Becoming Bodhisattvas

by Pema Chodron

  3.28

  “For I am like a blind man who has found

  A precious gem within a mound of filth.

  Exactly so, as if by some strange chance,

  The enlightened mind has come to birth in me.”

  Right in the middle of our foulest emotions, we find this precious gem; there in the midst of confusion and reactivity, we find the jewel of bodhichitta. The most negative emotions can serve as the basis for compassion. When we’re enraged at some “enemy,” for example, we could own that negativity and wish for everyone to be free of aggression, including our foe. No matter what arises, we can always find the soft spot of the bodhi heart.

  In verses 29 through 33, Shantideva gives eight more analogies for bodhichitta: an elixir that slays not only death but, more importantly, dualistic thinking; the inexhaustible treasure of nondual, nonconceptual awareness that heals the poverty of ignorance; a medicine that cures our most basic obscurations of dualistic perception and negative emotions; a wish-fulfilling tree that grants all our spiritual aspirations; a universal bridge for passing safely over the lower realms; the full moon of compassion; the sun whose light illuminates the darkness; and the best of butters, representing the richness of our bodhi mind.

  3.29

  “This is the draft of immortality,

  That slays the Lord of Death, the slaughterer of beings,

  The rich unfailing treasure-mine

  To heal the poverty of wanderers.

  3.30

  “It is the sovereign remedy,

  That perfectly allays all maladies.

  It is the wishing tree bestowing rest

  On those who wander wearily the pathways of existence.

  3.31

  “It is the universal vehicle that saves

  All wandering beings from the states of loss—

  The rising moon of the enlightened mind

  That soothes the sorrows born of the afflictions.

  3.32

  “It is a mighty sun that utterly dispels

  The gloom and ignorance of wandering beings,

  The creamy butter, rich and full,

  All churned from milk of holy Teaching.”

  With the following verses Shantideva concludes this chapter on making the commitment to attain enlightenment, in order to help all beings do the same.

  3.33

  “Living beings! Wayfarers upon life’s paths,

  Who wish to taste the riches of contentment,

  Here before you is the supreme bliss—

  Here, O ceaseless wanderers, is your fulfillment!”

  I can imagine Shantideva rising up in his seat with enthusiasm, saying, “Come along, come along. Please don’t close your ears to what I’m saying. This is your chance. Please take it!” Our fulfillment is so close at hand; we can awaken bodhichitta with our every thought, word, and action. We have a wealth of instructions, more than we could ever use, for finding this supreme bliss that’s right in front of our noses.

  3.34

  “And so, within the sight of all protectors,

  I summon every being, calling them to buddhahood—

  And till that state is reached, to every earthly joy!

  May gods and demigods, and all the rest, rejoice!”

  In this last line, Shantideva exhorts us to fulfill our birthright. Until then, he wishes us every earthly joy: all the helpful circumstances we need to relax and enjoy our journey to enlightenment.

  Using Our Intelligence

  Awareness

  ROUSING THE BODHI HEART means connecting with our longing for enlightenment, with the clear desire to alleviate the escalating suffering we see in the world today. Most people do not give much thought to enlightenment. But most of us do long for a better world situation, and we long to be free of neurotic habits and mental anguish. This is the ideal state of mind for awakening bodhichitta. We know we want to be part of making things better, and that we need to get saner to do this effectively. It’s the perfect place to start.

  If we can commit to pursuing this goal, we’re on the same page as Shantideva. Like us, he had to work with a wild mind, overpowering emotions, and entrenched habitual patterns. Like us, he was able to use his life, just as it was, to work intelligently with his reactivity. The yearning to do this is “aspiration bodhichitta.” Although we may not always be able to stop ourselves from bringing pain to others, our intention to sort out our confusion and be of service remains unwavering.

  In chapters 1–3 of The Way of the Bodhisattva, Shantideva shares his aspiration to make waking up and benefiting others his top priority. In these next three chapters, he will provide methods for insuring that this bodhichitta passion doesn’t decline.

  This is a very important topic. When we’re young, we have a natural curiosity about the world around us. There’s a natural spark that energizes us and motivates us to learn, as well as a fear of becoming like some of the older people we see: stuck in their ways, with closed minds and no more spirit of adventure.

  It’s true that as some people get older, they begin spending more time in pursuit of comfort and security. But Shantideva is passionately determined to keep his youthful curiosity alive. He aspires to continually stretch his heart beyond its current preconceptions and biases. Instead of staying stuck in his cocoon, he wants to grow in flexibility and enthusiasm.

  The bodhisattva path is not about being a “good” person or accepting the status quo. It requires courage and a willingness to keep growing.

  In chapter 4, Shantideva addresses two topics essential to keeping one’s passion alive. The first is attentiveness; the second is working skillfully with emotions. The title of this chapter in Tibetan is pag-yü, which has been translated many different ways. Here it is translated as “awareness”; elsewhere it is called “conscientiousness,” “heedfulness,” and “carefulness.” I feel the most descriptive translation is “attentiveness”: paying attention with intelligent awareness of what’s happening. A traditional analogy is walking along the edge of a deep crevasse: we’re attentive and keenly aware of the consequences of carelessness.

  Attentiveness is a significant component of self-reflection. By paying attention when we feel the tug of shenpa, we get smarter about not getting hooked.

  In the following verses, Shantideva gives five examples of when to apply attentiveness: when bodhichitta arises; before we make a commitment; after we’ve made a commitment; when relating with the cause and effect of karma, or consequences of our actions; and finally, when we are seduced by our kleshas.

  The Sanskrit word klesha refers to a strong emotion that reliably leads to suffering. It’s sometimes translated as “neurosis” and, in this text, as “afflictions” and “defiled emotions.” In essence, kleshas are dynamic, ineffable energy, yet it’s energy that easily enslaves us and causes us to act and speak in unintelligent ways.

  Kleshas arise with the subtle tension inherent in dualistic perception. If we don’t catch this tension, it sets off a chain reaction of “for” or “against.” These reactions quickly escalate, resulting in full-blown aggression, craving, ignorance, jealousy, envy, and pride—in other words, full-blown misery for ourselves and others. Kleshas survive on ignorance—ignorance of their insubstantial nature and the way we reinforce them—and they are fueled by thoughts. That their power can be diffused by attentiveness is the main theme of chapter 4.

  In verse 1, Shantideva begins his presentation of the five times to apply attentiveness.

  4.1

  The children of the Conqueror who thus

  Have firmly grasped this bodhichitta

  Should never turn aside from it

  But always strive to keep its disciplines.

  Once bodhichitta has arisen—and knowing that, with carelessness
, it could decline—we use attentiveness to keep its disciplines. This refers specifically to the six paramitas, which Shantideva will discuss at some length in future chapters.

  4.2

  Whatever was begun without due heed,

  And all that was not properly conceived,

  Although a promise and a pledge were given,

  It is right to hesitate—to press on or draw back.

  Before making any commitment, we should ponder it from every angle and be attentive to the possible consequences. If we’ve jumped into something blindly, it’s wise to hesitate and ask, “Should I press on or draw back?” But having thought about our decision intelligently, why have any doubts? Make a well-considered choice and don’t look back. This is the wisest approach.

  4.3

  Yet all the buddhas and their heirs

  Have thought of this in their great wisdom;

  I myself have weighed and pondered it,

  So why should I now doubt and hesitate?

  Being attentive before we act is not just advice for beginners. Even the buddhas and bodhisattvas are attentive before they make commitments. Shantideva himself weighed whether or not to take the bodhisattva vow. Having done so, he could relax. There would be no more reason for vacillation.

  When we aren’t sure what to do, we can seek inspiration from the teachers we trust. Based on their words and example, we may decide to take a leap. Here Shantideva says that he, like the buddhas and their heirs, has reflected carefully on his decision and sees no cause to draw back.

  4.4

  For if I bind myself with promises,

  But fail to carry out my words in deed,

  Then every being will have been betrayed.

  What destiny must lie in store for me?

  The stakes are too high for Shantideva to turn his back on sentient beings. Thus, in this and the following verses, he considers the consequences of being inattentive or careless after making a commitment as vast as the bodhisattva vow.

  4.5

  If in the teachings it is said

  That one who in his thought intends

  To give away a little thing but then draws back

  Will take rebirth among the hungry ghosts,

  4.6

  How can I expect a happy destiny

  If from my heart I summon

  Wandering beings to the highest bliss,

  But then deceive and let them down?

  These verses address waffling. If you’ve ever had the impulse to be generous and then changed your mind, chances are you were influenced by greed or attachment. You had a chance to stretch; instead you strengthened the causes of poverty mentality, of “hungry ghosts,” the mentality of insatiable neediness and “never enough.”

  If this is the case, Shantideva asks himself, what would be the outcome of taking a vow to benefit all beings and then failing to maintain it?

  Reneging on the bodhisattva vow doesn’t mean sometimes not feeling up to the task; it means opting for our own comfort and security on a permanent basis. Having made the commitment, there is no question we will sometimes feel inadequate and doubt our ability to be of benefit. These temporary lapses should be expected. But if we decide to let the bodhichitta spark go out, if we repress our appetite for challenge and growth, the consequences will be very sad indeed. We’ll become examples of the old adage “you can’t teach old dogs new tricks.” The gravest sorrow comes from closing our minds to the suffering of others and feeling justified in doing so.

  4.7

  And as for those who, losing bodhichitta,

  Nonetheless attain to liberation,

  This is through the inconceivable effect of karma,

  Only understood by the Omniscient.

  This verse refers to the arhat Shariputra, one of the Buddha’s closest disciples. He exemplifies the rare case of someone who became enlightened despite having lost heart and given up on his vow to forsake his own enlightenment until all beings were free of suffering.

  According to legend, in a previous life Shariputra met a starving ogre who begged Shariputra to cut off his own arm. This, the ogre said, was the only food that would satisfy his hunger. Without any hesitation, Shariputra severed his right arm and offered it. The ogre was quite unhappy and complained, “I don’t want your right arm; I want your left.” Apparently this was the last straw for Shariputra. He became so discouraged with the unreasonableness of sentient beings, he gave up on his bodhisattva vow.

  When bodhisattvas pledge themselves to work with increasingly difficult situations, they are, in fact, just asking for trouble. We have to face the fact that this includes working with the unreasonableness of sentient beings like you and me.

  4.8

  This failure is indeed the gravest

  Of all bodhisattva downfalls.

  For should it ever come to pass,

  The good of every being is cast down.

  Shantideva reiterates this point: the gravest mistake for any bodhisattva is to turn away permanently from the challenges of the world. Some discouragement is unavoidable; but if we completely give up on our longing and passion to extend ourselves, our results will probably not be as good as Shariputra’s!

  Fortunately, the bodhisattva vow is said to be like a golden vase: very valuable, yet easy to mend when broken. We can renew our bodhichitta commitments at any time. Inherent in the vow is kindness for our human frailty and the encouragement that it’s never too late to start fresh.

  4.9

  And anyone who, for a single instant,

  Halts the merit of a bodhisattva

  Will wander endlessly in states of misery,

  Because the welfare of all beings is brought low.

  The second gravest mistake is anything that halts the merit of a bodhisattva. This is not so hard to do. When we hurt or insult people we dislike, who knows? We might be obstructing the merit of a bodhisattva. The best advice therefore is to treat everyone with care.

  4.10

  Destroy a single being’s joy

  And you will work the ruin of yourself.

  But if the happiness of all is brought to nothing…

  What need is there to speak of this?

  When we deliberately destroy even one being’s joy, we also hurt ourselves. Being mean may bring short-term gratification, but in the end we just feel worse. If this is so, what need is there to speak of the outcome of forsaking our longing to alleviate suffering?

  Shantideva advises us to be attentive to the cause and effect of karma and become intelligent about the consequences of our actions. He continues to address this subject in verses 11 through 25.

  4.11

  And one who wanders in samsara,

  Who time and time again embraces bodhichitta,

  Only to destroy it through his faults,

  Will long be barred from bodhisattva grounds.

  If we continually renew and break our commitments, we will long be barred from progressing along the bodhisattva path. We won’t, however, be barred forever; despite the wording of verse 9, we will not wander endlessly in misery. The notion of eternal damnation is foreign to Buddhist thinking. Some states of mind may seem endless, but even the worst suffering is impermanent and there is always a way out.

  Nevertheless, by reinforcing old habits and obstructing the yearning to grow, we slow down our progress considerably. The habit of vacillating has consequences. We feel increasingly restless and dissatisfied; and we begin to regard ourselves as procrastinators, losers, people who never get anything done.

  On the other hand, through attentiveness to the way karma unfolds, we can act intelligently and use this precious human life as a path to enlightenment, rather than a path to hell.

  4.12 />
  Therefore I will act devotedly

  According to the promise I have made.

  For if I fail thus to apply myself,

  I’ll fall from low to even lower states.

  Moment by moment, depending on the way we work with our minds, we either wake up or fall deeper and deeper into sleep. Thus, we either become more flexible and adventurous or more set in our ways. May we therefore act according to our promise.

  4.13

  Striving for the benefit of all that lives,

  Unnumbered buddhas have already lived and passed,

  But I, by virtue of my sins, have failed

  To come within the compass of their healing works.

  The Buddha’s blessings shine upon all of us without bias. But if we’re living our lives in a north-facing cave, we won’t receive the benefit of what’s offered.

  Three attitudes prevent us from receiving a continual flow of blessings. They are compared to three “pots”: a full pot, a pot with poison in it, and a pot with a hole in the bottom.

  The pot that’s filled to the brim is like a mind full of opinions and preconceptions. We already know it all. We have so many fixed ideas that nothing new can affect us or cause us to question our assumptions.

  The pot containing poison is like a mind that’s so cynical, critical, and judgmental that everything is poisoned by this harshness. It allows for no openness and no willingness to explore the teachings or anything else that challenges our righteous stance.

  The pot with a hole is like a distracted mind: our body is present but we’re lost in thought. We’re so busy thinking about our dream vacation or what’s for dinner that we’re completely deaf to what’s being said.

  Knowing how sad it is to receive blessings and not be able to benefit, Shantideva wants to save himself grief by remaining open and attentive. Nothing will improve, he says, unless we become more intelligent about cause and effect. This is a message worth considering seriously.