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Thirty-seven Bodhisattva Practices

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ThirtysevenBodhisattvaPractices
(2006LiteralTranslation) (rGyalsraslaglensobdunma) byTogmeyzangpo(Thogsmedbzangpo) translatedbyAlexanderBerzin,March2006 Originalversionpublishedin HisHolinessthe14thDalaiLama. FourEssentialBuddhistCommentaries Dharamsala,India:LibraryofTibetanWorks&Archives,1983. HomagetoLokeshvara. Iprostratealwaysrespectfully,throughmythreegateways, TothesupremegurusandtheGuardianAvalokiteshvarawho, Seeingthatallphenomenahavenocomingorgoing, Makeeffortssinglyforthebenefitofwanderingbeings. FullyenlightenedBuddhas,thesourcesofbenefitandhappiness, Havecomeaboutfrom(their)havingactualizedthehallowedDharma. Moreover,sincethatdependedon(their)havingknown whatitspracticesare, Ishallexplainabodhisattvaspractice.

PreciousHumanLife
(1)Abodhisattvaspracticeis,atthistimewhenwehaveobtained Thegreatship(ofahumanrebirth)withrespitesandenrichments, difficulttofind, Tolisten,think,andmeditateunwaveringly,dayandnight, Inordertofreeourselvesandothersfromtheocean ofuncontrollablyrecurringsamsara.

TheCircumstancesMostConduciveforTakingAdvantageofaPrecious HumanLife
(2)Abodhisattvaspracticeistoleaveourhomelands, Whereattachmenttothesideoffriendstossesuslikewater

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Angertowardthesideofenemiesburnsuslikefire Andnaivetysothatweforgetwhatstobeadoptedandabandoned cloaksusindarkness. (3)Abodhisattvaspracticeistorelyonseclusionwhere, Byhavingridourselvesofdetrimentalobjects, ourdisturbingemotionsandattitudesgraduallybecomestymied Bylackingdistractions,ourconstructivepracticesnaturallyincrease Andbyclearingourawareness,ourcertaintygrowsintheDharma.

DeathandImpermanence
(4)Abodhisattvaspracticeistogiveupconcern beingtotallywiththislifetime, Inwhichfriendsandrelationsalongtimetogether mustparttheirownways Wealthandpossessionsgatheredwitheffortmustbeleftbehind Andourconsciousness,theguest,mustdepartfromourbodies, itsguesthouse.

TheImportanceofHavingProperFriends
(5)Abodhisattvaspracticeistoridourselvesofbadfriends Withwhom,whenweassociate, ourthreepoisonousemotionscometoincrease Ouractionsoflistening,thinking,andmeditatingcometodecrease Andourloveandcompassionturntonil. (6)Abodhisattvaspracticeistocherishmorethanourbodies Ourhallowedspiritualmentors,towhom, Byentrustingourselves,ourfaultscometodeplete Andourgoodqualitiescometoexpandlikethewaxingmoon.

SafeDirection(Refuge)
(7)Abodhisattvaspracticeistotakesafedirection fromtheSupremeGems, Byseekingprotectionfromwhomweareneverdeceived Sincewhomcanworldlygodsprotect Whentheythemselvesarestillboundintheprisonofsamsara?

RefrainingfromDestructiveBehavior
(8)Abodhisattvaspracticeisnevertocommitanynegativeactions, Evenatthecostofourlives,becausetheAbleSagehasdeclared Thattheextremelydifficulttoenduresufferings oftheworsestatesofrebirth Aretheresultsofnegativeactions.

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WorkingforLiberation
(9)Abodhisattvaspracticeistotakekeeninterest Inthesupremeneverchangingstateofliberation, Asthepleasuresofthethreeplanesofcompulsiveexistence Arephenomenathatperishinamereinstant, likedewonthetipsofgrass.

DevelopingaBodhicittaAim
(10)Abodhisattvaspracticeistodevelopabodhichittaaim toliberatelimitlessbeings, Because,ifourmothers,whohavebeenkindtous Frombeginninglesstime,aresuffering, Whatcanwedowith(just)ourownhappiness?

ExchangingSelfwithOthers
(11)Abodhisattvaspracticeistopurelyexchange ourpersonalhappinessforthesufferingofothers, Because(all)oursufferings,withoutanexception, Comefromdesiringourpersonalhappiness, WhileafullyenlightenedBuddhaisbornfromtheattitude ofwishingotherswell.

BodhisattvaBehavior:DealingwithHarms
(12)Abodhisattvaspracticeis, Evenifsomeoneunderthepowerofgreatdesire Stealsorcausesotherstostealallourwealth, Todedicatetohimourbodies,resources, andconstructiveactionsofthethreetimes. (13)Abodhisattvaspracticeis, Evenifwhilewehaventtheslightestfaultourselves, Someoneweretochopoffourheads, Toacceptonourselveshisnegativeconsequences, throughthepowerofcompassion. (14)Abodhisattvaspracticeis, Evenifsomeoneweretopublicizethroughoutthethousand, million,billionworlds Allkindsofunpleasantthingsaboutus, Tospeakinreturnabouthisgoodqualities,withanattitudeoflove. (15)Abodhisattvaspracticeis, Evenifsomeoneexposesourfaultsorsaysfoulwords(aboutus) Inthemidstofagatheringofmanywanderingbeings,

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Tobowtohimrespectfully, distinguishingthat(hesour)spiritualteacher. (16)Abodhisattvaspracticeis,evenifaperson Whomwevetakencareof,cherishinghimlikeourownchild, Weretoregardusashisenemy,tohavespecialaffectionforhim, Likeamothertowardherchildstrickenwithanillness. (17)Abodhisattvaspracticeis, Evenifanindividual,ourequalorinferior, Weretotreat(us)insultinglyoutofthepowerofhisarrogance, Toreceivehimonthecrownofourheadsrespectfully,likeaguru.

TwoCriticalSituationsRequiringDharmaPractice
(18)Abodhisattvaspracticeis, Evenifwearedestituteinlivelihoodandalwaysinsultedbypeople, Orsickwithterriblediseases,orafflictedbyghosts, Toacceptonourselves,inreturn,thenegativeforcesandsufferings ofallwanderingbeingsandnotbediscouraged. (19)Abodhisattvaspracticeis,evenifwearesweetlypraised, Bowedtowiththeirheadsbymanywanderingbeings, Orhaveobtained(riches)comparabletothefortune ofVaishravana(theGuardianofWealth), Nevertobeconceited,byseeingthatworldlyprosperityhasnoessence.

OvercomingHostilityandAttachment
(20)Abodhisattvaspracticeistotameourmentalcontinuums Withthearmedforcesofloveandcompassion, Because,ifwehaventsubduedtheenemywhichisourownhostility, Thenevenifwehavesubduedanexternalenemy,morewillcome. (21)Abodhisattvaspracticeisimmediatelytoabandon Anyobjectsthatcauseourclingingandattachmenttoincrease, Forobjectsofdesirearelikesaltwater: Themorewehaveindulged(inthem, our)thirst(forthem)increases(inturn).

DevelopingDeepestBodhicitta,theRealizationofVoidness
(22)Abodhisattvaspracticeisnottotaketomind Inherentfeaturesofobjectstakenandmindsthattakethem, byrealizingjusthowthingsare. Nomatterhowthingsappear,theyarefromourownminds Andminditselfis,fromthebeginning, partedfromtheextremesofmentalfabrication.

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(23)Abodhisattvaspracticeis, Whenmeetingwithpleasingobjects, nottoregardthemastrulyexistent, Eventhoughtheyappearbeautifully,likeasummersrainbow, And(thus)toridourselvesofclingingandattachment. (24)Abodhisattvaspracticeis, Atthetimewhenmeetingwithadverseconditions, toseethemasdeceptive, Forvarioussufferingsarelikethedeathofourchildinadream Andtotake(such)deceptiveappearancestobetrueisatiresomewaste.

TheSixFarReachingAttitudes
(25)Abodhisattvaspracticeistogivegenerously Withouthopeforanythinginreturnandsomethingkarmictoripen, Because,ifthosewhowouldwishenlightenment mustgiveawayeventheirbodies, Whatneedtomentionexternalpossessions? (26)Abodhisattvaspracticeis Tosafeguardethicalselfdisciplinewithoutworldlyintents, Because,ifwecantfulfillourownpurposeswithoutethicaldiscipline, Thewishtofulfillthepurposesofothersisajoke. (27)Abodhisattvaspracticeistobuildupasahabitpatience, Withouthostilityorrepulsiontowardanyone, Because,forabodhisattvawishingforawealthofpositiveforce, Allwhocauseharmareequaltotreasuresofgems. (28)Abodhisattvaspracticeistoexertjoyfulperseverance, thesourceofgoodqualitiesforthepurposesofallwanderingbeings, Sincewecanseethatevenshravakasandpratyekabuddhas, Whowouldaccomplishonlytheirownpurposes, havesuchperseverance Thattheywouldturnfromafirethathasbrokenoutontheirheads. (29)Abodhisattvaspracticeistobuildupasahabit Amentalstabilitythatpurelysurpassesthefourformless(absorptions), Byrealizingthatanexceptionallyperceptivestateofmind, fullyendowedwithastilledandsettledstate, Cantotallyvanquishthedisturbingemotionsandattitudes. (30)Abodhisattvaspracticeistobuildupasahabit Thediscriminatingawarenessthatstogetherwithmethods andwhichhasnoconceptionsaboutthethreecircles, Becausewithoutdiscriminatingawareness,

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thefivefarreachingattitudes Cannotbringabouttheattainmentofcompleteenlightenment.

ABodhisattvasDailyPractice
(31)Abodhisattvaspracticeiscontinually toexamineourselfdeceptionandthenridourselvesofit, Because,ifwedonotexamineourselfdeceptionourselves, ItspossiblethatwithaDharmic(external)form WecancommitsomethingnonDharmic. (32)Abodhisattvaspracticeisnottospeakabout thefaultsofapersonwhohasenteredMahayana, Because,ifunderthepowerofdisturbingemotionsandattitudes, Wetalkaboutthefaultsofotherswhoarebodhisattvas, Weourselveswilldegenerate. (33)Abodhisattvaspracticeistoridourselvesofattachment Tohomesofrelativesandfriendsandhomesofpatrons, Because,underthepowerof(wanting)gainandrespect, Wewillquarrelwitheachotherandouractivitiesoflistening, thinking,andmeditatingwilldecline. (34)Abodhisattvaspracticeistoridourselvesofharshlanguage Displeasingtothemindsofothers, Becauseharshwordsdisturbothersminds Andcauseourbodhisattvawaysofbehaviortodecline. (35)Abodhisattvaspracticeistohavetheservicemen ofmindfulnessandalertnessholdtheopponentweapons Andforcefullytodestroydisturbingemotionsandattitudes, likeattachmentandsoforth,assoonastheyfirstarise, Because,whenwearehabituatedtodisturbingemotionsandattitudes, Itisdifficultforopponentstomakethemretreat. (36)Inshort,abodhisattvaspracticeis(towork) tofulfillthepurposesofothers Bycontinuallypossessingmindfulnessandalertnesstoknow, Nomatterwhereorwhatcourseofbehaviorwerefollowing, Howistheconditionofourminds. (37)Abodhisattvaspracticeis, withthediscriminatingawareness Ofthecompletepurityofthethreecircles, Todedicateforenlightenmenttheconstructiveforces realizedbyeffortslikethese, Inordertoeliminatethesufferingsoflimitlesswanderingbeings.

Conclusion

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Havingfollowedthewordsofthehallowedbeings Andthemeaningofwhathasbeendeclared inthesutras,tantras,andtreatises, Ihavearranged(these)practicesofbodhisattvas,thirtyandseven, Forthepurposesofthosewhowishtotraininthebodhisattvapath. Becausemyintelligenceisfeebleandmyeducationmeager, Theymaynotbeinpoeticmeterthatwouldpleasetheerudite. But,becauseIvereliedonthesutras andthewordsofthehallowedones, Ithinkthat(these)bodhisattvapracticesarenotdeceived. Nevertheless,sinceitisdifficultforsomeonedullwittedlikemyself Tofathomthedepthofthegreatwavesofbodhisattvabehavior, Irequestthehallowedonestobepatientwithmymassoffaults, Suchascontradictions,lackofconnection,andthelikes. Bytheconstructiveforcecomingfromthis,mayallwanderingbeings, Throughsupremedeepestandconventionalbodhichittas, BecomeequalstotheGuardianAvalokiteshvara, Whoneverabidesintheextremesofcompulsivesamsaricexistence ornirvaniccomplacency. ThishasbeencomposedinRinchencaveinNgulchubythedisciplinedmonkTogmey,ateacherofscripture andlogic,forthesakeofhisownandothersbenefit.

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