Kyabje Gosok Rinpoche
Teaching on Merits and Benefits of Bodhicitta

Renunciation and Bodhicitta

Tsongkhapa stated in The Three Principal Aspects of the Path:

“If one does not develop a pure mind of renunciation, one’s practice will never lead to success. The cause of perfect and supreme enlightenment is the bodhicitta; therefore, the wise should generate the bodhicitta.”

A practitioner should reflect that obtaining a precious human rebirth endowed with freedoms and advantages is extremely rare and highly meaningful. However, death may come at any moment, rendering all worldly attachments and desires meaningless. At the very least, one should develop renunciation—the aspiration to attain beneficial results in future lives.

Upon deeper contemplation, even if one is reborn in the higher realms of humans or gods, one remains trapped in the cycle of karma, alternating between virtue and non-virtue. Recognizing this, one should develop a firm renunciation, aspiring for complete liberation from samsara.

However, if a practitioner only develops renunciation, they will achieve only their own liberation from samsara, leaving residual defilements unremoved and unable to attain ultimate perfection and merit. Therefore, one must further cultivate bodhicitta, which leads to the complete fulfillment of all virtues and perfections.

Renunciation is the core of Hinayana practice. Yet, to fully cultivate the causes of Mahayana practice and enter the Mahayana path, one must generate bodhicitta based on loving-kindness and compassion. Without bodhicitta, even possessing great meditative concentration or supernatural powers, one cannot enter the Mahayana path. Only by practicing bodhicitta can one attain supreme, perfect enlightenment and gain the capacity to guide all sentient beings toward ultimate happiness.

The noble Shravakas and Pratyekabuddhas of the Hinayana have already realized emptiness and can abide in meditative absorption (samadhi) for countless eons. However, the reason they cannot attain Buddhahood is precisely because they have not developed bodhicitta.

After cultivating the paths of the lower and middle scopes, a practitioner should perceive the three realms as a burning house and intensely aspire to escape samsara. Upon entering the path of the higher scope, one should regard all sentient beings within the three realms as similarly trapped in a blazing house, suffering immense torment. Thus, one must wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to liberating all sentient beings from the boundless suffering of samsara.

For example, if a person, along with their parents, siblings, and relatives, were trapped in a disaster, it would be shameful for them to seek safety alone while abandoning their family. Since we all dwell within the three realms together, we should not passively watch sentient beings continue suffering in samsara. Instead, we must actively work to free all beings from this cycle of suffering.

Attaining Nirvana

Practitioners of the Hinayana path begin by generating renunciation and then cultivate the three higher trainings: the higher training in morality, the higher training in concentration, and the higher training in wisdom. Through this process, they are ultimately able to free themselves from the entanglements of afflictions and attain the peace of Nirvana.

However, even after attaining Nirvana, from the perspective of self-benefit, they have only eliminated afflictive obstructions but not cognitive obstructions. Without eliminating cognitive obstructions, they cannot directly realize the Dharmakaya. Since they do not realize the Dharmakaya, they cannot fully perfect all merits and virtues. As a result, their self-benefit remains incomplete, let alone their ability to benefit others.

Furthermore, Hinayana practitioners become attached to the bliss of Nirvana, likened to someone under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs or intoxicants. In the Shurangama Sutra, this state is compared to a person who has consumed a potion that drives them into madness, giving them a temporary illusion of happiness, only to wake up once its effects wear off. For them, rekindling bodhicitta—the altruistic aspiration for enlightenment—is extremely difficult. They must receive the blessings of the Buddha, either through his speech or through rays of light emitted from his body, in order to develop bodhicitta and enter the Mahayana path.

In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha is recorded as encouraging the noble arhats to generate bodhicitta and enter the Mahayana path toward perfect enlightenment. Similarly, in the Ratnagotravibhaga (Analysis of the Jeweled Lineage), it is stated that the Buddha advised the arhats:

“The Nirvana in which you now abide in cessation is not the ultimate Nirvana as you perceive it to be. Only through the union of skillful means and wisdom can you realize the true nature of Dharma and enter the Mahayana path.”

Regarding the order in which beings attain Buddhahood, those who initially develop bodhicitta for the benefit of others—Mahayana practitioners—may, after generating bodhicitta, fail to diligently cultivate the path. Some may even violate precepts or commit negative actions, causing them to fall into the three lower realms. However, because Hinayana arhats remain absorbed in the tranquility of Nirvana for countless eons, Mahayana practitioners, even after exhausting their karmic retribution in the lower realms and subsequently rekindling their bodhicitta, can still attain Buddhahood before the arhats.

Moreover, since Nirvana is entirely free from all forms of suffering—whether suffering of suffering, suffering of change, or pervasive suffering—Hinayana arhats find it extremely difficult to generate compassion. Even when they are eventually encouraged by the Buddha to enter the Mahayana path, their practice is filled with various obstacles.

In the Avatamsaka Sutra, Venerable Maudgalyayana once addressed the Buddha, expressing his thoughts:

“The Mahayana path that the Buddha has revealed is supremely profound and extraordinary. We are willing to endure all hardships and suffering to diligently cultivate the Mahayana path.”

This statement highlights how the arhats, having remained in the blissful tranquility of Nirvana for countless eons, no longer experience any suffering. As a result, it is extremely difficult for them to develop compassion. In contrast, beginner practitioners, still experiencing various sufferings in daily life, find it much easier to cultivate compassion.

For this reason, at the outset of one’s spiritual journey, one must carefully discern the path to take. One should not pursue the Hinayana path, which seeks only personal liberation, but instead generate bodhicitta for the benefit of all beings and enter the Mahayana path. By doing so, one can attain both self-benefit and the benefit of others, ultimately achieving the perfect fruition of Buddhahood.

Some may question: If it is so difficult for the noble arhats to rekindle bodhicitta and enter the Mahayana path, why did the Buddha not directly teach the Mahayana path from the beginning?

This question is explained in the sutras using an analogy: Suppose a child (a sentient being) is happily playing with his favorite toys (symbolizing the wealth and pleasures to which beings are attached) inside a burning house (the three realms, likened to a house on fire). An adult standing outside (the Buddha) urges the child to quickly escape. However, since the child is completely unaware that the house is on fire, he continues playing and ignores the adult’s warning. At this point, the adult must skillfully tell him, “There are even better toys outside (representing the peace of Nirvana); come out quickly!” Once the child steps outside, he can then be guided to the ultimate destination.

The Lamrim Chenmo (The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment) states:

“Bodhicitta is the root of all virtues benefiting oneself and others. It is also the remedy that eliminates all misfortunes. Any person can engage in its practice. Simply seeing, hearing, remembering, or coming into contact with bodhicitta benefits countless sentient beings. Furthermore, our own ultimate benefit is fulfilled in the process of benefiting others. Thus, bodhicitta is the most skillful method.”

The Kadampa master Geshe Potowa once used the analogy of poison, food, and medicine to illustrate the practices of the three types of practitioners.

When a gravely ill patient seeks medical treatment, the doctor first administers poison (emetics or purgatives) to expel all toxins from the body. Next, the doctor provides suitable food to nourish the patient. Finally, the doctor prescribes medicine (the nectar of immortality) to fully restore the patient’s health. In this analogy:

• Poison represents contemplating the difficulty of obtaining a precious human rebirth, the impermanence of life, and the sufferings of the three lower realms. This helps practitioners develop renunciation, abandon attachment to the pleasures of this life, sincerely confess past negative karma, and completely purify their misdeeds.
• Food represents contemplating the faults of samsara, enabling practitioners to cut off attachment to future lives and engage in virtuous deeds, leading to rebirth in the higher realms of humans and gods, where positive karma is nurtured.
• Medicine represents upholding bodhicitta, transforming all phenomena into the nectar of immortality, and ultimately enabling oneself and all sentient beings to attain the perfect, deathless fruition of Buddhahood.

Therefore, practitioners should not merely seek their own attainment of Nirvana but should diligently cultivate bodhicitta for the benefit of others, ultimately achieving the perfect enlightenment that fulfills both self-benefit and the benefit of others.

In the Avatamsaka Sutra, the chapter on the “Merits of the Bodhisattva’s Initial Aspiration” describes the inconceivable merits of generating bodhicitta. Bodhisattva Dharma Wisdom once taught Sudhana (Shancai, Child of Wealth) about these extraordinary qualities.

After Sudhana generated bodhicitta under the guidance of Manjushri Bodhisattva, Manjushri prophesied:

“In the future, you must visit 110 spiritual teachers. Eventually, when you look in the direction of Maitreya Bodhisattva’s abode, you will see a palace identical to that of Vairochana Buddha. When you reach Maitreya, you will witness the many bodhisattva deeds he performed in the past—such as offering his head, hands, and body for the sake of others—and through this, you will give rise to a genuine bodhicitta.”

Following Manjushri’s prophecy, Sudhana diligently sought out and visited each spiritual teacher, learning a different bodhisattva practice from each. Finally, upon reaching Maitreya Bodhisattva, he truly generated bodhicitta in its purest and most profound form.

Bodhicitta is the seed for attaining the complete fruition of Buddhahood and the foundation of all Dharma. Even those on the path of the Shravaka attain nirvana by hearing the teachings of the Buddha, and the Buddha himself arises from the practice of the Bodhisattva path. A Bodhisattva, in turn, enters the path by generating bodhicitta. Therefore, bodhicitta is the root of all Dharma.

Bodhisattva Chandrakirti states in the Madhyamakavatara:

“One should pay homage to the new moon rather than the full moon, for the full moon arises from the new moon. Just as when one is cured of illness by the fruit of the medicine tree, one must recognize that the medicine tree has grown from a seedling, and thus the seedling deserves even greater care.”

Bodhicitta is the fertile ground in which all virtuous qualities grow, the source of all benefits and happiness for sentient beings. It is like the earth that supports the world, or like the treasure king that removes all poverty. Since beings have accumulated deep-rooted afflictions and karmic obstacles, entering the path of virtue is extremely difficult. Thus, the true poverty of beings lies in their lack of virtuous qualities.

Bodhicitta is the protector of Bodhisattvas, like a loving father safeguarding his child. It is through bodhicitta that Bodhisattvas become the children of the Buddhas. If their bodhicitta declines, they can no longer be called Bodhisattvas. Bodhicitta is the wish-fulfilling jewel that fulfills all aspirations. The sutras state:

“O noble one, though we have spoken extensively about the merits of bodhicitta, its true benefits are beyond words. O noble one, you should develop an intense aspiration for the unsurpassed, perfectly enlightened state of Buddhahood.”

Therefore, practitioners should diligently cultivate bodhicitta. Regardless of one’s abilities, even if reborn as an animal, one can attain inconceivable benefits through bodhicitta.

Bodhisattva Shantideva states in the Bodhisattvacaryavatara:

“Just as a flash of lightning briefly illuminates the dark night, so too, through the power of the Buddha, the mind occasionally inclines toward virtue.”

Our meager virtuous deeds, in a mind clouded by afflictions and karmic obscurations, are like faint starlight struggling to shine through a dense, stormy night. Only the brilliant lightning of bodhicitta can pierce the darkness, purifying the mind of all obscurations.

The sutras recount that in past eons, countless Buddhas gathered to discuss the method for purifying the mind of all afflictions and obscurations, accomplishing all virtuous deeds, and benefiting all sentient beings. Their conclusion was: “Apart from bodhicitta, there is no other way!” If beings wish to eliminate all suffering and attain ultimate happiness, they must rely on bodhicitta. Only by generating bodhicitta can all difficulties be overcome.

Bodhicitta and Vajrayana

For one to attain Buddhahood, bodhicitta is indispensable. Even in the practice of the esoteric path, which swiftly leads to enlightenment, bodhicitta remains the foundation. Both the sutra and tantra teachings require bodhicitta as their core. However, tantric (Vajrayana) practitioners must cultivate bodhicitta even more intensely than those on the sutra (Paramitayana) path.

A tantric practitioner without bodhicitta, even if proficient in visualizing deities and mandalas, is no different from a mere visitor admiring a temple’s statues. Even if skilled in breath control and energy channels, such a person is merely inflating a ball—an effort without meaning! In Tibet, there was once a practitioner of the “Hevajra” tantra who, having developed only renunciation but not bodhicitta, ultimately achieved only the fruition of the Shravaka path.

For such a practitioner to still attain the result of the Hinayana path, without incurring great downfall, is considered fortunate. However, if a tantric practitioner cultivates morality, concentration, and wisdom with a self-centered motivation and fails to develop bodhicitta, it can lead to various negative consequences.

The Bodhisattvacaryavatara states:

“If one wishes to eliminate the suffering of the three realms and remove all distress, if one desires to enjoy happiness, one must never forsake the awakened mind (bodhicitta).”

For a practitioner who seeks to eliminate all suffering and turmoil within samsara and to attain both temporary and ultimate happiness, there is no other path apart from relying on bodhicitta. This reveals the boundless merits that bodhicitta accomplishes.

It further states:

“Even if one is still imprisoned in the jail of samsara, if one generates bodhicitta, one instantly becomes a child of the Buddha, worthy of veneration by gods and humans.”

Even if a practitioner continues to wander in the cycle of birth and death, yet has not attained liberation, the very moment bodhicitta arises in their mind, they transcend the level of humans and celestial beings, entering the noble assembly of Bodhisattvas (the children of the Buddhas) and becoming worthy of the veneration of gods and humans.

The Six-Session Guru Yoga also contains a verse on the practice of bodhicitta:

“Now that I have obtained this fruitful existence, I have gained the great fortune of a human life. Today, I am born into the Buddha lineage—truly a child of the Buddhas. From this moment onward, I shall strive with all my strength to act in accord with this noble lineage and never tarnish this pure inheritance.”

Just as a Chakravartin rejoices upon the birth of a noble heir—knowing that his kingdom now has a successor—the Buddhas, too, experience great joy when a practitioner generates bodhicitta and enters the ranks of the Buddha’s children. This is because the Buddhas’ altruistic activities in the world are carried out through the Bodhisattvas. Therefore, the moment a practitioner gives rise to bodhicitta, the Buddhas immediately become aware and are filled with joy.

Practice of Bodhicitta

Today, I am most fortunate to have the opportunity to teach bodhicitta, and you, too, are most fortunate to have come here to listen to teachings on bodhicitta. This is an excellent occasion to plant the seeds of bodhicitta within your mental continuum. However, merely hearing about bodhicitta is not sufficient—practitioners must continuously contemplate and meditate on bodhicitta.

The reason we remain trapped in samsara is due to our strong self-cherishing attachment (atma-graha). We care only for our own benefit, ignoring the wishes and feelings of others, and as a result, we create various negative karmas, binding ourselves further in the vast ocean of cyclic existence.

In this life, we are incredibly fortunate to have obtained a rare and precious human rebirth with freedoms and endowments, and to have encountered the teachings of the Buddha—especially the Vajrayana path, which integrates both Sutra and Tantra. We must make full use of this rare opportunity to diligently counteract our self-cherishing attachment. If we fail to seize this chance and let it slip away, it will be exceedingly difficult to regain. Such a loss would be truly regrettable and foolish!

The noble Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas seek only their own liberation from samsara. Even though they have attained the peace of nirvana, there is nothing truly extraordinary about their accomplishment. The reason is that they focus solely on self-benefit and do not engage in benefiting others. In contrast, our teacher, Sakyamuni Buddha, attained the perfect Buddhahood, endowed with omniscient wisdom, because every thought and action of his was motivated entirely by the wish to benefit others, without even the slightest trace of self-interest. Moreover, he continuously cultivated and strengthened this altruistic bodhicitta. This unwavering dedication to benefiting others is precisely what makes the Buddha so great.

The Buddha’s two foremost disciples, Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, though having attained the fruit of Arhatship, possessed the meditative stability to abide in the peace of nirvana for countless eons. Yet, the Buddha never paid homage to them. However, he willingly prostrated before Bodhisattvas, demonstrating that the merit of a Bodhisattva far surpasses that of the noble Sravakas and Arhats. The scriptures state that venerating a Bodhisattva is equivalent to venerating all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the three times and ten directions. However, venerating the Buddhas alone does not equate to venerating all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

The reason for this is illustrated through an analogy: if one carefully tends to a sapling from the moment it sprouts, once it matures into a great tree bearing abundant fruit, it can be said that all the fruits have received one’s care from the very beginning. Conversely, if one only tends to the fruit without caring for the sapling or the tree itself, the care extends only to the fruit and not to the entire process of its growth.

Furthermore, the scriptures recount that if a Bodhisattva sits in a chariot without horses, enjoying the five sensual pleasures of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch, upon seeing this, the Buddha would be willing to place the reins around his own neck and personally pull the chariot for the Bodhisattva. The reason the Buddha reveres the Bodhisattvas so deeply is that they generate bodhicitta, practice the arduous and self-sacrificing path of the Bodhisattva over countless eons, alleviate the suffering of sentient beings, grant them both temporary and ultimate happiness, and ultimately attain complete Buddhahood. Therefore, the Buddha holds Bodhisattvas in the highest regard.

All Bodhisattvas, when they first manifest in the world, appear no different from ordinary beings. Why, then, do they later achieve qualities as magnificent as those of Manjusri, possessing flawless physical attributes and boundless merits? The difference lies in their generation of bodhicitta and their vast engagement in Bodhisattva conduct, which enables them to attain such supreme qualities and magnificence.

The masters of the Kadampa tradition have also emphasized this point: even if a practitioner engages in mantra recitation and ritual practice, if they fail to generate realization within their mindstream, the root cause lies in their lack of sincere contemplation and cultivation of bodhicitta. Without true bodhicitta, their practice remains ineffective.

The great master Atisa, when he was in India, had already mastered the five fields of knowledge, both worldly and spiritual, and had achieved great realization in both Sutrayana and Tantrayana. Yet, to receive teachings on bodhicitta, he was willing to risk his life by traveling across the ocean to present-day Sumatra, where he studied under the master Dharmakirti (also known as Serlingpa), the lineage holder of the Sevenfold Cause-and-Effect Method for generating bodhicitta. He spent over ten years following his teacher and cultivating bodhicitta. Though his teacher’s understanding of emptiness was aligned with the Yogacara school rather than the Madhyamaka view, Atisa still regarded him as his most revered master. The reason was that it was from Dharmakirti that Atisa received the direct transmission of bodhicitta teachings.

From this, we can see how deeply Atisa valued bodhicitta. If such an accomplished master held bodhicitta in such high regard, then we, too, must earnestly contemplate and cultivate bodhicitta with great diligence.

Merits and Benefits

The cultivation of the bodhicitta should not be done occasionally but must be persistent and constantly practiced, just like the offering to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas that needs to be made repeatedly. It must be practiced continuously across many lifetimes in order to achieve success. For example, King Ajstasatru in a past life continually practiced the cultivation of emptiness. In this life, he offered a robe made of gold to Manjusri Bodhisattva, who, after receiving it, returned it to him and asked him to wear it. When he wore the robe, his body suddenly disappeared, manifesting the realization of emptiness. King Ajstasatru’s realization of emptiness was not only due to the merit of offering the robe to Manjusri in this life but was also due to the power of his accumulated practice of emptiness over many past lives, which matured and led to this realization in this life.

Therefore, practitioners must diligently practice bodhicitta from now, as one day, when offering fresh flowers to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, they might generate the genuine bodhicitta in that moment. The sutras mention that if a practitioner generates bodhicitta, then Indra and the Four Heavenly Kings will come to the practitioner, prostrating before them, and will do their utmost to protect and assist in the practitioner’s aspirations and activities.

If a practitioner desires to attain perfect Buddhahood, the difference between Buddhahood and the Arhat’s path is that to achieve Buddhahood, one must accumulate vast and complete merit and wisdom. Only if a practitioner generates bodhicitta and skillfully practices and applies it can they achieve this goal.

If a practitioner uses bodhicitta well, even their mundane or mistaken thoughts and actions can be transformed into meaningful virtuous actions, just like the alchemical agents added during metallurgy that remove impurities from scrap iron and turn it into useful steel. The extraordinary quality of bodhicitta lies in that, when diligently practiced, even in daily life, it can accumulate vast merit and wisdom and bring about inconceivable benefits.

Bodhicitta enables the practitioner to be liberated from the cycle of samsara. While striving to practice various virtuous actions and hoping to be reborn in a good realm in the next life, if one combines this with bodhicitta, the virtuous actions will not only fulfill the aspirations and benefits of all sentient beings but will also bring them temporary and ultimate happiness, thus becoming the bodhisattva’s conduct.

Bodhisattva’s Way of Life says: “Other virtues, like the banana tree, wither as soon as a fire burns it; the tree of bodhicitta, however, bears fruit without wilting, but grows and flourishes.” The merits of virtuous actions done for self-interest, once enjoyed, quickly disappear, just like the banana tree that dies after bearing fruit. However, the merits of virtuous actions performed with bodhicitta do not diminish after being enjoyed; instead, they continue to grow.

After generating bodhicitta, even without dedicating the merit for a favorable human or heavenly rebirth, the practitioner naturally experiences the results of their virtuous actions. Just like a farmer sowing seeds—while not wishing for weeds to grow, they still see the weeds flourishing as the rice ripens. Therefore, the merits gained by practicing with bodhicitta will continue to grow, and this is the extraordinary quality of bodhicitta.

Karma Purification

Moreover, bodhicitta has an incredible ability to purify karmic obstacles. The karmic obstacles we accumulate can be divided into two categories: definite and indefinite karma. Indefinite karma can be purified through practices like repentance, but definite karma is very firm and difficult to break or eliminate. However, if a practitioner generates bodhicitta, even the most solid and fixed karma can be destroyed.

As the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life states: “Just as a person may commit a crime but be freed from fear through a protector, if one has a liberator, why fear?” If, in this life, we commit the five Heinous crimes, we would inevitably fall into the hell of unrelenting torment. However, if a practitioner generates true bodhicitta, they can avoid falling into such a hell. Even if they are born in the hell realm in the next life, the duration of their suffering will be significantly shortened, just like a criminal who killed someone’s father, constantly fearing revenge from the victim’s children. If a powerful protector is by their side, they need not fear retaliation. Bodhicitta is like such a powerful protector.

The Bodhisattva’s Way of Life further states: “Bodhicitta is like the fire of a cosmic destruction, instantly burning all sins to ash.” At the end of a kalpa, a destructive fire will arise, instantly consuming the world and leaving only dust. Bodhicitta is like that fire, capable of completely destroying the sins accumulated by a practitioner.

Therefore, the masters of the Kagyu lineage have taught that practitioners rely on bodhicitta to accumulate perfect merit and wisdom, purify all karma, and eliminate all obstacles. A practitioner’s goal is to achieve perfect Buddhahood, and since Buddhahood is rooted in bodhicitta, one must earnestly cultivate bodhicitta. If this is not done, and the bodhicitta gradually declines, while one vainly wishes “to benefit all sentient beings and become a Buddha,” this is no different from a fool talking in dreams—such a wish can never be realized! It is like someone hoping their fruit tree will grow abundant branches and leaves, and bear numerous fruits, but neglects to care for the roots, letting them rot—how could they ever achieve their goal?

Tathagatagarbha

If a practitioner fails to generate bodhicitta, even if they possess the immovable meditative concentration of Mount Meru or can remain continuously in emptiness and realize emptiness, they cannot enter the path of Mahayana Buddhism, nor can they become the cause of Buddhahood.

As Tsongkhapa once said: “The center and root of all teachings is bodhicitta.” In terms of sharp or dull faculties, those with sharp faculties are those whose minds have seeds (habits) that lead to the realization of the Buddha’s dharma body, while those with dull faculties are those who, although they have not yet realized the Buddha’s dharma body, still aspire to attain Buddhahood. It is like wanting rice to grow in a field—one must first plant the seeds. To realize the Buddha’s dharma body, one must understand the fundamental nature of all beings—tathagatagarbha—which exists in the mental continuums of all sentient beings. tathagatagarbha is the seed for attaining Buddhahood.

In the mental continuum, sentient beings who possess the seeds capable of achieving the Buddha’s dharma body can be classified as having the “Buddha nature.” The Buddha nature can be divided into the following types:

1. Self-Nature Abiding (Svasvabhava): According to the Madhyamaka scholars, the “self-nature abiding” Buddha nature refers to the sentient beings who have the seed for realizing the ultimate (paramartha) dharma body of the Buddha within their mental continuum. The Yogacara scholars, on the other hand, argue that the “self-nature abiding” seed nature refers to the sentient beings who have the ability to continually cultivate the luminous clarity of the mind, which is the essence (or self-nature) of the mind.

The two views differ in their approach, with one being more subtle and the other more general. Since all sentient beings’ mental continuums possess the seed for realizing the Buddha’s dharma body, as recorded in the Ratnagotravibhaga, the Buddha is constantly abiding in his self-nature dharma body, and his actions for the benefit of sentient beings are universal. All sentient beings have a connection to the Buddha, and thus, every sentient being has the potential to achieve Buddhahood. Although Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and sentient beings have different results, in terms of the clear and luminous essence of the mind, they are all the same.

While all sentient beings’ mental continuums possess the seed of the Buddha’s dharma body (tathagatagarbha), due to the obscurations of afflictions and karmic obstacles, the true nature of their minds remains concealed. The scriptures often use metaphors to illustrate this situation, such as:

• a withered lotus that contains the Buddha’s thirty-two major marks and eighty minor characteristics;
• a fearsome-looking beehive that contains sweet honey;
• a tattered garment that contains a Buddha;
• the husks of rice that contain nourishing white grains; gold and jewels buried in a trash heap;
• treasures hidden beneath the earth.

These metaphors indicate that by removing the afflictions and karmic obstacles that obscure the tathagatagarbha, practitioners can gradually reveal and manifest the tathagatagarbha within their mental continuums, ultimately achieving the Buddha’s dharma body.

2. Increasing Nature: Since all sentient beings are naturally endowed with tathagatagarbha, every sentient being has the potential to attain Buddhahood. Through hearing, contemplating, and practicing the path, sentient beings can gradually cultivate various stages of realization in their mental continuums, eventually realizing the Buddha’s form body. A practitioner must understand that all sentient beings have tathagatagarbha, that all have the Buddha nature, and that all have the potential to become Buddhas. By doing so, one will not feel discouraged in the practice of bodhicitta, thinking that they cannot achieve such an extraordinary and magnificent result.

Additionally, understanding that all sentient beings have the potential to attain Buddhahood helps the practitioner to maintain compassion and avoid disdain when encountering sentient beings who may appear ignorant or violent. Instead of abandoning them, the practitioner should hold fast to bodhicitta and guide these sentient beings along the path to Buddhahood. It is possible that, when the conditions mature, a being who currently seems to have no potential for Buddhahood may suddenly transform their mind and enter the path to bodhicitta, achieving Buddhahood even before the practitioner themselves!

The essence of the mind is purity and luminosity. Afflictions and karmic obstacles are not inherent in the mind; rather, they temporarily arise within the mental continuum, like clouds obscuring the sky. These afflictions and obstacles can be completely removed, and practitioners should not doubt this possibility. If one is still confused, it is like a child who, after seeing the sky covered with clouds for several days, refuses to believe that the clouds will eventually part. This is a childish attitude. Since afflictions and karmic obstacles are temporary and arise suddenly in the mind, the key to removing them and attaining liberation from samsara lies within one’s own hands.

The Buddha has taught that the Buddha cannot wash away the karmic obstacles of sentient beings with water; the Buddha cannot remove the pain of sentient beings by pulling a thorn from the flesh; the Buddha cannot transfer realization into the minds of sentient beings. The Buddha cannot replace sentient beings in the practice of accumulating merit and purifying their sins. The Buddha has revealed the most precious teachings and guides sentient beings toward liberation and peace. However, sentient beings must rely on their own efforts to diligently practice, in order to achieve liberation from samsara and ultimately attain Buddhahood. This is the origin of the term “individual liberation vow” (Buddhist vows), which signifies that each practitioner must make individual efforts to achieve personal liberation and happiness.

Self-Grasping

The root of afflictions and karmic obstacles lies in the attachment to one’s own self-interest, known as the “self-grasping.” If this self-grasping can be removed, afflictions and karmic obstacles will also be purified.

However, one might wonder, “Can self-grasping really be eliminated? If people do not think about their own interests, how can they acquire the necessary resources for living?”

In truth, this is not the case. The Buddha, Sakyamuni, exemplified the complete abandonment of self-grasping and transformed self-interest into the compassion for others. The Buddha’s thoughts and actions were always for the benefit of others, without any self-interest. With this great spirit, the Buddha carried out extensive and perfect beneficent work, ultimately achieving the supreme and complete Buddhahood. People, inspired by the Buddha’s spirit, aspired to follow him, practicing the teachings he revealed, and achieving both temporary and ultimate happiness. This influence continues to this day. Therefore, not only can self-grasping be removed, but practitioners can also transform it into an altruistic form of love for others, greatly benefiting both themselves and all sentient beings. This is the key to transforming the mind.

The practitioner might still have doubts: since all sentient beings have the tathagatagarbha (Buddha nature) in their mental continuum, why, to this day, do so many sentient beings continue to drift in the ocean of samsara, unable to attain liberation? The Buddha’s teachings explain several reasons for this, as follows:

1. Sentient beings are obscured by the afflictions of greed, hatred, and ignorance in their mental continuum.
2. They do not have faith in the law of cause and effect (incorrect views) and are influenced by harmful companions who do not guide them toward the path of virtue.
3. They lack favorable conditions and opportunities to practice the true Dharma.
4. They are influenced by political power (such as the establishment of harmful laws or suppression of Buddhism), preventing them from following the Dharma freely.

For a practitioner to enter the path of the Mahayana teachings (Mahayana seed), they must develop a deep compassion for sentient beings, possess determination to endure the difficult and arduous practices of a Bodhisattva, and have unwavering intention and confidence in performing virtuous deeds. Although the seed of the Sravakayana (small vehicle) may awaken in the practitioner’s mindstream, the awakening of the Mahayana seed will follow, making it easier to enter the practice of the Mahayana teachings, provided the practitioner has developed these three conditions.

However, fulfilling these three conditions is not an easy task. If a practitioner, upon hearing the Buddha’s qualities or the teachings of the Mahayana, experiences great joy and enthusiasm, desiring to practice and come closer to the Dharma, this is also considered an indication of the awakening of the Mahayana seed.

If the practitioner guides sentient beings who possess the Buddha nature to enter the practice of the Mahayana, they are awakening the Mahayana seed in their mental continuum. On the other hand, if the practitioner guides sentient beings to follow the teachings of the Sravakayana, resulting in faith and understanding in the path of small vehicle nirvana, they are awakening the Sravakayana seed in their mindstream.

Wisdom of Emptiness and Bodhicitta

Prajna (the wisdom of emptiness) and Bodhicitta are like the two feet of the Buddha. Prajna serves as the common cause for the Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas, and can be called the “mother of Buddhahood.” Bodhicitta, on the other hand, is the unique cause for Bodhisattvas and Buddhas, and can be called the “father of Buddhahood.” If the practitioner only possesses the wish to renounce samsara and the wisdom of emptiness, they cannot yet enter the gate of the Mahayana. Only by generating true Bodhicitta can one achieve the Buddhahood of a Bodhisattva or Buddha. This is similar to how a child’s surname and nationality depend on the father. Therefore, it is only by generating Bodhicitta that one can truly become a member of the Mahayana lineage.

Even if a beginner practitioner has not immediately developed strong compassion for all sentient beings, patience for the difficult practices of a Bodhisattva, and unwavering intention in virtuous deeds, they should still set these qualities as goals, constantly reminding themselves to cultivate these three essential conditions that make one a true Mahayana practitioner.

After hearing about the inconceivable merits and benefits of Bodhicitta, I hope that you will strive to practice it and make Bodhicitta the focus of your spiritual practice. Remember and reflect upon it often. This is the true meaning of listening to the teachings. I offer this encouragement to you all.

The above is a translation from our Chinese webpage, based on original Tibetan teachings.