs to our real inner self or original nature of human being. This world is bright and brilliant, where there no dispute, and we are not bothered by material concerns. It is pure and peaceful, enjoying leisure and not sorrowful; but we never try to act in response to this world, we never try to be a friend of our real inner self. The only thing we do day in and day out is to try and climb up socially. This is what the Chinese call "Attending to the superficials and neglecting the essentials". 

When our real inner self is led astray by human desires, we all know that desires are bottomless. We all will not be able to do anything of our own free will, and we become the slaves of human desires. 

The power of temptation of human desires is doubly brutal. Some people always try to attain their desires with nefarious tactics. The moment we have a thought like this, the moment we lose the chance to contact our real inner self, we are going to be gone far away from purifying our mind.

Our mind will not stop producing thoughts because of human desires. Therefore, our real inner self will be clouded by material desires forevermore, and our original nature will be contaminated forevermore also.

Why does our mind always produce thoughts? Before we talk about this subject, maybe we should understand some evil ingredients in our mind. According to the experienced people's idea, " Being greedy for everything, angry at everything, and not understanding the real truth are the most common evil ingredients in our mind." 

These evil ingredients influence and poison our mind very strongly. That is the reason why our mind produces thoughts every minute of the day. And like we mentioned, "What one is thinking of at any given moment is often evil thoughts." From this, we should understand that fighting these evil thoughts is the most important thing we are going to do.

To Reduce the Thoughts in Our Mind:

Besides what we have already mentioned, there are other ways to reduce thoughts in our mind. Here we try to introduce some of them. Hopefully this will benefit everybody who is seriously interested in this field.

Try our level best to understand that all living things in the universe are equal; otherwise, we will have a special mind which always looks at things from a dualistic perspective. For example, making a distinction between the good and the bad. And all the problems will be starting from right here, such as "Always persist our own ideas", "Always argue", "Always hate", "Always fight", …and never stop. 

Like we mentioned in the beginning, we should try to make our mind like land, and be tolerant of other people's mistakes, or wrongdoing or weaknesses. Try to express solicitude for everybody (Friends, enemies, good, and bad) equally. Try not to dispute or discuss in minute detail gaining or losing. Try not to be moved by sad or delighted things. Try not to feel so pleased when people respect or praise us. Try not to hate or abhor when people slight us.

When people show their beautiful virtues (like helping others), we should show our respect and join in their actions, and we should try not to be jealous of other people's beautiful virtues. When we see people facing troubles, we should not gloat over their disaster. 

According to the experienced people's idea, "The highest wisdom comes from a merciful heart", the merciful heart comes from "Solving people's problems without any conditions and helping people to get peace, calm, and sagacity without any conditions either".

IF we look at things or treat things unequally, from here, all the worry, trouble, and prejudice will be produced almost right away. Thus if we want to purify our mind, we have to learn to look at things or treat things with equality. 

Someday when we realize that all the beings are equal and could be blend or mix together, and become "One" in some way, we will understand really what is the "Real Truth".

Preparation for a Meditation Journey

By International Bodhisattva Sangha

To practice meditation, we need to first adjust our body so that it is healthy enough to take on this strenuous journey. To do so,

1st. adjusting your diet—best to be a vegan if you can and do not eat so much each meal, just 70-80% full. Dinner should be light — best if you could just drink liquid food, like juice or rice porridge.

2nd. adjusting your sleep—best to sleep before 11pm or not too late. When you sleep late, your body have to do extra work getting rid of the poisons generated within the body.

3rd. adjust your behavior—do not engage in activities that are not inductive towards the pure practice, like breaking Buddhist precepts or drinking alcohol.

4th. adjust your thinking—do not have greed, hatred or ignorance. Try to always keep happy, peaceful, grateful and compassionate thoughts.

5th. adjust your living—happy to be alone in solitude with peace and tranquility.

Lastly, I would advice everyone to make prostrations to the Buddha everyday. At least 108 bows. This will stretch your body out, prepare your mind for meditation and rid the obstacles generated from previous negative karmas. Each prostration is done slowly and precisely. Be mindful of every body movement. There are 3 important points must remember:

1. When standing with join palms, let your attention focus on your feet, so the the Chi energy move toward the lower body.

2. Breath out through your mouth as you bow to the ground. Imagine letting all the air in your chest and abdomen out. Once on the ground, you should relax your neck, spine, and shoulder muscles, like clothes hanging on the rack. Not exerting any force or have any tension. The position where you can reach maximum relaxation, your must adjust yourself as you practice this.

3. When stand up again, take slow deep breaths through your nose all the way to your abdomen and focus attention again on your feet.

Videos on prostration instructions:

• "How to do full prostrations" - Vajra Master Venerable Dorzin K.C. Dhondup 
• Prostrations part I
• Prostrations part II
• How to do prostrations in Chinese Buddhism - front view
• How to do prostration in Chinese Buddhism -  side view
• How to prostrate holding a sutra in your hand

The Emptiness of Emptiness

As for "the emptiness of emptiness," it refers to employing emptiness to demolish emptiness of the subject, emptiness of the object, and emptiness of both the subject and the object. It is on account of its demolishing of these three kinds of emptiness that it is referred to as the emptiness of emptiness

Another way of stating this is that, having first employed the emptiness of dharmas to demolish [all] subject- related and object-related dharmas, one then employs this emptiness to demolish these three [resultant] varieties of emptiness. This is what is meant by the emptiness of emptiness.

Then again, [one may also say that] in the emptiness samadhi one contemplates the five aggregates as being empty and thereby achieves the realization of the eightfold path of the arya, the cutting off all afflictions and the gaining of the nirvana.na with residue. When that bodily life produced from the karmic causes and conditions of previous lives draws to an end, because one then desires to set aside [even] the eightfold path one then brings forth the samadhi of the emptiness of emptiness. This is what is meant by the emptiness of emptiness.

Question: What are the differences between emptiness and the emptiness of emptiness?

Reply: Emptiness demolishes the five appropriated aggregates. The emptiness of emptiness demolishes emptiness.

Question: If "emptiness" [here] refers to the emptiness of dharmas, they have already been demolished. If it is not the case that "emptiness" refers to the emptiness of dharmas, what is it that it demolishes?

Reply: Emptiness demolishes all dharmas so that the only thing which abides is emptiness. After emptiness has already demolished all dharmas, emptiness itself should also be set aside. It is on account of this that we require this "emptiness of emptiness."

Then again, whereas emptiness conditions all dharmas, the emptiness of emptiness conditions only emptiness.

"Champion" & "Dispensing With Medicine" Analogies:

This is analogous to a stalwart young fellow being able to drive off all outlaws, and to there being yet another man who is able to come along and defeat even this stalwart young fellow. The emptiness of emptiness is just like this.

This is also analogous to taking medicine. Medicine is able to overcome disease, but once the disease has been overcome, one ought to dispense with the medicine. If the medicine is not dispensed with, then yet another pathology manifests thereby. Although emptiness is able to

cure the disease of the afflictions, still, because it is to be feared that emptiness itself may develop into yet another disorder, one employs emptiness to dispense with emptiness. This is what is meant by the emptiness of emptiness.

Finally, it is because emptiness is employed to demolish the seventeen [other] kinds of emptiness that this is referred to as the emptiness of emptiness.

End Notes:

This is the fourth of the "Eighteen Emptinesses" the discussion of which

comprises the whole of fascicle 31.

Nagarjuna refers here to the first three emptinesses which he just finished discussing at length in the initial section of "Eighteen Emptiness." As you missed the discussion, it is only fair to point out that these three emptinesses refer basically to the emptiness of the "self," the emptiness of all that belongs to the objective sphere (including, obviously, "others"), and the emptiness of everything which relates to both.

Copyright © 2000. Bhikshu Dharmamitra. All rights reserved.

Some Advice on Finding Fault

Buddhist adherents, whether clergy or laymen, all consider themselves cultivators, concerned with the Way. However, how can we tell the genuine from the sham cultivator? On this issue, the Sixth Patriarch has advanced a simple criterion. He said:

He who treads the Path in earnest sees not the mistakes of the world.

In effect, the genuine cultivator always looks at himself to correct his own mistakes and dwells in empty, still meditation. Having severed the mind of discrimination between himself and others, how can he think about the good and bad points of others? With the sham cultivator on the other hand, the mind of self and others, right and wrong, jealousy and hate runs rampant; as soon as he opens his mouth, he criticizes others and speaks of the good and bad points of the world. This is very far from the Way.

Therefore, when we continue to see the mistakes of others, denigrating and slandering them, we demonstrate that we are the most awkward and wanting of all, because our minds are still deluded, full of discrimination, lacking in wisdom and compassion. We thus bring retribution upon ourselves in the future. Regardless of whether or not others are in the wrong, let us strive not to be in the wrong ourselves. We should learn from great men and let our minds be as clear and bright as a mirror. Without anticipating or hedging about future events, without regretting or dreaming about things of the past, with the mind filled with brightness and equanimity, we will surely receive a wonderful response!

If we have distracting thoughts of envy and hate and speak words of scorn and blame, then, internally our True Nature becomes defiled and externally we bring rancor and disputes upon ourselves. This results in further errors and transgressions. For this reason, to achieve peace of mind and be free of afflictions, we should not comment on people's shortcomings.

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Buddhism of Wisdom & Faith: Pure Land Principles and Practice
Dharma Master Thich Thien Tam Translated and edited by the Van Hien Study Group Sutra Translation Committee of the United States and Canada

How to Combat and Subdue Lust and Desire

Afflictions stemming from greed, while numerous, are all included within the defilements of the "five desires" and the "six Dusts." From the root of greed stem other evil afflictions, such as stinginess, envy, hate, fraud, deceit ... known as secondary afflictions. The "five desires" refers to the five defilements, that is, the desire for beautiful forms (sexual desire ...), wealth and money, fame and power, exquisite food and elegant attire, [excessive] rest and sleep.[1] The "six Dusts" are form, sound, scent, taste, touch and dharmas [i.e., external opinions and views]. 

The six Dusts encompass the five desires; however, the term "five desires was created as a separate expression to stress the five heavy defilements of human beings in the realm of the "six Dusts." The concept "six Dusts" is used when speaking in general, while the expression "five desires" refers to specific afflictions. I employ the term "six Dusts" here to cover other defilements not included in the five desires, such as excessive fondness for music and songs as well as infatuation with romances, novels, etc ... 

When the five desires and six Dusts flare up, the general way to counteract them is through skillful visualization of four truths: Impurity, Suffering, Impermanence, and No-Self. 

1. Impurity 

This means that the body is impure, the mind is impure and the realm is impure. Impurity of the body means that we should reflect on the fact that beneath the covering layers of skin, our bodies and those of others are composed entirely of filthy, smelly substances such as meat, bones, blood, pus, phlegm, saliva, excrement, urine, etc. Not only that, body fluids are excreted through nine apertures (mouth, ears, nose, anus, etc.). If we stop to think carefully, the physical body of sentient beings is hardly worth cherishing. 

Impurity of the mind means that once the mind develops thoughts of greed, it has already become evil and defiled, not unlike a limpid pond that has been polluted with dirt and sludge. The dirty pond cannot reflect the images of trees, mountains, sky, clouds; likewise, a polluted mind has lost all spiritual powers and wisdom. Thus, we have the saying: 

One who knows how to cultivate does not waste his efforts; peaceful, still mind will bring spiritual powers and wisdom. 

Those who are determined to tread the Way should endeavor gradually to sever the mind of afflictions, polluted by greed in its gross and subtle aspects. 

The impure realm is the world of the Five Turbidities, full of dirt and mud, rocks and stones, spikes and thorns, which harbors countless sentient beings defiled in body and mind. Therefore, this impure world is not worth craving or clinging to. 

2. Suffering

This refers to the fact that the body undergoes suffering, the mind endures suffering and the environment is one of suffering. The suffering of the body means that our body is not only impure, it is subject to birth, old age, disease and death, as well as to heat and cold, hunger and thirst and other hardships that cause us to suffer, preventing us from being free and happy.[2] 

The suffering of the mind means that when the mind is afflicted, it is necessarily consumed by the fire of afflictions, bound by the ropes of afflictions, struck, pursued and ordered about by the whip of afflictions, defiled and obscured by the smoke and dust of afflictions. Thus, whoever develops afflictions is lacking in wisdom, because the first person he has caused to suffer is himself.

The suffering of the environment means that this earth is subject to the vagaries of the weather, scorching heat, frigid cold and pouring rain, while sentient beings must toil and suffer day in and day out to earn a living. Tragedies occur every day, before our very eyes. 

3. Impermanence 

This means impermanence of the body, the mind and the environment. Impermanence of the body means that the body withers rapidly, soon grows old and debilitated, ending in death. The ancients have lamented: 

Oh, that time when we were young and would ride bamboo sticks, pretending they were horses, In the twinkling of an eye, our hair is now spotted with the color of frost. 

What happened to all those brave and intelligent young men and those beautiful and enchanting women of bygone days? They ended as in the following poem: 

Rosy cheeks have faded, heroes have passed away, Young students' eyes, too, are weary and sad.

Impermanence of the mind means that the mind and thoughts of sentient beings are always changing -- at times filled with love or anger, at times happy or sad. Those thoughts, upon close scrutiny, are illusory and false, like water bubbles. 

Impermanence of the environment means that not only do our surroundings always change and fluctuate, but happiness, too, is impermanent. Succulent food, once swallowed, loses all taste; an emotional reunion, however sweet and joyful, ultimately ends in separation; a delightful party soon becomes a thing of the past; a good book, too, gradually reaches the last page.[3] 

4. No-Self
This means that there is no self, no permanent nature per se and that we are not true masters of ourselves. This point, too, is divided into the no-self body, the no-self mind and the no-self environment. 

The "no-self body" means that this body is illusory, not its own master.[4] It cannot be kept eternally young or prevented from decaying and dying. Even gods and "Immortals" can only postpone death for a certain period of time.

The "no-self mind" refers to the deluded mind of sentient beings, which has no permanent nature. For example, the mind of greed, thoughts of sadness, anger, love and happiness suddenly arise and then disappear; there is nothing real.

The "no-self environment" means that our surroundings are illusory, passive and subject to birth and decay. Cities and towns are in time replaced by abandoned mounds, mulberry fields soon give way to the open seas, every single thing changes and fluctuates by the second, one landscape disappears and another takes its place.

Visualizing that everything, from body and mind to the environment, is impure, subject to suffering, impermanent and without self, the practitioner can rid himself of the mind of greed. Sentient beings, lacking wisdom, always live upside down; they mistake the impure for the pure, suffering for happiness, impermanence for permanence, no-self for self.[5] They then develop delusions and become degraded and defiled. Therefore, Buddha Sakyamuni taught sentient beings the Four Truths, to sever their delusions.

For example, the human excrement that we consider fetid and dirty is regarded as fragrant, clean and succulent by animals such as insects, dogs and pigs -- because of their deluded karma. They therefore compete and struggle to gobble it up. The defiled desires of this world are considered by humans as lovely and clean. However, the gods and Immortals see them as foul-smelling, dirty and unclean, not unlike the way human beings regard dogs and pigs eating filthy substances. The various desires of sentient beings, defiled and upside down, are generally thus. The practitioner should strive gradually to destroy them. 

(1) The basic goal of Buddhist teachings is to keep the mind empty and still so that our innate wisdom can manifest itself. (A Buddha is all wisdom at all times.) Thus, Buddhism fosters practices and habits that subdue passions and simplify life, freeing the cultivator for spiritual pursuits. It is in this context that sexual desire, excessive rest and sleep, etc. are considered afflictions. Note: section 35 as a whole is geared to the advanced practitioner!

(2) According to Buddhist (and Taoist) teachings, it is because we have a body that we suffer. Therefore, the true cultivator, when ill, should always remind himself of the need to escape this body and transcend Birth and Death.

(3) When the practitioner sees the signs of impermanence (e.g., parched skin, gray hair) he should redouble his efforts at cultivation, so as to escape Birth and Death. This is, of course, the opposite of common, everyday behavior, which consists in hiding the truth -- coloring one's hair, for example.

(4) Our bodies, our emotions, our environment all exist but their existence is not permanent or absolute. Therefore, in Buddhism, they are said to be illusory but not non-existent. See also Glossary, "Illusion."

(5) All these delusions are termed "upside down thinking" in Buddhism.

Buddhism of Wisdom & Faith: Pure Land Principles and Practice

Dharma Master Thich Thien Tam
Translated and edited by the Van Hien Study Group
Sutra Translation Committee of the United States and Canada

Countering Afflictions

In the past, during lay retreats, if a practitioner had heavy karmic obstructions and could not recite the Buddha's name with a pure mind or clearly visualize Amitabha Buddha, the presiding Dharma Master would usually advise him to follow the practice of "bowing repentance with incense." This method consists of lighting a long incense stick and respectfully bowing in repentance while uttering the Buddha's name, until the stick is burnt out. There are cases of individuals with heavy karma who would spend the entire seven or twenty-one-day retreat doing nothing but "bowing with incense."

Ram Dass On Attachment And Addiction

Powerful Drive Systems

When you work with powerful drive systems, like sex or fasting or breathing, you're working with stuff that's deeply built into us. It's the primordial stuff of our incarnations, and we can't treat it lightly. Each of us has to deal with different levels of energy within those systems, and with different levels of attachment, and so what is right for one person is absolutely wrong for another. --Ram Dass

From: Paths to God - Living The Bhagavad Gita

Experience

"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe simply because it has been handed down for many generations. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is written in Holy Scriptures. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of Teachers, elders or wise men. Believe only after careful observation and analysis, when you find that it agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all. Then accept it and live up to it."

--Siddhartha Gautama
From the Kalama Sutta

Cycles

Most of us live our life like the two brothers who operate a window washing business: late at night, one brother goes out around town and throws dirt all over peoples windows, and the next morning the second brother goes out as a window washer for hire.