Before conceptual bodhicitta has deeply permeated one’s mental continuum, it almost inevitably discriminates among sentient beings without conscious awareness. This is because bodhicitta stands in direct opposition to self-grasping. Once self-grasping establishes a center of reference—the “self”—it immediately begins to distinguish between those who are beneficial to it and those who are not.
Those who benefit us are treated more favorably, while those who do not are regarded as present or future enemies. Conceptually, one may still uphold ideals such as “all sentient beings are equal” or “For the benefit of all sentient beings, I vow to attain Buddhahood.” Yet this remains merely intellectual understanding; one's knowledge and conduct are divided, because the heart has not genuinely embraced these truths. Such a mindset inevitably gives rise to countless forms of partiality and inequality.
This does not mean that we must treat every sentient being in exactly the same way outwardly. Rather, we should carefully examine our own minds: regardless of whether a person is attractive or unattractive, powerful or powerless, wealthy or poor, do we genuinely regard every sentient being as having once been our mother in a previous life? We recite and contemplate bodhicitta day after day—but have we ever truly taken it to heart? We should honestly examine ourselves.
Once we discover this gap between what we know and how we actually respond, we should recognize it is due to our own foolishness. Let us set aside, for the moment, whether such behavior is ignoble or shameful—for ordinary beings are naturally prone to this. But if we truly believe in the law of karma, then we should understand that acting in this way leads to the hell realms. To knowingly do what we understand to be harmful—what else is that but foolishness?
If we wish to free ourselves from such folly, we must take the Buddha’s teachings seriously, even if that means becoming the kind of “fool” or “eccentric” that the world laughs at. According to the law of cause and effect, the conduct of a bodhisattva can sometimes appear quite “abnormal,” running directly contrary to what ordinary people consider reasonable or sensible behavior.
Many people complain that their practice has reached a dead end, or that various obstacles continually arise. Perhaps it would be more productive to turn inward and examine whether bodhicitta has genuinely arisen in their minds.
—Excerpted and adapted from Genuine Bodhicitta and Conceptual Bodhicitta.
This article is a preliminary translation draft and has not yet been reviewed or proofread by the speaker.
Comments (0)