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The way praised as the most effective in protecting this merit is to dedicate it all, without any thought of our own reward, for the welfare of all beings, for both their temporary and ultimate happiness. | The way praised as the most effective in protecting this merit is to dedicate it all, without any thought of our own reward, for the welfare of all beings, for both their temporary and ultimate happiness. | ||
Here, at the end of the text, there is a series of extremely beautiful verses dedicating all of this virtue for the welfare of all the different kinds of living beings. These verses contain a series of dedicated vows ( | Here, at the end of the text, there is a series of extremely beautiful verses dedicating all of this virtue for the welfare of all the different kinds of living beings. These verses contain a series of dedicated vows (''praṇidhāna''), almost like empathic prayers, that hope for the relief of other beings’ suffering and the accomplishment of their wish for all forms of happiness. | ||
Śāntideva takes each realm of existence, starting with those reborn in the lower realms, and dedicates his merit to the beings in each of these realms so that they may immediately find relief from those particular sufferings. | Śāntideva takes each realm of existence, starting with those reborn in the lower realms, and dedicates his merit to the beings in each of these realms so that they may immediately find relief from those particular sufferings. | ||
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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.<ref>Blankleder and Fletcher, ''Nectar of Manjushri's Speech'', 393–94. It is unclear whether the three-line verse here belongs to Khenpo Kunpal or whether he is borrowing it from some other source.</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>Blankleder and Fletcher, ''Nectar of Manjushri's Speech'', 393–94. It is unclear whether the three-line verse here belongs to Khenpo Kunpal or whether he is borrowing it from some other source.</ref> | ||
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''The Sūtra Taught by Inexhaustible Intellect'' ( | ''The Sūtra Taught by Inexhaustible Intellect'' (''Akṣayamatinirdeśasūtra'') 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. | ||
{{QuoteCite | {{QuoteCite | ||
|quote-text=Just as there is no destruction or interruption, until the end of the aeon, of a drop of water that has fallen into a great ocean, there is no destruction or interruption whatsoever of the roots of virtue that have been dedicated to awakening until the bodhisatvas sit on the seat of awakening.<ref>Norwegian Institute of Palaeography and Historical Philology (PHI), trans., ''The Teaching of Akṣayamati'', ''Akṣayamatinirdeśa'', Toh 175 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023), https://read.84000.co/translation/UT22084-060-004.html?#UT22084-060-004-128. For this passage in verse form, see Blankleder and Fletcher, ''The Nectar of Manjushri's Speech'', 394.</ref> | |quote-text=Just as there is no destruction or interruption, until the end of the aeon, of a drop of water that has fallen into a great ocean, there is no destruction or interruption whatsoever of the roots of virtue that have been dedicated to awakening until the bodhisatvas sit on the seat of awakening.<ref>Norwegian Institute of Palaeography and Historical Philology (PHI), trans., ''The Teaching of Akṣayamati'', ''Akṣayamatinirdeśa'', Toh 175 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023), https://read.84000.co/translation/UT22084-060-004.html?#UT22084-060-004-128. For this passage in verse form, see Blankleder and Fletcher, ''The Nectar of Manjushri's Speech'', 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 at the time of the virtuous action, there should be an associated wisdom which is unstained or contaminated by concepts of inherent existence in relation to the three spheres [Link to GLOSSARY]. When performing an action, there are three spheres in relation to that action: (1) the agent who is performing the action, the "who," (2) the action itself, the "what," and (3) the person that the action is performed in relation to, the "to whom." | 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 at the time of the virtuous action, there should be an associated wisdom which is unstained or contaminated by concepts of inherent existence in relation to the three spheres [Link to GLOSSARY]. When performing an action, there are three spheres in relation to that action: (1) the agent who is performing the action, the "who," (2) the action itself, the "what," and (3) the person that the action is performed in relation to, the "to whom." | ||
This concept of making dedication unstained by incorrect concepts about these three spheres is mentioned in many chapters of Candrakīrti's ''Entering the Middle Way'' ( | This concept of making dedication unstained by incorrect concepts about these three spheres is mentioned in many chapters of Candrakīrti's ''Entering the Middle Way'' (''Madhyamakāvatāra''). For instance, in chapter 2, when discussing the divisions of the perfection of ethical discipline, Candrakīrti explains how the presence or absence of mistaken concepts about the reality of the three spheres at the time of the action itself determines whether the perfection (''pāramitā'') qualifies as a mundane one or a supramundane one. | ||
The following verse and commentary from Tsongkhapa's ''Illuminating the Intent'' illustrates this point: | The following verse and commentary from Tsongkhapa's ''Illuminating the Intent'' illustrates this point: | ||
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This may sound a little strange to us, but his point is that, as much as possible, our positive actions should be informed with the understanding of the lack of intrinsic reality (i.e. the emptiness) of these three spheres at the time of performing the action and not at a later time, only after the action is already complete. | This may sound a little strange to us, but his point is that, as much as possible, our positive actions should be informed with the understanding of the lack of intrinsic reality (i.e. the emptiness) of these three spheres at the time of performing the action and not at a later time, only after the action is already complete. | ||
Crosby and Skilton explain that the verses of this tenth chapter are written in the form of a series of dedicatory vows ( | Crosby and Skilton explain that the verses of this tenth chapter are written in the form of a series of dedicatory vows (''praṇidhāna''). These are empathetic prayers wishing that the positive karmic energy we have built up is used for the fulfillment of the happiness of beings. This kind of dedicatory vow is first seen in chapter three. | ||
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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.<ref> Crosby and Skilton, ''Bodhicaryāvatāra'', 133.</ref> | 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.<ref> Crosby and Skilton, ''Bodhicaryāvatāra'', 133.</ref> | ||
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Here, according to traditional Buddhist cosmology, the northern continent ( | Here, according to traditional Buddhist cosmology, the northern continent (Uttarakuru) refers to the continent to the north of Mount Sumeru, the sacred five-peaked mountain considered to be the center of all the physical, metaphysical, and spiritual universes. (Our world, Jambudvīpa, is the southern continent.) The northern continent is said to be a place of great harmony and prosperity. There, life is one of perfect pleasure and the people of gentle and virtuous mind, and therefore no one indulges in the ten negative actions. | ||
<h4>Dedication for Human Beings</h4> | <h4>Dedication for Human Beings</h4> | ||
Śāntideva then shifts the focus of his dedicatory vows to the beings who inhabit the more fortunate migrations ( | Śāntideva then shifts the focus of his dedicatory vows to the beings who inhabit the more fortunate migrations (''sugati''). But, of course, though a being may have had the good fortune to avoid the lower realms, and even to have the fortune of a human birth, there are still many kinds of sufferings that they face throughout their lives. | ||
The next sequence of poetic verses, backed up as they are with Śāntideva's deep compassion, are among some of the most stirring in religious literature. | The next sequence of poetic verses, backed up as they are with Śāntideva's deep compassion, are among some of the most stirring in religious literature. | ||
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|quote-text=He prays that he might "always embrace the perfect discipline of monastic ordination." For whereas to be a householder is the basis of all the faults that bring ruin in this and future lives, to go forth into homelessness is the ground and basis of all excellent qualities and benefits.<ref>Blankleder and Fletcher, ''Nectar of Manjushri's Speech'', 429.</ref> | |quote-text=He prays that he might "always embrace the perfect discipline of monastic ordination." For whereas to be a householder is the basis of all the faults that bring ruin in this and future lives, to go forth into homelessness is the ground and basis of all excellent qualities and benefits.<ref>Blankleder and Fletcher, ''Nectar of Manjushri's Speech'', 429.</ref> | ||
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Furthermore, Khenpo Kunpal quotes from the ''The King of Samādhis Sūtra'' ( | Furthermore, Khenpo Kunpal quotes from the ''The King of Samādhis Sūtra'' (''Samādhirājasūtra'') to encourage us to realize how incredible it is in this degenerate era to have virtuous thoughts and the wish to follow the bodhisattva path, and especially to wish to take ordination. | ||
{{QuoteCite | {{QuoteCite | ||
|quote-text=In the present age, if one takes and observes just one of the precepts of the Buddha's teaching, one will acquire great merit and benefits. This has been described in the ''Samadhiraja-sutra'': | |quote-text=In the present age, if one takes and observes just one of the precepts of the Buddha's teaching, one will acquire great merit and benefits. This has been described in the ''Samadhiraja-sutra'': | ||
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