Given that we have to go to work and/or ha
Just to retrace our steps for a moment …
When we develop a compassion that wishes to free everyone permanently from their suffering, it doesn’t take much to figure out that we can’t actually do that while remaining limited, identifying “Me” on the basis of only this impure & ordinary body and mind.
I was just thinking today, for example — when someone was mildly complaining that they never saw me — that although I too would like to hang out with them all the time, there is just one of me. And how much handier it would be if there were more of me, so I could be in more than one place at a time.
So that got me to thinking, “Hmmm, how can I get around this problem and have more time and fun with everyone?! I mean, Skype and FaceTime have their uses, but still …
Wait, I have an idea! A Buddha can be everywhere all at once, and help and bless not just a small circle of friends, but each and every living being every day – that’s her job description! I’m going to use this life to become a Buddha.”
With that conclusion, we have generated bodhichitta. Then we engage practically in the six perfections with this big, beautiful motivation, working on different levels as mentioned in this last article.
Within that, I find it very encouraging to know that with the six perfections there is always something we can be doing to solve our own and others’ problems.
#2 Moral discipline
This second perfection, that of moral discipline or ethical behavior, includes avoiding negativity and benefiting others. As a rule of thumb, we can ask ourselves before doing stuff:
“Is this action going to help or harm others? If it will harm them, I won’t do it.”
This question can free us from hypocrisy, ie, saying one thing and doing another, and keep us real. We can become a shining light on the hill through the power of our genuine example.
#3 Patient acceptance
And we can be patient when things and people don’t work out; for example, when they ignore or cannot receive our help, and fall over into the swamp despite our best attempts to prevent this.
Avoiding the downfalls of the Bodhisattva vow
As well as training in the six perfections, the Bodhisattva vow also entails avoiding the 46 secondary and 18 root downfalls related to these six, many of which I find refreshingly appropriate to our modern society. I thought I’d share a fairly random selection, in the hopes you are inspired to find out all about them in the book The Bodhisattva Vow.
Enjoying ourselves more
One of the downfalls related to the perfection of giving, “Indulging in worldly pleasures out of attachment,” reminds me that it is not our work that is currently distracting us from making spiritual progress, helping other people, or even enjoying ourselves, but our attachment to externals! This doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy our lives, but that we can enjoy our lives with bodhichitta motivation.
A few weeks ago I was at the beautiful Echo Lake in Colorado with my friend and he said, “I would love to bring a busload of kids from the south side of Chicago up here.” We can 
This makes our enjoyments instantly meaningful, good karma, and, in my experience, more blissful.
Plus, if we actually have some bodhichitta, we may find we have more energy to immerse into interesting Dharma books and classes, and less energy to waste on social media and TV 😉 Even changing that direction to go inward a little bit can help a lot, I have found.
Related to the perfection of giving, we also need to avoid “Not replying to others”, which basically means “we try to make others’ minds happy by giving suitable answers an
Avoiding time suck
Similarly, it is not engaging in the world that is sucking up all our precious time, it is our distractions. This is implied by the fact that Bodhisattvas “accept gifts” and “accept invitations” whenever they can! Related to the perfection of moral discipline, they also avoid “Doing little to benefit others” – not “needlessly shunning wealth, reputation, or involvement with other people.” With bodhichitta, we can increase our wealth and reputation provided we use it to help others.
Also related to moral discipline, Bodhisattvas promise to “help others avoid negativity,” “go to the assistance of those in need”, “take care of the sick”, “act to dispel suffering”, “help others to overcome their bad habits”, and so on. You can read about all of these if you get a moment. Lovely.
Crucially, perhaps — if we never lose sight of our main aim of attaining enlightenment for the benefit of every living being, then, regardless of how many things don’t work out or “go wrong”, nothing will be wasted. Every single day will be a step in the right direction.
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Developing a Bodhisattva’s confidence
4 Comments
Hi Luna, I love the text, I’m a Kadampa and I’m suffering from severe depression. I can’t wake-up and live normally, taking showers, eating… all painful while so simple and I think a lot about about suicide and I am in a moment where I sleep a lot. But don’t worry. I have a Psychiatrist and psychologist and my dharma teacher, a very experienced Kadampa monk, working with me. But still, according to the books, or my understanding of the books, this depression is attachment to ME. Have you wrote about that in the past? I think it’s an interesting topic for our times. Thank you.
I’m so sorry you have depression though glad to hear you are getting the help you need. I’ve written lots about self-cherishing, you can type it in the search box.
But it is not a good idea to blame yourself for your depression, just use the teachings to see how grasping at an exaggerated sense of self is the core of the problem. Your actual self is wonderful and full of potential, as well as able to heal from this sadness. I wish you every swift success, hope you feel much better soon. xxx
Indeed, we would do well to fully understand, reading between the lines, the *great wisdom of Universal Compassion.
Beautifully said! I strive for perfection but progress daily