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Along with impure practices to avoid, Gyaltsab Je Darma Rinchen (1364–1432), commonly known as Gyaltsab Je, one of the chief disciples of Tsongkhapa and a prolific author of the Geluk tradition, [LINK to text pdf p. 114] explains how to practice once we have taken up this mind wishing to attain enlightenment. | Along with impure practices to avoid, Gyaltsab Je Darma Rinchen (1364–1432), commonly known as Gyaltsab Je, one of the chief disciples of Tsongkhapa and a prolific author of the Geluk tradition, [LINK to text pdf p. 114] explains how to practice once we have taken up this mind wishing to attain enlightenment. | ||
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|quote-text=After the children of the conquerors, the bodhisattvas, took very firmly the two minds of enlightenment as explained earlier, they should unwaveringly protect them with conscientiousness, so as not to wander from them for even a second. They should also unwaveringly protect the trainings of the six perfections and the four ways of attracting disciples, so as not to waver from them and that they never decrease.<ref>Fedor Stracke, trans., ''The Entrance for the Children of the Conquerors - A Commentary on the Introduction to the Actions of Bodhisattvas. Chapter Four: Conscientiousness'', by Gyaltsab Je Darma Rinchen (N.p.: HappyMonksPublication, 2016), 1.</ref> | |quote-text=After the children of the conquerors, the bodhisattvas, took very firmly the two minds of enlightenment as explained earlier, they should unwaveringly protect them with conscientiousness, so as not to wander from them for even a second. They should also unwaveringly protect the trainings of the six perfections and the four ways of attracting disciples, so as not to waver from them and that they never decrease.<ref>Fedor Stracke, trans., ''The Entrance for the Children of the Conquerors - A Commentary on the Introduction to the Actions of Bodhisattvas. Chapter Four: Conscientiousness'', by Gyaltsab Je Darma Rinchen (N.p.: HappyMonksPublication, 2016), 1, https://happymonkspublication.org/product/bodhisattvacharyavatara-chapter-1-10-commentary/.</ref> | ||
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<h4>Conscientiousness</h4> | |||
The next two chapters, chapters 4 and 5, offer us techniques to sustain our discipline and maintain the mind of enlightenment. They discuss conscientiousness and vigilant introspection, with some mention made also of mindfulness [LINK to main terms]. These tools are direct causes for discipline, and they allow us to accomplish the virtuous intentions that we are motivated by. | |||
Patrul Rinpoche [LINK to text pdf p. 21] explains how to use these three mental factors to maintain discipline. | |||
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|quote-text=Firstly, through mindfulness, we do not lose sight of what should be adopted or abandoned. Then secondly, because we are checking the status of our body, speech and mind with vigilance, we recognize any occasions when we are tempted to avoid something virtuous or to do something negative. At that time, because of our conscientiousness, we recall the benefits of virtuous actions and undertake them, or remember the faults of negative conduct and unwholesome actions and avoid them. <ref>Adam Pearcy, trans., ''The Brightly Shining Sun'', by Patrul Rinpoche (Lotsawa House, 2019), https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/patrul-rinpoche/bodhicharyavatara-brightly-shining-sun.</ref> | |||
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Chapter 4 deals mainly with conscientiousness (Skt. ''apramādha'') [LINK to main terms], sometimes also translated as carefulness. Conscientiousness is a mental factor whose function is to protect the mind from negative forms of action. It is a tool which allows us to meticulously examine our actions of body, speech, and mind, particularly within the perspective of what is to be taken up and what is to be avoided on the path. Conscientiousness helps us to be aware of when we are about to engage in negative actions, those actions that are faulty and unconstructive, both for ourselves and others. | |||
Asaṅga, in his ''Compendium of Abhidharma'' (Skt. ''Abhidharmasamuccaya''), also says the following of conscientiousness: | |||
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|quote-text=What is conscientiousness? It is the cultivation of the state which abides in non-attachment, non-aversion, and non-delusion, and which combined with joyous effort protects the mind from contaminated factors.<ref>Sara Boin-Webb, trans., ''Abhidharmasamuccaya: The Compendium of the Higher Teaching (Philosophy) by Asanga''. Originally translated into French and annotated by Walpola Rahula (Fremont, CA: Asian Humanities Press, 2001), 11.</ref> | |||
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