TEACHING FROM THE BODHIChARYAVARA BY RINGU TULKU RINPOCHE

Taking the Bodhisattva’s Vows

3^rd Chapter, Stanzas 23-24

BA3_23-24: Taking the Bodhisattva’s vows.

3^rd Chapter, Stanzas 23-24

September 14, 2011

Transcribed by Albert Harris

Teachings on the Bodhicharyavatara for the Online Shedra

So, now we come to stanza number 23 of the third chapter of Bodhicharyavatara: and this is the actual taking of the Bodhisattva vows.

Now here, generally, when Bodhisattvas take the aspiration or the vows, according to their motivation, their kind of strength of motivation, there are three-types of Bodhisattvas: somebody who’s called the king-like Bodhisattva; the captain-like Bodhisattva; and shepherd-like Bodhisattva.

The king-like Bodhisattva is those who would say that, ‘I would very much like to work for the benefit of all the sentient beings, would like to bring them all to the lasting peace and happiness.’ So therefore, first I would like to get there, I would first get enlightened and then, as an enlightened being, I would help all the beings to get that experience of enlightenment, lasting peace and happiness.

This is like the king who first wanted to look after himself, make everything enjoyable, good, powerful, everything perfect, and then he would also like to help his subjects to become better. This is called the king-like Bodhisattva.

The captain-like Bodhisattva is those who says that, ‘I would like to bring all the sentient beings to the enlightenment, to lasting peace and happiness, and I would bring them together with me, I would become enlightened along with them.’ So, this is like the captain who takes the ship across the ocean and if he gets across the ocean then the passengers of the ship also get across the ocean: and if doesn’t then nobody gets [across]. Therefore, it’s called the captain-like Bodhisattva whose aspiration is much stronger, much more compassionate that he wants to bring - or he or she wants to bring - every being together with him to the lasting peace and happiness.

Then there is the Bodhisattva called the shepherd-like Bodhisattva. This Bodhisattva says that, ‘I would like to bring all the sentient beings without leaving anybody behind to the perfect enlightenment, to lasting peace and happiness. After I have done that, and after that only, I would like to become enlightened, I would not want to become enlightened unless and until I bring every being to the enlightenment.’ This is like those shepherds who first want to see that all his or her sheep are safe and fed and in the kind of a barn and then only he goes to kind of sleep or take his meals and rest.

So whichever kind of Bodhisattva you would like to be doesn’t matter: but when you take the Bodhisattva vows, usually it is said the best is to take it from a genuine teacher who has the Bodhisattva’s vows, who keeps the Bodhisattva’s vows and who is a kind of a genuine, trustworthy person, a teacher.

But it is not that you have to take the Bodhisattva’s vows only from a person who’s a teacher. It is possible to take the Bodhisattva’s vows also in front of images of the Buddha or Bodhisattvas; or even if there are no images or there are no representations of the Bodhisattvas you kind of think about all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in front of you existing in front of you and then from them you can take the Bodhisattva’s vows. It’s about yourself. So therefore, you can take the Bodhisattva’s vows yourself without any other person being there; also because it is you own aspiration, your own making the decision. There’s no difference, actually, not too much difference. The only thing is that you take it from a person then you have some kind of a…[you] can be a little bit aware and mindful, a little bit ashamed if you break it because you have taken it from your teacher.

Now, when we take the Bodhisattva vows first of course, you make all the right aspirations, you can make offerings and things like that, as much as possible, to make a very strong kind of preparation, prepare it nicely. Usually it is said, to clean the place, to decorate the place, to make a throne for the person from whom you are taking refuge, decorated with flowers and everything that’s possible to make it a grand way, to make lots of offerings and things like that. So that you kind of accumulate lots of positive merits and positive deeds to make the act very powerful or to make it not something unimportant but very important for you like you make a marriage: you make it very important you make lots of expenses and celebrations in the same way. Then you also do the refuge three-times and then the actual vows. There are two-ways. One is what is sometimes called the Manjushri way or the Nagarjuna way where you take the aspiration Bodhisattva’s vow and action Bodhisattva’s vow together in one go. Another way is the Maitreya way or Asanga way which is [where] you take the aspiration Bodhisattva vows separately from the actual Bodhisattva vows. You have two-ceremonies. So this is the Nagarjuna’s way because Shantideva is following the Nagarjuna’s tradition.

So here, in this stanza, the two-stanzas, stanza 23, after saying the refuge three-times:

Just as all the Buddhas of the past

Have brought forth the awakened mind,

And in the precepts of the Bodhisattvas

Step-by-step abode and trained…

Means that, all the Buddhas of the past generated the Bodhicitta-that means they brought forth the awakened mind means they generated the Bodhicitta-they can use the word Bodhicitta, “and in the precepts of the Bodhisattvas, step-by-step abode and trained”…they kind of generate the Bodhicitta, that’s the aspiration, and then they trained in the Bodhisattva’s precepts of the Bodhisattva’s ways, action Bodhisattva’s Bodhicitta, the six paramitas and things like that; and step-by-step means as possible, the first little bit then a little bit more then a little bit more, stronger and stronger. It is said that first you try to give a cup of curry if you have no problem with that; and then a little bit more and a little bit more and then once you get very accustomed to it, very used to it, then, even if there’s a great benefit you might even give your life for the sake of the people.

So in this way, not directly or not at the beginning, do something that you cannot do, it’s not like that but first try something that is easy and possible for you to do, then getting better and better then in terms of all the six-paramitas - generosity, moral ethics, discipline – any of those paramitas – meditation, patience, wisdom – everything, that is step-by-step and gradual.

So likewise, this is what the great Buddhas of the past and Bodhisattvas generated and trained themselves on the Bodhisattva’s way so in the same way, likewise for the benefit of beings, for the benefit of all the beings including myself, my benefit and for the benefit of every other being, I will bring to birth the awakened mind: [this] means, I would like to generate the Bodhicitta in myself. This is the aspiration Bodhicitta. This is to promise myself to generate the aspiration Bodhicitta. I will bring to birth the awakened mind, I will generate the Bodhicitta, I will bring the compassion, the wisdom with compassion aspiration of the Bodhicitta within myself: and then I will not only generate this motivation Bodhicitta but in those precepts, step-by-step, I will abode and train myself.

This last one is action Bodhisattva’s vows: I will not only generate the Bodhicitta but also will train on that practically in action, step-by-step, step-by-step I will abide by the actions of the Bodhisattvas and the six-paramitas and helping others do all those kinds of things and there are many precepts of the Bodhisattvas; and all of them, all of them step-by-step, not everything together, but whatever I can at this stage, I will train on that, I will abide in that and then, when I can, a little bit more, a little bit more, that’s what we call step-by-step, gradually, I will train in those kind of Bodhisattva’s way of life Bodhisattva’s precepts, Bodhisattva’s conduct, Bodhisattva’s training and then become a better and stronger and greater and greater Bodhisattva.

So this is very, very important. When you take the Bodhisattva’s vows, not promising something that you cannot do. You are just promising to train, start to train, in generating the Bodhicitta first and then training in its way, in its precepts, in its way of life as you can, step-by-step and gradually. And basically, the most important thing is you want to bring the lasting peace and happiness to yourself, you want to bring the lasting peace and happiness to all the beings and this must be, this is very clear that I want to bring the lasting peace and happiness to myself, the lasting peace and happiness for all the beings. Therefore, I must bring an enlightened state of mind to me, I must develop my wisdom, my compassion, my ability to help and heal others and I must bring that to all other beings, that must be so, there’s no two-opinions, there’s no…that I must do.

In order to do that then I would like to train myself, I would like to train myself and work for the benefit of others as much as I am able to, step-by-step, because the more I get trained in it, the more I get advanced in it, the more I become better in it, the more I can do.

So this is the actual Bodhisattva’s vow. So I think today I’ll stop here [with] stanzas number 23 and 24. Thank you!

©Ringu Tulku Rinpoche

This is a transcript of a video talk given for the Bodhicharya Online Shedra by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche. The transcript has only been lightly edited and is meant to be used within the Online Shedra study context.

Ringu Tulku Rinpoche

The Excellence of Bodhichitta

BA5 stanza 4

November 4 2010

Transcribed by Albert Harris

Teachings on the Bodhicharyavatara Online Shedra

Now we come to stanza number 4 and we come to the actual teachings, actual instructions. And here, the Bodhicharyavatara is actually of ten-chapters. It is divided like this: The first three-chapters is on how to generate bodhicitta for those who haven’t generated bodhicitta, bodhicitta has not arisen in their minds. Then the next three-chapters are on how not to degenerate the bodhicitta in those who actually have bodhicitta already generated so that it doesn’t become less to generate the bodhicitta. And then the next three-chapters are on how to improve on them, how to enhance, how to make the bodhicitta stronger and develop more and more. These are the first nine-chapters. And then the last chapter, the tenth-chapter, is the result of the bodhicitta , how to share it , how to dedicate it for the benefit of all the beings. These are the ten-chapters.

Now the first chapter is about the benefit of the bodhicitta, to encourage people ­­­­____ bodhicitta and kind of develop it.

TEACHINGS FROM THE ONLINE SHEDRA

Ringu Tulku

Ringu Tulku Rinpoche

Chapter 1: The Excellence of Bodhichitta

Stanza 1 Homage

BA 3 First half of stanza 1

October 29 2010

Transcribed by Albert Harris

Teachings on the Bodhicharyavatara Online Shedra

So now, we come to the first chapter of Bodhicharyavatara and the first half of the first stanza is the homage. Now this is the homage, the original homage by Shantideva himself and here he says in Tibetan [speaks in Tibetan]. In English: “To those who go in bliss, the dharma, they’ve mastered: and to all their heirs, to all who merit veneration, I bow down.” So here, the first is “To those who go in bliss”, This is the translation of Sugata [epithet of Buddha meaning “one who has gone to bliss”: Andrew Pearcy]. The [prefix of] the Sanskrit word sugata, su, is well, beautiful, beautifully, completely, nicely, wonderfully. Su is well, good, completely and gata is gone, one who has gone in a very good way.

Now this, sugata, is one of the names, one of the words referring to the Buddha. The main words refer to the Buddha, tathagata, sugata, and [there are] many others, but here Shantideva has chosen the word sugata.

Now with sugata, there are three [meanings], well-gone, beautifully gone…without carrying any negativity or negative things with him. He’s gone over or gone beyond. All the negative things that we have with us are not with him, are not with any kind of faults and therefore [it is] sugata, nirvana.

Another [meaning is] gone without obstacles or without returning, having not to return. The way he has experienced and understood, practised, has developed the oldest, negative things. He doesn’t need to come back again. So therefore, it is also well gone. Like somebody who has become enlightened, has got rid of all the ignorance and all the habitual negative tendencies have left, so therefore they don’t come back. Like somebody who has had infectious diseases. You once get this disease, measles, or something like that; once you get it, you never get it back again so it’s completely got rid of.

Another meaning is gone completely. The journey that Buddha took, that Buddha has gone through, is complete, there’s nothing more…nothing more to attempt…there’s nothing more to get. It’s complete. There are three-different objectives to the meaning of su.

So anyway, this reference to the Buddha, all those beings who have got rid of their ignorance, their negative emotions, their negative habitual tendencies, developed their wisdom and compassion to the utmost and thereby have attempted lasting peace and happiness and have been able to free themselves from all kinds of problems and pain and suffering, to those Buddhas, to those enlightened beings, to those beings who have done that, this is the homage to the Buddha.

Now this becomes very important in Buddhism because when we talk about going [into] refuge to Buddha, for instance, it’s not talking about…”Buddha, please come and help me and save me ,” and things like that. It is about an idea as a possibility, a transformation. To understand and know that there is a possibility for a complete transformation, complete freedom from the problems and suffering and pain, freedom from ignorance, freedom from all this negative way of reacting; that is possible for anybody and everybody, any beings can attain that, everybody has the potential to experience that. And that’s the main thing for Buddhists, that’s the main thing. Every being has the capacity or the potential.

It’s not that everybody is already enlightened. When we talk about Buddha nature, it’s not saying that everybody is totally good and there’s nothing negative. Nothing like that. But, there is a possibility to improve, a possibility to develop. There’s a possibility to enhance, develop, you know, to learn. Therefore, we can train and we should train positively and then we become positive. [If] we become completely positive, we can get rid of all the negativity from us. That is the Buddha. Therefore, if you have that understanding, that I have that possibility, I would work on it myself; and if I know that there is that possibility in every sentient being, then I would also work to help everybody to attain that.

Therefore, this becomes very important. That’s the first thing. He bows down, he appreciates and he gives his homage.

The second one is the dharma. The dharma is the experience, the complete experience of somebody who has become a sugata or the Buddha. That’s the dharma. Dharma is the teachings, the experience, how to transform yourself, the way, the path, methods and skilful means are as important. Because, even if you have a kind of idea, or if you know somebody or you have heard about somebody who has that experience of complete wisdom and compassion, if you don’t know how to develop that or how to get there, then it doesn’t work for us. Therefore, we need to have the understanding that there is a method, there is a way, there is a step by step kind of a road or a path that I can walk on and everybody can walk on. There’s not just one path, there are many different kinds of paths. There are many levels…many paths that are suitable for [all] beings, wherever I am. It’s not that I’m so bad that I can never practise dharma-I’m not good enough to practise-there’s nothing like that. However, a beginner, however low or negative they are, they can start with that stage and then they can go forward. That is extremely important…so the second [stage] is homage to the dharma.

And the third is sangha. So here he says, “and [to] all their heirs.” In the Tibetan it says jhalse. [The prefix] se is like “the heirs”, the children or the prince or the princess. The Buddha’s heirs or the Buddha’s child or sons and daughters…it can be many different [things]: the body, the heirs of the body. It’s like your child, your son and daughter. For Buddha, Rahula was his physical son-the body-a son of the body.

And then we always say his children, the sons and daughters of his voice or his speech. We say that the arahants, the avataras and prithvi Buddhas, his monks and nuns and many devotees, were there following his teachings. They are regarded as the sons of his speech. And then there are the sons and daughters, the heirs of his heart, the bodhisattvas.

So all these are heirs of the Buddha, especially the heart-heirs of the Buddha who practise the same kind of bodhichitta, the same kind of wisdom and compassion, working, training after the Buddha, them all. That’s very important because now the Buddha is the ideal, the dharma is the experience of the Buddha, the path. And the sangha is those people who are actually practising or who are actually trying to follow that path. That’s the sangha, especially the bodhisattva sangha. He says to all of them, “I am a refuge, I pay homage, I bow down.” But not only to them. To all who merit veneration, not only bodhidharma and sangha, but to every other being also who are worthy of my veneration, I respect [them]; to them all I bow down.

There are people who are more learned than me, who are more qualified than me, more elderly than me, more experienced than me. To them [all] also I should show my respect whether it is in a spiritual way or a mundane way. Also, those worthy of my respect and worthy of my homage are those who have been kind, nice and helpful to me and have been kind and compassionate [doing] good things for me and others. So there is not just bodhidharma and sangha or only Buddhists…to every being, to every thing, to every kind of community, anything that is worthy of my veneration and my respect and veneration, to them all I bow myself.

http://www.bodhicharya.org/wp-content/uploads//2010/10/BA-3-Chapter-1-Stanza-1.pdf

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