Property:SanskritTranslation
From Bodhicitta
This is a property of type Text.
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Follow my advice right away. You will later see the advantages of this practice, for the Sage's words are true. +
If you had put this into practice before, you would not be in your present predicament—to say nothing of the wasted opportunity of attaining the happiness and virtue of the state of awakening. +
Therefore, in the same way that you constructed a sense of I with regard to drops of blood and semen that were not really yours, imagine your sense of self in other beings. +
Becoming a thief for others, steal whatever you see of value in your own body, and use it to benefit others. +
As the bee takes only the nectar from flowers, I will take with me only what is essential for the practice of dharma, and I will live everywhere unknown, like the new moon. +
"He is happy; I suffer. He is exalted; I am rejected. He lives in ease; I have to work hard"—develop in this way your envy against yourself. +
Drive yourself out of your complacency, and place yourself in charge of his suffering. Observe the devious ways of the self: "When does it do what?” +
Let this self assume responsibility for the faults of others. Its own transgressions, however insignificant, you should confess to the Great Sage. +
Cast aspersion on the self's reputation by promoting the reputation of others. Force it to work for the sake of sentient beings, like a poor slave. +
It is made of defects, so it should not be praised for an occasional virtue. If it should have any virtue, act in such a way that no one finds out about it. +
In brief, whatever harm you have brought upon others, out of self-interest, now bring it upon yourself in the interest of other living beings. +
You should not grant the self any power, because it will want to order you around. Make it act like a newly wed bride: bashful, timid, reserved.<span class="smw-highlighter pagebreaks" data-type="8" data-state="inline" data-title="Page number from:" title="432" tabindex="0"><span class="smwtticon pagebreak note text-80">[p.432]</span><span class="smwttcontent"><big>[[How to Be a Bodhisattva: Introduction to the Practice of the Bodhisattva Path (The Bodhicaryāvatāra)]]</big> <br> <span class="muted">Gómez, Luis O., trans. "How to Be a Bodhisattva: Introduction to the Practice of the Bodhisattva Path (''The Bodhicaryāvatāra'')." In ''Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism'', edited by Donald S. Lopez Jr., 395–441. New York: Norton, 2017.</span></span></span> +
“Do this. Stop. Don’t do that"—in this way should you submit it to your will and restrain it if it oversteps its bounds. +
“If you do not do this when commanded to do so, oh mind, I will force you to do it. You are the reason for all my vices.” +
Where are you going? I can see you. I will smite your arrogance. We are no more in those former times when I was led to perdition by you. +
“I am a wealthy landowner. People have me in high regard. Many come looking for me.” For one who thinks like this, there will be fear of sudden<span class="smw-highlighter pagebreaks" data-type="8" data-state="inline" data-title="Page number from:" title="425" tabindex="0"><span class="smwtticon pagebreak note text-80">[p.425]</span><span class="smwttcontent"><big>[[How to Be a Bodhisattva: Introduction to the Practice of the Bodhisattva Path (The Bodhicaryāvatāra)]]</big> <br> <span class="muted">Gómez, Luis O., trans. "How to Be a Bodhisattva: Introduction to the Practice of the Bodhisattva Path (''The Bodhicaryāvatāra'')." In ''Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism'', edited by Donald S. Lopez Jr., 395–441. New York: Norton, 2017.</span></span></span> death. +
"Give up forthwith all hope that you may still today be of any interest to me. I sold you to others, indifferent to all the fatigue and distress that would be yours.” +
“If out of carelessness I had not delivered you to sentient beings, you would have turned me in to the guardians of hell. I have no doubt of this. +
“You have done it many times before? For long I have suffered because of you. Remembering our mutual enmity, I will now destroy you, the servant of self-interest.” +
Therefore, if you want to love yourself, do not love yourself. And, if you want to protect yourself, you should not protect yourself. +
