Explanation of provisions of Enlightenment:
mentions perfection sutras & :
giving
moral virtue
patience
vigor
meditation
and wisdom
These encompass provisions comparable to the way empty space envelops all
AND 4 subsume the above 6: truth, relinquishment, cessation, and wisdom
With compassion, serve as a refuge for all; it extends universally to all beings -- forsake none.
One purified via one's admiration and joy (sympathetic
joy) in accord with abilities, use skillful means. Great vehicle
(or lesser,
as appropriate) -- try to establish others in merit-creating situations; bestow
present-life benefits:
Giving, explaining the Dharma, and listening to
others discuss the Dharma OR through endeavors beneficial to them --
these are skillful means to attract them.
No conditions through which to instruct others; draw forth great kindness and compassion (do not abandon others).
No weariness or negligence; bring forth vows with regard to realizing bodhi. (Benefitting world is just benefiting self.)
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Entering profound Dharma realm, extinguish mental discriminations, one naturally abides in equanimity.
Refrain from attachment even to good things.
Be intensely diligent as long as you have not gained
irreversibility, and [strive] until you have great
compassion and patience
(even though one has gained irreversibility).
Lesser routes sever the roots of bodhisattva's understanding and awareness (this is repeated 3 more times).
One denies "eithers", "boths", or "neithers." and so too, in cases involving "emptiness" and "non-emptiness".
Persist in contemplation of "existent" Dharmas, that is:
"unproduced Dharmas patience" based on severance of
all mental
discriminations.
Irreversible [wisdom] is the stage of immovability cognizing all dharmas' reality.
Solid samadhis, on the ground of all Buddhas "direct presence".
Perfection of wisdom: mother
Skillful means: father
Sphere of "all beings" as object, generate a mental
transformation of the conditions (actions for the
welfare of others); doing
all: measureless merit. Not constrained even by coveting nirvana.
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Teach sutras and interpret and explain (bases of accumulation of merit).
Bodhi resolve leads to merit increasing and the "ground of immovability" and "turning" of supreme Dharma.
Abandon: frivolous discussion, indolence, and miserliness.
Meditation, such that one is free of reliances or ideation. Patience is such that one realizes non-production.
Lay forth all your unwholesome deeds.
Merits of giving, moral virtue, and cultivation of
meditation -- rejoice in accumulated merit.
Bestow merit through
dedicating. Repenting; beseeching, rejoicing in others' merit; dedicating all
merit to realizing Bodhi --
one should realize all this accords with all
Buddha's own practices.
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Without understanding, do not claim "spoken by Buddha".
Skillfully cultivate emptiness (first), signlessness (second), and wishlessness (third) (elaborated).
Benefiting others: first, intention and thenceforth your practice corresponds; resolve and thenceforth your practice corresponds.
Benefit others, but do not perceive any being (most
difficult of all endeavors).
Until one fulfills original vow, one refrains
from proceeding to the realization of nirvana (one holds oneself back through
through power of skillful means). Renunciate, but confront cyclic
existence. Use blocking methods to fend off afflictions.
Predictions bestowed on others involve specific causal
circumstances. Establish all to bring forth and establish benefits.
As befits
one's reflections, one goes directly to them, and, through power of vows, takes
birth among them.
Supremely pure intention reveals karmic offenses and conceals his many good deeds.
One establishes himself in right mindfulness, focusing on
object condition, having put mindfulness to use as a guard,
becomes free of
any obstructive thoughts.
When discriminating thoughts arise, realize which are good and which are wholesome (and which are unwholesome).
If mind becomes scattered, focus one's mindful awareness,
return it to the object and whenever movement occurs,
immediately cause it
to halt.
Remain constant in one's cultivation.
Cultivating meditation concentration, focus exclusively on a single object condition.
Pull forth supreme benefit NOW. Reflect now on whether one is 'doing the work'.
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Contemplate conditioned phenomenon as impermanent, devoid
of self or anything belonging to self. Be aware and withdraw
from any
bad karmic activity.
Use energetic discipline to cultivate: roots, bases of spiritual powers, right severances, the Path, and the 4 stations of mindfulness.
Mind: one should make it focus on skillful analytic contemplation (mind may serve as source of repeated generation of good deeds).
Do not cherish any aspect of the objective realms. But still, when timely, respond with the "lion's roar".
In all activity associated with the Dharma: follow along, participate, and contribute assistance.
One well-cultivates karmic works involving sciences and
skills, training in them oneself while also teaching them to others.
Adopt all
supremely good Dharmas.
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Unite, make gifts, prevent estrangement.
Using skillful discourse, guide by right intention,
having no one above or below to whom gifts are not given.
Do not course in
disapproving thoughts.
Accord with one's words, following straightaway with
concordant actions; inspire faith.
Support and protect Dharma and be aware of instances of neglect.
Speak about qualities of the Buddha.
Cultivate common delight and happiness through adherence to the 6 dharmas of community harmony.
Do not be impulsive and do not simply emulate others.
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Penetrate all dharmas, remaining unmoved.
Cultivate 5
bases of liberation, 10 reflections on impurity; the 8 realizations of great men
should also be a focus of
analytic contemplation and cultivation.
The 4 bases of spiritual powers comprise the root of
spiritual abilities: zeal, vigor, mental focus, and contemplative reflection.
The 4 immeasurables govern them (kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and
equanimity).
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Instructing masters are not stingy, tight-fisted, or
secretive and those listening must not be mentally scattered or confused.
Free of arrogance and free of hopes, motivated solely by compassion, with a
reverent and respectful mind: expound Dharma
(for the community).
Be insatiable in learning and recite and retain.
Do not make visits with a mind cherishing reverence or offerings; study not for the sake of debate.
Do not course in disapproval of others or allow oneself to be conceited.
Do not seek out or reveal the errors of others but become
aware of one's own errors.
In all cases, refrain from biased judgments and
doubts, even with regard to hard-to-believe Dharmas.
Utter only truthful speech.
Do not try to be profound with those of lesser vehicles;
do not discourse on lower vehicles with believers in
the profound great
vehicle. Do not fail to teach where one should nor give responsibilities to the
untrustworthy.
Regard all equally in thoughts and speech, and be uniformly equal in establishing others in goodness.
One's purposes secret, one seeks fruition in one's works
and when merit-generating results come forth, apply
them to the ripening of
many.
Hearing perfection explained, in the presence of a master
of Dharma, behold him with an unobstructed mind and
happily pursuing
cultivation in a place of solitude.
Skillfully reflect, obstructing no others.
On getting at the "emptiness" in the intrinsically empty:
in the case of one determined to get at that emptiness ITSELF,
that wrong is
even more extreme than viewing the body as self.
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Find happiness in the 3 Jewels.
Be appropriately present.
Draw close to those perfect in wisdom and influence those who act foolishly to abide in wisdom.
Bring forth vows and proceed with vigor so everyone may succeed in reaching them.
Even in the midst of dharmas, be constant, not seizing on them, thus coursing along in equanimity.
Abide in right contemplation of all dharmas yet do not relinquish compassion or reliance on kindness.
Getting to the bottom of Dharma's source -- this is what
constitutes the offering of Dharma.
Rely on meaning, not cherishing various
"flavors". In the Path of the profound Dharma, enter with skill and
show no
negligence.
CULTIVATE THESE PROVISIONS.
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Sees in all phenomenon no coming or going, strives solely for the sake of beings.
Perfect Buddhas, though having accomplished the sacred Dharma, that in turn depends on knowing how to practice.
Practice now explained:
To go across the ocean of samsara: listen, reflect, and meditate without distraction.
To abandon one's native land (friends and enemies) is
part of the practice. Unfavorable places are abandoned and disturbing
emotions gradually fade. And, when there are no distractions, positive
activities naturally increase. As awareness becomes
clearer, and
confidence in the Dharma increases, again: rely on solitude.
Friends and wealth and things left behind: consciousness will leave the body; to give up concerns of this life is the practice.
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In bad company: listening, reflecting, and meditation
decline and loving-kindness and compassion vanish.
Avoid unsuitable friends.
In reliance on a true spiritual friend, faults will fade and good qualities will grow.
More precious than one's body is the practice.
Take refuge in the 3 Jewels, which never fail to protect. This too is the practice.
Never act unvirtuously.
Strive for the supreme level of liberation which never changes.
With the aim of liberating limitless sentient beings, to set your mind on enlightenment, this is the practice.
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All suffering, without exception, arises from desiring
happiness for oneself.
With the thought of benefiting others, really exchange
one's own happiness for the suffering of others.
Through the power of compassion, take all of others'
negative actions upon yourself. This is the practice ...
In return for
derogatory things, out of loving-kindness extol that person's qualities.
Consider inferiors or peers who debase you: respectfully consider them like your
teachers.
Under any circumstances of abuse and suffering, still draw upon
yourself the suffering of others.
See that wealth and glory of the world are without essence AND be free of arrogance, that is the practice.
Conquer your own mind and your hatred and, with
loving-kindness and compassion, tame your mind.
Abandon promptly all objects
which arouse attachment.
Pleasures are not ultimately real and to relinquish
craving and attachment is the practice.
[ Get to the point where you ] do not entertain subject and object.
Clinging to deluded perceptions, we exhaust ourselves.
When encountering unfavorable circumstances, view them as illusions.
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Without expectation of result or reward, give with generosity.
If, lacking discipline, you cannot accomplish your own
good, you cannot think of accomplishing the good of others.
Therefore,
observe discipline without samsaric motives.
If you desire the joy of virtue, all who harm you are like treasures; cultivate patience without resentment.
Practice diligence, the source of excellent qualities.
Through profound insight, thoroughly grounded in sustained calm, the disturbing emotions are conquered.
Practice concentration which utterly transcends.
Without wisdom perfect enlightenment cannot be obtained, [not even] through the other 5 perfections, alone.
Cultivate wisdom combined
with skillful means.
Continuously examine your faults and give them up, even if outwardly you are a Dharma practitioner.
Do not relate or talk about the faults of anyone who has entered the Mahayana.
[Wrong] offerings and respect may bring discord and cause
listening, reflection, and meditation to decline.
Thus avoid attachments to
the homes of friends and benefactors.
Give up rough speech which others find unpleasant.
Mindful and vigilant, crush attachment and negative emotion the moment they arise.
Be continuously mindful: about what is your state of mind
AND accomplishing the good of others is a practice of
a bodhisattva.
Through wisdom purified of the three concepts, all merit
achieved by such endeavor is to remove the suffering
of numerous beings.
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Through merit arising through the power of sublime
bodhichitta, relative and absolute, may all beings become
like the Buddha
and be beyond the extremes of samsara and nirvana.
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To read about some MAJOR concerns with new
Vajrayana Buddhism and Dzogchen, SEE:
https://mynichecomp.com/dzogchen.html .
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NOW TO DEVELOP COMPASSION:
Read AND work through the book, Mindful Compassion: How
the Science of Compassion Can Help You Understand Your Emotions,
Live in the
Present, and Connect Deeply with Others by Gilbert and Choden (2014)
THEN (only after doing the above book-work):
Do the following self/ideal-self assessment: