even more on bodisattvas

[Guest guest]

Bodhi - sattva - is mind of enlightenment, complete freedom in all its

simplicity in this very moment - it just can't help but seek to express

itself through all sentient being. Its even created this chat, this

confluence of seeking and expression through this group. EMAHO!

 

It is held that the teachings given by the Buddha in order to lead beings to

awakening consisted of 84,000 different groups of instruction. This large

number of different teachings was given in order to conform to the different

dispositions and faculties of the various students whom the Buddha taught.

If all of these are summed up into their essence, we find that they are all

methods for taming the mind, principally for taming the three root mental

afflictions, or kleshas, (greed, hate and delusion) which cause us to wander

in samsara and most especially they free us from the arising of suffering

caused by the habitual belief in and the habit of " I " .

 

These teachings can be divided according to to their emphasis on taming one

or another of these three main afflictions. Principally, we find that the

primary teachings, those of the Hinayana are concerned with taming

attachment (this is for when we first start out on the path, we are usually

concerned for our own suffering, our own situation, our own desire for

freedom - we are concerned for " me " and " mine " ). The Buddhas teachings

called the Mahayana are concerned with subduing aggression or aversion -

this is where the practitioner has started to notice that " others " suffer,

and cares, and so takes the Bodhisattva Vow (for Mahayana Buddhists this is

done in a lovely ceremony - like a further taking of Refuge) to dedicate all

his/her efforts for the sake of freeing all sentient beings - here there is

still a belief in " other. "

 

This is a vital point to arrive at because it gives true empetus to practice

- just think if you knew that the life of someone you loved best in the

world depended on your whole hearted inquiry and practice and you gave your

whole heart to whatever your practice is to arrive at freedom from suffering

NOW - because as you arrived at that point in that arrising then ALL

sentient being in the universe was also at that moment FREE as of course, we

are truly ONE. Thus you can sit through any and all pain, and there can be a

lot of that, with passionate and true motivation. The example of all our

teachers is before us - they do what they do for others. But " freeing

sentient beings " also really means freeing mind - freeing angry mind,

freeing happy mind, freeing dersiring mind, letting go etc.

 

The Bodhisattva mind is also the complete, total and wholly forgiving and

compassionate acceptance of everything that arises in the moment - there is

enough spaciousness for everything, for all sentient being without

exception. This simplicity of spirit is right at hand - no one is in the

trash bin - they are held in a loving embrace in each and every moment

whether they " get it " or not.

 

So - now the student as aspiring Bodhisattva having subdued aggression and

hate through practices of loving-kindness etc. begins the teachings of

Vajrayana which are primarily concerned with taming bewilderment itself.

(Who the hell am I? Whats it really all about?) Here many rituals and

various practices are learned. Im talking from the Tibetan perspective but

say a Zen student would be practicing Mahayana, Thervada students would be

practicing Vipassana but all Buddhist practices have ALL Buddha wisdom and

lead to realization (if acutally practiced). And then the student proceeds

to Dzogchen (where a lot of we westerners like to start - the pinnacle of

the teachings - no wonder we are confused) - Dzogchen or the Great

Perfection is the direct experience of the wisdom which is innate and always

present and the kleshas are overcome, insight into suffering and release

from it is arrived by means of the direct experience of our innate wisdom.

There are differences culturally between Vipassana, Zen, Adavaita, Practice

of the Presence of God, etc. but in essence they are the same with the same

results and the same transformation of mind happening as they are practiced

leading to the same realization. Each and all " gets it " in their own good

time.

 

Since in my egoic cultural persona I am a very vain overly educated westener

very attached to my conceptual knowledge and opinions and usually confused,

of course I started at the top, I thought the Bodhisattva path " boring " -

and then have had to walk backwards down the mountain. Fortunately, Truth

is every moment and provides what we need as our path. Mahayana is seen as

the " large vehicle " because it is a great big ship with ALL of life seen as

grist for the mill available for practice.

 

So - why don't we practice harder? Well, some of us think we are going to

live forever, especially in the West where death is cleverly given a tummy

tuck and a face lift. But, I could die tomorrow - you never know, the

contemplation of own's own death is important. If in the beginning we cant

practice for love then practice knowing that death is right behind us

waiting. And you can't cram for these finals hoping for a last minute

transformation of mind - mind crap is like velcro. And we will no doubt

face in the Bardo what we avoided in life. Interestingly, my friend sat at

the death bed of his father recently. His father an emminent scholar of

religion at Harvard for many years - dad saw bears chasing about his

hospital room. But, bear in mind that the Bodhisattva is with us in death

and after as well. Don't want to scare anyone too much.

 

Anyway, this is what I have been taught and when I use it I find it to be

true.

 

Joyce

>

> The word " bodhisattva " means one whose essence (sattva) is enlightenment

> (bodhi). In

> Mahayana the bodhisattva has attained enlightenment but renounced nirvana,

> remaining

> in touch with life rather than relinquishing all connection with it.

>

> andrew

>