Bodhisattva Resolve

21
Supreme bodhicitta is the wish to remove
every flaw from every living being and to
bring about limitless good qualities in each of them.
This is outstanding even amongst the outstanding!

22
If one wants to benefit everyone, one needs bodhicitta.
If one wants to befriend everyone, one needs bodhicitta.
If one wants to gain the confidence of all, one needs bodhicitta.
If one wants to be everyone’s spiritual friend, one needs bodhicitta.”

Excerpt From: Khunu Rinpoche. Vast as the Heavens, Deep as the Sea.
 
206
If you do not yank out by the root
this noxious stem of self-interest,
how will the lordly wish-fulfilling tree of bodhicitta
that delights in altruism ever flourish?

Excerpt From: Khunu Rinpoche. Vast as the Heavens, Deep as the Sea.
 
We have heard that resolving the mind is foremost among the essential doors for entering the Path, and that making vows is first among the crucial matters in cultivation. By making vows, we can save living beings. By resolving our minds, we can realize the Buddhas’ Path. If we do not make our resolve great and our vows firm, we will remain on the turning wheel throughout as many kalpas as there are particles of dust. Any cultivation will be only bitter toil done in vain.

As the Flower Adornment Sutra says, “If you forget your resolve upon Bodhi, your cultivation of even wholesome practices becomes the karma of demons.” this it is clear that forgetting our resolve upon Bodhi is even worse than having never made the resolve.

Thus we know that anyone wishing to study the vehicle of the Thus Come Ones must first make the vows of a Bodhisattva without delay.

Great Master Shr Syan (d. 1734) Exhortation to Resolve Upon Bodhi.
 
37 Bodhisattva Practices by Tokme Zangmo (d. 1369):

http://media.dalailama.com/English/texts/37-practices_english.pdf

How it begins:

Homage to Lokeshwara

I pay constant homage through my three doors,
To my supreme teacher and protector Chenrezig,
Who while seeing all phenomena lack coming and going,
Makes single-minded effort for the good of living beings.

Perfect Buddhas, source of all well-being and happiness,
Arise from accomplishing the excellent teachings,
And this depends on knowing the practices.
So I will explain the practices of Bodhisattvas.

1 Having gained this rare ship of freedom and fortune,
Hear, think and meditate unwaveringly night and day,
In order to free yourself and others
From the ocean of cyclic existence -
This is the practice of Bodhisattvas

2 Attached to your loved ones you're stirred up like water.
Hating your enemies you burn like fire.
In the darkness of confusion you forget what to adopt and discard.
Give up your homeland -
This is the practice of Bodhisattvas.

3 By avoiding bad objects disturbing emotions gradually decrease.
Without distraction virtuous activities naturally increase.
With clarity of mind conviction in the teaching arises.
Cultivate seclusion -
This is the practice of Bodhisattvas.

4 Loved ones who have long kept company will part.
Wealth created with difficulty will be left behind.
Consciousness, the guest, will leave the guest-house of the body.
Let go of this life -
This is the practice of Bodhisattvas.
 
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The Introduction by Thupten Jinpa of Essential Mind Training begins:

Within the vast body of Tibetan spiritual literature, one genre stands out for its inspirational power, universality, and down-to-earth practicality, qualities that have made these teachings dear to the Tibetan people for generations. I am referring to a collection of texts and their associated contemplative practices known simply as lojong, or “mind training,” which first appeared in the land of snows almost a millennium ago. At its heart the Tibetan mind training teachings represent a profound celebration of the spiritual ideal of genuine altruism, a deeply felt compassion for all beings and a dedication to serve their welfare. This is an ideal shared across many of world’s great spiritual and humanistic traditions. By the twelfth century lojong had become a most cherished spiritual heritage on the vast Tibetan plateau, with attendant myths and legends associated with its origin and development.
 
Nicholas Weeks said:
King of Prayers -- aspirations of Bodhisattvas:

https://www.kurukulla.org/resources/Prayers_and_Texts/king_of_prayers_a5.pdf
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How it begins:

I bow down to the youthful Ārya Mañjuśrī.

You lions among humans,
Gone to freedom in the present, past, and future
In the worlds of ten directions,
To all of you, with body, speech, and sincere mind, I bow down
.
With the energy of aspiration for the bodhisattva way,
With a sense of deep respect,
And with as many bodies as atoms of the world,
To all you buddhas visualized as real, I bow down.

On every atom are buddhas numberless as atoms,
Each amidst a host of bodhisattvas,
And I am confident the sphere of all phenomena
Is entirely filled with buddhas in this way.

With infinite oceans of praise for you,
And oceans of sound from the aspects of my voice,
I sing the breathtaking excellence of buddhas,
And celebrate all of you gone to bliss.
 
Just to be clear, good householder.
Althought developing karuna (compassion) toward all being leads one toward the Brahma realm, if taken on on right view, and put right into practice, and althought right resolve (renouncing, no-ill-will, conflictlessness) leads to right virtue and helps by that not to parttake, it's a deluded idea that others can be helpend. Beings are heir of their action, nobody can act for another.
And of course did the Sublime Buddha not lead anybody to take on such deluded and greedy aspiration.

And no, the Sublime Buddhas do not had such ideas on their path to awakening for themselves.

Atma thinks it's pointless to even consider karuna toward all, if not taking on right resolve. It's not a glory to justify ways which aren't really good with "higher purposes".
 
New translation from Bhikshu Dharmamitra -- Bodhisattva's Moral Virtue:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0...irtue_Bilingual_ebk_08-15-24.pdf?v=1726004853

Also Nagarjuna on Sila Paramita.

All Kalavinka Press books have this Dedication:

"Dedicated to the memory of the selfless and marvelous life of the Venerable Dhyāna Master Hsuan Hua, the Guiyang Ch’an Patriarch and the very personification of the bodhisattva’s six perfections.

Dhyāna Master Hsuan Hua 宣化禪師
1918–1995"
 
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Praising a bodhisattva's original solid resolve, from Nagarjuna on the Ten Grounds:

When a person with a solid resolve observes all the sufferings and afflictions endured by those in the hells, among animals, and among the hungry ghosts, devas, humans, and asuras, he brings forth the mind of great compassion and has no fear. He makes this vow:

“All of these beings have deeply entered into such a deteriorated and afflicted state. They have no one to rescue or protect them and have no place of refuge. If I myself am to realize nirvāṇa, I must also bring about the liberation of beings such as these.”

Relying on the mind of great compassion, he is assiduous in his practice of vigor and, before long, achieves what he has vowed to do. It is for this reason that I state that, among all the meritorious qualities of a bodhisattva, solid resolve is foremost.
 
One could not take on the desires to become a Buddha if not meeting one. And one is certain foolish, if instead of listen to the right way, on very seldom occasion, when the good Dhamma is avaliable in the world, desires himself to gain the base of earning all merits...
That's why no Buddha ever encouraged to follow own long term confused way, but better to strive to gain the Path yet, where there are possibilities and by it then assist as many who have ways, instead to send oneself and related off for long, long time.
It's total deluded, selfish and irresponsible to proclaim such ways even in the name of the Buddha and leads to long term misery and pain for many.
 
The Bodhisattva Resolve, often referred to as the Bodhisattva Vow, is a profound commitment made by Mahayana Buddhists to achieve Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings. This vow embodies the essence of Mahayana Buddhism's path, which emphasizes not just personal enlightenment, but the altruistic intention to help all other beings reach this state as well.

Key Components of the Bodhisattva Resolve:​

  1. Altruism: The core of the vow is the promise to assist all beings in escaping the cycle of suffering and rebirth, regardless of the time it might take.
  2. Compassion and Wisdom: These are seen as inseparable qualities that a Bodhisattva must develop. Compassion motivates the desire to relieve the suffering of others, while wisdom provides the insight necessary to do so effectively.
  3. Practices and Perfections: Bodhisattvas commit to practicing the Six Perfections (paramitas): generosity, moral conduct, patience, effort, meditation, and wisdom, as means to fulfill their altruistic goals.

Significance:​

The resolve not only signifies a spiritual aspiration but also a way of living that influences one’s actions and interactions with others. It reflects a deep sense of responsibility towards the well-being of all life forms, a commitment that goes beyond limited self-interests.

For more in-depth exploration and understanding of diverse religious practices related to the Bodhisattva Resolve, you can explore comprehensive insights on various temples and their associated practices at TempleWiki.

This link to TempleWiki not only provides specific information about different temples around the world but also connects you to the broader context in which these spiritual practices are embedded, enhancing your understanding of the Bodhisattva's path within the physical and cultural spaces that support and propagate these values.
 
AdvaitaZen said:
It seems to me that believing you can save countless people is very egoistic.

To forgo your liberation because you want to save others, it seems to present yourself as all-knowing, like you know what is best for the other.

A liberated man need not even speak to liberate another, being in his presence is enough.

Thinking it is your doing is delusion.
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guiding others based on personal experience is not inherently egotistical; rather, it reflects compassion and a desire to alleviate suffering. It acknowledges the interconnectedness of human experiences while respecting individual journeys. The intention behind such guidance matters significantly—if rooted in empathy rather than superiority, it serves as a valuable resource for those seeking direction.
 
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