Bodhicharyavatara Khenpo Migmar

Bodhicharyavatara – Khenpo Migmar

Canberra, Australia – 1998.

CHAPTER FOUR - CONSCIENTIOUSNESS

The first three chapters have dealt with the preliminary section. All the bodhicitta is divided into three parts – the preliminaries, the actual, and the conclusion, which is dedication. In the first three chapters the preliminaries – usually it is the foundation of the mind and the foundation of the body, as it is said the proper body which is explained here in terms of precious human birth and proper mind explained as cultivating proper bodhicitta and how one can cultivate bodhicitta and how one should uphold it.

Now from the fourth chapter the main practice deals with the six perfections. From the fourth to the ninth chapter the six perfections will be dealt with. The perfections of giving or perfection of generosity is not dealt with separately. There is no separate chapter on the perfections of giving except that the perfections of giving have to be taken from all the chapters, wherever there are mentions and explanations given about the perfection of giving one has to take from that. Therefore there is no separate chapter.

We begin here with the chapter about the perfection of morality. For the perfections of morality, two chapters are mentioned. In other words the perfection of morality is explained by these two chapters – the chapter on heedfulness or mindfulness, and the vigilance or alertness.

Since the whole observance and rules and moral conducts rests with how you cultivate proper mindfulness and alertness. The rest of the perfections as you know are explained by their own names, each chapter dealing with each perfection. The ninth chapter, the chapter of wisdom is explained and lastly the conclusion is done by the dedication.

Let us deal with the perfection of moral discipline which is explained by these two types of practice. First of all this is also explained without going through the detailed outlines, it explained this chapter on mindfulness or heedfulness in three main outlines which is first a brief summary, then the actual explanation in detail and then conclusion. The explanation is also explained in three parts: heedfulness with respect to the trainings and the rules; and heedfulness with respect to the receptacle which is the precious human birth; and heedfulness with respect to what is to be abandoned, in other words with respect to dealing with the delusions. In these three outlines, with these three topics the fourth chapter is explained.

First of all as it is said here:

Having firmly seized the Awakening Mind in this way,

Conqueror’s Children must never waver;

Always should they exert themselves

To never stray from their practice.

In the previous chapters the awakening mind or the bodhicitta has been explained through its definition, divisions and how it is taken also. Having gone through the explanations, through this process one should uphold it and care for it. Because one has taken bodhicitta one should now follow the trainings and activities. Shantideva is instructing what whoever has taken the awakening mind must now put effort in order to accomplish the deeds in accordance with the vow taken.

Now for the main part there are three: first mindfulness towards the actual trainings – what it actually to be observed. First of all as it is said:

In the case of reckless actions

Or the deeds not well considered,

Although a promise may have been made,

It is fit to reconsider whether I should do them or not.

This is with regard to ordinary actions. In the case of making a commitment, usually we make a commitment or a promise after considering it with carefulness and much depth and a lot of proper thought. If in case you have made a promise by not considering it or properly examining it, or even if you have examined but you haven’t examined carefully and not to mention those actions which you have taken without any examination without properly thinking about the actual effort that needs to be put and that’s where sometimes don’t think about what is to come and they make a sudden decision and then later they’re unable to continue with it.

It is mentioned here that if you are going through that process without proper checking and without proper thought, not well considered, it is still ok it is not fault there is nothing wrong with reconsidering your decision or your promise because it is worse if you make such a commitment and then later if you’re not able to continue with that then more cause will arise. Instead of withdrawing from the promise that you have made in a sort time, in other words it is especially related to those activities which need investigating which you have not investigated or examined. It is not only with regard to ordinary activities but any kind of activities. That is why the investigation or analysis is emphasized, you must examine the teaching and only then follow, not out of faith. This refers to the point that you must first examine or consider otherwise it may prove faulty which may create more difficulty for you. Instead of turning away front hat task after a long time it is better to examine.

This is referring to the action, the practice that one is supposed to do, now it comes to the practice that one is supposed to do:

But how can I ever withdraw

From what has been examined by the great wisdom

Of the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas,

And even many times by me myself?

This means that in the case of the commitment to uphold the bodhicitta, the mind of Enlightenment and then engaging in the action of benefiting others, this practice is an action or a process which has been examined by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas already and then it is not enough for others to do the analysis and then you follow without doing any examination from your side but you have also examined it many times, examined it carefully which is referring to all those reasons and explanations given in the past chapters. After going through these you have already examined. Since you have examined it well then it is improper to turn away from whatever consequence comes. It is applicable to all but you are not supposed to make any commitment or promise without examination but once you have considered it properly or examined it well then you make a commitment then you are not supposed to give up that commitment. It is said that unwise people make many promises but seldom keep their promises or commitments because their commitments are not made out of a process of proper thinking or proper consideration, it is like making a drawing on water, as soon as a promise is made it is erased. But the Noble Beings will not make many promises but once they make promises then they really keep their promises. It’s like making a drawing on a rock.

Looking back on the way that you have done the examination, not only you have done but also the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in previous times have also done this which is specifically referring to the significance and the benefit of cultivating this mind and engaging in the activities. In the first place one may have to think whether the cultivating the bodhicitta is going to be of benefit for attaining Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. Even if there is this then cultivating this bodhicitta will lead you to a good result. Not only cultivating the mind, now whether it is enough to cultivate the mind or whether you should continue to follow the action. All of these things have taken into consideration therefore you take Bodhisattva’s vow, bodhicitta. The Bodhisattva’s vow through a ritual from a teacher or you can even take by yourself as a Bodhisattva’s vow can be taken by visualizing the images in front of you and also the recitation of the verses that are in the third chapter.

There is the virtue of taking the bodhicitta, actually there are two main explanations. Bodhicitta is of two kinds; one of aspiration and one of engaging and according to some one can take all the bodhicittas at one time, one ritual, in the third chapter where it says: just as the Buddhas in previous times haven taken this bodhicitta of aspiration I am now also going to take this and such as they have engaged in the activity for the benefit of other beings I will also engage in activities. In these ways two types of bodhicitta can be taken simultaneously also.

According to some scholars one has to take only the bodhicitta of aspiration first and then engage in the practice of the cultivation of this mind. Engage in the practice of cultivating this mind and when it’s stable and only when you are very sure that this mind has been firmly established in your mind, then you can go forward on to the next bodhicitta. So there are two interpretations. I think generally according to the Sakya, even in Sakya among the Sakya scholars there are different interpretations also except for the viewpoint and some other major issues, there can be several different interpretations with the minor things also. Even in this case there are several interpretations. The majority of Sakya scholars say it is inappropriate for us to take all the bodhicittas. The reason is that it is said that according to some scholars the bodhicitta of aspiration is there only when don’t enter into the path. Once you enter into the path your bodhicitta will be transformed into the bodhicitta of engaging bodhicitta, it will not remain as bodhicitta of aspiration, according to that version. This means that these two bodhicittas will not remain in the mind simultaneously.

Whereas according the majority of scholars even if you enter into the path you still have the bodhicitta of aspiration. Bodhicitta of aspiration has to be there as it was clearly mentioned by the Gorampa, it is the same as the wish to go to a certain place and you wish to engage in the action which is walking or driving, because of these two different wishes there are two different bodhicittas. It is said that even while you are on the way, or on the path, or while you are engaging in the action of actually going there or driving there or flying there you still have that wish remaining in your mind. Otherwise if the wish to go there is not there then either you will not go or you will return. Seeing as you are on the path the bodhicitta of aspiration should also be there. That is accepted by the majority of scholars, which means that sometimes you will find when you go further into the explanations that the bodhicitta of aspiration is cultivated in the beginning and once you have entered into the path then this bodhicitta is transformed into the bodhicitta of engagement so you have got only the bodhicitta of engagement not aspiration. But according to many scholars both bodhicittas can be perfected at the same time.

So which means with this one has done a lot of appropriate examination already so once you have done that then it is improper to turn away. So further:

If, having made such a promise,

I do not put it into action

Then by deceiving every living being,

What kind of rebirth shall I take?

So it is like while taking bodhicitta actually it is not complicated, it is fairly simple and it seems to be easy to take, but having the responsibility to the duties that you are supposed to follow are very great that is why it is mentioned in importance that one should have done the proper examination which means that if you take bodhicitta then you are promising that you will work for the benefit of all living beings and until you have attained Buddhahood which means that you will really emphasize on your activity of benefiting other living beings and not taking your self interest as more important but you will take others’ interests, serving others’ purposes is more important than yours.

Now when you have taken such a mind, cultivated such a mind, then if you do not put that into action wherever you can, if you do not for the work for the benefit of others then it is like just promising and not concluding the promise, so you are breaking a promise then what sort of rebirth shall I take? What sort of rebirth one is going to have as there is a rotation karmically within the promise. You will get the rebirth, the negative rebirth.

If it has been taught (by the Buddha)

That those who does not give away

The smallest thing they once intended to give

Will take rebirth as a hungry ghosts;

Then if I should deceive all beings,

After having sincerely invited them

To the unsurpassable bliss,

Shall I take a happy rebirth?

It says in the Sutras if somebody decides in the mind to give something to somebody and if you withdraw from this, if you change mind and do not give in action then it is not really a promise that you made to somebody in speech but you have thought but you have made a promise in your mind, then you have not kept that so as a result of that it is said that you will be reborn as a hungry ghost, in the realm of hungry ghost.

At the same time, it is said that if you are thinking and not giving then as a hungry ghost. Then if you promise somebody and then you do not give then it is said that you will be reborn in even more state of more suffering. So if it said so, now this is regard to only making promise to somebody and also with regard to giving some minor things, but in the case if you who has taken the bodhicitta and now not working for the benefit of others, it is like inviting all living beings for the state of complete happiness, because you have promised that you will place them all on the state of ultimate happiness and now if you do not put that into action you do not go on the course of doing something for the benefit of others then you are not keeping a promise so what sort of rebirth are you going to get. There is no possibility of a happy rebirth with that practitioner who has cultivated the bodhicitta, taken the bodhicitta, taken the commitment but not followed it, not putting it in action.

Only the Omniscient can discern

The manner of the action of those

Who give up the Awakening Mind but are freed;

It is beyond the scope of ordinary thought.

Now this is referring to I think the case of Shariputra. It is said that Shariputra was once a Bodhisattva but somehow due to some conditions, due to some causes he couldn’t continue the bodhicitta, he gave up the bodhicitta, the Bodhisattva’s vow. But still he is freed, means he has got freedom, he has got liberation, he has in fact attained Nirvana so it is according to that. So Shariputra once was a Bodhisattva but he gave up the bodhicitta, he gave up the awakened mind, but still instead of falling into the lower realms he has still got, even if he hasn’t got the complete Enlightenment of Buddhahood, but he has attained the Arhatship, he has gained the liberation from Samsara.

So what is the reason of that? If you think on the one hand you are saying that by breaking the commitment there is no hope of having a happy rebirth, a good rebirth, but in the case of Shariputra despite breaking the vow still he has attained liberation, so how is that? So it is maintained it is beyond the scope of ordinary thought. Now as example the same meaning but with different wording was mentioned by Chandrakirti, when it was mentioned about the karma giving effect. It is said that the karma and action doesn’t cease inherently but still it can give a result. Now, if it can give result whatever that action which has already given but still it may exist because it still doesn’t exist, it doesn’t cease inherently. So if we look at that point there is no difference between two karmas, a karma which has given effect and a karma which has not given effect because both the karmas have not ceased inherently. There is a difference of ceasing in conventional truth, one has ceased convention the other has not but in relative one has not. What is the difference of giving effect and not and again it was mentioned that it is inconceivable, inconceivable means that there is no explanation, it doesn’t mean that. A common mind is not able to discern, not able to understand that but otherwise if explanation were to be given in the case of the point in Madhyamakavatara, the difference is that one has ceased convention and the other has not ceased convention, so even though there is no difference with respect to not ceasing inherently but there is a difference in ceasing conventionally that is why there is a difference.

In this case though it is mentioned that it is beyond the scope of ordinary thought, if we were to give a reason it is because Shariputra has given up bodhicitta but he has still kept the emptiness mind, the knowledge aspect, he has given up the method aspect but he has continued with the knowledge aspect, that is why he has been able to see the ultimate or obtain the knowledge which directly understands emptiness.