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In commentary on this verse Khenpo Kunpal | In his commentary on this verse, Khenpo Kunpal also draws an important distinction here between dedication and aspirational prayers: | ||
Dedication and prayers of aspiration are crucially important. According to our tradition, the difference between dedication and aspiration should be understood in the following way. Dedication consists in pledging one’s positive actions to perfect enlightenment for the sake of beings. By contrast, a prayer of aspiration is just the wish that beings themselves attain enlightenment; it is not connected with the performance of wholesome deeds. | {{QuoteCite | ||
Aspiration is more the wish for something to happen and does not have to involve the actual engagement in the deeds associated with it. Dedication on the other hand is done after the completion of the acts to seal off and make beneficial use of our merit. | |quote-text=Dedication and prayers of aspiration are crucially important. According to our tradition, the difference between dedication and aspiration should be understood in the following way. Dedication consists in pledging one’s positive actions to perfect enlightenment for the sake of beings. By contrast, a prayer of aspiration is just the wish that beings themselves attain enlightenment; it is not connected with the performance of wholesome deeds.<ref>Pelden, 393.</ref> | ||
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Aspiration is more the wish for something to happen and does not have to involve the actual engagement in the deeds associated with it. Dedication, on the other hand, is done after the completion of the acts to seal off and make beneficial use of our merit. | |||
Khenpo Kunpal then reminds us of the dangers of not capping off all of our positive actions with dedication: | Khenpo Kunpal then reminds us of the dangers of not capping off all of our positive actions with dedication: | ||
Failure to dedicate virtuous action to the good of others is a fault: | {{QuoteCite | ||
|quote-text=Failure to dedicate virtuous action to the good of others is a fault: | |||
Not to dedicate or to dedicate awry, | Not to dedicate or to dedicate awry, | ||
To brag to others or to have regrets: | To brag to others or to have regrets: | ||
Four things that lay your virtue waste. | Four things that lay your virtue waste.<ref>Pelden, 393–94.</ref> | ||
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Accordingly, without the dedication of the roots of virtue, virtue comes to nothing, for there are many causes for its destruction, such as the occurrence of anger. By contrast, when virtue is dedicated to the attainment of enlightenment, it is as when drops of water fall into the ocean; they will remain for as long as the ocean lasts. Virtue dedicated to the attainment of buddhahood will not be spent until enlightenment is gained. Indeed, it will increase and actually take us there. | Accordingly, without the dedication of the roots of virtue, virtue comes to nothing, for there are many causes for its destruction, such as the occurrence of anger. By contrast, when virtue is dedicated to the attainment of enlightenment, it is as when drops of water fall into the ocean; they will remain for as long as the ocean lasts. Virtue dedicated to the attainment of buddhahood will not be spent until enlightenment is gained. Indeed, it will increase and actually take us there. | ||
The Sutra Taught by Inexhaustible Intellect (Skt. Akshayamati-sutra) reminds us of this important point - if our roots of virtue are properly dedicated then they cannot be damaged or destroyed until we achieve enlightenment : | The Sutra Taught by Inexhaustible Intellect (Skt. Akshayamati-sutra) reminds us of this important point - if our roots of virtue are properly dedicated then they cannot be damaged or destroyed until we achieve enlightenment : | ||
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