Ch 3 Part 2 - How to Cultivate Bodhicitta - The Seven Cause-and-Effect Instructions Flashcards
(390 cards)
1
Q
What are the two main methods for training the mind in bodhicitta?
A
The seven cause-and-effect instructions and equalizing and exchanging self and others.
2
Q
What is the principal cause of bodhicitta in both methods?
A
Great compassion is the principal cause of bodhicitta in both methods.
3
Q
What is the key to cultivating compassion according to this chapter?
A
Seeing others as pleasing and lovable is the key to cultivating compassion.
4
Q
How many steps does the seven cause-and-effect instructions method have?
A
Seven steps or points that are meditated on in sequence.
5
Q
What are the origins of the seven cause-and-effect instructions traced to?
A
Maitreya’s Ornament of Clear Realizations and the teaching of his disciple Asaṅga.
6
Q
Which masters generated bodhicitta through the seven cause-and-effect method?
A
Candragomin Śāntarakṣita and Kamalaśīla.
7
Q
What text does Kamalaśīla write about this method in?
A
His middle Stages of Meditation (Bhāvanākrama).
8
Q
List the seven points of the seven cause-and-effect instructions.
A
(1) Seeing all sentient beings as having been our mother (2) recalling their kindness (3) wanting to repay that kindness (4) love (5) compassion (6) the great resolve (7) bodhicitta.
9
Q
Which point is considered the root of the Mahāyāna?
A
Compassion (the fifth point) is the root of the Mahāyāna.
10
Q
How do the seven points relate to compassion?
A
The first four are the causes of compassion and the last two are the effects of compassion.
11
Q
What two elements are needed to cultivate compassion?
A
Awareness of the three types of duḥkha of sentient beings and seeing them as endearing.
12
Q
What meditation is a forerunner to the seven points?
A
Equanimity meditation is a forerunner to the seven points.
13
Q
What does equanimity help us overcome?
A
Attachment to friends and dear ones and animosity for enemies.
14
Q
What are the three types of equanimity mentioned in the Sanskrit tradition?
A
(1) The feeling of equanimity (2) the virtuous mental factor of equanimity (3) immeasurable equanimity.
15
Q
Which type of equanimity is the precursor to love compassion and bodhicitta?
A
Immeasurable equanimity (specifically the second type that cultivates equanimity ourselves).
16
Q
What is the feeling of equanimity?
A
A feeling toward all phenomena that is free from pleasure or pain and is part of the feeling aggregate.
17
Q
What does the virtuous mental factor of equanimity do?
A
It prevents restlessness and laxity when cultivating serenity and doesn’t let the mind be affected by them.
18
Q
What are the two types of immeasurable equanimity?
A
One wishes all sentient beings to be free from bias attachment and antipathy; the second is cultivating equanimity ourselves.
19
Q
What does equanimity not seek to abandon?
A
The notions of friend and enemy but rather the biased emotions of attachment and antipathy toward them.
20
Q
What are Kamalaśīla’s two ways to generate equanimity?
A
Contemplating that all beings are equal in wanting happiness and freedom from suffering and reflecting on the changeability of relationships over lifetimes.
21
Q
What sūtra speaks about the instability of relationships?
A
The Tantra Requested by Subāhu (Subāhuparipṛcchātantra).
22
Q
What does equanimity bring to our mind and behavior?
A
Calm and more thoughtful and considerate behavior.
23
Q
How should we treat people after developing equanimity?
A
We respect them equally and care about their well-being equally though we may interact differently based on appropriate trust levels.
24
Q
What are the categories our mind fabricates according to mind training?
A
Friends enemies and strangers - fabricated by our mind based on how they relate to ‘Me’.
25
What word do we repeatedly hear when examining our feelings toward friends enemies and strangers?
'I' - we classify people based on how they relate to Me.
26
What does releasing rigid categories of friend enemy and stranger create?
Space in our mind for another perspective one that cares equally about the welfare of all beings.
27
What must we free ourselves from to see sentient beings as endearing?
Attachment to friends and dear ones and animosity for enemies.
28
What does contemplating that all beings have been our parents help overcome?
Feelings of alienation and isolation.
29
If you have difficulty accepting past lives what alternative is suggested?
Provisionally accept it and see if considering that all beings could have been your mother helps cultivate closeness.
30
What does Dharmakīrti use reasoning to prove?
The existence of rebirth in Commentary on the 'Compendium of Reliable Cognition' (Pramāṇavārttika).
31
What does the Mother Sutta say about relationships in saṃsāra?
It is not easy to find a being who has not previously been your mother father brother sister son or daughter.
32
What should we choose as an example when cultivating feelings of closeness?
Someone who has been very kind to us usually our mother or primary caregiver.
33
What are some ways our mother was kind to us?
She carried us in her womb gave birth fed us changed diapers protected from danger comforted us taught us to speak and walk.
34
What example does the author give of animal maternal love?
Sasha a crippled dog who dragged herself around to find food to nurse her puppies despite her own suffering.
35
What should we do if childhood abuse makes contemplating parental kindness difficult?
Contemplate the kindness of whoever cared for you as an infant and return to parents later after emotions have healed.
36
What attitude should we develop toward our parents' limitations?
Acceptance appreciation and forgiveness - they did their best given their constraints and upbringing.
37
What natural human response should we allow to arise?
Gratitude in response to whatever kindness we have received.
38
How do we extend the recognition of kindness to all beings?
Recognize that friends relatives strangers and even enemies have all been our kind mother in previous lives.
39
What poor excuse is mentioned for not repaying kindness?
Thinking that because we don't recognize them as our parents in this life there's no connection or reason to repay kindness.
40
What analogy is given about meeting a long-lost mother?
An elderly impoverished woman begging - would you just give a dollar or do everything to help your rediscovered mother?
41
What are most of our previous mothers ignorant about?
Their existence in saṃsāra and that ignorance is the root of cyclic existence.
42
What do sentient beings mistakenly think is their friend?
The self-centered attitude which they follow creating causes for suffering.
43
What does Bhāvaviveka say about repaying help in Heart of the Middle Way?
'What else is there other than nirvāṇa to repay the help of those who in other lives helped me with love and service?'
44
What naturally arises as a result of the first three points?
Heartwarming love (the fourth point) arises naturally; no separate meditation is necessary.
45
How is heartwarming love described?
Like the love a parent has for their child - affectionate love that sees all sentient beings as endearing.
46
What are the two types of love mentioned?
Heartwarming love (seeing beings as endearing) and love that wishes others to have happiness and its causes.
47
Do love and compassion occur in a fixed order?
No which one is generated depends on whether we first see beings as lacking happiness or as burdened by duḥkha.
48
What is the observed object of love?
Sentient beings who are bereft of happiness.
49
What is the subjective aspect of love?
The wish for them to have happiness and its causes.
50
How is love preceded?
By equanimity toward friends strangers and enemies.
51
What makes this kind of love immense?
Its field is vast (all beings) its goal is vast (every happiness) its time is vast (as long as space exists) and we relinquish much (our own enjoyments).
52
What are the eight benefits of love according to Nāgārjuna?
Gods and humans will be friendly nonhumans will protect mental and physical pleasures poison and weapons won't harm effortless attainment of aims rebirth in Brahmā's world.
53
What does Nāgārjuna say about offering food versus a moment of love?
Even offering three hundred cooking pots of food three times a day doesn't match the merit of one instant of love.
54
What are the five reasons Nāgārjuna gives for generating love for all beings?
We are equal in wanting happiness we've shared experiences in saṃsāra we've been each other's family the Buddha cherishes them and they are like our gurus.
55
How are we equal with all sentient beings?
In wanting happiness and not suffering - we are family in these ways.
56
What common enemy do we and all others share?
The afflictions.
57
What should we contemplate about others' difficulties?
What it would be like to be a refugee poverty-stricken terminally ill face discrimination etc.
58
What does Nāgārjuna say about dwelling together in saṃsāra?
'Together with these beings I experienced the sufferings of the unfortunate realms and all sorts of happiness of the higher realms.'
59
What family relationships have we all had?
'Not just once did I reside in every womb nor is there a single sentient being who did not reside in my womb.'
60
Why should we cherish beings the Buddha cherishes?
Because the Buddha worked hard for them and sees them as precious - parents are happiest when we help their children.
61
How are sentient beings like our gurus?
Benefiting and harming them brings happiness or suffering respectively just like with spiritual mentors.
62
Why do we need sentient beings to practice the six perfections?
We can't practice generosity without impoverished beings or ethical conduct without beings we could harm.
63
With whom do we practice fortitude?
Only with harmful and quarrelsome sentient beings - not with holy beings who don't harm us.
64
What meditation objects for dhyānas depend on sentient beings?
The four immeasurables - love compassion empathic joy and equanimity.
65
What would be impossible without sentient beings?
All practices leading to buddhahood - they are the cause of the factors of awakening.
66
What does Śāntideva say about joy and suffering in the world?
Whatever joy comes from desiring others to be happy; whatever suffering comes from desiring myself to be happy.
67
What are the different types of happiness we should wish for beings?
Basic life requisites emotional peace meditative bliss and ultimate spiritual fulfillment (nirvāṇa and full awakening).
68
What is the happiness of basic requisites?
Food shelter clothing medicine health harmonious relations safety money possessions social standing.
69
What is emotional peace happiness?
Acceptance of who we are lessening of anger releasing grudges - through internal reflection and wholesome mental states.
70
What causes temporal happiness?
Merit - virtuous actions through generosity ethical conduct and fortitude.
71
What is the happiness from meditative absorption?
Joy bliss and equanimity from suppressing manifest afflictions in the four dhyānas and formless absorptions.
72
What is ultimate spiritual happiness?
The fulfillment of nirvāṇa and full awakening - total freedom from afflictions and limitless development of beneficial qualities.
73
What should we wish regarding sentient beings' spiritual practice?
That they have conducive circumstances to meet qualified teachers supportive Dharma friends and interest in spiritual matters.
74
How should genuine self-love be distinguished from self-indulgence?
Self-love involves realistic caring with acceptance and kindness; self-indulgence is fraught with selfish attachment.
75
What is the focal object of compassion?
Sentient beings who are suffering.
76
What is the subjective aspect of compassion?
The wish for them to be free from suffering.
77
What two principal attitudes does compassion depend on?
A sense of closeness with others and concern for their suffering.
78
How do we develop a sense of closeness for compassion?
Seeing sentient beings as endearing through remembering their kindness.
79
How do we develop concern for their suffering?
Meditating on the fact that sentient beings undergo all the diverse kinds of duḥkha just as we do.
80
What sequence should we follow when cultivating compassion?
Begin with ourselves then dear ones those with neutral feelings enemies and finally all sentient beings.
81
Why must we be in touch with our own duḥkha first?
Without understanding our own oppression by duḥkha our compassion for others will lack energy and risk becoming pity.
82
What meditations support the development of compassion?
The four truths (especially true duḥkha and true origins) and the twelve links of dependent origination.
83
Why is it important to start compassion practice with specific individuals?
It brings a personal quality to compassion and helps identify resentment prejudice and fear that interferes.
84
What should we contemplate when cultivating compassion for diverse suffering?
The three kinds of duḥkha six disadvantages of cyclic existence and eight unsatisfactory conditions.
85
What alternative method for compassion meditation is suggested?
Visualize an animal and contemplate its difficulties then extend to hungry ghosts hell beings humans and gods.
86
What poignant thought helps cultivate compassion?
Although beings long for happiness and freedom from suffering they continuously create karma that ripens in suffering due to ignorance.
87
What does Śāntideva say about beings' self-sabotage?
'Although wishing to be rid of misery they run toward misery itself. Although wishing to have happiness like an enemy they ignorantly destroy it.'
88
What should we avoid when meditating on compassion?
Personal distress - keep focus on others' experiences not on your pain from observing their suffering.
89
What attitude should we maintain during compassion meditation?
Deep concern but remember causes for duḥkha can be eliminated so maintain optimistic yet grounded attitude.
90
What does Tsongkhapa caution about developing compassion?
Don't be satisfied with little instruction and neglect classical texts - analyze with discerning wisdom and sustain in meditation.
91
What is ordinary people's compassion typically confined to?
Wishing beings to have health wealth job fulfillment and happy families in this life.
92
What is immeasurable compassion of śrāvakas and solitary realizers?
Compassion at the level of dhyāna spread to immeasurable beings but not strong enough to shoulder responsibility for liberating all.
93
What is Kamalaśīla's measure for having generated great compassion?
When you spontaneously feel compassion wanting to eliminate all beings' duḥkha - like a mother's desire to remove her child's unhappiness.
94
How does a bodhisattva's compassion differ from a mother's?
A bodhisattva's compassion is free from attachment and partiality unlike a mother's compassion for her child.
95
What does great compassion want to liberate beings from?
Not only duḥkha of pain and change but also the pervasive duḥkha of conditioning affecting all in saṃsāra.
96
When must great compassion be present?
To enter the first bodhisattva path the path of accumulation.
97
How do bodhisattvas' great compassion characteristics differ from ordinary compassion?
It's strong stable resilient - they don't succumb to despondency but maintain courage inner strength and optimism.
98
What is the great resolve?
The heartfelt commitment to act to give happiness to every sentient being and protect them from all three types of duḥkha.
99
How is the great resolve stronger than previous steps?
It's stronger than wishing to repay kindness and stronger than love and compassion that just think how wonderful it would be.
100
What does the great resolve think?
'I will give happiness to all sentient beings and free them from duḥkha.'
101
How does the great resolve differ from śrāvakas' and solitary realizers' compassion?
Their love and compassion aren't strong enough to induce commitment to act while great resolve bears responsibility for liberation.
102
What analogy illustrates the difference between śrāvakas and bodhisattvas?
Child in sewage pit: aunts/uncles (śrāvakas) lament but parents (bodhisattvas) jump in without hesitation to save the child.
103
What does the sewage pit analogy represent?
Sewage/filth = three realms of saṃsāra; child = all sentient beings; relatives = śrāvakas/solitary realizers; parents = bodhisattvas.
104
What must bodhisattva aspirants generate that śrāvakas lack?
The great resolve that is firmly committed to liberating all sentient beings oneself.
105
When does the great resolve arise?
When compassion reaches the point where beings' duḥkha is unbearable and we want them free from afflictive and cognitive obscurations.
106
How does Tsongkhapa define bodhicitta?
'The wish to attain highest awakening — the object of attainment — for the sake of all sentient beings — the objects of intent.'
107
What is bodhicitta NOT according to this definition?
Only wishing others free of suffering wanting them to become buddhas wanting to become buddha ourselves being kind or praying to take others' suffering.
108
What is Kamalaśīla's measure for having generated genuine bodhicitta?
When you effortlessly generate bodhicitta aspiring to unexcelled perfect awakening after committing to guide all beings through great compassion.
109
What must be cultivated before generating actual bodhicitta?
Stable experience in initial- and middle-level practitioner paths plus contemplating bodhicitta benefits seven limbs refuge understanding trainings.
110
What are the two aspirations that comprise bodhicitta?
One seeking to benefit all sentient beings the other aspiring to attain full awakening in order to do so.
111
How does the great resolve induce bodhicitta?
By reflecting: 'I can't even save myself from saṃsāra let alone lead others. Who can do this most effectively?'
112
Why are buddhas the only ones fully equipped to benefit beings?
They've eradicated all obscurations and perfected all excellent qualities unlike arhats or ārya bodhisattvas who still have limitations.
113
Why can't buddhas liberate beings by themselves?
Sentient beings must learn and practice Dharma themselves - buddhas need personal experience to teach and guide effectively.
114
What must we eliminate to attain buddhahood?
Cognitive obscurations that produce appearance of inherent existence and cause seeing two truths as different natures.
115
What is the nonabiding nirvāṇa of a buddha?
Full awakening where we abide neither in cyclic existence nor in complacency and personal peace of personal liberation.
116
What does highest yoga tantra reveal about the path?
The extremely subtle wind-mind fundamental innate mind of clear light and the tantric path to four buddha bodies.
117
Why is self-centeredness so difficult to eliminate?
If it weren't deeply rooted śrāvakas and solitary realizers would have abandoned it - it takes great courage and strength.
118
What happens to our resolve after meditation sessions?
Often it falters love and compassion recede and self-centeredness reemerges - requiring continued vigilance.
119
What does Kamalaśīla encourage about cultivating compassion?
Cultivate compassion toward all beings at all times whether in meditative concentration or any other activity.
120
What does Tsongkhapa advise about sustained practice?
The mindstream infused with afflictions won't change from short cultivation - you must sustain meditation continuously.
121
What should we do to make bodhicitta stable?
Continue meditating on saṃsāra's duḥkha beings' kindness love compassion great resolve plus contemplate buddhas' qualities and meditate on emptiness.
122
What is required for the seven cause-and-effect instructions to work?
Seeing others as pleasing and lovable which depends on recognizing their kindness when they were our parents.
123
How many cause-and-effect relationships exist within the seven points?
Multiple: first four cause compassion compassion causes great resolve great resolve causes bodhicitta; also first six cause bodhicitta.
124
What role does reasoning play in equalizing and exchanging self and others?
It depends more on reasoning to generate compassion seeing all beings' kindness and equality in wanting happiness.
125
Why is compassion called the root of Mahāyāna in three phases?
Beginning: motivates bodhicitta; Middle: keeps us engaged accumulating merit/wisdom; End: enables nonabiding nirvāṇa.
126
What prevents compassion from being flat or fake?
Having both a strong sense of beings as lovable AND deep understanding of their suffering - if either is missing compassion is weak.
127
What are the three steps to see beings as pleasing in cause-and-effect method?
Recognizing all beings as former parents contemplating their kindness and wishing to repay that kindness.
128
How does natural reciprocity work in this method?
Since all beings have been our parents and kind to us natural feeling of wanting to reciprocate that kindness arises.
129
What is the relationship between heartwarming love and compassion?
Heartwarming love (fourth point) is the cause of compassion (fifth point) in the cause-and-effect sequence.
130
What does 'training the mind to be intent on others' well-being' involve?
Developing impartiality free of attachment and animosity then cultivating affection and endearment toward sentient beings.
131
Why must genuine compassion be based on evenness?
As long as we have strong attachment or animosity compassion extends only to those we're attracted to - unstable compassion.
132
What happens to biased compassion when people harm us?
If people we're attached to later harm us our compassion for them vanishes - showing it wasn't genuine.
133
What three categories does mind training help us see as fabricated?
Friends enemies and strangers - fabricated by our mind based on how they relate to 'me'.
134
What research complements equanimity meditation?
Sociological psychological and neuropsychological research on prejudicial attitudes people bear toward others.
135
What did Stanley Milgram's 1963 research show?
Average people would administer strong electric shocks when ordered by authority figures - showing influence of authority on behavior.
136
What did Philip Zimbardo's Stanford prison experiment reveal?
Normal college students became violent when given power as 'guards' over 'prisoners' - showing effects of perceived power.
137
What does Emile Bruneau's research show about group identity?
The more we identify with a particular group the less we can empathize with those from another group.
138
How do we handle information that contradicts our prejudices?
We view friendly out-group members as 'not real members' and use stereotypical examples to justify prejudice.
139
What does developing true equanimity require?
Deep exploration of our own prejudices and fears - without this equanimity will be superficial and unstable.
140
What assumption did ancient Indian culture have that Western cultures don't?
Acceptance of past and future lives - Western cultures find this foreign and don't automatically assume multiple lives.
141
What should you do if accepting multiple lives is difficult?
Provisionally accept it and see if considering all beings as former mothers helps cultivate closeness.
142
What evidence supports past lives according to the text?
Dharmakīrti's reasoning sūtra passages and reliable accounts of people who remember previous lives.
143
What does the sūtra say about finding places we haven't been born?
'I have difficulty seeing a place wherein you have not been born gone to or died in the distant past.'
144
What relationships have we not had with beings according to sūtra?
Every relationship possible - father mother uncle aunt sister master abbot guru - in infinite previous lifetimes.
145
What is the one thing we haven't done in infinite lifetimes?
Practice the Dharma leading to direct realization of emptiness.
146
How should we reflect on our changing identity across lives?
We haven't always been who we are now and neither have others - even in this life we change from infant to adult to senior.
147
What proof do we have that we had caregivers?
We are alive today - we lacked ability to care for ourselves and needed others' care as infants.
148
What should we do if we can't remember our mother's nurturing?
Get an idea by observing how mothers around us care for their young children or watch animal mothers.
149
What did the author witness in animal maternal love?
A crippled dog named Sasha who dragged herself to find food to nurse her puppies despite her own suffering.
150
What abilities did our parents teach us that we take for granted?
Speaking tying shoelaces walking manners discipline consideration of others social skills.
151
What did they endure from us according to the text?
Our childish bad behavior teenage rebelliousness and the way we took them for granted.
152
What was the author's experience with his mother versus father?
Mother was naturally kind compassionate teacher; father had a temper so he avoided him when possible.
153
How many children did the author's mother have?
Sixteen children; seven survived.
154
What did Tibetans call the author's mother?
Gyalmo Chenmo the Great Mother.
155
What differences exist between traditional Asian and Western family views?
Western society has begun speaking publicly about childhood abuse while Asian cultures may have different perspectives.
156
What should we do if childhood abuse makes parent contemplation difficult?
Focus on whoever cared for you as infant/child; return to parents after turbulent emotions have lessened or been resolved.
157
What perspective should we take on our parents' limitations?
They did their best given their emotional social and financial situation and constraints from their own upbringing.
158
What prevents us from being encumbered by bitterness?
Developing attitude of acceptance appreciation and forgiveness of others' foibles.
159
What is psychologically and spiritually therapeutic?
Focusing on care and compassion received as young child rather than dwelling on what was lacking.
160
What is important for being a healthy adult and good parent?
Opening heart to experience gratitude in response to whatever kindness you have received.
161
What is gratitude described as?
A natural human response to kindness - no sense denying yourself this wonderful emotion.
162
How should we extend kindness recognition to all beings?
Friends/relatives were kind as former mothers; strangers were kind when they were our mothers; enemies were kind in past; all beings in beginningless saṃsāra.
163
What analogy illustrates not recognizing former mothers?
Being separated from kind mother as child meeting elderly impoverished woman 50 years later discovering she's your mother.
164
What would we do upon discovering our long-lost mother begging?
Not just give a dollar and leave - we'd do everything in our power to help her.
165
What are most of our former mothers ignorant about?
Their existence in saṃsāra thinking self-centered attitude is their friend not knowing ignorance is root of cyclic existence.
166
How do they create suffering causes?
Following demands of self-centeredness attachment animosity and confusion arise easily implanting them deeper in saṃsāra.
167
What has the author witnessed working with incarcerated people?
Deep love between inmates and mothers despite inmates being extremely inconsiderate when young.
168
What realization do many inmates have about their mothers?
How much their mother suffered for them how they were blind to her affection and support.
169
What pains incarcerated men about their mothers now?
Their mother is old and they cannot take care of her - big burly men get teary-eyed speaking of this.
170
What is our wish to repay kindness NOT simply about?
Not simply wanting them to live comfortably and enjoy pleasures of saṃsāra - such comfort is without essence.
171
How does Bhāvaviveka describe our situation with former mothers?
Like applying salt to wounds of those possessed by madness of afflictions - we created suffering for those sick with suffering.
172
What must we help our former mothers achieve?
Freedom from saṃsāra - as their child who received tremendous kindness since beginningless time.
173
What constitutes the mind according to meditation on mother-recognition?
The clarity and awareness that constitute mind don't cease at death - mindstream continues to another rebirth.
174
What is the logical conclusion about parenthood across lifetimes?
In most rebirths we have had parents; since there's no beginning to previous lives every being has been our parent.
175
How should we think of the kindness of all former mothers?
All other sentient beings who were our mothers in previous lives were similarly kind and loving toward us.
176
What results from the first three meditations?
Basis for developing attitude intent on others' welfare - we cherish beings and feel affection and endearment.
177
What is heartwarming love likened to?
The love a parent has for their child - affectionate love that sees all sentient beings as endearing.
178
What determines whether we generate love or compassion first?
Whether we first think of beings as lacking happiness (love) or being overwhelmed by duḥkha (compassion).
179
What makes love immense in field?
It extends to each and every sentient being no matter how they treat us.
180
What makes love immense in goal?
It wishes them every happiness from smallest pleasure up to eliminating all obscurations and easily working for all beings' benefit.
181
What makes love immense in time?
Working to benefit sentient beings for as long as space exists.
182
What makes love immense in relinquishment?
Willingly giving up our own enjoyments and even our own life for sentient beings' benefit.
183
Why is understanding love's benefits necessary?
By understanding advantages of great love and disadvantages of not cultivating it our interest and enthusiasm increase.
184
What experience can we have here and now with loving heart?
Inner peace regardless of others' responses and people usually respond with friendly and kind demeanor.
185
What happens to meditators who cultivate dhyānas on love?
They are well-loved in this life influence people and environment positively reborn in peaceful Brahmā realm if desired.
186
What does love that goes beyond temporal benefits lead to?
Bodhicitta and full awakening for bodhisattvas.
187
What does offering food three times daily not match?
A portion of the merit in one instant of love.
188
What are the eight good qualities love brings according to Nāgārjuna?
Gods and humans friendly nonhumans protect mental and physical pleasures poison/weapons won't harm effortless aims Brahmā rebirth.
189
What is the source of all temporal and ultimate happiness?
Having love and compassion for others.
190
What is a great loss according to the text?
Having precious human life and not cultivating love and compassion - waste of our potential.
191
What should we feel about our opportunity to cultivate love and compassion?
Joyful at the opportunity and enthusiastic to use it.
192
What equality do we share with all sentient beings according to Nāgārjuna?
We are equal with regard to happiness and suffering - being equal makes us family.
193
What examples should we contemplate of others' difficulties?
Being refugee poverty-stricken terminally ill disabled chronic pain child's death oppression racism gender discrimination.
194
How should we remember our own trying experiences?
How relieved we were when someone stepped up to help - that's how others feel when we reach out.
195
What have we been searching for since beginningless time?
Lasting happiness and meaning in our lives but haven't been successful.
196
What analogy is given about seeking personal liberation while ignoring others?
Someone with great wealth in mansion overlooking slum who doesn't think about neighbors' suffering - cold-hearted and despicable.
197
What do people who rescue strangers from train tracks say?
It was only the right thing to do; they couldn't have done otherwise.
198
What common experiences have we shared with all beings?
Countless rebirths experiencing intense pain in unfortunate realms and incredible bliss in celestial realms.
199
What brings us close to other beings?
The feeling of familiarity from dwelling as one confronting problems and enjoying pleasures together.
200
What family relationships support loving all beings?
'Not just once did I reside in every womb nor is there a single sentient being who did not reside in my womb.'
201
Why might we not recognize previous relatives now?
We change bodies in each birth so don't recognize each other but the connection is still there.
202
When will we remember our previous relatives?
In the future when we develop the superknowledges.
203
What unhelpful thoughts should we avoid about past relationships?
'If they've been my parents shouldn't they appreciate me?' or 'If they've been kind they've also harmed me countless times.'
204
Why should we adopt a positive perspective on others?
It stimulates thoughts of kindness and love leads to harmony and virtuous actions creates opportunities for happiness.
205
What follows when we hold a critical judgmental view?
Unhappiness follows us wherever we go.
206
Why should we cherish beings the Buddha cherishes?
The Buddha purified his mind and accumulated merit for a long time because he cherished all sentient beings.
207
How are parents delighted when we help their children?
They're happier than if we helped them directly.
208
Why don't we see sentient beings accurately?
Because of anger and partiality we undervalue the kindness and help we receive from them.
209
How do ārya bodhisattvas and buddhas view sentient beings?
They know their past relationships and cherish sentient beings more than themselves.
210
What would be strange to say to the Buddha about sentient beings?
'You've got it all wrong. Sentient beings aren't trustworthy; they're conniving and two-faced. I don't cherish them.'
211
Are we wiser than the Buddha regarding sentient beings?
No - the question implies the absurdity of thinking we know better than the Buddha.
212
How are sentient beings like our spiritual mentors?
Benefiting and harming them brings happiness or suffering respectively just like with spiritual mentors.
213
Why are sentient beings powerful fields of merit?
Because of their kindness as our parents and dear companions and their benefit to us even as strangers.
214
What enormous merit do we create with sentient beings?
When we benefit them they're happy and we reap temporal and ultimate happiness.
215
What great destructive karma do we create?
When we harm sentient beings physically verbally or mentally creating karma that ripens in our misery.
216
What does our ability to stay alive depend on?
Sentient beings - our creation of virtue and progress through bodhisattva grounds to buddhahood depends on them.
217
With whom do we practice generosity?
Impoverished beings - we don't practice generosity by making offering to a chair.
218
On what basis do we achieve ethical discipline?
Sentient beings - we don't practice ethical conduct by abandoning harming a rock.
219
For whose sake does a hero meditate on patience?
For the sake of those who commit faults - we can't practice fortitude with holy beings who don't harm us.
220
How does joyous effort depend on sentient beings?
To accomplish our own and others' purpose (truth body and form body) we need sentient beings.
221
What would be impossible without sentient beings for immeasurables?
We can't cultivate love compassion empathic joy and equanimity for empty space.
222
What refers to 'functioning and nonfunctioning' in awakening factors?
The two truths - thoroughly afflicted or completely pure are factors of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa.
223
Why can't we develop wisdoms realizing two truths without beings?
Saṃsāra and nirvāṇa exist because of sentient beings.
224
Why should we regard sentient beings as gurus?
All sentient beings are the cause of the factors of awakening.
225
What does Śāntideva say about the source of joy and suffering?
Whatever joy in this world comes from desiring others to be happy; whatever suffering comes from desiring myself to be happy.
226
On what are points showing the value of benefiting beings based?
The reasoning of dependent arising.
227
What happens when we cherish extend love and compassion to beings?
Both we and sentient beings benefit.
228
What becomes clearer as we ponder these points?
Benefiting sentient beings is the wellspring of all joy; harming them is the source of all misery.
229
What evolution occurs in heart and mind from these contemplations?
Less anger and upset more content and peaceful - pain from critical judgmental self-centered mind fades.
230
What respect should we feel for the Buddha's magnificent qualities?
Respect gratitude and devotion - all dependent on his cherishing sentient beings.
231
What are examples of the Buddha's magnificent qualities?
Superknowledges fulfillment of ten perfections ten powers and four fearlessnesses of a buddha.
232
How should we meditate on love focusing on different groups?
First on friends then strangers finally enemies - wish them happiness and its causes imagine them happy and creating well-being causes.
233
What does meditating earnestly on love heal?
Many of our own unresolved disturbing emotions left over from previous experiences.
234
What is the first type of happiness most people think of?
Basic requisites plus factors bringing happiness in this life - though unstable transient and difficult to control.
235
What difficulties come with worldly pleasures?
Fear of losing what we have anxiety of not getting what we desire jealousy of those with more and better.
236
What helps with emotional peace happiness?
Psychotherapy nonviolent communication secular mindfulness practices and other skills.
237
What is the social ethic across cultures regarding happiness?
Working hard is identified as the cause of happiness and well-being.
238
What do some recognize about societal systems?
That society's social economic and political systems can bring about or interfere with work-dependent happiness.
239
What is the deeper cause of temporal happiness?
Merit - virtuous actions (good karma) through generosity benefiting others ethical conduct and fortitude.
240
What brings joy bliss and equanimity from meditative absorption?
Suppressing manifest afflictions by attaining deep concentration of four dhyānas and four formless absorptions.
241
Why doesn't meditative bliss last forever?
While more stable than happiness depending on external circumstances it doesn't last forever.
242
What do meditative well-being causes involve?
Practicing steps to gain serenity - eliminating five hindrances overcoming five faults by eight antidotes traversing nine stages.
243
What is the highest level of happiness?
Fulfillment of ultimate spiritual aims - nirvāṇa and full awakening.
244
What does ultimate spiritual happiness necessitate?
Subduing and completely overcoming afflictions like craving ignorance animosity jealousy and arrogance.
245
What kind of peace would we feel free from afflictions?
The bliss and joy experienced in these states does not decline or disappear.
246
How does the mind dwell in nirvāṇa?
Totally free from vagaries of afflictions and polluted karma dwelling peacefully in realization of emptiness.
247
What characterizes full awakening?
Mind free from afflictive and cognitive obscurations all beneficial internal qualities limitlessly developed.
248
What does ultimate spiritual fulfillment enable?
Ultimate security satisfaction and fulfillment enabling us to benefit and bring meaning to ourselves and others.
249
What should our wish for beings' spiritual happiness include?
Conducive circumstances to meet learn and practice Dharma - fortunate rebirth qualified mentors supportive friends and environments.
250
What should we wish beings to be imbued with?
Interest in spiritual matters and questioning how persons and phenomena exist - seeking the truth.
251
What are the causes for spiritual interest?
Observing karma and its effects studying reflecting and meditating on Buddha's teachings to best of our ability.
252
What is the cause of nirvāṇa?
The mind of renunciation and practice of three higher trainings especially wisdom.
253
What are the causes of full awakening?
In addition to those for nirvāṇa - bodhicitta six perfections and generation and completion stages of Tantra.
254
How do these causes come about?
From qualified disciple meeting qualified spiritual mentor and practicing diligently with joyous effort.
255
How extensive should love meditation be?
Quite extensive and expansive when done in depth - continue contemplating looking ever deeper.
256
How should self-love be distinguished from self-centeredness?
Self-love enables us to love others; self-centeredness uses others for our own pleasure.
257
What does genuine self-love enable?
Caring for self and others in expansive way living harmoniously with others.
258
What do exalted levels of genuine self-love wish for us?
To be free from cyclic existence and attain full awakening - true kindness bringing joy to others too.
259
Are love and compassion unfamiliar to us?
No - we've received them from others and each of us has seeds of love and compassion in our mindstream.
260
How can we nurture the seeds of love and compassion?
By learning and practicing methods to generate great love and great compassion.
261
How do great love and compassion differ from ordinary ones in impartiality?
Great love and compassion are impartial and unbiased while ordinary affection depends on others' attitudes toward us.
262
What happens to ordinary love when expectations aren't met?
When others' attitude or behavior don't meet our expectations wants or needs our love and compassion evaporate.
263
What is the perspective of genuine love and compassion?
'Others are just like me; they want happiness and don't want duḥkha as much as I do. They have the right to overcome suffering.'
264
How does range differ between ordinary and great compassion?
Ordinary felt only toward limited beings; great love and compassion extended to all sentient beings including ourselves.
265
How are ordinary vs great love and compassion developed differently?
Ordinary arise automatically in ordinary beings under afflictions' influence; great are consciously cultivated with clear purpose.
266
What role does reasoning play in great love and compassion?
Reasoning overcomes bias and favoritism that color self-centered emotions; wisdom makes them stable and less influenced by others' behavior.
267
What does the focal object of compassion consist of?
Sentient beings who are suffering.
268
What two principal attitudes does compassion depend on?
Sense of closeness with others and concern for their suffering.
269
How do we create sense of intimacy for compassion?
Seeing beings as endearing through remembering their kindness creates intimacy and affection.
270
How do we develop concern for others' suffering?
Meditating that sentient beings undergo all diverse kinds of duḥkha just as we do.
271
What brings these two together to arouse compassion?
Bringing sense of closeness and concern for suffering together arouses genuine compassion for living beings.
272
What sequence should compassion cultivation follow?
Begin with ourselves dear ones those with neutral feelings enemies finally all sentient beings.
273
Why must we be in touch with our own duḥkha first?
To develop compassion for others we must be in touch with how we're oppressed by duḥkha and wish to be free.
274
What meditations are essential to support compassion?
Four truths (especially true duḥkha and true origins) and the twelve links of dependent origination.
275
What happens without support of these meditations?
Our compassion for others will lack energy and risks becoming pity instead.
276
Why is cultivating compassion with specific individuals important?
Brings personal quality to compassion different from feeling sorry for large amorphous group we don't know.
277
What does meditating on individuals bring to light?
Resentment prejudice and fear that interferes with having compassion.
278
When is it suitable to extend compassion's range?
After successfully dealing with hindrances like resentment prejudice and fear.
279
What diverse forms should we wish beings free from?
Three kinds of duḥkha six disadvantages of cyclic existence and eight unsatisfactory conditions.
280
What makes contemplating others' suffering easier?
The more we've contemplated these faults of saṃsāra in our own lives and generated aspiration for liberation.
281
How can we begin compassion meditation alternatively?
Think of someone whose suffering you cannot bear recall their similarity to you in wanting happiness.
282
What progression should we follow in compassion meditation?
Close friends/relatives one by one then strangers (workers secretaries citizens refugees) finally people with negative emotions toward us.
283
How should we think of people we fear or find unacceptable?
Remember they're just like you in wanting happiness and not suffering having right to be free from duḥkha.
284
What should we develop toward those who've harmed us?
Same strength of concern we have toward those dear to us - until their suffering is intolerable.
285
How should we extend compassion finally?
To all sentient beings in all realms of saṃsāra - countless beings each having their own duḥkha experience.
286
What alternative compassion meditation involves animals?
Visualize an animal contemplate difficulties of animal rebirth then extend to hungry ghosts hell beings humans gods.
287
What obstacles do animals face?
Being under others' control vulnerability to being killed unable to understand Dharma huge obstacles to creating virtue.
288
What suffering do hungry ghosts experience?
Strong desires never met hunger and thirst that cannot be satisfied.
289
What do hell beings experience?
Fear terror and physical suffering.
290
What about human mental suffering?
Although less physical suffering than unfortunate realms their mental suffering can be formidable.
291
What about desire-realm gods?
Often distracted from creating virtue like humans.
292
What happens to form- and formless-realm gods?
Experience great pleasure but when karma consumed helplessly fall to rebirths with more duḥkha.
293
What especially poignant thought cultivates compassion?
Although beings long only for happiness and freedom from suffering they continuously create karma that ripens in suffering.
294
What does Śāntideva say about beings' confusion?
'Although wishing to be rid of misery they run toward misery itself. Although wishing happiness like an enemy they ignorantly destroy it.'
295
How should we think about people we care for?
They want only happiness but due to mental afflictions constantly self-sabotage abandoning happiness causes like horrible disease.
296
What sorrowful state are all beings in?
Not only our friends but all beings including ourselves embrace misery causes as if they were path to happiness.
297
What should we feel about beings' pervasive conditioning duḥkha?
Their experience of even subtle pervasive duḥkha of conditioning is intolerable - allow compassion to arise.
298
What should we not fall prey to in compassion meditation?
Personal distress - keep focus on others' experiences not on pain you feel from observing their duḥkha.
299
What attitude should we maintain about eliminating suffering causes?
Deep concern but remember causes for all duḥkha can be eliminated so maintain optimistic yet grounded attitude.
300
What are love compassion and bodhicitta NOT?
Uncontrolled emotions that render us incapable of action - to the contrary they make us strong and courageous.
301
What must we do to generate them properly?
Work hard to generate them.
302
What does Tsongkhapa caution about weak compassion?
If satisfied with little personal instruction and neglect classical texts compassion and love will be very weak.
303
What must we do with explanations?
Analyze with discerning wisdom and elicit experience produced after sustaining them in meditation.
304
What won't achieve anything?
Unclear experiences from short concentrated effort without precisely clarifying the topic with understanding.
305
What compassion do ordinary people have?
Compassion when seeing evident suffering of people and animals they care about.
306
What is ordinary people's compassion usually confined to?
Generally wishing beings to have health wealth job fulfillment happy families in this life.
307
What is immeasurable compassion?
Compassion at the level of dhyāna spread to immeasurable sentient beings.
308
Why isn't śrāvakas' immeasurable compassion strong enough?
Not strong enough to inspire them to shoulder responsibility to liberate all sentient beings.
309
Should we be proud compared to śrāvakas and solitary realizers?
No - our present love and compassion are weak biased and of short duration.
310
What is fitting regarding more accomplished practitioners?
Respect those more spiritually accomplished and endeavor to generate excellent qualities they possess.
311
What is Kamalaśīla's measure for complete great compassion?
When you spontaneously feel compassion wanting to completely eliminate all beings' duḥkha - like mother's desire to remove dear child's unhappiness.
312
How does the mother analogy work and not work?
Gives sense of extraordinary compassion we haven't experienced but mother's compassion has attachment and partiality unlike bodhisattva's.
313
What can be inferred about great love's measure?
From Kamalaśīla's passage about great compassion.
314
What does great compassion observe and extend to?
Observes all sentient beings and its healing effect extends to all of them.
315
What three types of duḥkha does great compassion want to liberate beings from?
Duḥkha of pain duḥkha of change and pervasive duḥkha of conditioning affecting all wandering in saṃsāra.
316
What is great compassion a prerequisite for?
Bodhicitta - therefore must be present to enter first bodhisattva path the path of accumulation.
317
What does knowing characteristics of realizations enable?
Assessing our spiritual progress and preventing false conceit about actualizing something we haven't.
318
What's not too challenging vs what's quite difficult regarding bodhicitta?
Thinking 'I will attain awakening for all beings' vs feeling this sincerely and spontaneously upon seeing any being.
319
What characterizes bodhisattvas' great compassion?
Strong stable resilient - don't succumb to despondency even when unsettled by observing beings' suffering.
320
What abounds deep inside bodhisattvas' minds?
Courage inner strength and optimism.
321
How do bodhisattvas express compassion?
In creative and appropriate ways - neither succumb to personal distress nor interfere in unwanted ways.
322
What phrase of Śāntideva leads us to imagine a compassionate world?
'May people think of benefiting one another.'
323
What should each of us become?
One of those people who think of benefiting one another.
324
When does the great resolve arise from love and compassion?
When they increase to the point where they become the great resolve assuming responsibility to bring beings happiness and eliminate suffering.
325
How is great resolve stronger than wishing to repay kindness?
Much stronger than wish to repay kindness.
326
How is great resolve stronger than love and compassion wishes?
Stronger than love and compassion that think how wonderful it would be if beings had happiness and were free of duḥkha.
327
What energy does great resolve have behind it?
Heartfelt commitment to act to give happiness to every sentient being and protect them from all three types of duḥkha.
328
What does great resolve think?
'I will give happiness to all sentient beings and free them from duḥkha.'
329
How can great resolve transform daily life?
Very helpful to think like this frequently during day - transforms attitude relationships increases sense of meaning.
330
What should you try during your workday?
Thinking like this during workday to see how it transforms attitude and relationships.
331
What don't śrāvakas and solitary realizers have despite immeasurable love and compassion?
Love and compassion not strong enough to induce commitment to act to bring this about.
332
Why is great compassion called 'great'?
Because it goes beyond compassion of śrāvakas and solitary realizers.
333
What induces the great resolve?
When our compassion can no longer endure sentient beings' suffering.
334
What type of great compassion is the great resolve?
A type of great compassion willing to bear responsibility of liberating sentient beings from all duḥkha whatsoever.
335
What do practitioners have with great resolve induced by compassion and love?
Confidence and determination to work for all beings' benefit willing to do it without regret and act to fulfill their aim.
336
What has the great resolve overcome?
Gross self-centeredness and is ready to act on aspiration to benefit and protect sentient beings.
337
What example does Questions of Sāgaramati Sūtra give for great resolve?
Family with one charming child who falls into sewage pit - aunts/uncles lament but parents jump in without hesitation.
338
What do the sewage pit elements represent?
Sewage/filth = three realms of saṃsāra; treasured child = all sentient beings; other relatives = śrāvakas and solitary realizers; parents = bodhisattvas.
339
What is the compassion of śrāvakas and solitary realizers like?
Like aunts and uncles for beloved nephew in filth pit - it isn't moved to action.
340
What must bodhisattva aspirants generate?
Great resolve firmly committed to liberating all sentient beings oneself.
341
What strengthens our compassion?
The deeper our understanding of duḥkha.
342
When does great resolve to work for beings' welfare arise?
When compassion reaches point where beings' duḥkha in saṃsāra is unbearable and we want them free from afflictive and cognitive obscurations.
343
What do we commit to work for?
Temporal well-being of sentient beings as well as leading them to highest good - liberation and full awakening.
344
Why is it important to understand precisely what bodhicitta is?
So that our efforts to generate it will bear fruit.
345
What are the two aspects of Tsongkhapa's bodhicitta definition?
Wish to attain highest awakening (object of attainment) for sake of all sentient beings (objects of intent).
346
What should we do everything in our power to generate?
This noble mind of bodhicitta in our own mental continuum.
347
What bodhicitta is NOT according to the definition?
Only wishing others free of suffering wishing them to become buddhas wanting to become buddha ourselves.
348
What else is bodhicitta NOT?
Just being kind and cooperative nor only praying to take on others' suffering.
349
What does Kamalaśīla say about the measure of genuine bodhicitta?
When you effortlessly generate bodhicitta aspiring to unexcelled perfect awakening after committing to guide all beings through great compassion.
350
What does generating actual bodhicitta require first?
Cultivating several other attitudes in addition to stable experience in initial- and middle-level practitioner paths.
351
What steps does Śāntideva lead us through?
Contemplating bodhicitta benefits; seven limbs including confession; taking refuge in Three Jewels; understanding bodhisattva trainings.
352
What two aspirations comprise the primary mind of bodhicitta?
One seeking to benefit all sentient beings other aspiring to attain full awakening in order to do so.
353
What is bodhicitta as the seventh point?
The effect of the six preceding causes.
354
What naïve assumption doesn't bring strong resolve for bodhicitta?
Assuming awakening is easy to attain and half-hearted effort is sufficient.
355
How does great resolve induce bodhicitta?
From reflecting: 'At present I can't save myself from saṃsāra's duḥkha let alone lead others to freedom. Who is most capable?'
356
Why are no saṃsāric beings fully equipped to guide beings to awakening?
Investigation shows they lack necessary qualifications.
357
What do arhats lack despite having compassion?
Great compassion and great resolve; affected by cognitive obscurations can lead few to liberation but not buddhahood.
358
What do ārya bodhisattvas have but still lack?
Have bodhicitta but minds aren't free from cognitive obscurations.
359
Who are the only ones fully equipped to benefit beings most effectively?
Buddhas who have eradicated all obscurations and perfected all excellent qualities.
360
Therefore what must we become?
A fully awakened buddha with stainless wisdom unwavering compassion and full capacity.
361
Why can't buddhas liberate sentient beings by themselves?
If they could they would have already done so - beings must learn and practice Dharma themselves.
362
What must buddhas have to teach and guide beings?
Personal experience of all practices and paths to awakening.
363
What must buddhas know about others?
Individual spiritual dispositions interests and tendencies as well as effective practice ways.
364
Why must we fully prepare ourselves?
For the sake of helping others.
365
What can we see when we understand wisdom realizing ultimate nature?
That eliminating cognitive obscurations producing appearance of inherent existence is also possible.
366
What do we seek regarding our mindstreams?
To eliminate all obscurations and realize all excellent qualities.
367
What do we need to attain?
Full awakening - nonabiding nirvāṇa of a buddha abiding neither in cyclic existence nor personal peace.
368
What does Perfection Vehicle present?
The path to full awakening.
369
What does highest yoga tantra reveal?
Extremely subtle wind-mind fundamental innate mind of clear light and tantric path.
370
What becomes much clearer in tantric context?
The possibility of attaining four buddha bodies.
371
What will we be able to develop with accurate understanding of awakening?
Genuine bodhicitta aspiring for buddhahood.
372
Is the method for developing bodhicitta difficult to understand?
No it's not difficult to understand.
373
What does gaining firm love compassion and altruism involve?
Training our mind and eliminating extremely strong tendency toward considering our own happiness more important than others.
374
Why is self-centeredness so deeply rooted?
If it weren't śrāvakas and solitary realizers would have abandoned it.
375
What does eliminating self-centeredness take?
Great courage and strength of mind because making commitment to work for others' welfare for eternity is radical reversal.
376
What sometimes happens during meditation sessions?
We may feel intense great resolve to better sentient beings' condition.
377
What happens after meditation sessions?
Our resolve falters love and compassion recede and self-centeredness reemerges.
378
What does remedying this require?
Continued vigilance and application in all aspects and activities of our life.
379
What can't we take regarding love and compassion?
A holiday from love and compassion to 'enjoy the pleasures' of self-centeredness.
380
What does Kamalaśīla encourage about cultivating compassion?
Cultivate this compassion toward all beings at all times whether in meditative concentration or any other activity.
381
What does Tsongkhapa advise about the mindstream?
Mindstream infused since beginningless time with bitter afflictions won't change from just short cultivation of good qualities.
382
Therefore what must we do according to Tsongkhapa?
Sustain your meditation continuously.
383
What is a wonderful start but not enough?
Cultivating spontaneous bodhicitta once.
384
How must we make it stable?
Through repeated meditation.
385
What should we continue meditating on to stabilize bodhicitta?
Duḥkha of saṃsāra kindness of sentient beings love compassion and great resolve.
386
What else should we contemplate regarding buddhas?
Physical verbal and mental qualities of buddhas and their awakening activities to keep spiritual goal in mind.
387
What should we meditate on to abandon obscurations?
Emptiness of inherent existence to abandon obscurations on your mindstream.
388
What should continue to support all these practices?
Purifying and accumulating merit.
389
How should we make our bodhicitta?
Strong so that you won't give it up when difficulties arise.
390
What should we follow and complete?
Their excellent advice and complete the entire path in good time.
