Bodhisattvacharyavatara

by Andreas Kretschmar | 246,740 words

The English translation of the Bodhisattvacharyavatara (“entering the conduct of the bodhisattvas”), a Sanskrit text with Tibetan commentary. This book explains the bodhisattva concept and gives guidance to the Buddhist practitioner following the Mahāyāna path towards the attainment of enlightenment. The text was written in Sanskrit by Shantideva ...

Examples like those Khenpo Kunpal quoted from the Niyatāniyatā-mudrāvatāra-sūtra are called ’unlikely examples’ [brtag pa mthar bzung gi dpe] or ’impossible examples’ [yongs mi srid pa’i dpe].

A bodhisattva who is devoted to the great vehicle [theg pa chen po la mos pa’i byang chub sems dpa’] refers to a bodhisattva who is on the paths of accumulation and of application [tshogs lam dang sbyor lam la bsdad mkhan gyi byang chub sems dpa’]. Such a bodhisattva is a beginning bodhisattva.

It is of special importance to help and support beginning bodhisattvas, whose bodhicitta is not strongly developed. Harming a beginning bodhisattva is a grave misdeed. As we cannot distinguish between beginning and advanced bodhisattvas, we should practice pure perception toward all beings. Therefore, Buddha Śākyamuni said,

“Except for me or those like me, beings should not fathom beings”

[nga dang nga ’dra ba ma gtogs gang zag gi tshod gang zag gis bzung ba mi bya’o].

This means that only the Buddha and tenth level bodhisattvas can truly distinguish the level of realization of other sentient beings. Only if we truly follow the conduct of a bodhisattva, do we avoid generating the negative karma of harming other bodhisattvas. Since knowing who is or who is not a bodhisattva is largely impossible, we cannot rely on our own judgement, and our only recourse is to practice pure perception [dag snang].

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