37 Practices of a Bodhisattva

7/26/2019 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva

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37 Practices of a Bodhisattva

A Summary of How an Awakening Being Behavesby Tog-me Zong-po (Thogs.med bzang.po, !"#-$%&'

amo )okesvaraya*ou who see +ha+ eperiene has no oming or going,*e+ pour your energy soey in+o heping beings,/y eeen+ +eahers and )ord A Seeing,0 humby and ons+an+y honor wi+h my body, speeh, and mind.

The fuy awake, +he buddhas, soure of 1oy and we-being,A ome from in+egra+ing +he nobe 2ay.Beause in+egra+ion depends on your knowing how +o pra+ie,0 wi epain +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++vas.

3igh+ now, you have a good boa+, fuy e4uipped and avaiabe 5 hard +o 6nd.To free o+hers and you from +he sea of samsara,7ay and nigh+, fuy aer+ and presen+,S+udy, re8e+, and medi+a+e 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

!A++ra+ion +o +hose ose +o you a+hes you in i+s urren+s9Aversion +o +hose who oppose you burns inside90ndi:erene +ha+ ignores wha+ needs +o be done is a bak hoe.)eave your homeand 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.$7on;+ engage dis+urbanes and rea+ive emo+ions graduay fade away97on;+ engage dis+ra+ions and spiri+ua pra+ie na+uray grows9


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?)oked up in +he prison of +heir own pa++erning2hom an ordinary gods pro+e+@2ho an you oun+ on for refuge@>o for refuge in +he Three ewes 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

The su:ering in +he ower reams is reay hard +o endure.The Sage says i+ is +he resu+ of des+ru+ive a+ions.=or +ha+ reason, even if your ife is a+ risk,7on;+ engage in des+ru+ive a+ions 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

&The happiness of +he +hree words disappears in a momen+,)ike a dewdrop on a bade of grass.The highes+ eve of freedom is one +ha+ never hanges.Aim for +his 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

C0f a your mo+hers, who ove you,Su:er for +ime wi+hou+ beginning, how an you be happy@To free imi+ess sen+ien+ beings,>ive rise +o awakening mind 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

A su:ering omes from wan+ing your own happiness.Dompe+e awakening arises from +he in+en+ion +o hep o+hers.So, ehange ompe+ey your happiness=or +he su:ering of o+hers 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

!Even if someone, driven by despera+e wan+,S+eas, or makes someone ese s+ea, every+hing you own,7edia+e +o him your body, your wea+h, andA +he good you;ve ever done or wi do 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

$Even if you have done no+hing wrong a+ aAnd someone s+i +ries +o +ake your head o:,Spurred by ompassion,Take a his or her evi in+o you 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

"Even if someone broadas+s +o +he whoe universeSanderous and ugy rumors abou+ you,0n re+urn, wi+h an open and aring hear+,Fraise his or her abii+ies 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

#

Even if someone humiia+es you and denounes you


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0n fron+ of a rowd of peope,Think of +his person as your +eaherAnd humby honor him 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

%Even if a person you have ared for as your own hidTrea+s you as his or her wors+ enemy,)avish him or her wi+h oving a++en+ion)ike a mo+her aring for her i hid 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

?Even if your peers or subordina+es,Fu+ you down +o make +hemseves ook be++er,Trea+ +hem respe+fuy as you woud your +eaherGFu+ +hem above you 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

2hen you are down and ou+, hed in on+emp+,7espera+ey i, and emo+ionay razed,7on;+ ose hear+. Take in+o you

The su:ering and nega+ivi+y of a beings 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

&Even when you are famous, honored by a,And as rih as +he god of wea+h himsef,7on;+ be pompous.


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A forms of su:ering are ike dreaming +ha+ your hid has died.Taking onfusion as rea wears you ou+.2hen you run in+o misfor+une,)ook a+ i+ as onfusion 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

!#0f +hose who wan+ +o be awake have +o give even +heir bodies,2ha+ need is +here +o +ak abou+ +hings +ha+ you simpy own.

Be generous, no+ ooking=or any re+urn or resu+ 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

!%0f you an;+ +end +o your needs beause you have no mora disipine,Then in+ending +o +ake are of +he needs of o+hers is simpy a 1oke.bserve e+hia behavior wi+hou+ onern=or onven+iona eis+ene 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

!?=or bodhisa++vas who wan+ +o be rih in vir+ue

A person who hur+s you is a preious +reasure.Du+iva+e pa+iene for everyone,Dompe+ey free of irri+a+ion or resen+men+ 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

!)is+eners and soi+ary buddhas, working ony for +heir own wefare,Are seen +o pra+ie as if +heir heads were on 6re.To hep a beings, pour your energy in+o pra+ieG0+;s +he soure of a abii+ies 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

on+inued on ne+ page

!&Inders+anding +ha+ emo+iona rea+ions are disman+edBy insigh+ suppor+ed by s+iness,Du+iva+e medi+a+ive s+abii+y +ha+ passes righ+ byThe four formess s+a+es 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

$C2i+hou+ wisdom, +he 6ve perfe+ionsAre no+ enough +o a++ain fu awakening.Du+iva+e wisdom, endowed wi+h skiAnd free from +he +hree domains 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

$0f you don;+ go in+o your own onfusion,*ou may 1us+ be a ma+eriais+ in pra+i+ioner;s o+hing.Dons+an+y go in+o your own onfusionAnd pu+ an end +o i+ 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

$!*ou undermine yoursef when you rea+ emo+ionay and

>rumbe abou+ +he imperfe+ions of o+her bodhisa++vas.


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f +he imperfe+ions of +hose who have en+ered +he >rea+ 2ay,7on;+ say any+hing 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

$$2hen you s4uabbe wi+h o+hers abou+ s+a+us and rewards,*ou undermine earning, re8e+ion, and medi+a+ion.)e+ go of any inves+men+ in your famiy irer +he ire of +hose who suppor+ you 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

$"Abusive anguage upse+s o+hersAnd undermines +he e+his of a bodhisa++va.So, don;+ upse+ peope orSpeak abusivey 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

$#2hen rea+ive emo+ions a4uire momen+um, i+;s hard +o make remedies work.A person in a++en+ion wieds remedies ike weapons,Drushing rea+ive emo+ions suh as ravingAs soon as +hey arise 5 +his is +he pra+ie of a bodhisa++va.

$%0n shor+, in every+hing you do,


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Tog-me, +he monk, a +eaher of srip+ure and ogi, omposed +his +e+ in a avenear +he +own of gJhu 3inhen for his own and o+hers; bene6+.

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37 Practices of a Bodhisattva