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|quote-text=In order to pacify the suffering and mental pain of all sentient beings in the present and in the future, and to generate happiness and mental pleasure of all sentient beings in the present and in the future, if a bodhisattva does not diligently engage body, speech, and mind without wavering, does not seek the conditions for them, does not work on remedying what obstructs them, does not take up the small suffering and mental pain which can overcome great suffering and mental pain, does not forsake small things for achieving greater things, and neglects doing so even for a moment, he/she commits a downfall. There is no downfall for not taking up what is beyond one’s capacity, as there is no rule made for that in reality. In other cases [i.e. where one is capable], it is either a misdeed by nature or by restriction.<ref>Śāntideva, ''Śikṣāsamuccaya'' (''Bslab pa kun las btus pa''), in Derge Tengyur D3940, dbu ma, vol. 111, khi, fols. 11a6-11b2, http://purl.bdrc.io/resource/MW23703_3940.</ref> | |quote-text=In order to pacify the suffering and mental pain of all sentient beings in the present and in the future, and to generate happiness and mental pleasure of all sentient beings in the present and in the future, if a bodhisattva does not diligently engage body, speech, and mind without wavering, does not seek the conditions for them, does not work on remedying what obstructs them, does not take up the small suffering and mental pain which can overcome great suffering and mental pain, does not forsake small things for achieving greater things, and neglects doing so even for a moment, he/she commits a downfall. There is no downfall for not taking up what is beyond one’s capacity, as there is no rule made for that in reality. In other cases [i.e. where one is capable], it is either a misdeed by nature or by restriction.<ref>Śāntideva, ''Śikṣāsamuccaya'' (''Bslab pa kun las btus pa''), in Derge Tengyur D3940, dbu ma, vol. 111, khi, fols. 11a6-11b2, http://purl.bdrc.io/resource/MW23703_3940.</ref> | ||
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Śāntideva points out that some actions may appear like a downfall, called images of downfalls, while they are not downfalls, such as telling a white lie to save a life. These are permitted. But some actions may appear to be without a downfall, called images of non-downfall, while being a downfall in reality. Such actions would include actions which externally appear virtuous but are done with selfish intentions or actions that involve trying to do things which are beyond one’s capacity. | |||
<h4>Making Amends</h4> | |||
Transgressing a bodhisattva vow is considered a serious offense, as such a person loses his or her moral integrity, fails to keep one’s status, displeases the buddhas, lets down the sentient beings whom one has promised to save, and could be reborn in unhappy realms. Thus, one must make amends through confession within six hours, or one-sixth of a day. Applying the four powers for confession mentioned earlier, a bodhisattva who has committed a downfall must make confessions and amendments. Śāntideva recommends that a bodhisattva who has committed a downfall must confess by chanting ''The Sūtra of Three Heaps'' three times during day and three times during the night.<ref>See ''Trīskhandhadharmasūtra'' (''<i>'</i>Phags pa phung po gsum pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po'i mdo'') D284, mdo sde, vol. 68, ya, 57a3–77a3, http://purl.bdrc.io/resource/MW4CZ5369_0284. For an English translation, see Stefan Mang and Peter Woods (Samye Translations), trans., "The Bodhisattva's Confession of Downfalls" (Lotsawa House, 2020), https://www.lotsawahouse.org/bo/words-of-the-buddha/confession-of-downfalls-nyingma.</ref> | |||
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