Property:SanskritTranslation
From Bodhicitta
This is a property of type Text.
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Moment by moment, one wastes one’s brief life in vain, obsessed by the object of one’s love. One loses the perennial dharma because of a transient object. +
These are the long miseries of passionate humans, but their happiness is brief. They are like the beast of burden hauling a cart for only a mouthful of hay. +
For this mouthful of happiness—which even a beast can easily obtain—the human being who is confused by his fate loses the auspicious moment which is so difficult to obtain. +
These are the struggles one engages in through time for the sake of this insignificant and ephemeral body—which will necessarily fall to hell and the other evil destinies. +
With one-millionth part of this effort one could obtain the condition of an Awakened One. Though the sufferings of those who are possessed by passion are much greater than the struggles of the path, such suffering will not<span class="smw-highlighter pagebreaks" data-type="8" data-state="inline" data-title="Page number from:" title="428" tabindex="0"><span class="smwtticon pagebreak note text-80">[p.428]</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> bring about awakening. +
Swords, poison, fire, precipices, and enemies cannot be compared in their capacity to do harm to sensual desire, if one is mindful of the tortures of hell and the other evil destinies. +
Therefore, you should fear passions, and should delight in the solitude of a serene forest, free from contentions and strivings. +
Blessed are those who, concerned only for the welfare of others, stroll on lovely pavements of mountain rock, broad like palace terraces, refreshed by the sandal of the moon’s rays, fanned by the gentle, silent blowing of the forest breeze. +
Dwelling anywhere, for as long as one likes, in a deserted spot, under a tree, in a cave, free from the fatigue of acquiring and keeping property, one wanders at will, even-minded and detached. +
Even the god Indra<span class="smw-highlighter" data-type="8" data-state="inline" data-title="Note 6" title="6" tabindex="0"><span class="smwtticon bca-note note">6</span><span class="smwttcontent">King of the gods.</span></span> would not be able to attain the satisfaction and happiness enjoyed by one who wanders homeless at his own pleasure, bound to no one. +
After cultivating the virtues of solitude and mental collectedness in these ways, having brought the discursive mind to calm, one should cultivate the thought of awakening. +
If you follow the conduct of fools, you will surely end in an evil destiny. If you do not behave like them, they will berate you. What do you stand to gain then by associating with fools? +
First one should cultivate diligently the identification of self and others: “We all are equally subject to pain and pleasure; therefore, I must protect all beings as I protect myself.” +
Just as one should take care of his body as if it were one single entity, though it is made of many separate parts—such as the hands, the feet, etc.—it should be the same toward the whole world, which, though divided into individual beings, is undivided in experiencing suffering and happiness. +
My suffering is not oppressive to other embodied beings, still it is suffering, made unbearable because of my self-love; +
in the same way, although I do not feel the suffering of others, it is nevertheless suffering, made unbearable because of their self-love. +
I should put an end to the suffering of others because it is as much suffering as my own suffering. I should be kind to others because they are living beings like myself. +
If others and myself find happiness equally desirable, then what makes me so special, that I should eagerly seek happiness only for myself? +
If others and myself find fear and sorrow equally undesirable, then what makes me so special, that I should protect myself, not others? +
If you do not try to remove the suffering of others because you reason “this sorrow does not oppress me,” then why should you try to avoid the pains that will afflict your body in a future life? +
