HH the 100th Ganden Tri Rinpoche
-
Supreme Spiritual Head of the Gelugpa Tradition
speaks on
Attaining the highest bliss of Buddhahood that we may relieve all beings of their sufferings |
Introduction
At the outset, develop the proper motivation to listen to the
Buddha's teachings, preferably, in tune with Bodhicitta, the aspiration
to attain Buddhahood so that one could be of ultimate benefit
to all sentient beings.
So far, we have covered the practices up to the Middle Scope level,
slightly touched on the path to the Greater Scope, touched a bit
on how to develop a broad-based concern for all sentient beings.
On the basis of that, on how we cultivate Universal Compassion,
gradually leading up to the level of Bodhicitta.
Nagarjuna:
Universal Compassion, Bodhicitta and Emptiness
In this regard, the great Indian philosopher, Nagarjuna, has
said that for those who want to cultivate the highest aim for
oneself and others, there is no other way but through the cultivation
of Universal Compassion, Bodhicitta and the cultivation of the
unmistaken view of Emptiness. He said that these three are the
indispensable causes for attaining Buddhahood for oneself and
others. While describing these, Nagarjuna characterizes these
three indispensable causes by saying that amongst them, Universal
Compassion is the indispensable cause for advancement to Bodhicitta.
Universal Compassion does not know of any discrimination towards
sentient beings.
On the basis of this kind of compassion, one then moves ahead
to develop Bodhicitta. This Bodhcitta should be so strongly built
that it cannot waver at all or be moved by any kind of wayward
thought. It should be firm like Mount Meru.
Along with Universal Compassion and Bodhicitta, one should develop
an unmistaken understanding of Reality - Emptiness. Emptiness
should be understood in its proper perspective relative to the
2 Extremes.
Cultivation of Universal Compassion as the
root cause for Buddhahood
Here, Nagarjuna very clearly specifies that amongst the three,
it is the cultivation of Universal Compassion that is the root.
It is from the root of Universal Compassion that one can then
develop Bodhicitta and the unmistaken view of Emptiness.
In this regard, a quote has been cited from the work of Acharya
Dharmakirti that Buddhahood is to be developed through familiarisation,
or through development of the great Universal Compassion and it
is this compassion which is the root cause and the route to advancement
towards Buddhahood.
According to quotes from the Scriptures, it stated that Buddhahood
is neither granted by someone else, nor is it held by someone
to be requested to be given to you. It is rather dependent upon
one's own efforts. One's own efforts are again referred back to
the need to cultivate Universal Compassion, eventually developing
Bodhicitta and then along with them, conjoining these two with
the unmistaken understanding of Emptiness. Through the combination
of these three, one can advance towards Buddhahood which is the
Ultimate State where one can be of ultimate benefit to oneself
and others.
Take the case of our own historical Buddha. He wasn't a buddha
from beginningless time. He was, like us, confused at one time.
But through His cultivation of Universal Compassion, Bodhicitta
and the unmistaken view of Emptiness, through His efforts for
so long a time, He eventually excelled all of us and attain the
state of Buddhahood, being of ultimate reliable benefit to all
sentient beings.
Again here, to remind ourselves, the root, the beginning effort
should be to develop Universal Compassion.
How to develop Universal Compassion ??
As we discussed earlier, Universal Compassion, a genuine, spontaneous
sense of concern towards all sentient beings, wishing all sentient
beings to be free from all sufferings can only be generated, experienced
once we have gone through the sufferings on our own and have developed
a strong urge to be free from that and thus from initial concern
that focuses on oneself, one extends it to all sentient beings.
Genuine universal compassion, to be developed within us, then
serves as the stepping stone to develop Bodhicitta. Universal
Compassion, Bodhicitta, together with the understanding of Emptiness,
these three, can then be a viable cause for one's eventual attainment
of Buddhahood which is what great practitioners wish for the benefit
of oneself and others.
How to develop Bodhicitta ??
In terms of how to go about developing Bodhicitta, we all know
that we have to first begin by experiencing or understanding the
suffering nature of samsara on oneself. Through such exploration,
we will have gained a deep enough understanding of the suffering
nature of samsara on oneself. From this will arise a strong urge
to be free from the suffering for oneself.
Following, we can then extend such a concern towards others since
others are equally steeped in such sufferings as oneself. Besides,
others are more important then oneself on many grounds even if
only from the point of view of numbers, others are more important
than oneself. Also, from the point of view of how they have been
kind to us from beginningless time, we can also generate a sense
of closeness towards them. Thus, through such approaches, we can
develop a natural sense of concern towards others when we see
that they are inflicted with suffering and a sense of rejoicing
towards others when we see that they are experiencing happiness.
This is the way to go about developing Bodhicitta.
First, reflect the suffering nature on oneself and then exchange
that to others. From seeing the suffering nature of others, we
develop a strong sense of concern in the form of compassion.
With this strong sense of compassion being familiarised again
and again, developing further and further, we can then eventually
see how no matter how strong our wish for others to be free from
suffering, we ourselves lack that ability to effect the wish to
free others from suffering. Through reflection on our own ability,
we can see that we lack the ability of even making oneself fully
happy and fully joyful and thus the question of making other sentient
beings happy, adorned with lasting sense of happiness is completely
out of question.
So, through such an understanding of one's own inability at the
moment, no matter how strong our wish for others to free from
suffering, we will have to come to a definite conclusive understanding
of how we will be unable to do so unless we attain Buddhahood.
Buddhahood being defined where we will be completely free from
the two obscurations of Liberation and Omniscience. Through the
complete elimination of these two obstructions and full development
of the qualities of love, compassion, skilfulness and others,
we can eventually benefit all sentient beings in an ultimate sense,
without any shortage of ability or insight on our part.
So, in this way, we will develop a conviction that it is by the
attainment of Buddhahood that we can fulfill the aspiration to
free all other sentient beings from their sufferings. Thus, we
will wish to attain Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings.
This is the Bodhicitta.
Bodhicitta: transcends all, the unparalleled
way to accumulate positivities and to overcome negativities
In the Bodhisattva Charya Vatara by Shantideva, it is said
that once we have developed or once we have exerted to the point
of developing Bodhicitta, from that point onwards, one has become
a completely transformed being. One has become a being worthy
of respect, not just by humans but also by celestial beings. All
over samsara, one has excelled over all sentient beings in terms
of one's spiritual achievements, spiritual developments.
From that point onwards, all of our activities, all of the actions
issuing from our body, speech and mind will be conjoined and influenced
by Bodhicitta. Thus, even in our sleep and distractions, one will
also be influenced by Bodhicitta. During these occasions also,
we will be accumulating nothing but positivities. We will gain
such a strength of positivities to the point where it will outshine
all of our past positivities.
The positivities are likened to a big inferno or big flame that
is capable of burning or consuming all kinds of negativities that
we may have accumulated in the past.
From the point of developing Bodhicitta, we will have become a
completely transformed person as from thence, we will only be
accumulating positivities and purifying all our negativites that
we have accumulated in the past.
Bodhicitta becomes a pure way by which we advance towards the
attainment of Buddhahood.
Again, Bodhicitta is rooted in Universal Compassion or great compassion.
In terms of the accumulation of merit through the cultivation
of great compassion and Bodhicitta, it is said that the amount
of merit accumulated from an instance of developing genuine compassion
and genuine Bodhicitta is incalculable and as vast as space.
Asanga, Maitreya, a bitch and the maggots
In this regard, we find accounts of how Acharya Asanga spent twelve
years in meditation to have a vision of Buddha Maitreya. He exerted
so much throughout those years but still he could not have a vision.
He lost heart and came out of his meditation cave. He was walking
towards town when all of a sudden, he came across a female dog
totally infected by maggots on the lower part of her body. She
was being eaten away by thousands and thousands of maggots. Asanga
felt so much compassion towards the maggots and towards the female
dog. He was wondering how to relieve both the maggots and the
female dog. The maggots themselves are so delicate that to pick
them up with the hand will kill them instantly. Asange was so
strongly motivated by compassion. To save both the maggots and
the dog, Asanga cut a piece of flesh from his own body so that
the maggots can have a safe place to stay after he licked the
maggots off the dog with his tongue. Under such strong compassion,
he reached out his tongue with the eyes closed. No matter how
much closer he went, he could not touch the dog. Asanga opened
his eyes and saw Lord Maitreya there in all His glory. In shock,
he slipped into saying to Lord Maitreya, "You seemed to lack
compassion towards meditators. I have exerted so much effort over
the past twelve years but could not get close to having a vision
until now!" Lord Maireya, however, has always been close
to Asanga even on the very first day of his entering retreat.
It is due to the strong and thick defilements that were obscuring
Acharya Asanga that he could not see Maitreya. Thus, he came to
understand that the very reason why he could not get a vision
was because of the defilements weighing down on his mental continuum.
It is due to the strong genuine compassion towards the female
dog, in actuality, the emanation of Lord Maitreya Himself, through
the development of genuine compassion that he could clear out
the obscurations.
This speaks of the great strength, great effectiveness and great
power of genuine compassion directed towards all sentient beings
without exception. Since it is developed towards all sentient
beings without any discrimination, without any differentiation,
even if it is developed only for a single moment, the merit accumulated
is equal to the number of sentient beings which in turn is equal
to limitless space.
Butcher soars the skies
We also find an account of a butcher who lives in Lhasa. The butcher
used to kill so many cows and sheeps all day in his house. He
killed them one by one. The demand was so great that he would
kill several of them everyday. Once, he took a short break and
went out to refresh himself. When he returned, he saw that his
cleaver, used for killing the animals, was not to be found anywhere.
When he looked around, he found out that it was hidden under the
earth, dug and buried there by the animals themselves. He looked
at the animals. Tears were dripping from the animals' eyes and
their bodies were shivering with fear. He realised how much suffering
he has been bringing to the animals even before they were subjected
to the excruciating pain of getting hacked to death. The butcher
developed a strong sense of compassion towards the animals and
a strong sense of aversion towards his own deeds. He was so moved
with compassion that he felt he would rather end his own life
than to continue with what he was doing. He went up a hill and
sought to kill himself. But since that was born out of a strong
sense of compassion towards sentient beings, instead of falling
down and crashing to death, he actually flew to the other side
of the hill.
At that time, there happened to be a meditator in the same area
and the meditator happened to know the person by his profession.
When the meditator saw the butcher capable of flying over from
one part of the hill to the other side, he thought that if even
if such a sinful person can do so, then he, who has spent so many
years in meditation can definitely do likewise. So he went up
the same hill and threw himself down . He fell and died instantly!
This shows how powerful Universal Compassion is once it is generated
purely within us in its purest aspect and how effective it is
in clearing away the negativities no matter how strong the load
of negativities we have in our mental continuum. Developing genuine
compassion and Bodhicitta is definitely worthwhile.
For the complete set of Lam-Rim teachings, "The Jewel
Ornament of Liberation", by HH the 100th Ganden Tri Rinpoche,
please contact the Charitable Assistance Society of Thousand-Arm Chenrezig. By e-mail, Kunga: CASonline-owner@yahoogroups.com By phone, Kunga: 98569721, Sengge: 98569720 - both after 5 pm. His Holiness's teachings are available in Video Tapes, VCDs, Cassette Tapes and CDs. Publications are forthcoming. |