The Wisdom of Generosity

From Lama Yeshe Zopa

...at the time of practicing generosity, it is necessary for the discriminating wisdom to check what should be practiced and what should be abandoned, lest the practice be made incorrectly, with corrupt actions. But especially, generosity should be made with the wisdom concentrating on the circle of the three—subject, object and action—in shunyata, otherwise the practice will not become a pure, bodhisattva's action.

You should also practice generosity with the six holy objects. They are:

• the holy subject, which is the bodhicitta motivation;


• the holy possession, which is holding that bodhicitta motivation, not only when being generous with normal possessions but with special objects as well;


• the holy purpose, which is the wish to give temporary happiness to sentient beings in order to lead them to the ultimate goal;


• the holy skill, which is wisdom realizing emptiness;


• the holy dedication, which is always dedicating the merits of generosity for the achievement of enlightenment; and


• the holy purity, which is the purification of delusions and mental defilements.

Furthermore, each perfection should be practiced with the four actions. They are:

• dedicating, which is dedicating our body to all sentient beings from the heart.


• protecting—having dedicated our body to sentient beings, we should protect it from being wasted in meaningless actions.


• purifying: making generosity of the body a pure practice by concentrating on the circle of the three in shunyata.


• increasing: dedicating the merits of it to all sentient beings, equal to the sky, for their achievement of enlightenment. We must not be dismayed, thinking that if all is dedicated to sentient beings there is nothing left for me—it is a mental dedication, so there is nothing wrong with it. On the other hand, we cannot think that there is no point in dedicating mentally since there is nothing to receive.

The way to complete the perfection of generosity is to complete the training in the thought of giving even the merits of virtuous actions, let alone abolishing miserliness in our possessions. Completing the practice of the perfection of generosity means neither completely eradicating starvation and thirst, nor satisfying the last beggar. If it did, then all the past buddhas such as Guru Shakyamuni would have yet to complete the practice of generosity, having reached enlightenment by mistake.

http://www.bodhicitta.net/Six%20Perfections.htm

Confusion as the Source of Problems

The following excerpt is from the Berzin archives, found here at the link below.  I'll make some remarks regarding daily practice and Buddhism in daily life as I experience it.

http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level1_getting_started/

general_introductory_material/

dharma_daily_life.html

I find that these words are very true for me. I find that most of my problems are created out of fear or confusion.  Very often it is fear.  And the self and other problem that Dr. Berzin refers to is quite true. We spend our time polarizing rather than embracing so much of the time because we are unable to truly see the nature of our existence.  We confuse dependently arisen objects as being true, real, and separate.  By doing so we become accidentally narcissistic and can easily stray from the bodhisattva ideal and the very basic perfection of dana. While taming the mind is a lot of work, I do believe that it's possible.  I have to believe that, (even if it takes aeons).  With enough time, practice, circumstances and blessings, we may even achieve some understanding of the true nature of reality.

If we explore confusion, we see that one aspect of it is confusion about behavioral cause and effect. We are confused about what to do or say and about what will happen as a result. We can be very confused about what type of job to get, whether to get married, whether to have children, etc. If we get into a relationship with a person, what will the result be? We do not know. Our ideas of what will follow from our choices are really just fantasies. We might think that if we get into a deep relationship with a certain person, we will live happily ever after, like in a fairy tale. If we are upset in a situation, we think that yelling will make it better. We have a very confused idea about how the other person is going to respond to what we do. We think that if we yell and speak our minds, we will feel better and everything will be all right, but everything will not be all right. We want to know what will happen. We desperately look at astrology or throw coins for The Book of Changes, the I Ching. Why do we do things like that? We want to be in control of what happens.

Buddhism says that a deeper level of confusion is confusion about how we and others exist and about how the world exists. We are confused about the whole issue of control. We think that it is possible to be totally in control of what happens to us. Because of that, we get frustrated. It is not possible to always be in control. That is not reality. Reality is very complex. Many things influence what happens, not just what we do. It is not that we are totally out of control or manipulated by external forces either. We contribute to what happens, but we are not the sole factor that determines what happens.

Because of our confusion and insecurity, we often actdestructively without even knowing that it is destructive behavior. This is because we are under the influence of disturbing emotions, disturbing attitudes, and the compulsive impulses that come up from our habits. Not only do we act destructively toward others; we primarily act in self-destructive ways. In other words, we create more problems for ourselves. If we want fewer problems or liberation from our problems, or even further, the ability to help others to get out of their problems as well, we need to acknowledge the source of our limitations.

7-Limb Prayer

(Yan-lag drug-gi smon-lam)

from Shantideva, Engaging in Bodhisattva Behavior
(sPyod-'jug, Skt. Bodhisattvacharya-avatara)



translated by Alexander Berzin, 2004




I take safe direction, till my purified state,
From the Buddhas, the Dharma, and the Highest Assembly.
By the positive force of my giving and so on,
May I actualize Buddhahood to help those who wander.May the surface of the land in every direction

Be pure, without even a pebble,
As smooth as the palm of a child’'s hand,
Naturally polished, as is a beryl gem.

May divine and human objects of offering,
Actually arrayed and those envisioned
As peerless clouds of Samantabhadra offerings,
Completely fill the sphere of space.

(1) I prostrate to all you Buddhas who have graced the threetimes,
To the Dharma and to the Highest Assembly,
Bowing down with bodies as numerous
As all the atoms of the world.

(2) Just as Manjushri and others
Have made offerings to you, the Triumphant,
So do I, too, make offerings to you, my Thusly Gone Guardians,
And to your spiritual offspring.

(3) Throughout my beginningless samsaric existence,

In this and other lives,
I 've unwittingly committed negative acts,
Or caused others to commit them, and further,
Oppressed by the confusion of naivety.
I 've rejoiced in them – whatever I've done,
I see them as mistakes and openly declare them
To you, my Guardians, from the depths of my heart.

(4) With pleasure, I rejoice in the ocean of positive force
From your having developed bodhichitta aims
To bring every limited being joy
And in your deeds that have aided limited beings.

(5) With palms pressed together, I beseech
You Buddhas of all directions:
Please shine Dharma's lamp for limited beings

Suffering and groping in darkness.

(6) With palms pressed together, I beseech

You Triumphant who would pass beyond sorrow:
I beg you, remain for countless eons

So as not to leave in their blindness these wandering beings.

(7) By whatever positive force I've built up
Through all of these that I've done like that,
May I remove every suffering
Of all limited beings.

By directing and offering to the Buddha-fields
This base, anointed with fragrant waters, strewn with flowers,
And decked with Mount Meru, four islands, a sun, and a moon,
May all those who wander be led to pure lands.
Om idam guru ratna mandala-kam nir-yatayami.
I send forth this mandala to you precious gurus.

Seven-Limb Practice

Here is a very nice explanation of the 7-Limb practice.

Here's a bit of the beginning of the teaching:

Alexander Berzin
Berlin, Germany, January 9, 2001

This evening, I would like to explain in a more down-to-earth way the preliminaries that we do at the beginning of each of our classes on Shantideva's text, Engaging in Bodhisattva Behavior(Bodhisattvacharya-avatara). They include the seven-limbpractice, which derives from this text. Doing these preliminaries before listening to and learning the Dharma helps us to establish a properly receptive state of mind. We use the same set of practices before daily meditation or Dharma study sessions at home.



If we are doing these practices as a preliminary to meditation at home, we need to sweep and tidy the room beforehand, as we do before class. If papers or clothing are scattered all over the room, for example, we need to put them away. While doing this, we think, "May my mind become clear, clean, and orderly, just as I am making the room."

It is very important to meditate and study in an environment in which everything is neat, clean, and in order. This is also true for our place of work. What we see, even peripherally, greatly affectsour states of mind. If everything around us is messy, our minds tend also to be messy. Moreover, it is helpful to have our places of study or meditation be aesthetically pleasing.  Seeing a beautiful surrounding usually makes the mind happy, and a happy state of mind is receptive to doing something constructive.

Each morning, after washing ourselves and cleaning the room, we make a water bowl offering. This does not need to be with the usual seven bowls if that is inconvenient. Offering simply a single cup of clean water is sufficient. We are not trying to impress anyone. If we wish, we can also offer candles, flowers, incense, and so on; but that is optional. Not only are we creating a beautiful space for inviting the Buddhas and great masters in our visualizations, as is traditionally explained; we are also arranging the room in such a way that it makes us feel joyous and comfortable to be there. In doing this, it puts us in a state of mind conducive for meditating, studying, or listening to teachings.

Continued here, just copy and paste into your browser:

http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level1_getting_started

/approaching_study_meditation/preliminaries_meditation_study_7-limb.html

More verses from Shantideva's Wish

Whatever joy there is in this world
All comes from desiring others to be happy,
And whatever suffering there is in this world,
All comes from desiring myself to be happy.

But what need is there to say much more?
The childish work for their own benefit,
The Buddhas work for the benefit of others.
Just look at the difference between them!

-borrowed from Khandro.net

Fording the Stream

The Buddhist spiritual experience will reveal itself neither to the scholar nor to the conversationalist, but only to the man or woman who makes the central conceptions of Buddhist thought the basis of their mental activity, the subject of their deepest meditation, and the foundation of all their actions.

-Fording the Stream: An Affirmation of the Bodhisattva Way of Life

Shantideva's Wish

"May I become food and drink in the eons of famine for those poverty-stricken suffers.
May I be a doctor, medicine and nurse for all sick beings in the world until everyone is cured.

May I become never-ending wish-fulfilling treasures materialising in front of each of them as all the enjoyments they need.
May I be a guide for those who do not have a guide, a leader for those who journey, a boat for those who want to cross over, and all sorts of ships, bridges, beautiful parks for those who desire them, and light for those who need light.

And may I become beds for those who need a rest, and a servant to all who need servants.
May I also become the basic conditions for all sentient beings, such as earth or even the sky, which is indestructible.
May I always be the living conditions for all sentient beings until all sentient beings are enlightened."

Mother Tara

An inspirational picture for today:

His Holiness the Dalai Lama expresses hope of return to Tibet

His Holiness the Dalai Lama expresses hope of return to Tibet

[Tuesday, 21 September 2010, 5:24 p.m.]

Budapest: His Holiness the Dalai Lama has expressed hope that he would return to Tibet, and called on the Chinese leadership to start political liberalisation and find a solution in the interest of China and the Tibetan people.

"I'm an optimist, I think I will return to Tibet with a Chinese passport," His Holiness said Monday in his address to the Hungarian parliament in Budapest, which accorded him a red carpet reception. He was welcomed by president of the Hungarian Parliament's Tibet Group and the deputy leader of the LMP, the new political party in Hungary.

"The Chinese leaders sooner or later have to realise that they must start some sort of political liberalisation, or otherwise they will lose the world's trust," His Holiness the Dalai Lama told Hungarian MPs.

Reiterating that “suppression is not the solution to the Tibet problem”, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said “a solution must be found that is good for both China and Tibet”.

His Holiness reaffirmed that “the Tibetans are not seeking separation from China but a mutually beneficial solution to the Tibetan issue through genuine autonomy”.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama encouraged the Hungarian MPs to visit Tibet to see the situation for themselves.

Ms Szabo Timea, the deputy leader of the LMP said: “We are here to express our full support for the Tibetan causes. We'll support the regional national autonomy to preserve Tibetan culture and identity dating back to thousands of years.”

The LMP also expresses great concern about Tibet's environment and the impacts of climate change, said Ms Timea, who is also deputy chair of Parliamentary Committee of Human Rights.

The chairperson of the Parliament's Human Rights Committee also called on His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

In the afternoon, His Holiness the Dalai Lama addressed the students and members of the faculty of Central European University. The University has students from 100 countries and faculty from 40 countries.

http://longlivehhdl.ning.com/profiles/blogs/his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-340

Affirmation

"I know that the Bodhisattva is imperfect and suffers frustration, but I must stand and watch this, and not be caught into egoistic suffering."

Guilt is egotistical suffering by its very difinition. Stand up brothers and sisters, dust off, and continue to go forth, recognizing that a drop of water is no different than the ocean and that a candle flame is no different than the sun; the small always mirrors the large, that your practice mirrors the vibrant pledge of all Bodhisattvas past, present and future."

-Paramitayana

New life at Buddha Blog

The Buddha Blog is back and I'm really pleased to tell you that Pema Rigdzin is now a co-author here.  He's quite a find!  We are fortunate  :)

What is a vow?

A vow (sdom-pa) is a subtle invisible form on a mental continuum, which shapes behavior. Specifically, it is a restraint from an "uncommendable action" (kha-na ma-tho-ba), either one that is naturally destructive (rang-bzhin-gyi kha-na ma-tho-ba) or one that Buddha prohibited (bcas-pa'i kha-na ma-tho-ba) for specific individuals who are training to reach specific goals. An example of the former is taking the life of another; an example of the later is eating after noon, which monastics need to avoid for their minds to be clearer for meditating at night and the next morning.

Source

Prayer for the Teachings to Flow in the West

by Yongdzin Ling Rinpoche (Yongs-'dzin Gling Rinpoche
Thub-bstan lung-rtogs rnam-rgyal 'phrin-las)

translated by Alexander Berzin
September 2001

By the force of inspiration from the unfailing Three Supreme Gems
And of the truth of our taking universal responsibility,
May the precious Buddhist teachings flow and flourish
In all lands throughout the length and breadth of the West.

For all people living there, together with their near ones,
Who engage in the teachings, with confidence and respect,
May all hindrances to their pure Dharma practice disperse
And an excellent network of favorable conditions
grow like the waxing moon.

And especially for those who work on the means
To bring about the flow and flourishing
of the Triumphant One's teachings,
the spring of all benefit and joy,
May they never be oppressed by the hordes
of interference and adverse conditions
And may this spontaneously happen just as we have hoped and wished.

A Lovely Image

A lovely image for inspiration today. This is Guanyin...

The Imperfect Bodhisattva

"I know that the Bodhisattva is imperfect and suffers frustration, but I must stand and watch this, and not be caught into egoistic suffering."

Guilt is egotistical suffering by its very difinition. Stand up brothers and sisters, dust off, and continue to go forth, recognizing that a drop of water is no different than the ocean and that a candle flame is no different than the sun; the small always mirrors the large, that your practice mirrors the vibrant pledge of all Bodhisattvas past, present and future."

-A bodhisattva affirmation from Paramitayana

Flight of the Garuda

This is courtesy of muni, from Dharma Wheel

Flight of the Garuda
By Shabkar Tsokdrug Rangdrol.

E-ma-ho!

Listen again, fortunate heart-children!
That which is widely renowned as mind, does anyone have it? No one has it!

What is it the source of? It is the source of samsara and nirvana and their myriad joys and sorrows.

What is it believed to be? There are many beliefs according to the various vehicles.

What is it called? It is named in countless different ways.


All ordinary people call it I.
Some non-Buddhists call it Self.
Shravakas call it "individual egolessness."
The Mind Only School label it Mind.
Some call it Prajnaparamita, [that is,] "transcendent knowledge."

Some label it Sugatagarbha, [that is,] Buddha-nature.
Some name it Mahamudra.
Some give it the name Madhyamika.
Some say "the single sphere."
Some name it Dharmadhatu, [that is,] realm of phenomena.
Some call it the name alaya, "ground of all."
Some call it "ordinary mind."

Despite the innumerable names that are tagged onto it,
Know that the real meaning is as follows:


Let your mind spontaneously relax and rest.
When left to itself, ordinary mind is fresh and naked.
If observed, it is a vivid clarity without anything to see,
A direct awareness, sharp and awake.
Possessing no existence, it is empty and pure,
A clear openness of non-dual luminosity and emptiness.

It is not permanent, since it does not exist at all.
It is not nothingness, since it is vividly clear and awake.
It is not oneness, since many things are cognised and known.
It is not plurality, since the many things known are inseparable in one taste.
It is not somewhere else; it is your own awareness itself.
The face of this Primordial Protector, dwelling in your heart,
Can be directly perceived in this very instant.
Never be separated from it, children of my heart!

If you want to find something greater than this in another place,
It’s like going off searching for footprints although the elephant is right there.
You may scan the entire three-thousand-fold universe,
But it is impossible that you will find more than the mere name of Buddha.

Webcast of His Holiness the Dalai Lama Teachings in September

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Teachings in September--Teachings begin September 8, 2010

The official website of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will webcast the three-teaching at the main Buddhist temple in Dharamshala beginning Wednesday, September 8, 2010.

Dharamshala: His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give three-day teachings on The Heart Sutra (sherab nyingpo) and Gyalsey Thokme Sangpo's 37 Practices of A Bodhisattva (gyalsey laklen sodunma) at the request of a group from Southeast Asia. The teachings will be held at the Main Tibetan Temple in Dharamsala, from 8 - 10 September 2010.

There will be two sessions each day from approximately 9:30am-11:30am and 1:00pm-3:00pm Indian Standard Time (GMT+5.30). For timings in your region 9:30am Indian Standard time on 8 September is the same as 9:00pm 7 September Pacific Daylight Time in Los Angeles, USA.

Live Webcast in English: View Here
Live Webcast in Tibetan: View Here
Live Webcast in Chinese: View Here

-News story from Tibet.net

Affirmation of the Bodhisattva Way of Life

I've taken the following entirely from Shantideva.net You can find a link to the site at the bottom of this page if you would like to read more, such as the Bodhisattva precepts. I like this affirmation very much. I find it to be inspiring and motivational. I hope you find it to be useful too.


Fording the Stream: An Affirmation of the Bodhisattva Way of Life


The principle that there is no distinction between doctrine and practice constitutes the basis of all Buddhist thought, no matter how much it may be lost in sectarian Buddhist ideas.

The Buddhist spiritual experience will reveal itself neither to the scholar nor to the conversationalist, but only to the man or woman who makes the central conceptions of Buddhist thought the basis of their mental activity, the subject of their deepest meditation, and the foundation of all their actions.

Every scriptural point is valid only to the extent that we engage it, embody it in our own learning and experience, upon the road to awakening.

Neither the nature nor the reality of the Bodhisattva Sangha, the grand fraternity which devotes its entire effort with one mind, one will and one over-riding thought, to the welfare and liberation of all beings, can be grasped by other means except by attunement to one's inner nature and nurture by a full joy and natural awe before the idea that there is no human aim higher than to understand the truth.

I know that every sacred pledge should be the result of deep thought and true feeling, and I will later reflect in silence, enriched by contemplation, and carry this pledge over into daily manifestation.

I know that there is no external fount to which I direct that pledge.

Thus I direct that pledge not to human creatures or an external being, but to the Buddha-nature that is being awakened within me.

I know that the essential nobility, the germ of Buddhahood is within myself, and will dissolve any mental inhibiting view of myself that masks that nobility and will help all others to do so.

I know that this pledge can be taken by anyone at any time, but the level of thought and intensity with which it is taken will determine the force and reliability of its execution.

To be able to take one's place in the glorious company of Bodhisattvas is not to assume that one can, purely on one's own, fulfil this exalted aim. But once one has truly affirmed it, no other aim has any comparable significance.


The Liberation of All Sentient Creatures

Although I pledge to save every being, I recognise what the Buddha declared, that there are no individual sentient beings to be saved.

Thus I understand that I must develop a view of the essential unity of all things and must see that unity reflected in every apparently separate living creature.

I understand that while I see fragmented consciousness on the worldly plane, due to the fragmentation of my own consciousness, I will look yet more profoundly and see the thread that unites all consciousness.

I understand that the apparent individualized consciousness reflected in the individual natures is the universal consciousness of all things.

I understand that the Bodhisattva recognising the higher within himself thereby recognises the higher within others.


The Unattainable

I understand that the ideal of helping all sentient creatures is an ideal that cannot ever be fully attained and yet I will throw my whole being into its achievement.

I will see my Bodhisattva pledge as a pledge to carry the flame of the truth of the Dharma and to transmit that flame to all who are ready to receive. Thus one day all may be liberated. This is my pledge to save all sentient creatures.

While alive I will recognise of the connection between the moment of birth and the moment of death, of the intimate relationship between the pain of one human being and the sorrow of all humanity.


Difficulties

I understand that the prospect of such a vow is naturally perplexing to the lower mind, which is almost totally ignorant of the priorities of the true nature and knows very little about this life.

I know that if this pledge is taken prematurely, lacking this sense of necessity, it will precipitate difficulties, generate a sense of culpability with transgression, generate tortured anxiety about the nature of my personal path, involve futile comparisons and contrasts with other human beings, make me feel isolated and alone. But out of all these Mara generated experiences there will come a future ripeness.

I know that those who have well traveled the Bodhisattva path, who have taken the vow again and again, know that soon after one has made such an affirmation, one is going to be tested. I shall overcome.


Serving

I perceive that my own true interest and liberation is bound up in serving others to the utmost, and I will develop the supreme wisdom to know at any given time, in any particular context, what the true self-interest of another is.

I perceive that living correctly in accord with the Dharma as a Bodhisattva, is doubtless the noblest endeavour conceivable for any human being anywhere on earth in the past present or the future.

I perceive that the Bodhisattva is more than a human creature with a generous heart. It is the becoming of an ideal. Thus the potential life of others can be reflected in me. My Buddha-nature is to be found in every man and universal brotherhood must by my behaviour be seen to be attainable by every human creature that is aware.

I perceive that this ideal is not imposed as an idea. The Bodhisattva state is a natural state within each human creature which has been covered with a blanket of Ignorance. I shall remove that blanket of ignorance.

I perceive that I must look for the potential virtue and correctness in others, and see that there does exist so much potential for the common good in others, that I will be capable of handling judgements of their limitations.

I perceive that it is important not to forget our true human heritage, our real nature and, thus, will travel securely upon the Eightfold Path, free from the pressures of social and personal relationships.


Imperfection

I understand that there is another kind of suffering, both more tragic and nobler. It is the suffering for others. I see that I must helplessly observe countless humans destroy themselves and one another, committing useless acts of physical and psychological violence, yet find no individual fault in them.

I know that the Bodhisattva is imperfect and suffers frustration, but I must stand and watch this, and not be caught into egoistic suffering.

I know that I must stand as witness to seemingly perpetual personal degradation and yet see the untouched purity of our Buddha-nature.


Sacrifice

I know that I must live in this world, seeking the true interest of every sentient creature, in detachment from clinging and craving the world of the senses.

I know that the Bodhisattva path requires the sacrifice of Identity, beginning with universal mind and ending with the smallest element of existence. This sacrifice and compassion is the same thing.

Every word and each day is like an incarnation. Thus I will allow myself to be reborn in wisdom each second with my mind always open and receptive to the dharma.


The Recognition of the Bodhisattva Pledge

I recognise that a human being with a wavering mind and a fickle heart may utter this pledge, but I will authentically affirm it in the name of my true Buddha-nature. Thus I will develop the full potency of this pledge and practice restraint and thereby established a high degree of reliability in my life and human relationships.

I recognise the power of this pledge and seek its realisation, but know that failure carries no guilt or shame, it carries even stronger resolution after apparent failure to succeed, forgetting the folly of the past.

I recognise the possibility of failure and the possibility of forgetfulness, but somewhere deep in myself I wish to be measured and tested by this pledge.

I recognise that this pledge is unconditional, and releases the spiritual will, and with it brings my highest self-respect and respect for others who have taken this pledge. I will open my wisdom-seeking mind, the seed of awakening.

I recognise that a drop of water is no different than the ocean and that a candle flame is no different than the sun; the small mirrors the large.

Thus, my pledge mirrors the vibrant pledge of all Bodhisattvas. Thus offered, it is powerful and supreme.

I recognise that persons with greater wisdom than myself have taken precisely such a vow and have affirmed this pledge time and time again. Therefore, with this pledge I am, however frail, however feeble, a part of the family of those who are the self-chosen, united with all unknown but unvanquished friends of the human race and members of the noble family.


Bodhisattva Qualities

I will make many discoveries upon this Bodhisattva path, but the hardest lesson to learn is patience and persistence. This is a pledge in favour of selfless service, and it cannot ever be premature. It will develop that patience and persistence.

I know that inexhaustible are the ways of compassion of wise beings. True Compassion cannot really be weighed or measured.

I will reject mundane compassion and develop the true Compassion that is not pity, empathy, or sorrow for others, but an enlightened application of the energy of Compassion that is understanding and joyful in the intention to help others help themselves.

I will develop the true Benevolence that is not social charity or hedonistic giving, but a giving in which there is a sacrifice of my own Identity as a giver.

I will develop that Benevolent love also in my capacity to receive without the Identity of a receiver, because I know that sometimes it is difficult to know how to receive both the Benevolence and Compassion of others.

I will develop true Happiness that is selfless and comes from within, being unaffected by the world of the senses. Thus the aura of constant well-being will surround me..

I will develop a true Equanimity in front of criticism and assaults upon both my apparent body and mind.

I will develop a true Equanimity in the face of praise and rewards.

I will develop Equanimity, which is not Intellectual indifference.

Thus if someone helps me or harms me may I regard that person as my best teacher.

I will remain constantly aware that all creatures feel pain and that human creatures suffer, though many do not see that suffering in the false happiness of the senses that they experience. Thus I will help all, being tolerant of human imperfections and lack of vision.

I will develop true introspection, free critical enquiry and growth for the benefit of all sentient creatures.

I will develop the wisdom to see through false worldly differences based upon Duality, such as capable versus inept, physical versus mental, the intelligent versus the unintelligent or self versus others. I will develop Prajna as the "non-discriminating mind," where the clinging to the dual notion of self and other objects is absent.


The Affirmation of the Bodhisattva Pledge

I commit myself to correct Attitudes with Joy, correct Intentions with Compassion, correct Actions with Benevolent love, and Equanimity with Bliss for the welfare of all beings and will gradually establish myself in the practice of a Bodhisattva.

I will not violate the purity of this faultless, noble Family.

Everywhere and always will I live and strive for the liberation of every creature throughout the world from the bonds of conditioned existence.

Everywhere and always I will respect the abundance of nature, both animals and other life forms, observing the natural law of the Dharma as a guardian without seeking dominance.

The Sugatas of former times committed themselves to the Bodhisattva path, gradually establishing themselves in the practice of a Bodhisattva. So, I too commit myself to growth upon this path for the welfare of all beings and will gradually establish myself in the practice of a Bodhisattva.

I pledge union in the Bodhisattva Sangha as a son/daughter of the Buddha. My birth as a human being has become fruitful and justified, joined with all sentient beings in the light of the Dharma.

This I pledge before all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, past, present, and future.

Source