Explore/Chapter 2 - Confession of Negativity: Difference between revisions
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<ref>Thrangu Rinpoche, ''A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life of Shantideva: A Commentary by the Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche'', trans. Ken and Katia Holmes and Thomas Doctor (Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, 2016), 29.</ref> | <ref>Thrangu Rinpoche, ''A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life of Shantideva: A Commentary by the Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche'', trans. Ken and Katia Holmes and Thomas Doctor (Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, 2016), 29.</ref> | ||
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Thrangu Rinpoche makes a very important point here—that is, the buddhas through their omniscient mind know all that we have done and continue to do. We cannot hide from them and should therefore not hesitate to confess all our negativity to them and turn toward all that is beneficial, both for oneself and others. | |||
<h5>3. The Force of the Antidote</h5> | |||
Verses 54 to 59 deal with the force of the antidote. Gyaltsab Je describes this force in the following way: | |||
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|quote-text=There are, as explained in the Compendium of Trainings, relying on profound sutras, meditating on emptiness, relying on recitation, relying on the holy form, relying on offerings and relying on the names.<ref>Stracke, trans., Entrance for the Children, 15. https://happymonkspublication.org/product/bodhisattvacharyavatara-chapter-1-10-commentary/</ref> | |||
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In relation to this force, Śāntideva provides us with reasons why confession is necessary. He does this using two examples, the first of which is the example of a common illness, which is used to explain why it is necessary to make effort in applying the antidote. | |||
{{PullBcaVerses|2.54}} | |||
If we are scared of ordinary illnesses, particularly serious ones that might threaten our lives, we will immediately attempt to overcome that sickness by implementing all the advice of the trained medical practitioners and taking the appropriate course of medicine. If that is so, Gyaltsab Je advises us: | |||
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|quote-text=. . . what need is there to mention that it is appropriate to rely on the antidote according to the instructions of the conqueror, the supreme physician, in order to be cured from the great chronic disease of the three poisons of attachment, anger and ignorance, as one has been continuously beaten down since beginningless time by the sources of hundreds of thousands of shortcomings.<ref>Stracke, Entrance for the Children, 24. https://happymonkspublication.org/product/bodhisattvacharyavatara-chapter-1-10-commentary/</ref> | |||
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The next verses indicate the great faults of the illnesses in our mindstream, of the many defilements such as attachment, hatred, and delusion, and how it would be utterly inexplicable to turn our backs on the cure for these ills, the Buddha's Dharma: | |||
{{PullBcaVerses|2.55}} | |||
{{PullBcaVerses|2.56}} | |||
Sonam Tsemo explains how the first two lines of verse 55 indicate the great faults of such illness. The next two lines indicate the rarity of the remedy.<ref>O’Sullivan, ''Bodhicaryāvatāra with Commentary'', 100.</ref> | |||
We may wonder at the meaning of this verse. How can just one of these poisons drag down all the beings in this world system and cast them into the lower realms? In his commentary, Gyaltsab Je qualifies this statement, explaining the shortcomings of the three poisons and the rarity of the medicine which counteracts them. | |||
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|quote-text=Even one moment of anger towards a bodhisattva can destroy all humans in Dzambuling and throw them into the lower realms. The medicine against this great sickness, meditating on the path and so forth, one will not find anywhere else, apart from the texts that reveal it. If one cannot find it in any other place, such as the world of Brahma and so forth, then it is unfindable elsewhere and therefore rare.<ref>Stracke, ''Entrance for the Children'', 24. https://happymonkspublication.org/product/bodhisattvacharyavatara-chapter-1-10-commentary/</ref> | |||
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In verse 56 Śāntideva chides us, saying "How can you be so delusional as to turn your back on the supreme doctor, the all-knowing physician, and their medicine which has the potential to liberate yourself from all the afflictions and the pain that they bring you?" But Thrangu Rinpoche provides a chastening context to the instruction to turn to the Three Jewels for help with clearing away the effects of all our negative karma. | |||
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|quote-text=At this point, we may wonder whether the Three Rare and Supreme ones and all the great bodhisattvas are able to immediately clear away the result of negative actions. The answer is “no”. They can’t do this because we accumulated these negative actions; they did not. Therefore they do not have the power to immediately clear away the results of our negative actions. They do, however, have great compassion for all sentient beings, so if we are able to eliminate these unpleasant future results, they would do so. But since we have committed these negative actions, they cannot undo them. It does, however, help to pray to them and request their help because if we develop faith and devotion for these great beings , then they will show us the path and method for eliminating our negative karma. So it is our personal effort that allows us to clear away the future effects of negative karma.<ref>Thrangu Rinpoche, ''Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life'', 31.</ref> | |||
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The second example that Śāntideva uses to spur us on in applying the antidotes is that of a precipice. | |||
{{PullBcaVerses|2.57}} | |||
