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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. The last 3 lines here appear to be a verse, but the source is not provided.</ref> | ||
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.<ref>Pelden, | 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.<ref>Pelden, 394.</ref> | ||
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It is often stated that the dedication of our merit should be sealed with the wisdom of emptiness. But how does that process of sealing virtue with emptiness take place? It means that it should be associated with a wisdom unstained by the concepts of the three spheres. This form of dedication is said to be uncontaminated/unpoisoned/unstained. | It is often stated that the dedication of our merit should be sealed with the wisdom of emptiness. But how does that process of sealing virtue with emptiness take place? It means that it should be associated with a wisdom unstained by the concepts of the three spheres. This form of dedication is said to be uncontaminated/unpoisoned/unstained. | ||
This concept of making dedication unstained by impurities is also mentioned in many chapters of Candrakīrti's ''Entering the Middle Way'' (Skt. ''Madhyamakāvatāra ''). For instance, in chapter two, Longchenpa makes a subtle point that the capping off of positive activities | This concept of making dedication unstained by impurities is also mentioned in many chapters of Candrakīrti's ''Entering the Middle Way'' (Skt. ''Madhyamakāvatāra ''). For instance, in chapter two, Longchenpa makes a subtle point that the capping off of positive activities after they are complete with the understanding of emptiness is tantamount to nihilism. This may sound a little strange to us, but his point is that . . . | ||
<h4>Dedication for Other's Merit</h4> | <h4>Dedication for Other's Merit</h4> | ||
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With the understanding of the vital role that dedication plays, we can now look at the flow of this last chapter. | With the understanding of the vital role that dedication plays, we can now look at the flow of this last chapter. | ||
One commentator (?) explains that these verses are written in the form of a series of dedicatory vows (Skt. ''praṇidhāna''). | One commentator (?) explains that these verses are written in the form of a series of dedicatory vows (Skt. ''praṇidhāna''). These are empathic prayers wishing that the positive karmic energy we have built up go to the fulfillment of the happiness of beings. This kind of dedicatory vow is first seen in chapter three: | ||
{{PullBcaVerses|3.7}} | {{PullBcaVerses|3.7}} | ||
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In that chapter Śāntideva makes vast but much more general dedications that any virtue accrued may completely dispel every single suffering of every living being. So why would there be the need to mention again the process of dedication at the end of the text? Indeed, why dedicate an entire chapter to it? Is this not unnecessary repetition? | In that chapter Śāntideva makes vast but much more general dedications that any virtue accrued may completely dispel every single suffering of every living being. So why would there be the need to mention again the process of dedication at the end of the text? Indeed, why dedicate an entire chapter to it? Is this not unnecessary repetition? | ||
There are several reasons for this. One commentator, Kate Crosby, mentions that in the third chapter what is being dedicated is the merit which arises from developing aspirational bodhicitta | There are several reasons for this. One commentator, Kate Crosby, mentions that in the third chapter what is being dedicated is the merit which arises from developing aspirational bodhicitta, whereas here in the last chapter, having worked our way through the practices which actually implement the perfections, the merit that is being dedicated is that which arises from engaged bodhicitta [LINK to glossary]. | ||
As Śāntideva himself says in the first chapter of this text: | As Śāntideva himself says in the first chapter of this text: | ||
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