[311b]
Skilled in Means
Moreover, this Beginner should at all times be skilled in the Means, [reflecting in this way:]
"Taking my own sins to be others' sins, I confess them; and taking others' sins to be my own, I confess them.
Skilled in Means
Moreover, this Beginner should at all times be skilled in the Means, [reflecting in this way:]
"Taking my own sins to be others' sins, I confess them; and taking others' sins to be my own, I confess them.
Richard-Sherburne-A-Lamp-for-the-Path-and-Commentary-of-Atisha
Rather I must train myself in everything the Tathagatas have enjoined as bodhisattva practice and training in the sutras and by their example.
' " 1
And so at this point I will imitate my Gurus in following the Mahayana sutras to explain what must be practised in the comprehensive training of a bodhisattva.
Conduct Chapter ofAsahga
I have already indicated [in the preceding stanzas] who the unique vessel for Mahayana. is, so now I point out the Path
ofthe Great Wagons for him by saying:
ACCORDING TO THE RITUAL GIVEN IN THE CONDUCT CHAPTER OF THE BODHISATIVA LEVELS, [ONE TAKES THE VOW . . ? ] [Stanza 22]
This Bodhisattva Levels is the treatise composed by noble Asariga to present the Six Perfections. In that text there is the Chapter on the Perfection of Conducf comprised of nine titles: [1] The Nature of Conduct, [2] All-inClusive, [3]TheDifficulties, [4]TheApproaches, [5]TheHolyMan, [6] All Kinds, [7] The Wish in Misfortune, [8] Happiness
? THE BODHISATTVA VOW 89
Here and Hereafter, (305a] and [9] Purified Conduct. My reference here is to what is stated under the heading "All- inclusive Conduct".
The Good Guru
I show how this ritual proceeds by saying ONE TAKES THE VOW FROM ANY GOOD GURU
WHO HAS THE PROPER CHARACTERISTICS. (Stanza 22)
And who is the good Guru and what are his? proper characteristics?
ONE WHO IS LEARNED IN THE RITUAL OF THE VOW,
AND HIMSELF LIVES THE VOW HE HAS TAKEN,
AND HAS THE COMPASSIONATE FORBEARANCE TOIMPARTIT-KNOWHIMTOBETHEGOODGURU. 3 (23]
"LEARNED IN THE RITUAL OF THE VOW" means that he is well-informed and knowledgeable about it. "uvEs THE vow HE HAS TAKEN" means that the Guru's own Conduct is not diminished or destroyed and that it is pure. "FORBEARANCE" means he is willing to do it, and proceeds freely in imparting the vow. "coMPASSIONATE" means he sees a disciple as a son, and that he cannot bear to see others suffer. When I say he must be a "GuRu" ["higher"] I mean that a vow can
only [truly] be taken from someone whose attainment is higher than others. And a Guru is considered to be higher when his disciples possess virtues like his and when great reverence has been paid to his teaching.
Furthermore, a Guru possesses four excellences: [1] excellent Conduct; [2] excellent attainments, [3] excellent intention, and [4] excellent practice. I specify his excellent Conduct by saying "HIMSELF LIVES TflE VOW HE HAS TAKEN", and his excellent attainments by "LEARNED IN THE RITUAL OF THE VOW . . . [ANT)) . . . FORBEARANCE TO IMPART IT".
T o explain this further: "LIVES THE vow" means that you cannot acquire a vow from a Guru who has forsaken his own vow or has violated his own Conduct or no longer agrees With the Doctrine. "LEARNED IN THE RITUAL" means
? 90 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
a vow cannot be acquired from a Guru who does not know the ritual because then the ritual itself is defective. And "FORBEARANCE TO IMPART" means he is willing to grant the vow because he approaches it with a glad heart, saying, "Excellent! I must give this vow without hesitation! "
His excellent intention and excellent practice are shown by the word "COMP ASSIONA TE":
The Guru's excellent intention is his faith, his sincere motivation in action, his detachment and compassion, his reverence for his own Guru. He desires little and knows moderation, keeping trifles unimportant. He has no anxieties, he is patient with others' faults, he is free of anger and grudge-bearing.
The Guru's excellent practice is his advancing in prac- tice of virtue, ever esteeming and increasing it. He does not deceive himself about the rules of his training. He is neither overenthusiastic nor indolent, and he does not like noisy crowds or pleasure-seeking. His mind is undisturbed. 4
If you take the vow from such a Guru your practice of Conduct will grow, and that kind of Guru is what I had in mind when I wrote:
ONE TAKES THE VOW FROM ANY GOOD GURU
WHO HAS THE PROPER CHARACTERISTICS. (Stanza 22]
Explanation of the Vow
My explanation continues now with these topics: [A] the ritual for taking the vow, [B] the full extent of it, [C] how the vow is forsaken, [D] how it will not be forsaken, (E] rising from failings in it, [F] the benefits of Conduct.
There are of course many systems of interpretation from the great scholars of the P? St, but here I am going to ex- glain only the thought of Arya Asanga and of Venerable Santideva because theirs is the spirituality of the Superior
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 91
Person - which is the Great Path of the Great Vehicle. [306a]
The Ritualfor Taking the Vow
[1] "for the full ritual, you should study the one composed by Adirya Asari. ga in his Chapter on ConductS or the one that I myself composed. 6 There is also a ritual foF taking the vow without a Guru given in the same Chapter on Conduct. For_the ritual I made, I imitated Arya Asari. ga's. The ritual by Santideva is found of course in his Progress in Practice, but is presented more fully in the Compendium ofTraining. 7 He has also given a ritual for the vow without a Guru in the
latter text.
[2] I presented my own ritual without a Guru in the
stanzas from:
"BUT IF, AFTER TRYING, ONE CANNOT
FIND JUST SUCH A GURU AS THIS,
I WILL EXPLAIN ANOTHER RITUAL
FOR TAKING THE VOW IN A CORRECT WAY. " (Stanza24]
down to the words:
"NO UNVIRTUOUS DEED WILL EVER BE MINE. " (Stanza 31b]
I chose this ritual of Ambaraja8 here because my Gurus have said it is a formula for the ritual both with and without a Guru. It is true, the Compendium of Training gives it as a ritual for taking the vow from a Guru, but since I am presenting both methods, my ritual for taking with a Guru is based on the Chapter on Conduct [of Asari. ga] and the one 'Jithout Guru is based on the Compendium of Training [of Santideva].
Extent o f Conduct
The full extent of Conduct. Arya Asari. ga has summarised what the entire Sutra collection teaches on Conduct in the nine sections of his Chapter on Conduct beginning with "Nature". He concludes by saying:
? 92 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
"The Conduct of the Bodhisattva is completely covered by these practices. What he must do in his Conduct is complete with just these. The benefit of his Conduct is complete in just these. [306b] There is nothing more; there is nothing beyond them. "9
And Acarya Santideva treats the whole Sutra teaching as a training by three types of person; hence in Mahayana there is a higher practice of Conduct, and an average, and a minimal. When speaking of the higher practice in his Compendium o f Training he says, "The fullest practice of Mahayana comes from the Bodhisattva vow. " 10 Then in the Progress in Practice he says:
"There is no virtuous practice to be had anywhere Which the Sons of the Victor do not observe. " 11
And my Guru, the glorious Bodhibhadra, has said:
"The chief precepts of Bodhisattva training are sum- marised here [in Asanga's Chapter on Conduct]. But this training of a Bodhisattva is measureless and endless [in actual practice], and therefore when you return to what is taught here in these precepts, you will know what is or is noLa fault. " 12
On the St! bject of the average practice of Bodhisattva ~onduct, Santideva says in the Compendium o f Training:
"This Bodhisattva will know the basic attitudes [neces- sary] for not transgressing. He gives away his person and enjoyments to all creatures, and all the merit he has ever gained as well. And he keeps on growing in these practices. " 13
Then on the subject of minimal practice, he says:
"A Bodhisattva who wants to observe some certain pre- cept of the. training makes a promise to do so in the presence of the Buddhas. If he has no [Guru] Spiritual
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 93
Friend, he acts on his own power to do so, and takes the vow in the presence of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Hence, even when acting on your own in observing a single precept, you should take the vow correctly. "14 [307a]
_ Forsaking the Vow
According to Arya Asanga's explanation, the causes of
forsaking the vow are the failure to renew the resolve for the great Enlightenment, and through great entanglement to commit the four basic sins. The former means to grow tired of seeking the good of all creatures, and feeling that Enlightenment is too far off, and to have the resolution of only a Hearer or Solitary Buddha or an outsider. The latter means to be without shame or regret, and to lose all concern for the consequences, or to give back the vow in the prese~ce of a! lyone capable of understanding. 15
In Adirya Santideva's interpretation in the Compendium o f Training, the vow is forsaken by failing to reject the Evil Works of Mara or the Fourteen Evil Things16 that begin with the man who appropriates for himself what belongs to the holy religion, and so on; and by imperfect mindfulness, by laziness and indifference, by not learning what the trans- gressions are, and by having no shame or regret.
And in his Commentary on "Twenty Verses on the Vow", my Guru says, " . . . not learning the precepts of the train- ing, by unmindfulness, delusion, and irreverence. " 17
Preventing Transgression
For Asanga transgression is prevented by deliberateness and mindfulness, zeal and carefulness, by knowing what is ~nd is not a fault, and by a sense of shame and regret. Santideva mentions these also, along with rejecting and correcting the Fourteen Evil Things, as even the ordinary [Paths] do. 18
Risingfrom Transgression
Both Gurus say that one can be as free of regret for failure by being restored to virtue as by never having sinned in the first place. If one sees the wrong in his faults, and admits and confesses it even in little things, he will be pure. [307b]
? 94 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
In the Chapter on Conduct, Arya Asanga speaks of rising from failings in the passage that begins "If there is no suitable person to act as one's teacher [to confess to] . . . ",19 where he also sayS that when the basic sins have been committed because of complete entanglement, then the vow should be taken again after confessing in the presence of the community. But, for [lesser] faults committed, con- fession to anyone of the Hearers' or the Great Vehjcle [is ~ufficient]. In the Compendium of Training Adirya Santideva comments on his verse, "Ifwe do not strive as the Perfect Buddha told us, to evil destinies we will go",2? by giving an explanation of the Four Virtues Sutra.
Benefits o f Conduct The Chapter on Conduct has this to say:
"And so this great collection of rules for Bodhisattva Conduct results in the attainment of the great Enlighten- ment. Through them you will reach the Perfection of Conduct and be directly awakened. And while striving toward Buddhahood you will gain five advantages: [1] you will think as a Buddha; [2] you will treat death as an occasion for rejoicing; [3] you will be reborn in your next life in a place where there is a Spiritual Friend who is wise in the Doctrine; [4] iri the present life you will have an endless store of merit that will help you achieve the Perfection of Conduct; [5] and when you are reborn in your next life you will retain the level of Conduct you
have gained. m 1
And in the Compendium ofTraining:
"The benefits from observing the training are so very great, it is only fitting we should strive for them right from the present moment. "22
And, supporting that idea, [Santideva] quotes from the Exhortation to Higher Intention, the Miracle of Resolute Calm, the Moon-Lamp Sutra, and the Cloud of Jewels. [308a]
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 95 My own Guru [Bodhibhadra] says in his Commentary on
"Twenty Verses on the Vow":
"The man who conducts himself in this manner will thereby surely cut off any approach to the evil destinies, and will never be reborn in them again. "23
And further on:
"He is not reborn in the evil destinies, and even though he be reborn a hundred times he does not experience severe suffering or [at least] is swiftly liberated from it,
and in enduring it he works to mature others. " 24
There are still other benefits in taking the vow correctly, as Arya Candragomin says:
"Because of the virtue in him then, The Buddha with all his sons- Their hearts set on virtue too - Regard him as their comely child. " 25
And Acarya Santideva:
"Today I am born into the Buddha's family; I have become a son ofthe Buddha!
As I take up this family's profession,
Let me never act so as to spoil
Its spotless and venerable name. "26
Purification of Body, Speech and Mind
Because the Bodhisattva who has taken the vow needs to preserve and extend his Conduct, I said:
IN ESSENCE, ONE'S PURITY OF BODY, SPEECH AND MIND
MEANS KEEPING VOWS WITH A MIND FOR PROGRESS. (Stanza 32)
Now as to the words "IN ESSENCE, ONE'S PURITY OF BODY, SPEECH AND MIND", I quote from the Tathiigata's Com- passion Sutra:
? 96 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
"[The Bodhisattva] cleanses his body, he cleanses his
speech, and he cleanses his mind. " 27
Purifying the body and speech is done by [Asanga's] Conduct of the Vow, and purifying the mind by his Conduct for Garnering Virtue and Conduct for Others' Sake. Or again, each one of those Conducts purifies body, speech and mind. [308b] Or still again, body and speech are
purified by avoiding the [first] seven Unvirtuous Deeds beginning with Killing and so on, and the mind is purified by avoiding the [last] three beginning with Covetousness. In the Questions o f Celestial King Druma Sutra, this is the meaning [the Blessed One] gave:
"TheConductofapurifiedbodyisdevoidofLust, Anger, and Illusion, and the Conduct of purified speech is marked by no deceit toward my godly Three Jewels, and the Conduct of a purified mind holds no Covetousness, or Ill-will or False Views. "28
As I reflected on how, if that is true, I would study well the training in Conduct, and how the strength gained in culti- vating it would increase my desire, joy and delight in Conduct and my application to it, I wrote:
FOR BY PRACTISING WELL THE THREE CONDUCT TRAININGS, APPRECIA TION OF THE THREE BECOMES GREA TER. [Stanza 32]
Now these three Trainings are: [A] the Conduct of the Vow, [B] Conduct for Garnering Virtue, and [C] Conduct for Others' Sake. 29
Conduct ofthe Vow
Conduct of the Vow includes the vows of Pratirnoksa's seven ran}<:s which prohibit acts that would be wrong because [one has] pledged [to renounce them], as well as the Ten Unvirtuous Deeds which prohibit [acts that are]
wrong by nature.
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 97
Conduct for Garnering Virtue
Conduct for Garnering Virtue means that after correctly taking the Vow you gather up every least bit of virtue you can in body, speech and mind, for the sake of Enlighten- m e n t . I n p a r t i c u l a r i t i s t o a p p l y yours~I f t o s t u d y , r e f l e c t i o n , and contemplation with unique delight. And likewise it is your behaviour toward your Gurus, always greeting them first, rising and saluting them with folded hands. [309a] It is showing reverence to and proclaiming the praises of gifted persons, and rejoicing in all merit. It is forbearance under the contempt of others. It is bestowing [the merit of] all your virtues [on others] for Enlightenment's sake. It is
regularly making the various resolves for purity. It is offer- ing worship to the Three Jewels in a wide variety of offerings. It is zeal in virtue. It is rejecting inattention, and fostering mindfulness and deliberateness and restraint of the doors of the senses. It is knowing moderation in food, and striving not to sleep in the early and latter parts of the night. It is reliance on the holy man. It is knowing what the faults are and, having seen them, avoiding them or confess- ing them honestly. It is preserving and extending every
good deed that is in harmony with these virtues. 30
And thus, if you keep the Conduct of Garnering Virtue, your life of virtue will become well integrated. For, if you do not consent to looking for pleasures even in small things, then how much less in greater. This Conduct is the very heart of the Ten Perfections, of the Four Means of Attrac- tion, of the Four Infinitudes, and of the Ten Thoughts of Enlightenment.
Conduct for the Good o f Others
Conduct for Others' Sake means that you must work for the good of creatures. It is being a companion to those in suffering as a nurse is to the sick, and so on.
It is being a guide for the blind, and teaching the deaf by signs, and carrying those who have no hands or feet, and cleansing those who hanker after desire, and purifying the suffering of anyone overcome or contemned by
? 98 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
others, and [309b] giving food and drink to the weary traveller, and helping with clothes and lodging. It means being indefatigable in helping the sick with your healing abilities, and having no thought of reward. 31
In short, it is cleansing away all the suffering that creatures have, and keeping the intention to remove it, and bestow- ing all your virtues on others for their benefit. For the full significance of these practices, you must study the Chapter on Conduct.
Perfecting the Equipment
It was in my reflecting that these three kinds of Conduct for the [Bodhisattva's] vow are actually the Equipment of Merit, and should therefore quickly bring that Equipment to perfection, I wrote the verse:
HENCE, WHEN ONE HAS STRIVEN IN THE VOWS WHICH MAKE UP THE PURE AND PERFECT BODHISATTVA VOW,
HE WILL BRING TO COMPLETE PERFECTION
THE VERY EQUIPMENT FOR PERFECT ENLIGHTENMENT. (Stanza 33)
Consequently, you should understand that if you wish to reach the Perfect Enlightenment, and want to achieve the merit which is the condition for it, you will bring that Equipment of Merit to perfection by striving diligently in the V ow of the Bodhisattva.
Striving in Both Vows
By the words "VOWS WHICH MAKE UP THE . . . VOW", I include both the Vow of a Bodhisattva who is following Arya ~sanga's , s y s t e m , a n d t h e V o w o f a B o d h i s a t t v a w h o f o l l o w s Adirya Santideva's. If you have striven and laboured perseveringly in the paths of both these great Wagons, you will have fulfilled the Equipments of Merit and Knowledge alike, and the Gurus say that you will be directly and perfectly Enlightened. My Guru [Bodhibhadra, for instance] says in his Commentary on "Twenty Verses on the
V ow":
? THE BODHISATTVA VOW 99
"These Three Trainings of Conduct are virtuous because to take and observe them correctly works for one's own and others' good, benefit, and happiness. [310a] They are measureless because they comprise the measureless trainings of a Bodhisattva. They are useful because they accomplish the benefit and happiness of all creatures. And one can understand how much greater their effect is [than other trainings] by the fact that through them one lays hold of the supreme and perfect Enlightenment, the greatest result of all. " 32
Five Effects
Now then, to undertake such a training from a holy Guru and desire the basic virtues of the Equipment Path's Aids- to-Liberation, as is proper for a Bodhisattva, means that one has had the right disposition for it from previous rebirths. For as Maitreyanatha says in the Classification of the Middle and Extremes:
"Scriptures declare that the maturing [of karma] includes: [1] becoming a Vessel, and [2] Strength because ofthat capacity, and [3] Desire, and [4] Growth, and [5] Purification. These are the successive stages of the effects [of karma]. " 33
And the great and learned Guru Santipa [explains this as]:34
"The bodhisattvas' becoming Vessels [for Mahayana] in this life is because of their having trained to cultivate virtue in their previous lives. This is the Maturation Effect. [1] Their becoming strong is because of what they have done in this life. This is the Dominant Effect.
[2] For the same reason, but later, is their desire [for more training]. This is the Causally-Similar Effect. [3] Their great growth in training in this life is the Human-Activity Effect. [4] Their being dissociated from the impurities of the Obscurations is the Dissociation Effect. [5] Four of these effects, excepting the Dominant, are listed as effects of the same [causal] category, but the list would not be complete if that were true. "
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And the great and learned Acarya Vasubandhu says: [310b]
"The Bodhisattva who has the Thought for Enlighten- ment, from then on in rebirth after rebirth,
'Has happy destinies, noble birth, all his faculties, is born a male, remembers rebirths, and does not turn back. '
He does not regret suffering in the cause of helping creatures. A servant not bought with worldly goods is this bodhisattva. And, even with his special eminence in the good fortune of a Great Being, he will not be proud and arrogant. Out of compassion, he is controlled by others, and lives at their feet like a dog, a servant or a low-caste. And although others hold him in contempt and hurt him, he is forbearing, and takes unto himself all weariness and anxiety. "35
This is the kind of person we know as a Mahayanist.
Marks o f Unfailing Thought
The Sutras also speak of the signs of Enlightenment Thought, unimpaired through rebirth after rebirth:
"[Because of the Thought] one is spared the evil destinies. He avoids birth in remote areas, and is reborn In a place where there is a holy man. His birth is of noble family, and he is handsome in body, and has great insight, and is free of sickness. He is endowed with
compassion. "
Hence, you avoid the Eight Unfavourable Conditions and possess the qualities of the Ten Favourable ones. Or again, the signs [of Enlightenment Thought] are to be naturally endowed with the Six Perfections; for the Sutras say, "One is endowed with [the Perfection of] Giving without being taught it", on through each of the Perfections to "He is endowed with Insight without being taught it. "
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 101 And Acarya Candrakirti says this:
"If while [on the Paths of] the Ordinary Person/6
One hears ofEmptiness and inner joy comes again and again, And from that joy the eyes fill with teai:s,
And even the body hairs begin to rise; [311a]
Then to that one, whoever he be who has this
Seed of Enlightenment, let Ultimate Truth be taught.
For from that seed springs the quality of realising it. " 37
Acarya Vasubandhu puts it this way:
"Regarding the Aids to Liberation: when anyone hears a sermon on Non-Self, or on the defects of the cycle of rebirth, or on the qualities of Nirval). a, and the tears flow and his scalp tingles, then we recognise a man who has
the basic virtues of the Aids to Liberation- just as surely as we know that seed has been sown in the furrows of the field when we see the summer's sprouting. "38
And the holy Descent into Lanka Sutra:
" A s from seeing smoke, one knows there is fire;
And from the presence of herons, that water's nearby; SoJthe Family of intelligent Bodhisattvas
Is recognised by their characteristics. " 39
Beginner Bodhisattvas
And so, the Beginner Bodhisattva should be constantly aware that his whole body and life and enjoyments, and all the phenomena of Samsara and Nirval). a alike are as but a dream. Dreamlike are the Three Jewels to which he pays dreamlike reverence. Dreamlike the cycle of rebirth in which he must sorrow; dreamlike the creatures for whom
his compas~ion labours with dreamlike mind; and dream- like the creatures whom he must respect.
He must bear in mind that all creatures are his lord; he must bear in mind the Non-arising [of all phenomena]; he must bear in mind the Thought of Enlightenment. He must bear Death in mind. He must bear Conduct in mind. He must bear in mind detachment from all material things. He
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must bear in mind his mindfulness, deliberateness, attention, and careful reflection.
[311b]
Skilled in Means
Moreover, this Beginner should at all times be skilled in the Means, [reflecting in this way:]
"Taking my own sins to be others' sins, I confess them; and taking others' sins to be my own, I confess them. Making my own roots of virtue to be others' root~ of virtue, and others' to be my own - making my own happiness to be others' happiness, and making their suffering to be mine - I cleanse away the suffering of others through my own suffering. When I see or hear of the happiness of others, my heart is glad. And when I see or hear of their suffering, my heart is cast down like a mother's, thinking 'Ah alas, when will I free them from their suffering? '
"I put aside all thought of worldly things. I must not be jealous of others' gain, honour, and fame. Here am I, with this family, good health, attendants and wherewithal; I have the five branches of knowledge; I have my own goods, honour, and reputation; so, without pride or arrogance, I will not hold lesser people in contempt. In sharing my virtue with others, I completely bestow [its merits on them] for the Great Enlightenment;
and the virtues that others have shared with me, I also completely bestow for the Great Enlightenment. And in sharing my own sins with others' sins, I confess each one; and the sins they have shared with me, I confess them all. "
Unremitting Practice
The [Beginner Bodhisattva's] daily practice is to be unremitting;40 for as the Cloud ofJewels says:
"In eating . . . in drinking . . . in going forth . . . in lying down . . . in lying on the right side . . . [he is mindful]. "41 [312a]
You must study the rest of the Sutra for the description.
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 103
And then again his pledge is unremitting too, as these words ofKing Akasa ofold say:42
"From this day forward, even if the Thought of attachment arise in me, I will never betray all the Buddhas Who dwell in the ten directions.
Beginning from this moment and henceforth, [Until I obtain the Highest Enlightenment,]
I shall not permit ill-will or anger,
Avarice or envy, to occupy my mind. [Stanza 27]
I shall practise the Pure Life,
And renounce sin and base desire;
I shall imitate the Buddha
By rejoicing in the vow of Conduct. " [Stanza 28]
And the Exhortation to Higher Intention Sutra:
"0 Blessed One, from this day forward, we make this solemn promise in the presence of the Tathagata. 0 Blessed One, from this day forward, if we talk about the failings of a person in the Bodhisattva Vehicle, be it true or not, we will be betraying the Tathagata, the Arhat, the completely perfect Buddha . . . "43
And you must study the siitra for the rest [of that idea].
The Beginner's Bestowal [of merit] is likewise un- remitting: study the Bestowal prayer in the Golden Splendour, the Ten Great Bestowals of the Bodhisattva yajradhvaja, and the Twenty Verses on Gathering Merit by Arya Nagarjuna, and others such as the Bestowal Chapter of the Progress in Practice.
His Resolve is also unremitting: read the holy Good Practice, the Ten Great Resolves of the Siltra on the Ten Stages, the Twelve Great Resolves of the king in the Glory_of the Blessed One, Vaidurya, Teacher of Healing, and Acarya Asvagho~a's Seventy Resolves, and so on.
[312b]
From time to time, recall the fifty [simile] teachings that
my Guru collected from quotes out of the entire body of Siitras: "Mother and Father-like" and "Son and Daughter- like" [is the BodhisattvaV4
? 104 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
Sutra Study
A Beginner should also read the whole Siitra collection through at least once. And why is that? Because the beginner has only studied a small part of the remedy and its superficial conditions; and so he needs to study the Siitras diligently [for basic understanding]. He should also read, listen to, and ask questions about the books that summarise the complete Siitra meaning: the Compendium of Sutras,
the Progress in Bodhisattva Practice, the Chapter on Conduct, and the Twenty Verses on the Vow. Since the great Acaryas of the past- and the great'and learned Gurus of our own day- gave much reflection to the meaning of the Mahayana Siitras, their treatises too ought to be studied, listened to, and copied.
He should also recite the Three Heaps three times a day and night, as the Questions of Ugra says:
"Washing himself three times a day and three times a night, and? donning clean robes, he should recite the Three Heaps. "45
And the Instruction on the Non-Production of All Phenomena:
"Three times a day as well as night, pay homage to the Bodhisattvas with head [to the ground]. "46
And the Cloud ofJewels:
"To all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, he performs
worship three times a day and three times a night. " 4 7
And in the Questions of Upali, it says: "He confesses day andnight. "48 (313a]AndAryaAsariga:
"The bodhisattva who wants to be enlightened swiftly, directly, and perfectly, must three times a day and times a night: pay Homage, perfom1 Worship, Confess his sins, Rejoice, make Entreaty, offer Petition, and make the Bestowal. " 4 9
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 105
For the beneficial qualities of these practices, study the Avalokitesvara Sutrq, the ,Hundred Explanations of the Doctrine, and Acarya Sura's Precious Garland of Discourses. They should all be performed as given in the text of the Good Practice, and the Three Heaps Sutra should then be recited again.
Kinds of Beginners
The keen and intelligent Bodhisattva, adorned with learning, will enlarge upon these ritual practices with the instruction he receives from his Guru - but only after he gas grounded himself in the holy Good Practice. Hence,
Santideva says in the Progress in Practice:
"Three times in the day and in the night
Recite the Three Heaps Sutra, and then
Relying on the Victor and Enlightenment Thought, The rest of your failings will be calmed. "50
So, following such methods, he makes the Three Refuges and confesses the wrong of his failings, and then creates the twofold Enlightenment Thought [of resolving and progressing]. He tells himself that he must practise the complete and entire Training of a Bodhisattva preached in the Mahayana Sutras. A full ritual for doing all of this c'an
be sought from his Guru. [313b]
A yogin who is not found lacking in these daily practices
can be said to be endowed with Three Excellences. As my own Guru [Bodhibhadra] put it:
"I will be in touch with happiness by means of Three Excellences: Excellence of Practice, of Intention, and of Prior Cause. By Excellence of Practice I am not con- tinually committing sins of body, speech and mind; and I confess my wrongs. By Excellence of Intention I am motivated by the Teaching, and not its contrary, like Wrong Livelihood, etc. And, caring about the goal of Great Enlightenment, I have no use for the goal of
? 106 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
worldly happiness. By Excellence of Prior Cause I have acted out of virtue and merit in previous lives, and therefore I am not now impoverished in food, clothing and the necessities. I am naturally diposed to share my lot with others. " 51
A beginning disciple of less keen intelligence should not embark on this path [of vowed Conduct] right at the start. The Gurus say that he should first have all the siitras and commentary explained to him which show him the wide scope of Bodhisattva Training. And, when he has mastered these, then let the [vow] ritual for entering the path of a beginning individual be applied.
Here I suggest [an examination by] Watches to determine the extent of his reverence for the Three Jewels, or renunciation of a~tachment, or mindfulness of death, keeping the Conduct uppermost, or his honesty and trusting reverence towards his Guru:
The eighteen hours [of a day] are divided into Six W atches [of three hours each]. I f there is a failure in the first or second hour of the Morning Watch, and in the third the Enlightenment Thought is forgotten, that individual [should be judged] weak. Let the [examen] be repeated in the next five Watches again. [314a]
The Superior Individual corrects his failures from hour to hour; the Mediocre in two hours; and the Inferior corrects his only in the last [hour of any Watch].
The superior-Superior corrects himself within a minute [of any failing], the mediocre-Superior corrects himself in two minutes, and the inferior-Superior in the last minute [of any given hour in which the fault is committed]. In this fashion the examination can be applied to all the rest of the nine [degrees]: superior-Mediocre, and so onY
There are, however, some famous learned Gurus who say that a Superior Person is one who corrects his fault immediately after it is committed, the Mediocre Person corrects his after two or more minutes, and the Inferior
[only] corrects his by the end ofthe six Watches.
THIS COMPLETES THE TEACHING ON THE TRAINING FOR HIGHER CONDUCT
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 107 Notes to Chapter 4
I Ot. 897,V ol. 35:178. 1.
2 Ot. 5538, Vol. 110:166-77. The nine topics of the Conduct Chapter are
3 4
5 6 7 8
9 10
Asanga's own verses, but by themselves do not give complete compre- hension of their content. All but topic [2], the All-inclusive, represent succinct meditational or ascetical practices. The ''all-inclusive" Conduct is a detailed description and enumeration of the entire Bodhisattva course, beginning with the development of the Enlightenment Thought, the con- ditions of a bodhisattva in both the lay and religious states, the prerequisite of Pratimok~a vows (the opinion Atisa follows), and a complete ritual with formulae and rubrics for taking the Bodhisattva Vow, along with a long list of Priitimok~a-like offences to be avoided by a bodhisattva.
The inspiration for this stanza is taken almost verbatim from Candragomin's Twenty Verses on the Bodhisattva Vow [Ot. 5582, Vol. 114:253. 1].
The entire paragraph here, although not indicated as a quotation in the text, is taken from Candragomin, op. cit. , pp. 266. 5f.
Ot. 5538. Vol. 110:169. 3 to 170. 2.
Ritual for Begetting the Thought and for the Vow, Ot. 5364.
Ot. 5336, Vol. 102:187. 2f.
One of Mafijusrl's rebirths as a king, recounted in the Ornament of Mafzjusri's Buddhafield [Ot. 760(15). Vol. 23:129. 2f]. and also quoted by Santideva in SS, p. IS.
op. cit. , pp. 177. 2.
SS: p. 19.
II BCA:V:lOO.
12 13 14 15
16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Commentary on "Twenty Verses on the Vow", Ot. 5584, Vol. ll4:276. 2f. SS: p. 19.
SS: pp. 12-13.
mi brda phrad-pa. The term is borrowed from the conditions surrounding the giving up of the Pratimok~a vows. See Chapter 3, note 31. The phrase "to give back the vow" (sdom-pa phul) has the technical sense of being legitimately released from it by appropriate authority for honest reasons. The Hooks of Mara (his "Evil Works") are found in SS: pp. 46f; the Fourteen Evil Things are described in SS: pp. 70-71.
Ot. 5584, Vol. 114:269. 1. See note 16.
op. cit. . pp. 175. 4f.
SS: p. 158.
op. cit. , p. 177. 1ff.
SS: pp. 17-18.
op. cit. , p. 266. 1.
ibid.
Candragomin, op. cit . . pp. 253. 1.
BCA: III:25-26.
Ot. 814. Vol. 32:278. 2.
Ot. 824, Vol. 33:159. 4.
The Three Conduct Trainings used for explanation here are taken from Asaitga's "All-inclusive Conduct" topic of the Conduct Chapter (see note 2), and form the broad outline for his treatment of Bodhisattva practices. These three Conduct Trainings should not be confused with the Three Higher Trainings (lhag-pa'i bslab-pa gsum): Higher Conduct, Higher Con-
? 108 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
30
31
32 33 34
centration. Higher Vision, which are also a common division of the elements of Bodhisattva life.
The practices mentioned here are again from Asanga's list in the Hearer's
Level [Ot. 5537, Vol. 110:37. 4f].
All of the graphic. examples listed here are taken from Bodhibhadra's explanation of this Conduct Training [op. cit. . p. 263. 3f. ].
op. cit. . p. 262. 2f.
Ot.
And so at this point I will imitate my Gurus in following the Mahayana sutras to explain what must be practised in the comprehensive training of a bodhisattva.
Conduct Chapter ofAsahga
I have already indicated [in the preceding stanzas] who the unique vessel for Mahayana. is, so now I point out the Path
ofthe Great Wagons for him by saying:
ACCORDING TO THE RITUAL GIVEN IN THE CONDUCT CHAPTER OF THE BODHISATIVA LEVELS, [ONE TAKES THE VOW . . ? ] [Stanza 22]
This Bodhisattva Levels is the treatise composed by noble Asariga to present the Six Perfections. In that text there is the Chapter on the Perfection of Conducf comprised of nine titles: [1] The Nature of Conduct, [2] All-inClusive, [3]TheDifficulties, [4]TheApproaches, [5]TheHolyMan, [6] All Kinds, [7] The Wish in Misfortune, [8] Happiness
? THE BODHISATTVA VOW 89
Here and Hereafter, (305a] and [9] Purified Conduct. My reference here is to what is stated under the heading "All- inclusive Conduct".
The Good Guru
I show how this ritual proceeds by saying ONE TAKES THE VOW FROM ANY GOOD GURU
WHO HAS THE PROPER CHARACTERISTICS. (Stanza 22)
And who is the good Guru and what are his? proper characteristics?
ONE WHO IS LEARNED IN THE RITUAL OF THE VOW,
AND HIMSELF LIVES THE VOW HE HAS TAKEN,
AND HAS THE COMPASSIONATE FORBEARANCE TOIMPARTIT-KNOWHIMTOBETHEGOODGURU. 3 (23]
"LEARNED IN THE RITUAL OF THE VOW" means that he is well-informed and knowledgeable about it. "uvEs THE vow HE HAS TAKEN" means that the Guru's own Conduct is not diminished or destroyed and that it is pure. "FORBEARANCE" means he is willing to do it, and proceeds freely in imparting the vow. "coMPASSIONATE" means he sees a disciple as a son, and that he cannot bear to see others suffer. When I say he must be a "GuRu" ["higher"] I mean that a vow can
only [truly] be taken from someone whose attainment is higher than others. And a Guru is considered to be higher when his disciples possess virtues like his and when great reverence has been paid to his teaching.
Furthermore, a Guru possesses four excellences: [1] excellent Conduct; [2] excellent attainments, [3] excellent intention, and [4] excellent practice. I specify his excellent Conduct by saying "HIMSELF LIVES TflE VOW HE HAS TAKEN", and his excellent attainments by "LEARNED IN THE RITUAL OF THE VOW . . . [ANT)) . . . FORBEARANCE TO IMPART IT".
T o explain this further: "LIVES THE vow" means that you cannot acquire a vow from a Guru who has forsaken his own vow or has violated his own Conduct or no longer agrees With the Doctrine. "LEARNED IN THE RITUAL" means
? 90 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
a vow cannot be acquired from a Guru who does not know the ritual because then the ritual itself is defective. And "FORBEARANCE TO IMPART" means he is willing to grant the vow because he approaches it with a glad heart, saying, "Excellent! I must give this vow without hesitation! "
His excellent intention and excellent practice are shown by the word "COMP ASSIONA TE":
The Guru's excellent intention is his faith, his sincere motivation in action, his detachment and compassion, his reverence for his own Guru. He desires little and knows moderation, keeping trifles unimportant. He has no anxieties, he is patient with others' faults, he is free of anger and grudge-bearing.
The Guru's excellent practice is his advancing in prac- tice of virtue, ever esteeming and increasing it. He does not deceive himself about the rules of his training. He is neither overenthusiastic nor indolent, and he does not like noisy crowds or pleasure-seeking. His mind is undisturbed. 4
If you take the vow from such a Guru your practice of Conduct will grow, and that kind of Guru is what I had in mind when I wrote:
ONE TAKES THE VOW FROM ANY GOOD GURU
WHO HAS THE PROPER CHARACTERISTICS. (Stanza 22]
Explanation of the Vow
My explanation continues now with these topics: [A] the ritual for taking the vow, [B] the full extent of it, [C] how the vow is forsaken, [D] how it will not be forsaken, (E] rising from failings in it, [F] the benefits of Conduct.
There are of course many systems of interpretation from the great scholars of the P? St, but here I am going to ex- glain only the thought of Arya Asanga and of Venerable Santideva because theirs is the spirituality of the Superior
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 91
Person - which is the Great Path of the Great Vehicle. [306a]
The Ritualfor Taking the Vow
[1] "for the full ritual, you should study the one composed by Adirya Asari. ga in his Chapter on ConductS or the one that I myself composed. 6 There is also a ritual foF taking the vow without a Guru given in the same Chapter on Conduct. For_the ritual I made, I imitated Arya Asari. ga's. The ritual by Santideva is found of course in his Progress in Practice, but is presented more fully in the Compendium ofTraining. 7 He has also given a ritual for the vow without a Guru in the
latter text.
[2] I presented my own ritual without a Guru in the
stanzas from:
"BUT IF, AFTER TRYING, ONE CANNOT
FIND JUST SUCH A GURU AS THIS,
I WILL EXPLAIN ANOTHER RITUAL
FOR TAKING THE VOW IN A CORRECT WAY. " (Stanza24]
down to the words:
"NO UNVIRTUOUS DEED WILL EVER BE MINE. " (Stanza 31b]
I chose this ritual of Ambaraja8 here because my Gurus have said it is a formula for the ritual both with and without a Guru. It is true, the Compendium of Training gives it as a ritual for taking the vow from a Guru, but since I am presenting both methods, my ritual for taking with a Guru is based on the Chapter on Conduct [of Asari. ga] and the one 'Jithout Guru is based on the Compendium of Training [of Santideva].
Extent o f Conduct
The full extent of Conduct. Arya Asari. ga has summarised what the entire Sutra collection teaches on Conduct in the nine sections of his Chapter on Conduct beginning with "Nature". He concludes by saying:
? 92 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
"The Conduct of the Bodhisattva is completely covered by these practices. What he must do in his Conduct is complete with just these. The benefit of his Conduct is complete in just these. [306b] There is nothing more; there is nothing beyond them. "9
And Acarya Santideva treats the whole Sutra teaching as a training by three types of person; hence in Mahayana there is a higher practice of Conduct, and an average, and a minimal. When speaking of the higher practice in his Compendium o f Training he says, "The fullest practice of Mahayana comes from the Bodhisattva vow. " 10 Then in the Progress in Practice he says:
"There is no virtuous practice to be had anywhere Which the Sons of the Victor do not observe. " 11
And my Guru, the glorious Bodhibhadra, has said:
"The chief precepts of Bodhisattva training are sum- marised here [in Asanga's Chapter on Conduct]. But this training of a Bodhisattva is measureless and endless [in actual practice], and therefore when you return to what is taught here in these precepts, you will know what is or is noLa fault. " 12
On the St! bject of the average practice of Bodhisattva ~onduct, Santideva says in the Compendium o f Training:
"This Bodhisattva will know the basic attitudes [neces- sary] for not transgressing. He gives away his person and enjoyments to all creatures, and all the merit he has ever gained as well. And he keeps on growing in these practices. " 13
Then on the subject of minimal practice, he says:
"A Bodhisattva who wants to observe some certain pre- cept of the. training makes a promise to do so in the presence of the Buddhas. If he has no [Guru] Spiritual
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 93
Friend, he acts on his own power to do so, and takes the vow in the presence of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Hence, even when acting on your own in observing a single precept, you should take the vow correctly. "14 [307a]
_ Forsaking the Vow
According to Arya Asanga's explanation, the causes of
forsaking the vow are the failure to renew the resolve for the great Enlightenment, and through great entanglement to commit the four basic sins. The former means to grow tired of seeking the good of all creatures, and feeling that Enlightenment is too far off, and to have the resolution of only a Hearer or Solitary Buddha or an outsider. The latter means to be without shame or regret, and to lose all concern for the consequences, or to give back the vow in the prese~ce of a! lyone capable of understanding. 15
In Adirya Santideva's interpretation in the Compendium o f Training, the vow is forsaken by failing to reject the Evil Works of Mara or the Fourteen Evil Things16 that begin with the man who appropriates for himself what belongs to the holy religion, and so on; and by imperfect mindfulness, by laziness and indifference, by not learning what the trans- gressions are, and by having no shame or regret.
And in his Commentary on "Twenty Verses on the Vow", my Guru says, " . . . not learning the precepts of the train- ing, by unmindfulness, delusion, and irreverence. " 17
Preventing Transgression
For Asanga transgression is prevented by deliberateness and mindfulness, zeal and carefulness, by knowing what is ~nd is not a fault, and by a sense of shame and regret. Santideva mentions these also, along with rejecting and correcting the Fourteen Evil Things, as even the ordinary [Paths] do. 18
Risingfrom Transgression
Both Gurus say that one can be as free of regret for failure by being restored to virtue as by never having sinned in the first place. If one sees the wrong in his faults, and admits and confesses it even in little things, he will be pure. [307b]
? 94 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
In the Chapter on Conduct, Arya Asanga speaks of rising from failings in the passage that begins "If there is no suitable person to act as one's teacher [to confess to] . . . ",19 where he also sayS that when the basic sins have been committed because of complete entanglement, then the vow should be taken again after confessing in the presence of the community. But, for [lesser] faults committed, con- fession to anyone of the Hearers' or the Great Vehjcle [is ~ufficient]. In the Compendium of Training Adirya Santideva comments on his verse, "Ifwe do not strive as the Perfect Buddha told us, to evil destinies we will go",2? by giving an explanation of the Four Virtues Sutra.
Benefits o f Conduct The Chapter on Conduct has this to say:
"And so this great collection of rules for Bodhisattva Conduct results in the attainment of the great Enlighten- ment. Through them you will reach the Perfection of Conduct and be directly awakened. And while striving toward Buddhahood you will gain five advantages: [1] you will think as a Buddha; [2] you will treat death as an occasion for rejoicing; [3] you will be reborn in your next life in a place where there is a Spiritual Friend who is wise in the Doctrine; [4] iri the present life you will have an endless store of merit that will help you achieve the Perfection of Conduct; [5] and when you are reborn in your next life you will retain the level of Conduct you
have gained. m 1
And in the Compendium ofTraining:
"The benefits from observing the training are so very great, it is only fitting we should strive for them right from the present moment. "22
And, supporting that idea, [Santideva] quotes from the Exhortation to Higher Intention, the Miracle of Resolute Calm, the Moon-Lamp Sutra, and the Cloud of Jewels. [308a]
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 95 My own Guru [Bodhibhadra] says in his Commentary on
"Twenty Verses on the Vow":
"The man who conducts himself in this manner will thereby surely cut off any approach to the evil destinies, and will never be reborn in them again. "23
And further on:
"He is not reborn in the evil destinies, and even though he be reborn a hundred times he does not experience severe suffering or [at least] is swiftly liberated from it,
and in enduring it he works to mature others. " 24
There are still other benefits in taking the vow correctly, as Arya Candragomin says:
"Because of the virtue in him then, The Buddha with all his sons- Their hearts set on virtue too - Regard him as their comely child. " 25
And Acarya Santideva:
"Today I am born into the Buddha's family; I have become a son ofthe Buddha!
As I take up this family's profession,
Let me never act so as to spoil
Its spotless and venerable name. "26
Purification of Body, Speech and Mind
Because the Bodhisattva who has taken the vow needs to preserve and extend his Conduct, I said:
IN ESSENCE, ONE'S PURITY OF BODY, SPEECH AND MIND
MEANS KEEPING VOWS WITH A MIND FOR PROGRESS. (Stanza 32)
Now as to the words "IN ESSENCE, ONE'S PURITY OF BODY, SPEECH AND MIND", I quote from the Tathiigata's Com- passion Sutra:
? 96 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
"[The Bodhisattva] cleanses his body, he cleanses his
speech, and he cleanses his mind. " 27
Purifying the body and speech is done by [Asanga's] Conduct of the Vow, and purifying the mind by his Conduct for Garnering Virtue and Conduct for Others' Sake. Or again, each one of those Conducts purifies body, speech and mind. [308b] Or still again, body and speech are
purified by avoiding the [first] seven Unvirtuous Deeds beginning with Killing and so on, and the mind is purified by avoiding the [last] three beginning with Covetousness. In the Questions o f Celestial King Druma Sutra, this is the meaning [the Blessed One] gave:
"TheConductofapurifiedbodyisdevoidofLust, Anger, and Illusion, and the Conduct of purified speech is marked by no deceit toward my godly Three Jewels, and the Conduct of a purified mind holds no Covetousness, or Ill-will or False Views. "28
As I reflected on how, if that is true, I would study well the training in Conduct, and how the strength gained in culti- vating it would increase my desire, joy and delight in Conduct and my application to it, I wrote:
FOR BY PRACTISING WELL THE THREE CONDUCT TRAININGS, APPRECIA TION OF THE THREE BECOMES GREA TER. [Stanza 32]
Now these three Trainings are: [A] the Conduct of the Vow, [B] Conduct for Garnering Virtue, and [C] Conduct for Others' Sake. 29
Conduct ofthe Vow
Conduct of the Vow includes the vows of Pratirnoksa's seven ran}<:s which prohibit acts that would be wrong because [one has] pledged [to renounce them], as well as the Ten Unvirtuous Deeds which prohibit [acts that are]
wrong by nature.
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 97
Conduct for Garnering Virtue
Conduct for Garnering Virtue means that after correctly taking the Vow you gather up every least bit of virtue you can in body, speech and mind, for the sake of Enlighten- m e n t . I n p a r t i c u l a r i t i s t o a p p l y yours~I f t o s t u d y , r e f l e c t i o n , and contemplation with unique delight. And likewise it is your behaviour toward your Gurus, always greeting them first, rising and saluting them with folded hands. [309a] It is showing reverence to and proclaiming the praises of gifted persons, and rejoicing in all merit. It is forbearance under the contempt of others. It is bestowing [the merit of] all your virtues [on others] for Enlightenment's sake. It is
regularly making the various resolves for purity. It is offer- ing worship to the Three Jewels in a wide variety of offerings. It is zeal in virtue. It is rejecting inattention, and fostering mindfulness and deliberateness and restraint of the doors of the senses. It is knowing moderation in food, and striving not to sleep in the early and latter parts of the night. It is reliance on the holy man. It is knowing what the faults are and, having seen them, avoiding them or confess- ing them honestly. It is preserving and extending every
good deed that is in harmony with these virtues. 30
And thus, if you keep the Conduct of Garnering Virtue, your life of virtue will become well integrated. For, if you do not consent to looking for pleasures even in small things, then how much less in greater. This Conduct is the very heart of the Ten Perfections, of the Four Means of Attrac- tion, of the Four Infinitudes, and of the Ten Thoughts of Enlightenment.
Conduct for the Good o f Others
Conduct for Others' Sake means that you must work for the good of creatures. It is being a companion to those in suffering as a nurse is to the sick, and so on.
It is being a guide for the blind, and teaching the deaf by signs, and carrying those who have no hands or feet, and cleansing those who hanker after desire, and purifying the suffering of anyone overcome or contemned by
? 98 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
others, and [309b] giving food and drink to the weary traveller, and helping with clothes and lodging. It means being indefatigable in helping the sick with your healing abilities, and having no thought of reward. 31
In short, it is cleansing away all the suffering that creatures have, and keeping the intention to remove it, and bestow- ing all your virtues on others for their benefit. For the full significance of these practices, you must study the Chapter on Conduct.
Perfecting the Equipment
It was in my reflecting that these three kinds of Conduct for the [Bodhisattva's] vow are actually the Equipment of Merit, and should therefore quickly bring that Equipment to perfection, I wrote the verse:
HENCE, WHEN ONE HAS STRIVEN IN THE VOWS WHICH MAKE UP THE PURE AND PERFECT BODHISATTVA VOW,
HE WILL BRING TO COMPLETE PERFECTION
THE VERY EQUIPMENT FOR PERFECT ENLIGHTENMENT. (Stanza 33)
Consequently, you should understand that if you wish to reach the Perfect Enlightenment, and want to achieve the merit which is the condition for it, you will bring that Equipment of Merit to perfection by striving diligently in the V ow of the Bodhisattva.
Striving in Both Vows
By the words "VOWS WHICH MAKE UP THE . . . VOW", I include both the Vow of a Bodhisattva who is following Arya ~sanga's , s y s t e m , a n d t h e V o w o f a B o d h i s a t t v a w h o f o l l o w s Adirya Santideva's. If you have striven and laboured perseveringly in the paths of both these great Wagons, you will have fulfilled the Equipments of Merit and Knowledge alike, and the Gurus say that you will be directly and perfectly Enlightened. My Guru [Bodhibhadra, for instance] says in his Commentary on "Twenty Verses on the
V ow":
? THE BODHISATTVA VOW 99
"These Three Trainings of Conduct are virtuous because to take and observe them correctly works for one's own and others' good, benefit, and happiness. [310a] They are measureless because they comprise the measureless trainings of a Bodhisattva. They are useful because they accomplish the benefit and happiness of all creatures. And one can understand how much greater their effect is [than other trainings] by the fact that through them one lays hold of the supreme and perfect Enlightenment, the greatest result of all. " 32
Five Effects
Now then, to undertake such a training from a holy Guru and desire the basic virtues of the Equipment Path's Aids- to-Liberation, as is proper for a Bodhisattva, means that one has had the right disposition for it from previous rebirths. For as Maitreyanatha says in the Classification of the Middle and Extremes:
"Scriptures declare that the maturing [of karma] includes: [1] becoming a Vessel, and [2] Strength because ofthat capacity, and [3] Desire, and [4] Growth, and [5] Purification. These are the successive stages of the effects [of karma]. " 33
And the great and learned Guru Santipa [explains this as]:34
"The bodhisattvas' becoming Vessels [for Mahayana] in this life is because of their having trained to cultivate virtue in their previous lives. This is the Maturation Effect. [1] Their becoming strong is because of what they have done in this life. This is the Dominant Effect.
[2] For the same reason, but later, is their desire [for more training]. This is the Causally-Similar Effect. [3] Their great growth in training in this life is the Human-Activity Effect. [4] Their being dissociated from the impurities of the Obscurations is the Dissociation Effect. [5] Four of these effects, excepting the Dominant, are listed as effects of the same [causal] category, but the list would not be complete if that were true. "
? 100 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
And the great and learned Acarya Vasubandhu says: [310b]
"The Bodhisattva who has the Thought for Enlighten- ment, from then on in rebirth after rebirth,
'Has happy destinies, noble birth, all his faculties, is born a male, remembers rebirths, and does not turn back. '
He does not regret suffering in the cause of helping creatures. A servant not bought with worldly goods is this bodhisattva. And, even with his special eminence in the good fortune of a Great Being, he will not be proud and arrogant. Out of compassion, he is controlled by others, and lives at their feet like a dog, a servant or a low-caste. And although others hold him in contempt and hurt him, he is forbearing, and takes unto himself all weariness and anxiety. "35
This is the kind of person we know as a Mahayanist.
Marks o f Unfailing Thought
The Sutras also speak of the signs of Enlightenment Thought, unimpaired through rebirth after rebirth:
"[Because of the Thought] one is spared the evil destinies. He avoids birth in remote areas, and is reborn In a place where there is a holy man. His birth is of noble family, and he is handsome in body, and has great insight, and is free of sickness. He is endowed with
compassion. "
Hence, you avoid the Eight Unfavourable Conditions and possess the qualities of the Ten Favourable ones. Or again, the signs [of Enlightenment Thought] are to be naturally endowed with the Six Perfections; for the Sutras say, "One is endowed with [the Perfection of] Giving without being taught it", on through each of the Perfections to "He is endowed with Insight without being taught it. "
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 101 And Acarya Candrakirti says this:
"If while [on the Paths of] the Ordinary Person/6
One hears ofEmptiness and inner joy comes again and again, And from that joy the eyes fill with teai:s,
And even the body hairs begin to rise; [311a]
Then to that one, whoever he be who has this
Seed of Enlightenment, let Ultimate Truth be taught.
For from that seed springs the quality of realising it. " 37
Acarya Vasubandhu puts it this way:
"Regarding the Aids to Liberation: when anyone hears a sermon on Non-Self, or on the defects of the cycle of rebirth, or on the qualities of Nirval). a, and the tears flow and his scalp tingles, then we recognise a man who has
the basic virtues of the Aids to Liberation- just as surely as we know that seed has been sown in the furrows of the field when we see the summer's sprouting. "38
And the holy Descent into Lanka Sutra:
" A s from seeing smoke, one knows there is fire;
And from the presence of herons, that water's nearby; SoJthe Family of intelligent Bodhisattvas
Is recognised by their characteristics. " 39
Beginner Bodhisattvas
And so, the Beginner Bodhisattva should be constantly aware that his whole body and life and enjoyments, and all the phenomena of Samsara and Nirval). a alike are as but a dream. Dreamlike are the Three Jewels to which he pays dreamlike reverence. Dreamlike the cycle of rebirth in which he must sorrow; dreamlike the creatures for whom
his compas~ion labours with dreamlike mind; and dream- like the creatures whom he must respect.
He must bear in mind that all creatures are his lord; he must bear in mind the Non-arising [of all phenomena]; he must bear in mind the Thought of Enlightenment. He must bear Death in mind. He must bear Conduct in mind. He must bear in mind detachment from all material things. He
? 102 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
must bear in mind his mindfulness, deliberateness, attention, and careful reflection.
[311b]
Skilled in Means
Moreover, this Beginner should at all times be skilled in the Means, [reflecting in this way:]
"Taking my own sins to be others' sins, I confess them; and taking others' sins to be my own, I confess them. Making my own roots of virtue to be others' root~ of virtue, and others' to be my own - making my own happiness to be others' happiness, and making their suffering to be mine - I cleanse away the suffering of others through my own suffering. When I see or hear of the happiness of others, my heart is glad. And when I see or hear of their suffering, my heart is cast down like a mother's, thinking 'Ah alas, when will I free them from their suffering? '
"I put aside all thought of worldly things. I must not be jealous of others' gain, honour, and fame. Here am I, with this family, good health, attendants and wherewithal; I have the five branches of knowledge; I have my own goods, honour, and reputation; so, without pride or arrogance, I will not hold lesser people in contempt. In sharing my virtue with others, I completely bestow [its merits on them] for the Great Enlightenment;
and the virtues that others have shared with me, I also completely bestow for the Great Enlightenment. And in sharing my own sins with others' sins, I confess each one; and the sins they have shared with me, I confess them all. "
Unremitting Practice
The [Beginner Bodhisattva's] daily practice is to be unremitting;40 for as the Cloud ofJewels says:
"In eating . . . in drinking . . . in going forth . . . in lying down . . . in lying on the right side . . . [he is mindful]. "41 [312a]
You must study the rest of the Sutra for the description.
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 103
And then again his pledge is unremitting too, as these words ofKing Akasa ofold say:42
"From this day forward, even if the Thought of attachment arise in me, I will never betray all the Buddhas Who dwell in the ten directions.
Beginning from this moment and henceforth, [Until I obtain the Highest Enlightenment,]
I shall not permit ill-will or anger,
Avarice or envy, to occupy my mind. [Stanza 27]
I shall practise the Pure Life,
And renounce sin and base desire;
I shall imitate the Buddha
By rejoicing in the vow of Conduct. " [Stanza 28]
And the Exhortation to Higher Intention Sutra:
"0 Blessed One, from this day forward, we make this solemn promise in the presence of the Tathagata. 0 Blessed One, from this day forward, if we talk about the failings of a person in the Bodhisattva Vehicle, be it true or not, we will be betraying the Tathagata, the Arhat, the completely perfect Buddha . . . "43
And you must study the siitra for the rest [of that idea].
The Beginner's Bestowal [of merit] is likewise un- remitting: study the Bestowal prayer in the Golden Splendour, the Ten Great Bestowals of the Bodhisattva yajradhvaja, and the Twenty Verses on Gathering Merit by Arya Nagarjuna, and others such as the Bestowal Chapter of the Progress in Practice.
His Resolve is also unremitting: read the holy Good Practice, the Ten Great Resolves of the Siltra on the Ten Stages, the Twelve Great Resolves of the king in the Glory_of the Blessed One, Vaidurya, Teacher of Healing, and Acarya Asvagho~a's Seventy Resolves, and so on.
[312b]
From time to time, recall the fifty [simile] teachings that
my Guru collected from quotes out of the entire body of Siitras: "Mother and Father-like" and "Son and Daughter- like" [is the BodhisattvaV4
? 104 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
Sutra Study
A Beginner should also read the whole Siitra collection through at least once. And why is that? Because the beginner has only studied a small part of the remedy and its superficial conditions; and so he needs to study the Siitras diligently [for basic understanding]. He should also read, listen to, and ask questions about the books that summarise the complete Siitra meaning: the Compendium of Sutras,
the Progress in Bodhisattva Practice, the Chapter on Conduct, and the Twenty Verses on the Vow. Since the great Acaryas of the past- and the great'and learned Gurus of our own day- gave much reflection to the meaning of the Mahayana Siitras, their treatises too ought to be studied, listened to, and copied.
He should also recite the Three Heaps three times a day and night, as the Questions of Ugra says:
"Washing himself three times a day and three times a night, and? donning clean robes, he should recite the Three Heaps. "45
And the Instruction on the Non-Production of All Phenomena:
"Three times a day as well as night, pay homage to the Bodhisattvas with head [to the ground]. "46
And the Cloud ofJewels:
"To all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, he performs
worship three times a day and three times a night. " 4 7
And in the Questions of Upali, it says: "He confesses day andnight. "48 (313a]AndAryaAsariga:
"The bodhisattva who wants to be enlightened swiftly, directly, and perfectly, must three times a day and times a night: pay Homage, perfom1 Worship, Confess his sins, Rejoice, make Entreaty, offer Petition, and make the Bestowal. " 4 9
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 105
For the beneficial qualities of these practices, study the Avalokitesvara Sutrq, the ,Hundred Explanations of the Doctrine, and Acarya Sura's Precious Garland of Discourses. They should all be performed as given in the text of the Good Practice, and the Three Heaps Sutra should then be recited again.
Kinds of Beginners
The keen and intelligent Bodhisattva, adorned with learning, will enlarge upon these ritual practices with the instruction he receives from his Guru - but only after he gas grounded himself in the holy Good Practice. Hence,
Santideva says in the Progress in Practice:
"Three times in the day and in the night
Recite the Three Heaps Sutra, and then
Relying on the Victor and Enlightenment Thought, The rest of your failings will be calmed. "50
So, following such methods, he makes the Three Refuges and confesses the wrong of his failings, and then creates the twofold Enlightenment Thought [of resolving and progressing]. He tells himself that he must practise the complete and entire Training of a Bodhisattva preached in the Mahayana Sutras. A full ritual for doing all of this c'an
be sought from his Guru. [313b]
A yogin who is not found lacking in these daily practices
can be said to be endowed with Three Excellences. As my own Guru [Bodhibhadra] put it:
"I will be in touch with happiness by means of Three Excellences: Excellence of Practice, of Intention, and of Prior Cause. By Excellence of Practice I am not con- tinually committing sins of body, speech and mind; and I confess my wrongs. By Excellence of Intention I am motivated by the Teaching, and not its contrary, like Wrong Livelihood, etc. And, caring about the goal of Great Enlightenment, I have no use for the goal of
? 106 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
worldly happiness. By Excellence of Prior Cause I have acted out of virtue and merit in previous lives, and therefore I am not now impoverished in food, clothing and the necessities. I am naturally diposed to share my lot with others. " 51
A beginning disciple of less keen intelligence should not embark on this path [of vowed Conduct] right at the start. The Gurus say that he should first have all the siitras and commentary explained to him which show him the wide scope of Bodhisattva Training. And, when he has mastered these, then let the [vow] ritual for entering the path of a beginning individual be applied.
Here I suggest [an examination by] Watches to determine the extent of his reverence for the Three Jewels, or renunciation of a~tachment, or mindfulness of death, keeping the Conduct uppermost, or his honesty and trusting reverence towards his Guru:
The eighteen hours [of a day] are divided into Six W atches [of three hours each]. I f there is a failure in the first or second hour of the Morning Watch, and in the third the Enlightenment Thought is forgotten, that individual [should be judged] weak. Let the [examen] be repeated in the next five Watches again. [314a]
The Superior Individual corrects his failures from hour to hour; the Mediocre in two hours; and the Inferior corrects his only in the last [hour of any Watch].
The superior-Superior corrects himself within a minute [of any failing], the mediocre-Superior corrects himself in two minutes, and the inferior-Superior in the last minute [of any given hour in which the fault is committed]. In this fashion the examination can be applied to all the rest of the nine [degrees]: superior-Mediocre, and so onY
There are, however, some famous learned Gurus who say that a Superior Person is one who corrects his fault immediately after it is committed, the Mediocre Person corrects his after two or more minutes, and the Inferior
[only] corrects his by the end ofthe six Watches.
THIS COMPLETES THE TEACHING ON THE TRAINING FOR HIGHER CONDUCT
? THE BODHISA TTV A VOW 107 Notes to Chapter 4
I Ot. 897,V ol. 35:178. 1.
2 Ot. 5538, Vol. 110:166-77. The nine topics of the Conduct Chapter are
3 4
5 6 7 8
9 10
Asanga's own verses, but by themselves do not give complete compre- hension of their content. All but topic [2], the All-inclusive, represent succinct meditational or ascetical practices. The ''all-inclusive" Conduct is a detailed description and enumeration of the entire Bodhisattva course, beginning with the development of the Enlightenment Thought, the con- ditions of a bodhisattva in both the lay and religious states, the prerequisite of Pratimok~a vows (the opinion Atisa follows), and a complete ritual with formulae and rubrics for taking the Bodhisattva Vow, along with a long list of Priitimok~a-like offences to be avoided by a bodhisattva.
The inspiration for this stanza is taken almost verbatim from Candragomin's Twenty Verses on the Bodhisattva Vow [Ot. 5582, Vol. 114:253. 1].
The entire paragraph here, although not indicated as a quotation in the text, is taken from Candragomin, op. cit. , pp. 266. 5f.
Ot. 5538. Vol. 110:169. 3 to 170. 2.
Ritual for Begetting the Thought and for the Vow, Ot. 5364.
Ot. 5336, Vol. 102:187. 2f.
One of Mafijusrl's rebirths as a king, recounted in the Ornament of Mafzjusri's Buddhafield [Ot. 760(15). Vol. 23:129. 2f]. and also quoted by Santideva in SS, p. IS.
op. cit. , pp. 177. 2.
SS: p. 19.
II BCA:V:lOO.
12 13 14 15
16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Commentary on "Twenty Verses on the Vow", Ot. 5584, Vol. ll4:276. 2f. SS: p. 19.
SS: pp. 12-13.
mi brda phrad-pa. The term is borrowed from the conditions surrounding the giving up of the Pratimok~a vows. See Chapter 3, note 31. The phrase "to give back the vow" (sdom-pa phul) has the technical sense of being legitimately released from it by appropriate authority for honest reasons. The Hooks of Mara (his "Evil Works") are found in SS: pp. 46f; the Fourteen Evil Things are described in SS: pp. 70-71.
Ot. 5584, Vol. 114:269. 1. See note 16.
op. cit. . pp. 175. 4f.
SS: p. 158.
op. cit. , p. 177. 1ff.
SS: pp. 17-18.
op. cit. , p. 266. 1.
ibid.
Candragomin, op. cit . . pp. 253. 1.
BCA: III:25-26.
Ot. 814. Vol. 32:278. 2.
Ot. 824, Vol. 33:159. 4.
The Three Conduct Trainings used for explanation here are taken from Asaitga's "All-inclusive Conduct" topic of the Conduct Chapter (see note 2), and form the broad outline for his treatment of Bodhisattva practices. These three Conduct Trainings should not be confused with the Three Higher Trainings (lhag-pa'i bslab-pa gsum): Higher Conduct, Higher Con-
? 108 A LAMP FOR THE PATH AND COMMENTARY
30
31
32 33 34
centration. Higher Vision, which are also a common division of the elements of Bodhisattva life.
The practices mentioned here are again from Asanga's list in the Hearer's
Level [Ot. 5537, Vol. 110:37. 4f].
All of the graphic. examples listed here are taken from Bodhibhadra's explanation of this Conduct Training [op. cit. . p. 263. 3f. ].
op. cit. . p. 262. 2f.
Ot.
