Cultivation of Bodhicitta

Everything in this text has been leading here. The contemplations on impermanence stripped away complacency. The teachings on suffering dissolved the illusion that samsara could satisfy. Karma revealed the mechanism. Compassion cracked open the heart. Refuge provided the ground. All of this was preparation for what happens now: the generation of bodhicitta.

Bodhicitta — the awakening mind — is the defining characteristic of the Mahayana. Without it, you cannot achieve Buddhahood regardless of how many other practices you perform. With it, you have entered the great vehicle. Shantideva compared it to the philosopher's stone that transforms base metal into gold. Gampopa treats it with the same reverence, presenting twelve aspects that reveal its full depth and power:

Foundation, essence, classification, Objectives, cause, from whom you receive it, Method, beneficial effects, disadvantages of losing it, The cause of losing it, method of repairing, and training— These twelve comprise the cultivation of bodhicitta.

II. Essence

The essence of bodhicitta is the desire to achieve perfect, complete enlightenment for others' benefit. The Ornament of Clear Realization says:

Cultivation of bodhicitta is the desire for perfect, complete enlightenment for others' benefit.

III. Classification

Three aspects: simile, demarcation, and primary characteristics.

A. The Twenty-Two Similes

Arya Maitreya classified bodhicitta through similes ranging from ordinary beings to Buddhahood:

Earth, gold, moon, fire, Treasure, jewel mine, ocean, Vajra, mountain, medicine, spiritual master, Wish-fulfilling jewel, sun, melody, King, treasury, highway, Conveyance, well, Elegant sound, river, and cloud— Thus, these are the twenty-two similes.

Path of Accumulation (ordinary level):

1. Earth — Earnest desire is the basis for all virtuous qualities
2. Gold — General intention never changes until enlightenment
3. Waxing moon — Altruistic thought increases all virtues

Path of Application: 4. Fire — Earnest application burns away obscurations to omniscience

Path of Seeing and Meditation (Ten Bhumis): 5. Treasure — Perfection of generosity satisfies all beings 6. Jewel mine — Moral ethics is the source of precious qualities 7. Ocean — Patience is not disturbed by undesirable conditions 8. Vajra — Perseverance cannot be destroyed 9. Mount Meru — Meditative concentration is not scattered by thoughts 10. Medicine — Discriminating wisdom heals afflictions 11. Spiritual master — Skillful means never forsakes beings 12. Wish-fulfilling jewel — Aspiration prayer accomplishes all wishes 13. Sun — Strength fully ripens trainees 14. Melodious sound — Primordial wisdom gives teachings to inspire

Special Bodhisattva Path: 15. Great king — Special clairvoyance benefits without restriction 16. Treasury — Merit and wisdom store accumulations 17. Highway — Enlightenment branches are followed by Noble Ones 18. Conveyance — Compassion and insight proceed without deviation 19. Well — Recollection and confidence hold Dharma inexhaustibly

Buddha's Level: 20. Elegant sound — Grove of Dharma proclaims beautiful teachings 21. River current — Path of one direction benefits without diversion 22. Cloud — Dharmakaya manifests for all beings' benefit

B. Four Demarcations

1. Bodhicitta with interest — Level of interested behavior
2. Bodhicitta with altruistic thought — First to seventh bhumi
3. Bodhicitta in full maturation — Eighth to tenth bhumi
4. Bodhicitta with removed veils — Level of Buddhahood

The Ornament of Mahayana Sutra says:

The cultivation of an enlightened attitude Is accompanied at the various levels By interest, altruistic thought, Full maturation, and likewise abandonment of the veils.

C. Primary Characteristics: Ultimate and Relative

The Clarification of Thought Sutra says:

There are two classes of bodhicitta: ultimate bodhicitta and relative bodhicitta.

Ultimate Bodhicitta: Pervading emptiness endowed with the essence of compassion—clear, unmoving, free from elaboration. It arises at the first bhumi through realization of Dharmata.

The mind of ultimate enlightenment is beyond the world, free from all elaborations, the supremely pure, subject of the ultimate—stainless, unmoving, and very clear like the continuity of a lamp sheltered from the wind.

Relative Bodhicitta: Vowing to liberate all sentient beings from suffering through compassion. It is obtained through ritual ceremony.

Relative bodhicitta vows to liberate all sentient beings from suffering through compassion.

Relative bodhicitta has two classifications: aspiration and action.

In Shantideva's lineage (from Nagarjuna/Manjushri):

• Aspiration is like wishing to go—contemplating the desire to achieve Buddhahood
• Action is like actually going—taking action to accomplish the goal

In Dharmakirti's lineage (from Asanga/Maitreya):

• Aspiration is commitment to the fruition: "I will achieve Buddhahood for all beings"
• Action is commitment to the cause: "I will train in the six paramitas"

IV. Objectives

Bodhicitta has two objectives: enlightenment and sentient beings.

Enlightenment means searching for the primordial wisdom of the Great Vehicle.

Sentient beings means not one or two or some, but all sentient beings pervading space. The Aspiration Prayer for Proper Conduct Sutra says:

Limitless is the extent of space, Limitless is the number of sentient beings, And limitless are the karma and delusions of beings— Such are the limits of my aspirations.

V. Causes

The Ten Dharmas Sutra gives four causes:

1. Seeing the beneficial effects of bodhicitta
2. Developing devotion for the Thus-gone One
3. Seeing the suffering of all sentient beings
4. The inspiration of a spiritual master

The Bodhisattva Bhumis adds:

1. The perfect, noble family
2. Fully attending the Buddha, bodhisattvas, and spiritual masters
3. Cultivating compassion for all sentient beings
4. Having fearlessness toward long, varied, harsh sufferings

For relative bodhicitta arising from ceremony, five powers determine stability:

• Power of friends (spiritual master's advice) — unstable
• Power of cause (Mahayana family) — stable
• Power of root of virtue — stable
• Power of hearing teachings — stable
• Power of virtuous tendencies — stable

For ultimate bodhicitta:

When the Perfectly Enlightened One is pleased, When the accumulation of merits and perfect wisdom is well gathered, When there is nonconceptual thought, perfect wisdom in the Dharma, That is held to be the ultimate bodhicitta.

VI. From Whom You Receive It

Two systems: with a spiritual master or without.

With a master: Go to meet a qualified spiritual master (unless dangerous to life or precepts). The master's qualifications:

• Skill in conducting the vow ceremony
• Having received and kept the vow without decline
• Ability to display physical gestures and speak clearly
• Training disciples with compassion
• Not being interested in wealth

Without a master: If a qualified master is unavailable:

• Recite the liturgy three times before an image of the Buddha
• If no image available, visualize Buddhas and bodhisattvas in space

VII. Method (Ceremony)

Two lineages are presented.

A. Shantideva's Tradition (Nagarjuna/Manjushri Lineage)

Three parts: preparation, actual ceremony, conclusion.

1. Preparation (Six Subdivisions)

a) Making Offerings:

• Whether Triple Gem is present or not, equal merit
• Two types: surpassable (material wealth and meditation practice) and unsurpassable (practicing bodhicitta and meditating on selflessness)

b) Purifying Non-virtues through the Four Powers:

(1) Power of Remorse — Generating regret through:

• Investigating the meaninglessness of non-virtue
• Investigating fear of its result (at approach of death, while dying, after death)
• Investigating the need to be free quickly

Example: Angulimala, who killed 999 persons, attained Arhatship through full remorse.

(2) Power of Antidote — Practice of virtue to exhaust afflictions:

• Meditation on emptiness
• Reading profound sutras
• Reciting mantras
• Making offerings to stupas
• Making Buddha images
• Listening to and reading teachings

One virtue can annihilate many evils, as fire burns all grass.

Example: Udayana, who killed his mother, was reborn in god realm through practicing antidotes.

(3) Power of Resolve — Through fear of future ripening, cease to commit evil:

I beseech all the Guides of the World To please accept my evils and wrongs, Since these are not good, In the future I shall do them no more.

Example: Nanda, who was very attached to a woman, attained Arhatship through resolve.

(4) Power of Reliance — Taking refuge and cultivating bodhicitta:

Like entrusting myself to a brave man when greatly afraid, By entrusting myself to this [Awakening Mind] I shall be swiftly liberated Even if I have committed extremely unbearable evils.

Example: Ajatashatru, who killed his father, became a bodhisattva through reliance.

Signs of purification appear in dreams: vomiting bad food, drinking milk, seeing sun and moon, walking in sky, seeing fires, climbing elephants or mountains, hearing Dharma.

c) Rejoicing in Virtues — Rejoicing in all root virtues of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, Solitary Realizers, Hearers, and ordinary beings.

d) Requesting Dharma Teachings

e) Beseeching Not to Take Parinirvana

f) Dedication of Root Virtue

2. Actual Ceremony

From Engaging in the Conduct of Bodhisattvas:

Just as the previous Sugatas Gave birth to an awakening mind, And just as they successively dwelt In the bodhisattva practices— Likewise for the sake of all that live Do I give birth to an awakening mind, And likewise shall I too Successively follow the practices.

Repeat three times.

3. Conclusion

Make offerings in appreciation and meditate on vast joy.

B. Dharmakirti's Tradition (Asanga/Maitreya Lineage)

Two parts: aspiration bodhicitta and action bodhicitta vow.

1. Aspiration Bodhicitta

Preparation:

• Supplication to qualified master
• Gathering accumulations (offerings according to means)
• Special refuge

Actual Ceremony: Master gives instructions on space pervading sentient beings, sentient beings pervaded by afflictions, afflictions pervading karma, karma pervading suffering. Then loving-kindness and compassion meditation.

The disciple repeats: "...from now on until I achieve perfect, unsurpassed enlightenment, I will cultivate the mind of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment for the deliverance of all those sentient beings who have not crossed, to release those who are not released, to help those who have not found the breath to expel it, and to help those who have not achieved the full nirvana to achieve it."

The four phrases mean:

• "Not crossed" — beings in lower realms to be established in higher realms
• "Not released" — beings bound by afflictions to be established in liberation
• "Not found the breath" — Hearers and Solitary Realizers to be established in Mahayana
• "Not achieved full nirvana" — bodhisattvas to attain Buddhahood

Conclusion: Great joy and explanation of trainings.

2. Action Bodhicitta Vow

Preparation: Ten subdivisions including supplication, explaining obstacles, explaining downfalls, gathering accumulations, encouragement.

Actual Ceremony: Master asks if disciple will accept the moral ethics of all bodhisattvas—restraint, accumulating virtues, and benefiting beings. Asked three times; respond "Yes" three times.

Conclusion: Announcement, explaining benefits, warning not to proclaim randomly, describing training, offering, dedication.

VIII. Beneficial Effects

A. Countable Effects

Eight Benefits of Aspiration Bodhicitta:

1. Entering the Mahayana
2. Becoming the basis for all bodhisattva training
3. Uprooting all evil deeds
4. Rooting unsurpassable enlightenment
5. Obtaining limitless merits
6. Pleasing all Buddhas
7. Becoming useful to all sentient beings
8. Quickly attaining perfect enlightenment

Two Additional Benefits of Action Bodhicitta:

1. One's own benefit arises continuously (even while sleeping or unconscious)
2. Benefit for others arises in various ways

B. Uncountable Effects

All good qualities arise from this time until Buddhahood—so many they are uncountable.

IX. Disadvantages of Losing Bodhicitta

Three faults:

1. One goes to the lower realms (by deceiving all sentient beings)
2. One fails to benefit others
3. It takes a long time to attain the bhumis

X. Causes of Losing Bodhicitta

Losing Aspiration Bodhicitta:

• Forsaking sentient beings
• Adopting the four unwholesome deeds
• Generating a mind disharmonious with virtue

Losing Action Bodhicitta:

• Four types of offenses committed through heavy afflicting emotions
• Giving up the training
• Generating wrong view
• Generating a non-harmonious mind
• Also: losing aspiration bodhicitta breaks action bodhicitta

XI. Method of Repairing

If aspiration bodhicitta is lost: Take it again through the ceremony.

If action bodhicitta is broken through loss of aspiration: Restore aspiration, and action is restored automatically.

If broken through other causes: Take the vow again.

If through the four offenses:

• Mediocre and small offenses: Confess before three bodhisattvas (mediocre) or one (small)
• Heavy offenses: Take the vow again
• One's own mind should be the witness