Ch 2 - The Altruistic Intention of Bodhicitta Flashcards
(481 cards)
1
Q
What are the two methods for training the mind in bodhicitta?
A
The seven cause-and-effect instructions and equalizing and exchanging self and others
2
Q
Who received lineages of both methods?
A
Tsongkhapa received the lineages of both methods and combined them
3
Q
What is the principal cause of bodhicitta in both methods?
A
Great compassion
4
Q
What is the key to cultivating compassion?
A
Seeing others as pleasing and lovable
5
Q
What does the strength of compassion depend on?
A
The degree to which we see others as lovable and feel close to them and the depth of understanding their suffering
6
Q
What happens if either aspect is missing or weak?
A
Our compassion will be either flat or fake
7
Q
What are the three steps to see sentient beings as pleasing?
A
Recognizing all beings have been our parents contemplating their kindness and wishing to repay kindness
8
Q
What feelings do these three steps produce?
A
Feelings of affection and heart-warming love for all beings
9
Q
How does equalizing and exchanging self and others approach compassion?
A
It depends more on reasoning to generate compassion for others
10
Q
What does equalizing and exchanging teach about all beings?
A
That all beings have been kind because we are dependent on their kindness to stay alive
11
Q
What do all sentient beings want equally?
A
Happiness and freedom from suffering as intensely as we do
12
Q
What do limitless benefits come from?
A
Cherishing others
13
Q
What does self-centeredness lead to?
A
Only misery
14
Q
Where do the seven cause-and-effect instructions originate?
A
From Maitreya’s Ornament of Clear Realizations and teachings of Asaṅga
15
Q
Which masters generated bodhicitta through this method?
A
Candragomin Śāntarakṣita Kamalaśīla and early Kadampa masters
16
Q
What are the seven points meditated on in sequence?
A
Seeing all beings as having been our mother recalling their kindness wanting to repay kindness love compassion great resolve and bodhicitta
17
Q
Which point is the root of Mahāyāna?
A
Compassion is the root of Mahāyāna
18
Q
How does compassion motivate us at the beginning?
A
It motivates us to cultivate bodhicitta and engage in bodhisattva deeds
19
Q
What does compassion enable in the middle?
A
It enables us to look beyond our own happiness and take others’ joy and misery to heart
20
Q
What does compassion help us accumulate?
A
The collection of merit and collection of wisdom
21
Q
What does compassion enable at completion of the path?
A
It enables bodhisattvas to attain nonabiding nirvāṇa
22
Q
What motivates buddhas to manifest innumerable forms?
A
Compassion motivates them until saṃsāra ends to guide beings to awakening
23
Q
How do the seven points center around compassion?
A
The first four are causes of compassion and last two are effects of compassion
24
Q
What do some masters consider the cause-and-effect instructions to refer to?
A
The causes and effects of compassion
25
What do other masters say about the first six points?
That they are the causes for the seventh point bodhicitta
26
What two elements are needed to cultivate compassion?
Being aware of three types of duḥkha and seeing beings as endearing
27
How do we become aware of sentient beings' duḥkha?
By first contemplating our own duḥkha in saṃsāra and seeing all others are in same position
28
What must we free ourselves from to see beings as endearing?
Attachment to friends and animosity for enemies
29
What is the forerunner to the seven points?
The equanimity meditation
30
How do we contemplate that beings have been our parents?
That they have all been our parents in previous lives and will be in future as well
31
Who was especially kind as our parent?
Our mother who carried us and was chief caregiver when we were little
32
What do we develop in response to their kindness?
A wish to repay their kindness
33
What do the first three points result in?
Heart-warming love that cares for beings as a mother cares for her only child
34
What is the fourth point?
Heartwarming love which is the cause of compassion
35
What is another kind of love?
Love that wishes others to have happiness and its causes
36
Does this other love have a cause and effect relationship with compassion?
No it does not have a cause and effect relationship with compassion
37
What are the effects of compassion?
The great resolve and bodhicitta
38
What may Fundamental Vehicle practitioners have developed?
Immeasurable love and compassion
39
What don't Fundamental Vehicle practitioners have?
The resolve to act on these and bring about others' happiness
40
What do Mahāyāna practitioners do with great resolve?
Make a commitment and assume responsibility to bring about others' happiness
41
What must we consider once we make this commitment?
How to fulfill it
42
What are we incapable of in our ordinary condition?
Doing this effectively
43
What can an arhat do?
Lead some beings to liberation but not to omniscient state
44
Who has the compassion wisdom and capacity to do this most effectively?
Only a fully awakened buddha
45
What do we generate when we understand this?
Bodhicitta resolving to attain buddhahood
46
What must we develop to be intent on others' well-being?
Impartiality free of attachment and animosity then affection and endearment
47
How is the first developed?
By cultivating equanimity
48
How is the second developed?
By meditation on the first four of the seven points
49
What is genuine compassion for all beings based on?
Having evened out any tendency toward bias
50
What does bias mean?
Seeing some beings as close and worthwhile and others with animosity as distant
51
What happens to compassion when we have strong attachment or animosity?
It extends only to those we are attracted to and attached to
52
Why isn't such compassion stable?
If those people later harm us our compassion for them vanishes
53
How many types of equanimity does the Sanskrit tradition speak of?
Three types
54
What is the feeling of equanimity?
A feeling toward all phenomena free from pleasure or pain part of feeling aggregate
55
What is the virtuous mental factor of equanimity?
It prevents restlessness and laxity when cultivating serenity
56
What is immeasurable equanimity?
One of the four immeasurables that enables impartiality without indifference
57
What are the two types of immeasurable equanimity?
Wishing beings to be free from bias and cultivating equanimity ourselves
58
Which type is the precursor to love compassion and bodhicitta?
The second type that we cultivate ourselves
59
What don't we seek to abandon in cultivating equanimity?
The notions of friend and enemy
60
What do we seek to abandon?
The biased emotions of attachment and antipathy
61
What are Kamalaśīla's two ways to generate equanimity?
Contemplating others' equality in wanting happiness and reflecting on changing relationships
62
What should we contemplate about each living being?
That each is equal in wanting happiness and freedom from suffering
63
Why isn't it reasonable to favor some and dismiss others?
Because being even-minded toward all is more suitable
64
What is the second way to generate equanimity?
Reflecting that in beginningless lives we've been in every relationship with every being
65
What aren't these relationships?
They are not fixed and slight circumstances can change them
66
What example shows how relationships change?
Someone gives gift today we consider friend but tomorrow criticizes us and we're angry
67
What becomes even more pronounced with rebirth?
The instability of relationships
68
What have we been to one another countless times?
Friends enemies and strangers
69
What is more realistic considering changeable relationships?
A sense of equanimity and impartiality toward all
70
What is easier to generate equanimity toward first?
People for whom we have neutral feelings
71
What should we focus on with strangers?
Releasing any attachment or aversion toward them
72
What should we recall about friends and relatives?
That given instability of relationships it is unsuitable to be attached
73
What should we consider about hostile people?
That they have not always been and will not continually be enemies
74
What should we maintain mindfulness on?
Understanding that no one is friend enemy or stranger forever
75
What does equanimity bring to our mind?
Calm that makes behavior more thoughtful and considerate
76
Do we treat everyone equally with equanimity?
No we don't necessarily treat or trust everyone equally
77
What still exist with equanimity?
Conventional roles and relationships
78
Despite different interactions what do we do equally?
Respect them equally and care about their well-being equally
79
What is gone from our side?
Attachment and antipathy that foster prejudice and rash actions
80
How can we trust old friends more yet want both happy?
We trust them more than strangers but want both equally happy
81
How do we deal with hostile people?
Without anger or resentment though we must still point out problems
82
What is another way to meditate on equanimity?
Including strangers and freeing ourselves from apathy toward them
83
What should you imagine in the reflection?
Three people: dear one enemy and stranger
84
What should you focus on with the dear one?
Why am I so attached to this person
85
What should you focus on with the enemy?
Why do I have so much anger resentment or belligerence
86
What should you focus on with the stranger?
Why do I feel apathetic and indifferent
87
What word did you hear repeatedly in your responses?
The word I
88
How do we classify people?
Based on how they relate to Me
89
What do we believe about our opinions?
That they are true - that people are inherently good bad or indifferent
90
What does our classification depend on?
How they relate to Me
91
What happens when we're able to see this clearly?
We relax our opinionatedness and self-righteousness
92
What do we release?
Rigid categories together with fixed beliefs and emotions
93
What does this bring in our mind?
Space for another perspective that cares equally about welfare of all
94
What helps us release unrealistic emotions?
Reflecting on faults of attachment animosity and apathy
95
What does understanding anger's harm open our mind to?
Forgiveness
96
What is essential not only for equanimity but happiness?
Releasing resentment and grudges no matter how right our anger seems
97
What complements equanimity meditation?
Sociological psychological and neuropsychological research on prejudicial attitudes
98
What influences us easily?
Attitudes of those around us and those in authority
99
What did Stanley Milgram's 1963 research show?
Average people would administer strong electric shocks when ordered by authority figure
100
What should we examine in meditation?
How power and authority affect our prejudices empathy and equanimity
101
What has Emile Bruneau found about group identity?
Strength of identity with group affects empathy and equanimity
102
What happens the more we identify with a particular group?
The less we can empathize with those from another group
103
What does developing true equanimity entail?
Deep exploration of our own prejudices and fears
104
What happens without identifying and addressing these aspects?
Our equanimity will be superficial and unstable
105
What do we turn to after leveling the field?
Cultivating sense of affection and endearment toward beings
106
How is this done?
By means of first four points beginning with seeing all beings as having been our mother
107
When will compassion easily arise?
When our heart is opened by heartwarming love
108
What did people assume in ancient India?
The existence of past and future lives
109
What is foreign in Western cultures?
The idea of multiple lives
110
What if accepting multiple lives is difficult?
Try provisionally accepting it and see if it helps cultivate closeness
111
What seems reasonable if you accept past and future lives?
That every sentient being has been your mother at one time
112
What does contemplating beings as parents help overcome?
Feelings of alienation and isolation
113
What do we see about previous relationships?
That we and others have been very close with unconditional parental love
114
How does this feeling help us?
To trust others more readily and give benefit of doubt
115
Who uses reasoning to prove rebirth?
Dharmakīrti in Commentary on Compendium of Reliable Cognition
116
What do sūtra passages affirm?
Past and future lives
117
What does the sūtra say about difficulty seeing?
A place where you have not been born or person who has not been your parent
118
What does the Mother Sutta say?
Saṃsāra is without discoverable beginning and it's not easy to find being who has not been your mother
119
What should we remember about ourselves and others?
We haven't always been who we are now and neither have others
120
What is surely reasonable when we have sense of multiple lives?
Recalling kindness of others during them
121
Whom should we choose as example for cultivating closeness?
Someone who has been very kind to us
122
What do most humans and animals regard their mother as?
Someone extremely dear and close
123
What if you have closer feeling toward someone else?
Focus on father grandparent sibling other relative or friend
124
What is proof everyone has had caregivers?
That we are alive today
125
What did we lack ability to do as infants?
Simple tasks to care for ourselves and needed care of others
126
What did our mother do during pregnancy?
Carried us in her womb for over nine months and gave birth
127
What did she do after birth?
Fed us changed diapers protected from danger comforted when we cried
128
How did she look upon us?
Gently with love
129
What did parents do when we were toddlers?
Protected from harm rescuing us from danger
130
What did they teach us?
To speak tie shoelaces and walk
131
Why did they teach us manners and discipline?
To make us more considerate so we could get along with people
132
What did they have to endure?
Our childish bad behavior teenage rebelliousness and taking them for granted
133
What would we not have without their kindness?
So many abilities we take for granted as adults
134
Who was the Dalai Lama's first teacher of compassion?
His mother
135
What was his mother's character?
Naturally kind though illiterate
136
How many children did his mother give birth to?
Sixteen children with seven surviving
137
What do Tibetans call her?
Gyalmo Chenmo the Great Mother
138
What should you do if childhood abuse makes contemplating parents difficult?
Contemplate kindness of whoever cared for you as infant and young child
139
When should you turn to consider parents' kindness?
After turbulent emotions from abuse have lessened or been resolved
140
What did your parents do given their situation?
The best they could given emotional social and financial situation
141
What will attitude of acceptance prevent?
Being encumbered by bitterness and hatred
142
What is psychologically and spiritually therapeutic?
Focusing on care and compassion received rather than what was lacking
143
What is important element in being healthy adult?
Opening heart to experience gratitude for whatever kindness received
144
What should you recognize about tremendous kindness?
That you have been recipient of tremendous kindness during your life
145
What is gratitude?
A natural human response to kindness
146
What should you consider about friends and relatives?
That they have all been your mother in previous lives and been as kind
147
What should you recognize about strangers?
That they were also kind when they were your mother in previous lives
148
What should you see about present enemies?
That they were kind in past when they were your parents
149
How should you extend awareness?
To all sentient beings who have been your mother in beginningless saṃsāra
150
What should you open your heart to feel?
Same gratitude and love toward all sentient beings as toward present mother
151
How can we turn our backs on beings after seeing their kindness?
We cannot when we see kindness from all beings when they were our parents
152
What is poor excuse for not repaying kindness?
Thinking that because we don't recognize them there is no connection
153
What example illustrates this?
Meeting elderly impoverished woman who turns out to be your long-lost mother
154
What would you do if you discovered she was your mother?
Do everything in your power to help her not just give dollar and leave
155
What are most of your mothers completely ignorant about?
Their existence in saṃsāra
156
What do they think self-centered attitude is?
Their friend so they follow its demands creating causes for suffering
157
What don't they know about ignorance?
That ignorance is root of cyclic existence
158
What arises easily in their minds?
Attachment animosity and confusion implanting them deeper in wheel of life
159
What is reason enough to benefit them?
The kindness they showed as your mother in infinite previous lives
160
What is our wish to repay kindness not simply?
The wish for them to live comfortably and enjoy pleasures of saṃsāra
161
Why do we see such comfort as without essence?
Having contemplated disadvantages of saṃsāra
162
What are our mothers doing?
Wandering near precipice of unfortunate rebirths searching for happiness in deceptive illusions
163
What can we not do as their child?
Turn our backs on them
164
What must we help them to do?
Be free from saṃsāra
165
What does Bhāvaviveka say about creating suffering?
Like applying salt to wounds of those possessed by madness of afflictions
166
What is there other than nirvāṇa to repay their help?
Nothing else to repay help of those who helped with love and service
167
What should you reflect about the mind?
That it is a continuum and clarity and awareness do not cease at death
168
What has every sentient being been?
Our parent at one time since there is no beginning to previous lives
169
What should you think about your mother's kindness?
How she fed cleaned protected and loved you as infant
170
What were all other sentient beings?
Similarly kind and loving when they were your mother in previous lives
171
What should arise in your heart?
The wish to repay their kindness and heartwarming love toward all beings
172
What are the above meditations the basis for?
Developing the attitude intent on others' welfare
173
What do we come to do through these meditations?
Cherish sentient beings and feel affection and endearment
174
What are such feelings likened to?
The love a parent has for their child
175
What is the fourth point?
Heartwarming love which arises naturally from first three points
176
Is separate meditation necessary for heartwarming love?
No it arises naturally as result of first three points
177
What are different types of love?
Heartwarming love and love that wishes beings to have happiness and its causes
178
What is heartwarming love?
The fourth point which sees all beings as endearing
179
What is heartwarming love necessary cause for?
The fifth point compassion
180
What don't love and compassion have?
A fixed order
181
What does generating love or compassion depend on?
Whether we first think of beings as lacking happiness or overwhelmed by duḥkha
182
What do the next meditations bring about?
The attitude intent on others' welfare
183
What is bodhicitta the result of?
The previous six meditations
184
What is in the mind of each of us?
The seed of love
185
Does the seed need to be newly generated?
No but we need to learn method to enhance it
186
What need to be consciously cultivated?
Both love and compassion
187
What is the observed object of love?
Sentient beings who are bereft of happiness
188
What is love's subjective aspect?
The wish for them to have happiness and its causes
189
What does love wish?
How wonderful it would be if they had happiness and its causes May they have these
190
What is love preceded by?
Equanimity toward friends strangers and enemies
191
What kind of love do we seek to cultivate?
Love toward all beings excluding none
192
How is this kind of love immense?
Its field goal and time are vast
193
What is vast about its field?
It extends to each and every sentient being no matter how they treat us
194
What is vast about its goal?
It wishes them every happiness from smallest pleasure to elimination of all obscurations
195
What is vast about its time?
To work to benefit beings for as long as space exists
196
What vast amount do we relinquish?
We willingly give up our own enjoyments and even life for benefit of beings
197
What is difficult about this love?
To understand and experience from depth of our heart
198
What is necessary first step to cultivate it?
Understanding its benefits
199
What will understanding advantages and disadvantages do?
Increase our interest and enthusiasm giving inner strength to actualize these qualities
200
What can we experience here and now?
Benefits of unbiased kind and loving heart
201
How does the Dalai Lama regard people he meets?
As his friends
202
What does this loving attitude bring?
Much inner peace regardless of others' responses
203
How do people usually respond?
With friendly and kind demeanor
204
What happens to meditators who cultivate dhyānas on love?
They are well-loved in this life and influence environment positively
205
Where are they reborn if that is their wish?
In peaceful celestial realm of Brahmā
206
What does bodhisattvas' love lead to?
Bodhicitta and full awakening
207
How many benefits of love does Nāgārjuna speak of?
Eight benefits
208
What doesn't match portion of merit in one instant of love?
Even offering three hundred cooking pots of food three times daily
209
What are the eight good qualities of love?
Gods and humans friendly even nonhumans protect mental and physical pleasures poison and weapons won't harm effortless attainment and rebirth in Brahmā world
210
What is having love and compassion the source of?
All temporal happiness in saṃsāra and ultimate happiness of liberation and awakening
211
What is great loss and waste?
Having precious human life and not cultivating love and compassion
212
How many reasons does Nāgārjuna give for generating love?
Five reasons why it is necessary to generate love for all beings
213
What is first reason for generating love?
We and all beings are equal regarding happiness and suffering
214
How are we and beings like family?
Being equal regarding happiness and suffering we are family
215
What is not right regarding this family?
To completely abandon these beings yet enter nirvāṇa
216
What should we think about others' difficulties?
What it would be like to have them - refugee poverty stricken terminally ill
217
What should we imagine about being left alone?
How strong wish to receive help or understanding would be
218
What should we remember about trying experiences?
How relieved we were when someone stepped up to help
219
How are others joyful?
Just as we are when accomplishing goals
220
How do others feel when shown appreciation?
Supported just as we do
221
What have we been searching for since beginningless time?
Lasting happiness and meaning but haven't been successful
222
What would we consider someone with wealth overlooking slum?
Cold-hearted and despicable for not thinking about neighbors' suffering
223
What is similar to this?
Attaining our own nirvāṇa and leaving others drowning in saṃsāra
224
What is second reason for loving beings?
We have gone through same experiences in saṃsāra repeatedly
225
What brings us close to each other?
This common experience
226
What have we experienced together?
Sufferings of unfortunate realms and happiness of higher realms
227
What is third reason for loving beings?
In limitless previous lives we've been one another's parents and children
228
What does Nāgārjuna observe about residing in wombs?
Not just once did I reside in every womb nor is there being who did not reside in my womb
229
What does this make us?
All family
230
What happens if rebirth is difficult to imagine?
It's fine to set aside for time being and come back later
231
What should those who accept rebirth think?
That all beings have been our parents and children numerous times
232
Why don't we recognize each other?
Because we change bodies in each birth but connection is still there
233
What will happen when we develop superknowledges?
We will remember previous relatives and feeling of closeness will arise again
234
What spawns feeling of being isolated individual?
Self-grasping ignorance when we are actually dependent and interrelated
235
What should we remember about despicable people?
They haven't always been that person and are conditioned beings
236
What changes as conditioning changes?
Their personalities beliefs and actions
237
What should we remember about impermanence?
We have loved people we may not be fond of now but will be close again
238
Why is thinking like this not beneficial?
It stimulates thoughts of revenge and resentment creating turbulence
239
What does reflecting on endearing relationships stimulate?
Thoughts of kindness and love leading to harmony and virtuous actions
240
What do we have when we adopt positive perspective?
Many opportunities to be happy
241
What follows us when we hold critical judgmental view?
Unhappiness wherever we go
242
What does fourth reason reflect on?
Buddha's relations with all living beings
243
Why did Buddha purify mind and accumulate merit?
Because he cherished all sentient beings
244
What did Buddha seek full awakening for?
To benefit them most effectively
245
Why should we cherish beings Buddha sees as precious?
Since we have respect and devotion for Buddha
246
What are parents happier about than being helped themselves?
If we help their children
247
Why don't we see sentient beings accurately?
Because of anger and partiality we undervalue kindness received
248
Who know their past relationships with beings?
Ārya bodhisattvas and buddhas who cherish beings more than themselves
249
What would seem strange to say to Buddha?
That sentient beings are not trustworthy and we don't cherish them
250
What is fifth reason for loving beings?
Benefiting and harming brings happiness or suffering respectively
251
What do we create in dependence on?
The recipients of our actions
252
Why are spiritual mentors powerful fields of merit?
Because of their spiritual qualities and kindness in leading us on path
253
What do we create by offering to spiritual mentors?
Enormous merit
254
What do we create by getting angry with spiritual mentors?
Great nonvirtuous karma
255
How is situation similar with ordinary beings?
They have been parents and friends and benefit us greatly
256
What happens when we benefit sentient beings?
They are happy and we reap temporal and ultimate happiness
257
What do we create when we harm beings?
Great destructive karma that ripens in our own misery
258
How are sentient beings like spiritual mentors?
In this way of creating karma through our actions toward them
259
What arises when we contemplate kindness received?
Feeling for endearing qualities of sentient beings
260
How are sentient beings precious in terms of virtue?
Our creation of virtue depends on them
261
What does our practicing six perfections depend on?
Sentient beings
262
What do we need to practice generosity?
Impoverished beings to be generous toward
263
What do we need for ethical conduct?
Sentient beings to avoid harming
264
Who can't we practice fortitude with?
Holy beings because they don't harm us
265
Who can fortitude only be cultivated with?
Harmful and quarrelsome sentient beings
266
What does our joyous effort depend on?
Sentient beings
267
What do we need sentient beings to accomplish?
Our own purpose and purpose of others - truth body and form body
268
What are four immeasurables meditation objects for?
Cultivating dhyānas
269
What can't we cultivate for empty space?
Love compassion empathic joy and equanimity
270
What are necessary objects of these meditations?
Sentient beings
271
What are all sentient beings?
The cause of factors of awakening
272
How should all who wish complete awakening regard beings?
As gurus
273
What would be impossible without sentient beings?
All of the above practices
274
How essential are they for spiritual progress?
As essential as our spiritual mentors
275
What does Śāntideva exclaim about joy and suffering?
All joy comes from desiring others happy all suffering from desiring myself happy
276
What are all these points based on?
The reasoning of dependent arising
277
What becomes clearer as we ponder these points?
That benefiting beings is wellspring of all joy and harming them source of misery
278
What fades away as heart and mind evolve?
Pain and problems from critical judgmental self-centered mind
279
What types of happiness exist from Buddhist perspective?
Several types and good to wish beings have all of them
280
What is first type of happiness?
Derived from basic requisites and other factors bringing happiness in this life
281
What does most people think of as happiness?
This unstable transient difficult to control type
282
What difficulties do worldly pleasures bring?
Fear of losing what we have anxiety of not getting what we desire jealousy
283
What is another type of happiness?
Emotional peace - acceptance lessening anger releasing grudges
284
What are causes of emotional peace?
Internal reflection and deliberate cultivation of wholesome mental states
285
What can help with emotional peace?
Psychotherapy nonviolent communication secular mindfulness practices
286
What does cause of temporal happiness depend on?
Merit - virtuous actions through generosity ethical conduct and fortitude
287
What is greater than emotional well-being?
Joy bliss and equanimity from states of meditative absorption
288
Who experiences this peace?
Those who have suppressed afflictions by attaining deep concentration states
289
What is even higher level of happiness?
Fulfillment of ultimate spiritual aims - nirvāṇa and full awakening
290
What does this necessitate?
Subduing then completely overcoming afflictions like craving ignorance animosity
291
What kind of peace would we feel?
If our minds were free of these afflictions
292
Does this bliss decline or disappear?
No the bliss and joy in these states does not decline or disappear
293
What is nirvāṇa?
Mind totally free from afflictions and polluted karma dwelling in realization of emptiness
294
What is full awakening?
Mind free from afflictive and cognitive obscurations with all beneficial qualities developed
295
What does this provide?
Ultimate security satisfaction and fulfillment enabling benefit to self and others
296
What does our wish for spiritual happiness entail?
Wishing conducive circumstances to meet learn and practice Dharma
297
What are causes for this?
Observing karma studying reflecting and meditating on Buddha's teachings
298
What is cause of nirvāṇa?
Mind of renunciation and practice of three higher trainings especially wisdom
299
What are causes of full awakening?
In addition to those for nirvāṇa - bodhicitta six perfections generation and completion stages
300
What should you wish when meditating on love?
That beings have all levels of happiness and peace and their causes
301
What is important like self-respect?
Loving ourselves in realistic and practical way
302
What must self-love be distinguished from?
Self-indulgence
303
What is self-indulgence fraught with?
Selfish attachment leading to anxiety and guilt
304
What does loving ourselves involve?
Caring for ourselves with acceptance and kindness free from unrealistic expectations
305
What does genuine self-love enable?
Us to love others
306
What does self-centeredness do?
Uses others for our own pleasure
307
What do most exalted levels of self-love wish?
Us to be free from cyclic existence and attain full awakening
308
What is true kindness to ourselves?
Working toward spiritual goals
309
What is first experience after birth?
Of kindness and compassion
310
Are love and compassion unfamiliar to us?
No we have seed of love and compassion in mindstream
311
What can we do by learning methods?
Nurture seeds already in mindstream enabling them to grow
312
How do great love and compassion differ from ordinary?
They are impartial and unbiased
313
What do ordinary feelings depend on?
Other person's attitude and actions toward us
314
What happens when behavior doesn't meet expectations?
Our love and compassion evaporate and we may become enraged
315
How do genuine love and compassion arise?
Irrespective of others' attitudes and actions toward us
316
What is our perspective with genuine love and compassion?
Others are just like me wanting happiness and having right to overcome suffering
317
Toward whom do we feel unbiased love and compassion?
Even toward enemies and those we dislike
318
How many beings do great love and compassion extend toward?
All sentient beings including ourselves those we like dislike and don't know
319
What are ordinary love and compassion dependent on?
Our personal preferences and prejudices
320
How do ordinary love and compassion arise?
Automatically in ordinary beings under influence of afflictions
321
How are great love and compassion cultivated?
Consciously with clear purpose
322
What is used to overcome bias?
Reasoning
323
What helps love and compassion become stable?
Wisdom
324
What does this enable ordinary love and compassion to do?
Expand to include all beings and transform into great love and compassion
325
What is focal object of compassion?
Sentient beings who are suffering
326
What is compassion's subjective aspect?
The wish for them to be free from suffering
327
What does compassion depend on?
Sense of closeness with others and concern for their suffering
328
How do we create sense of intimacy?
Seeing beings as endearing through remembering their kindness
329
What brings concern for suffering?
Meditating that beings undergo all diverse duḥkha just as we do
330
What arouses genuine compassion?
Bringing these two together
331
How do we begin cultivating compassion?
With ourselves our dear ones then neutral feelings then enemies finally all beings
332
What must we be in touch with to develop compassion for others?
How we ourselves are oppressed by duḥkha and wish to be free
333
What meditations are essential for this?
Four truths especially true duḥkha and true origins and twelve links
334
What will our compassion lack without these meditations?
Energy and risks becoming pity instead
335
Why is it important to begin with specific individuals?
This brings personal quality to our compassion
336
How is this different from feeling sorry for large group?
Very different from feeling sorry for amorphous group we don't know
337
What are we generating wish for?
Individuals we feel close to and care about to be free from duḥkha
338
What does meditating on individuals bring to light?
Resentment prejudice and fear that interferes with compassion
339
When is it suitable to extend range of compassion?
When we have successfully dealt with these hindrances
340
What forms of duḥkha should we wish beings free from?
The three kinds of duḥkha six disadvantages eight unsatisfactory conditions
341
What makes it easier to generate compassion for others?
Having contemplated these faults in our own lives and generated aspiration for liberation
342
How can you begin meditation on compassion?
Thinking of someone whose suffering you cannot bear
343
What should you recall about this person?
That he is similar to you in wanting happiness and not wanting suffering
344
What will arise through this reflection?
Very strong concern and compassion
345
How should you extend meditation?
To close friends and relatives thinking of them one by one
346
Who should you focus on next?
Strangers - road workers secretaries citizens refugees
347
What should you finally bring to mind?
People for whom you have negative emotions who have harmed you
348
What should you think about enemies?
That they are just like you in wanting happiness and having right to be free
349
What should you do until you feel their suffering intolerable?
Develop same strength of concern toward them as toward dear ones
350
Where should you finally extend compassion?
To all sentient beings in all realms of saṃsāra
351
What should you remember about planet Earth?
It's not only place with living beings there are countless beings
352
What should you do with your heart?
Enlarge it to include them all
353
What is another way to meditate on compassion?
Visualize an animal and contemplate difficulties it faces
354
What obstacles do animals face?
Being under others' control vulnerability and obstacles to creating virtue
355
What should you change focus to next?
Hungry ghosts and think of their suffering
356
What should you contemplate about hell beings?
Their fear terror and physical suffering
357
What about human beings?
Although less physical suffering their mental suffering can be formidable
358
What is especially poignant thought when cultivating compassion?
That beings long for happiness but create karma that ripens in suffering
359
What did Śāntideva say about beings and misery?
Although wishing to be rid of misery they run toward it
360
What should you think about people you care for?
They want only happiness but constantly self-sabotage abandoning causes of happiness
361
What do they embrace as if it were path to happiness?
The causes of misery because they are confused
362
What should you feel about subtle pervasive duḥkha?
That their experience of it is intolerable
363
What should you not fall prey to when meditating?
Personal distress
364
Where should you keep focus?
On others' experiences not pain you feel from observing their duḥkha
365
What should you remember about causes of duḥkha?
That they can be eliminated so maintain optimistic yet grounded attitude
366
What are love compassion and bodhicitta not?
Uncontrolled emotions that render us incapable of action
367
What do they make us?
Strong and courageous
368
What does Tsongkhapa caution about personal instruction?
If satisfied with just little and neglect classical texts compassion and love will be weak
369
What must we do with explanations?
Analyze with discerning wisdom and elicit experience through sustained meditation
370
What won't we achieve with unclear experiences?
Anything when making short effort without precisely clarifying topic
371
What types of compassion do different people possess?
Ordinary people śrāvakas and solitary realizers have different types
372
What do ordinary people have compassion for?
Evident suffering of people and animals they care about
373
What aren't they usually aware of?
Duḥkha of change and pervasive duḥkha of conditioning
374
What is their compassion generally confined to?
Wishing beings health wealth job fulfillment and happy families
375
What do some śrāvakas and solitary realizers have?
Immeasurable compassion synonymous with limitless compassion
376
What level is this compassion at?
Level of dhyāna spread to immeasurable beings
377
What is it not strong enough to inspire?
Shouldering responsibility to liberate all sentient beings
378
What should we do about śrāvakas' and solitary realizers' compassion?
Laud and respect them for their attainments
379
What is no reason for bodhisattva-aspirants?
To be proud for our present love and compassion are weak biased and short duration
380
What is fitting in all cases?
To respect those more spiritually accomplished and endeavor to generate their qualities
381
What does Kamalaśīla delineate in first Stages of Meditation?
The measure for having generated great compassion
382
When is compassion complete?
When you spontaneously feel compassion wishing to eliminate duḥkha of all beings like mother's desire to remove child's unhappiness
383
What example does Kamalaśīla use?
Compassion of mother for child to give sense of extraordinary desire to eliminate all beings' duḥkha
384
How does mother's compassion differ from bodhisattva's?
Mother's is tinged with attachment and partiality while bodhisattva's is free from these
385
What observes all sentient beings?
Great compassion
386
What does great compassion want to liberate beings from?
Not only duḥkha of pain and change but also pervasive duḥkha of conditioning
387
What is great compassion a prerequisite for?
Bodhicitta
388
What must be present to enter first bodhisattva path?
Great compassion
389
What does knowing characteristics of realizations enable?
Us to assess our spiritual progress
390
What does this prevent?
False conceit thinking we have actualized something we have not
391
What is not too challenging to think?
I will attain awakening for benefit of all beings
392
What is quite difficult?
Feeling this sincerely and spontaneously when seeing any being
393
What are characteristics of bodhisattvas' great compassion?
Strong stable and resilient
394
What don't bodhisattvas succumb to?
Despondency and hopelessness though may feel unsettled seeing suffering
395
What abounds deep in their minds?
Courage inner strength and optimism
396
How do bodhisattvas express compassion?
In creative and appropriate ways
397
What don't they succumb to or do?
Don't succumb to personal distress or take upon themselves to fix beings' predicaments
398
What phrase did Śāntideva utter?
May people think of benefiting one another
399
What should each of us become?
One of those people
400
What do our love and compassion increase to become?
The great resolve
401
What does great resolve assume?
Responsibility to bring beings happiness and eliminate their suffering
402
What is great resolve stronger than?
Wish to repay kindness and love and compassion thinking how wonderful if beings had happiness
403
What does great resolve have behind it?
Energy - heartfelt commitment to act
404
What does great resolve think?
I will give happiness to all beings and free them from duḥkha
405
When is it helpful to think like this?
Frequently during day so intention supports physical and verbal actions
406
What happens when you try thinking like this during workday?
It transforms attitude and relationships and increases sense of meaning
407
What may śrāvakas and solitary realizers have?
Immeasurable love and compassion wishing beings happiness and freedom
408
What are these not strong enough to induce?
Their commitment to act to bring this about
409
Why is great compassion so called?
Because it goes beyond compassion of śrāvakas and solitary realizers
410
What happens when compassion can no longer endure beings' suffering?
It induces great resolve willing to bear responsibility of liberating beings
411
What do practitioners have with great resolve?
Confidence and determination to work for benefit of all beings
412
What has great resolve overcome?
Gross self-centeredness
413
What is great resolve ready to do?
Act on aspiration to benefit and protect sentient beings
414
What example does Questions of Sāgaramati Sūtra give?
Family with only child who fell into pit of sewage and filth
415
What do aunts and uncles do?
Scream and lament standing by side of pit
416
What do parents do?
Without hesitation jump into sewage pit and pull child out
417
What are sewage and filth?
Three realms of saṃsāra
418
Who is treasured child?
All sentient beings
419
Who are other relatives?
Śrāvakas and solitary realizers
420
What is compassion of śrāvakas and solitary realizers like?
Like aunts and uncles for beloved nephew - not moved to action
421
What must bodhisattva aspirants generate?
Great resolve firmly committed to liberating all beings oneself
422
What makes our compassion stronger?
Deeper understanding of duḥkha
423
When does great resolve arise?
When compassion reaches point where beings' duḥkha is unbearable
424
What do we commit to work for?
Temporal well-being and leading them to highest good
425
What is important to understand precisely?
What bodhicitta is so efforts will bear fruit
426
How does Tsongkhapa define bodhicitta?
Wish to attain highest awakening for sake of all sentient beings
427
What is this noble mind?
What we should do everything in power to generate
428
What isn't bodhicitta?
Only wishing others free of suffering or wanting to become buddha ourselves
429
What isn't bodhicitta just?
Being kind and cooperative or praying to take on others' suffering
430
What is Kamalaśīla's measure of genuine bodhicitta?
When committed to being guide for all beings through great compassion you effortlessly generate bodhicitta
431
What does generating actual bodhicitta require?
First cultivating several other attitudes
432
What does Śāntideva lead us through?
Several steps in Engaging in Bodhisattvas' Deeds
433
What are the steps Śāntideva mentions?
Contemplating benefits practicing seven limbs taking refuge understanding bodhisattva trainings
434
What do we generate through previous six steps?
Primary mind held by two aspirations
435
What are the two aspirations?
One seeking to benefit all beings other aspiring to attain full awakening
436
What is this mind?
The bodhicitta - seventh point effect of six preceding causes
437
What doesn't bring strong resolve for bodhicitta?
Naïve assumption that awakening is easy and half-hearted effort is sufficient
438
How does great resolve induce bodhicitta?
From reflecting that at present I can't save myself let alone lead others to freedom
439
What do we investigate about who can guide beings?
No saṃsāric being is fully equipped to guide beings to awakening
440
What do arhats lack despite having compassion?
Great compassion and great resolve to guide all beings
441
What are arhats able to do?
Lead few beings to liberation but not to buddhahood
442
What do ārya bodhisattvas have but lack?
They have bodhicitta but minds aren't free from cognitive obscurations
443
Who are only ones fully equipped?
Buddhas who have eradicated all obscurations and perfected all qualities
444
What must we become?
Fully awakened buddha with stainless wisdom unwavering compassion and full capacity
445
Can buddhas liberate beings by themselves?
No if they could they would have already done so
446
What must sentient beings do?
Learn and practice Dharma themselves
447
What must buddhas have to teach and guide?
Personal experience of all practices and paths to awakening
448
What must buddhas know about others?
Individual spiritual dispositions interests tendencies and effective ways to practice
449
Why must we fully prepare ourselves?
For sake of helping others
450
When can we see eliminating cognitive obscurations is possible?
When we understand wisdom realizing ultimate nature removes afflictions
451
What do we seek to eliminate and realize?
All obscurations from mindstreams and all excellent qualities
452
What do we need to attain?
Full awakening - nonabiding nirvāṇa where we abide neither in cyclic existence nor complacency
453
What does Perfection Vehicle present?
Path to full awakening
454
What does highest yoga tantra reveal?
Extremely subtle wind-mind fundamental innate mind of clear light
455
What becomes much clearer in this context?
Possibility of attaining four buddha bodies
456
What will we be able to develop?
Genuine bodhicitta aspiring for buddhahood
457
Is method for developing bodhicitta difficult to understand?
No but gaining firm love compassion and altruism involves training mind
458
What extremely strong tendency must be eliminated?
Considering our own happiness as more important than others
459
What would śrāvakas and solitary realizers have done if self-centeredness weren't deeply rooted?
They would have abandoned it since they are great wise practitioners
460
What does eliminating self-centeredness take?
Great courage and strength of mind
461
Why is commitment to work for others radical?
It's radical reversal of usual way of thinking and relating to world
462
What may we feel during meditation sessions?
Intense great resolve to better beings' condition
463
What happens after meditation session?
Resolve falters love and compassion recede and self-centeredness reemerges
464
What does remedying this require?
Continued vigilance and application in all aspects of life
465
What can't we take holiday from?
Love and compassion to enjoy pleasures of self-centeredness
466
What does Kamalaśīla encourage in first Stages of Meditation?
Cultivate compassion toward all beings at all times
467
What does Tsongkhapa advise about mindstream?
That it won't change from just short cultivation of good qualities
468
What must we do with meditation?
Sustain it continuously
469
What is wonderful start?
Cultivating spontaneous bodhicitta once
470
What must you then do?
Make it stable through repeated meditation
471
What should you continue meditating on?
Duḥkha of saṃsāra kindness of beings love compassion and great resolve
472
What should you contemplate about buddhas?
Physical verbal and mental qualities and awakening activities
473
What should you meditate on to abandon obscurations?
Emptiness of inherent existence
474
What should you continue to support practices?
Purifying and accumulating merit
475
What should you make your bodhicitta?
Strong so you won't give it up when difficulties arise
476
What should we follow?
Their excellent advice and complete entire path in good time
477
What should you cultivate first?
Compassion first toward one person then gradually expand to all beings
478
What should you generate?
Great resolve to actively engage in increasing happiness and diminishing suffering
479
What do we lack as ordinary beings?
Wisdom and skill
480
What do we lack as śrāvakas?
Compassion
481
What must we therefore do?
Follow path to buddhahood and attain full awakening
