"Bodhicharyavatara" (Chapter 4 CONSCIENTIOUSNESS) by Shantideva

a teaching given by Khenpo Migmar in Canberra, Australia - 1998.


[Please note: 
Any errors that appear here are due to my lack of skill in transcribing, and are 
not the faults of the actual teacher or teachings themselves. Transcribed July 
2001, Sydney form privately owned tape of that teaching.] 

CHAPTER FOUR - CONSCIENTIOUSNESS 

The first three chapters have dealt with the preliminary section. All the 
bodhicitta is divided into three parts - the preliminaries, the actual, and the 
conclusion, which is dedication. In the first three chapters the preliminaries - 
usually it is the foundation of the mind and the foundation of the body, as it 
is said the proper body which is explained here in terms of precious human birth 
and proper mind explained as cultivating proper bodhicitta and how one can 
cultivate bodhicitta and how one should uphold it. 

Now from the fourth chapter the main practice deals with the six perfections. 
From the fourth to the ninth chapter the six perfections will be dealt with. The 
perfections of giving or perfection of generosity is not dealt with separately. 
There is no separate chapter on the perfections of giving except that the 
perfections of giving have to be taken from all the chapters, wherever there are 
mentions and explanations given about the perfection of giving one has to take 
from that. Therefore there is no separate chapter. 

We begin here with the chapter about the perfection of morality. For the 
perfections of morality, two chapters are mentioned. In other words the 
perfection of morality is explained by these two chapters - the chapter on 
heedfulness or mindfulness, and the vigilance or alertness. 

Since the whole observance and rules and moral conducts rests with how you 
cultivate proper mindfulness and alertness. The rest of the perfections as you 
know are explained by their own names, each chapter dealing with each 
perfection. The ninth chapter, the chapter of wisdom is explained and lastly the 
conclusion is done by the dedication. 

Let us deal with the perfection of moral discipline which is explained by these 
two types of practice. First of all this is also explained without going through 
the detailed outlines, it explained this chapter on mindfulness or heedfulness 
in three main outlines which is first a brief summary, then the actual 
explanation in detail and then conclusion. The explanation is also explained in 
three parts: heedfulness with respect to the trainings and the rules; and 
heedfulness with respect to the receptacle which is the precious human birth; 
and heedfulness with respect to what is to be abandoned, in other words with 
respect to dealing with the delusions. In these three outlines, with these three 
topics the fourth chapter is explained. 

First of all as it is said here: 

Having firmly seized the Awakening Mind in this way,
Conqueror's Children must never waver;
Always should they exert themselves
To never stray from their practice.

In the previous chapters the awakening mind or the bodhicitta has been explained 
through its definition, divisions and how it is taken also. Having gone through 
the explanations, through this process one should uphold it and care for it. 
Because one has taken bodhicitta one should now follow the trainings and 
activities. Shantideva is instructing what whoever has taken the awakening mind 
must now put effort in order to accomplish the deeds in accordance with the vow 
taken. 

Now for the main part there are three: first mindfulness towards the actual 
trainings - what it actually to be observed. First of all as it is said: 

In the case of reckless actions
Or the deeds not well considered,
Although a promise may have been made,
It is fit to reconsider whether I should do them or not.

This is with regard to ordinary actions. In the case of making a commitment, 
usually we make a commitment or a promise after considering it with carefulness 
and much depth and a lot of proper thought. If in case you have made a promise 
by not considering it or properly examining it, or even if you have examined but 
you haven't examined carefully and not to mention those actions which you have 
taken without any examination without properly thinking about the actual effort 
that needs to be put and that's where sometimes don't think about what is to 
come and they make a sudden decision and then later they're unable to continue 
with it. 

It is mentioned here that if you are going through that process without proper 
checking and without proper thought, not well considered, it is still ok it is 
not fault there is nothing wrong with reconsidering your decision or your 
promise because it is worse if you make such a commitment and then later if 
you're not able to continue with that then more cause will arise. Instead of 
withdrawing from the promise that you have made in a sort time, in other words 
it is especially related to those activities which need investigating which you 
have not investigated or examined. It is not only with regard to ordinary 
activities but any kind of activities. That is why the investigation or analysis 
is emphasized, you must examine the teaching and only then follow, not out of 
faith. This refers to the point that you must first examine or consider 
otherwise it may prove faulty which may create more difficulty for you. Instead 
of turning away front hat task after a long time it is better to examine. 

This is referring to the action, the practice that one is supposed to do, now it 
comes to the practice that one is supposed to do: 

But how can I ever withdraw
From what has been examined by the great wisdom
Of the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas,
And even many times by me myself?

This means that in the case of the commitment to uphold the bodhicitta, the mind 
of Enlightenment and then engaging in the action of benefiting others, this 
practice is an action or a process which has been examined by the Buddhas and 
Bodhisattvas already and then it is not enough for others to do the analysis and 
then you follow without doing any examination from your side but you have also 
examined it many times, examined it carefully which is referring to all those 
reasons and explanations given in the past chapters. After going through these 
you have already examined. Since you have examined it well then it is improper 
to turn away from whatever consequence comes. It is applicable to all but you 
are not supposed to make any commitment or promise without examination but once 
you have considered it properly or examined it well then you make a commitment 
then you are not supposed to give up that commitment. It is said that unwise 
people make many promises but seldom keep their promises or commitments because 
their commitments are not made out of a process of proper thinking or proper 
consideration, it is like making a drawing on water, as soon as a promise is 
made it is erased. But the Noble Beings will not make many promises but once 
they make promises then they really keep their promises. It's like making a 
drawing on a rock. 

Looking back on the way that you have done the examination, not only you have 
done but also the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in previous times have also done this 
which is specifically referring to the significance and the benefit of 
cultivating this mind and engaging in the activities. In the first place one may 
have to think whether the cultivating the bodhicitta is going to be of benefit 
for attaining Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. Even if 
there is this then cultivating this bodhicitta will lead you to a good result. 
Not only cultivating the mind, now whether it is enough to cultivate the mind or 
whether you should continue to follow the action. All of these things have taken 
into consideration therefore you take Bodhisattva's vow, bodhicitta. The 
Bodhisattva's vow through a ritual from a teacher or you can even take by 
yourself as a Bodhisattva's vow can be taken by visualizing the images in front 
of you and also the recitation of the verses that are in the third chapter. 

There is the virtue of taking the bodhicitta, actually there are two main 
explanations. Bodhicitta is of two kinds; one of aspiration and one of engaging 
and according to some one can take all the bodhicittas at one time, one ritual, 
in the third chapter where it says: just as the Buddhas in previous times haven 
taken this bodhicitta of aspiration I am now also going to take this and such as 
they have engaged in the activity for the benefit of other beings I will also 
engage in activities. In these ways two types of bodhicitta can be taken 
simultaneously also. 

According to some scholars one has to take only the bodhicitta of aspiration 
first and then engage in the practice of the cultivation of this mind. Engage in 
the practice of cultivating this mind and when it's stable and only when you are 
very sure that this mind has been firmly established in your mind, then you can 
go forward on to the next bodhicitta. So there are two interpretations. I think 
generally according to the Sakya, even in Sakya among the Sakya scholars there 
are different interpretations also except for the viewpoint and some other major 
issues, there can be several different interpretations with the minor things 
also. Even in this case there are several interpretations. The majority of Sakya 
scholars say it is inappropriate for us to take all the bodhicittas. The reason 
is that it is said that according to some scholars the bodhicitta of aspiration 
is there only when don't enter into the path. Once you enter into the path your 
bodhicitta will be transformed into the bodhicitta of engaging bodhicitta, it 
will not remain as bodhicitta of aspiration, according to that version. This 
means that these two bodhicittas will not remain in the mind simultaneously. 

Whereas according the majority of scholars even if you enter into the path you 
still have the bodhicitta of aspiration. Bodhicitta of aspiration has to be 
there as it was clearly mentioned by the Gorampa, it is the same as the wish to 
go to a certain place and you wish to engage in the action which is walking or 
driving, because of these two different wishes there are two different 
bodhicittas. It is said that even while you are on the way, or on the path, or 
while you are engaging in the action of actually going there or driving there or 
flying there you still have that wish remaining in your mind. Otherwise if the 
wish to go there is not there then either you will not go or you will return. 
Seeing as you are on the path the bodhicitta of aspiration should also be there. 
That is accepted by the majority of scholars, which means that sometimes you 
will find when you go further into the explanations that the bodhicitta of 
aspiration is cultivated in the beginning and once you have entered into the 
path then this bodhicitta is transformed into the bodhicitta of engagement so 
you have got only the bodhicitta of engagement not aspiration. But according to 
many scholars both bodhicittas can be perfected at the same time. 

So which means with this one has done a lot of appropriate examination already 
so once you have done that then it is improper to turn away. So further: 

If, having made such a promise,
I do not put it into action
Then by deceiving every living being,
What kind of rebirth shall I take?

So it is like while taking bodhicitta actually it is not complicated, it is 
fairly simple and it seems to be easy to take, but having the responsibility to 
the duties that you are supposed to follow are very great that is why it is 
mentioned in importance that one should have done the proper examination which 
means that if you take bodhicitta then you are promising that you will work for 
the benefit of all living beings and until you have attained Buddhahood which 
means that you will really emphasize on your activity of benefiting other living 
beings and not taking your self interest as more important but you will take 
others' interests, serving others' purposes is more important than yours. 

Now when you have taken such a mind, cultivated such a mind, then if you do not 
put that into action wherever you can, if you do not for the work for the 
benefit of others then it is like just promising and not concluding the promise, 
so you are breaking a promise then what sort of rebirth shall I take? What sort 
of rebirth one is going to have as there is a rotation karmically within the 
promise. You will get the rebirth, the negative rebirth. 

If it has been taught (by the Buddha) 
That those who does not give away 
The smallest thing they once intended to give
Will take rebirth as a hungry ghosts;

Then if I should deceive all beings,
After having sincerely invited them 
To the unsurpassable bliss,
Shall I take a happy rebirth?

It says in the Sutras if somebody decides in the mind to give something to 
somebody and if you withdraw from this, if you change mind and do not give in 
action then it is not really a promise that you made to somebody in speech but 
you have thought but you have made a promise in your mind, then you have not 
kept that so as a result of that it is said that you will be reborn as a hungry 
ghost, in the realm of hungry ghost. 

At the same time, it is said that if you are thinking and not giving then as a 
hungry ghost. Then if you promise somebody and then you do not give then it is 
said that you will be reborn in even more state of more suffering. So if it said 
so, now this is regard to only making promise to somebody and also with regard 
to giving some minor things, but in the case if you who has taken the bodhicitta 
and now not working for the benefit of others, it is like inviting all living 
beings for the state of complete happiness, because you have promised that you 
will place them all on the state of ultimate happiness and now if you do not put 
that into action you do not go on the course of doing something for the benefit 
of others then you are not keeping a promise so what sort of rebirth are you 
going to get. There is no possibility of a happy rebirth with that practitioner 
who has cultivated the bodhicitta, taken the bodhicitta, taken the commitment 
but not followed it, not putting it in action. 

Only the Omniscient can discern
The manner of the action of those
Who give up the Awakening Mind but are freed;
It is beyond the scope of ordinary thought.

Now this is referring to I think the case of Shariputra. It is said that 
Shariputra was once a Bodhisattva but somehow due to some conditions, due to 
some causes he couldn't continue the bodhicitta, he gave up the bodhicitta, the 
Bodhisattva's vow. But still he is freed, means he has got freedom, he has got 
liberation, he has in fact attained Nirvana so it is according to that. So 
Shariputra once was a Bodhisattva but he gave up the bodhicitta, he gave up the 
awakened mind, but still instead of falling into the lower realms he has still 
got, even if he hasn't got the complete Enlightenment of Buddhahood, but he has 
attained the Arhatship, he has gained the liberation from Samsara. 

So what is the reason of that? If you think on the one hand you are saying that 
by breaking the commitment there is no hope of having a happy rebirth, a good 
rebirth, but in the case of Shariputra despite breaking the vow still he has 
attained liberation, so how is that? So it is maintained it is beyond the scope 
of ordinary thought. Now as example the same meaning but with different wording 
was mentioned by Chandrakirti, when it was mentioned about the karma giving 
effect. It is said that the karma and action doesn't cease inherently but still 
it can give a result. Now, if it can give result whatever that action which has 
already given but still it may exist because it still doesn't exist, it doesn't 
cease inherently. So if we look at that point there is no difference between two 
karmas, a karma which has given effect and a karma which has not given effect 
because both the karmas have not ceased inherently. There is a difference of 
ceasing in conventional truth, one has ceased convention the other has not but 
in relative one has not. What is the difference of giving effect and not and 
again it was mentioned that it is inconceivable, inconceivable means that there 
is no explanation, it doesn't mean that. A common mind is not able to discern, 
not able to understand that but otherwise if explanation were to be given in the 
case of the point in Madhyamakavatara, the difference is that one has ceased 
convention and the other has not ceased convention, so even though there is no 
difference with respect to not ceasing inherently but there is a difference in 
ceasing conventionally that is why there is a difference. 

In this case though it is mentioned that it is beyond the scope of ordinary 
thought, if we were to give a reason it is because Shariputra has given up 
bodhicitta but he has still kept the emptiness mind, the knowledge aspect, he 
has given up the method aspect but he has continued with the knowledge aspect, 
that is why he has been able to see the ultimate or obtain the knowledge which 
directly understands emptiness. 

In the case of those who do not have the knowledge aspect also, who has only got 
this the awakened mind, this bodhicitta. If they give up this bodhicitta then 
they have got rid of bodhicitta and they do not have any other quality, any 
other practice also, therefore there is no way other than going in to the lower 
realms. In the case of those who have kept the understanding of emptiness, 
because of the force of that, then they have been able to attain the state of 
Nirvana. So because of this reason the Nirvana of the Shravakas and 
Pratyekabuddhas is said to be the solitary Nirvana which means it is not 
supported by the method aspect because of that they have fallen into one extreme 
of liberation, it is not the non-abiding Nirvana. Nirvana is a name given for 
any kind of liberation, liberation of the Shravaka, liberation of the 
Pratyekabuddha, and liberation of Buddhahood also, Nirvana. But the Buddha's 
Nirvana is mentioned as the non-abiding Nirvana. Though it is Nirvana but it's 
not solitary Nirvana, it's not only Nirvana, it is with the support of method as 
well so it will definitely take continuous rebirth emanations in Samsara also. 
So they remain in Samsara and still abide in Nirvana also which is not possible 
in the case of those who have obtained only Nirvana. That is because of losing 
the method aspect and that is what happens. 

This, for a Bodhisattva,
Is the heaviest of downfalls,
By weakening the welfare of all,
There will be no end to rebirth in lower states. 

There can be other downfalls also. For instance like praising oneself, pointing 
or disclosing others' faults, for instance, if you engage in these things then 
you are also breaking the Bodhisattva's vow. But these are not the main rules, 
if you transgress these it's not the heavier downfall. But in the case of giving 
up the bodhicitta itself, the mind of Enlightenment itself, then it is the 
heaviest of downfalls because the welfare of all cannot be kept. 

Should others for even a single moment 
Hinder or obstruct their wholesome (deeds),
By weakening the welfare of all
There will be no end to their rebirth in lower states. 

In the case of a practitioner who has given up the bodhicitta not only the 
mental, not only with awareness in the mind but if he does not continue with the 
practice then in both cases one has gone away from the promise and commitment so 
that means the unwholesome or unfavourable result which is the birth in lower 
states. 

Now in the case of those other beings who obstruct a Bodhisattva, in cases where 
somebody has taken the bodhicitta, the Bodhisattva's vow and some other people 
obstruct this to practice of bodhicitta, for instance telling him not to 
continue with the bodhicitta's vow, telling there is no benefit or he should do 
something else, in other words in speech or in action trying to obstruct or 
hinder, that person or those people who obstruct other Bodhisattvas in the 
course of their actions will also get unfavourable results in the form of 
rebirth in lower states. 

For if my being is impaired 
By destroying the joy of even one creature,
Then what need is there to mention
Destroying the joy of all creatures as vast as space?
Which means that if you destroy the joy of one creature, if you harm one 
particular being and then you have destroyed the happiness of one being, even as 
a result of that my being is impaired, which means you have destroyed yourself, 
you have destroyed the virtuous seed of your mental continuum, your mental 
stream. That is what it is referring to. By destroying the joy of even one 
creature my being is impaired by planting unwholesome seed or seed of non-
virtuous action and by losing the seed of virtuous action then you are 
destroying yourself in other words your positive side is destroyed. You have 
destroyed yourself. That is a result of destroying the joy of one creature. 

Not if somebody hinders or obstructs others' Bodhisattva mind and action then 
one is destroying the joy of creatures as vast as space. Destroying the joy of 
all living beings because the action of that Bodhisattva means the action for 
the benefit of all living beings. So if you disturb one Bodhisattva, if you 
destroy the action of one Bodhisattva in fact you are indirectly destroying the 
happiness of all beings so even more unfavourable or negative will result. 

Those who have the force of an Awakening Mind,
As well as the force of falling (from it),
Stay revolving within cyclic existence
And for a long time are hindered from reaching the Bodhisattva levels.

Which means that this often happens with people also sometimes it happens in one 
lifetime sometimes in the course of many lifetimes. We have been doing it 
sometimes we practice and then sometimes when we are turning away from it and 
sometimes willing sometimes unwillingly due to causes and conditions we have not 
been able to keep it up and then again turn away from it and engage in 
unwholesome activities. 

And again then in some lifetimes certain conditions we meet some favourable 
conditions and again take bodhicitta. If this is done alternately in Samsara it 
is of course better than engaging continuously in negativity, but it will take a 
long time for one to reach the Bodhisattva levels. It will take a longer time 
for you to obtain the state of a bhumi to reach the state of Bodhisattva level. 
Therefore one should cross-examine very thorough but before taking the 
Bodhisattva's vow of bodhicitta once you take it then not to turn away but if 
you sometimes be in the Bodhisattva's mainstream sometimes you can become an 
ordinary being and not engage or follow the actions and if you do that it will 
take a longer time for you. 

Therefore, just as I have promised
I shall respectfully accord my actions.
If from now on I make no effort,
I shall descend to lower and lower states.

So one is reminding oneself about the commitment one has made when one has taken 
the Bodhisattva's vow and emphasizing one's commitment. In some translations 
there are the first person is used. Sometimes different translations may not 
have either first person or third person. Generally it's supposed to be the 
third persons, sometimes specifically Shantideva is using first person referring 
to himself and there is meaning there because he was mentioned at the beginning 
of the composition of the text that this is not particularly meant to benefit 
others because Shantideva feels that he doesn't have much to offer to others, he 
won't be able to help others. So he's writing or in fact it was not writing he 
was giving a teaching, he was doing that mainly to remind himself mainly to 
develop his own understanding, to obtain his own understanding. So all these 
instructions here refer to as he says to develop and to remind himself and also 
to give instruction to others. 

Now once you have that intelligence, once you have the favourable conditions if 
you do not engage in proper positive actions then it is difficult to get these 
conditions and it is easy to fall into the trap of negative emotions and 
delusions and that will land you into committing non-virtuous actions which 
means as a result you will be reborn in lower and lower states and then in the 
lower states there are less chances. 

Even though the Bodhisattva's power of bodhicitta is a mind which is said to be 
which even beings other than human beings can other attain, can also cultivate 
as it is said, different from the Pratimoksha vow, Pratimoksha mind the other 
mind can be taken as said in some other parts of this text, which says even 
creatures as tiny as insects and so on can also take this mind and then there is 
the case of for instance for Shakyamuni himself when he was born as a hell being 
it was said that one explanation with regard to how Shakyamuni first cultivated 
bodhicitta, one version was as I mentioned earlier about being persuaded by 
Bodhisattva Manjushri and that is how Shakyamuni Buddha as an ordinary being 
first cultivated bodhicitta. Another version says that when he was born as a 
hell being then he and another hell being were in fact pulling a carriage and 
the other one was even weaker than him and then since both of them experienced 
the same pain, the same difficulties Shakyamuni at that time thought that why 
not I pull alone because in either case we are suffering and if I pull alone I 
will suffer but he will be safe from suffering pain and in this way told him to 
stop pulling the carriage and then Shakyamuni himself pulled alone and it is 
said that at that time he cultivated the bodhicitta. Which means that even hell 
beings can cultivate bodhicitta if the right conditions arise. 

The story also goes that after he did that, because of that he was punished 
further and as a result he was said to have died and then was reborn in a higher 
realm. So the point is that one can cultivate this mind even in other realms and 
in other forms also, in other bodies also. But there are less chances, there are 
less favourable conditions and as explained earlier in this chapter, the best 
favourable conditions once you have them, not let oneself fall into lower 
states. 

Although for the benefit of every creature
Countless Buddhas have passed by,
I was not an object of their care
Because of my own mistakes.

If you think that now since you have taken refuge why not I be protected by 
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas since I have taken refuge and they are suppose to be a 
refuge, a protection. So even if I turn away from the worldly mind maybe I will 
not fall into the lower realms, I may still be guided by my objects of refuge, 
if you think so then this is not proper because Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have 
come and gone and you have still remained in Samsara because of your own 
mistakes. So it was clearly as mentioned by Buddha, that I have shown the path 
but you have to practice, you have to tread on the path. Somebody can show you 
the path but the actual walking has to be done by you. A Buddha is somebody who 
can show you the path and the actual practice you have to do. So now because of 
your mistakes that you have not gone on that path if you have not practiced then 
it will not help even if many Buddha and Bodhisattvas surround you because you 
are not pure minded, if your mind if not fertile, if you do not have the 
conditions then you will not. 

One of the foremost teachers of the Yogacara school, the story goes that he was 
a strong devotee of Maitreya Bodhisattva. He meditated on Maitreya for 12 years 
in fact he met some people or saw some incidents which again made him take more 
of a course and again went back and anyhow a total of 12 years he meditated but 
he was never to see any sign or any positive result from his meditation, so he 
was very disappointed. He was returning on the way and he saw one bitch whose 
body was filled with wounds and insects and he felt very strong pity on that 
bitch and then he thought that he would try to clear away those maggots. Now if 
he were to use his fingers or hands there was a possibility of causing pain to 
the bitch as well as harming the insects also. So what he did was he thought 
he'd use his - not only that if they were to be taken they would die also 
because there's no other place so he thought that he'd cut flesh from his thigh 
and then place those insects from the dogs body to that piece of flesh and so 
since he was not very much used to doing that since it was difficult for him to 
move those insects from the flesh with his eyes open so he closed his eyes and 
he was trying to reach those insects with his tongue and he thought that he 
would take them in his tongue and then place them. And while he was sort of 
trying to reach the dogs body with closed eyes he was not able to while he was 
going more and more forward, still he was not reaching and then when he opened 
his eyes then there was Bodhisattva Maitreya in the place of the dog. 

So first of all you know again as a result of this human mind or unenlightened 
mind he, instead of becoming pleased, he showed his anger on Maitreya saying 
that "I have been practising for the last 12 years you haven't appeared and so 
how come suddenly you have appeared," and the Bodhisattva Maitreya said "No no I 
have been with you throughout all those years it's only that you have not been 
able to see me because some strong karma has obstructed you and because of that 
your mind could not see me and now because you have cultivated very strong pity, 
compassion towards this creature as a result then the negative aspect has been 
cleared and you have been able to see me. And if you don't believe what I say 
you can check by carrying me on your head and then trying to sort of try to 
check whether everybody sees me on your head." 

So this illustrates that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas may be present because 
they have, as we say, they have compassion and their knowledge is not partial. 
It is not that we give blessings to certain people and not to others it's not 
that way, they are not impartial. But because of having, because the difference 
is they are within your sight and as you collect more favourable conditions, as 
you form the proper karmic link with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas the more you 
form the better blessings you receive. So if you don't do that, then even if you 
are surrounded by hundreds of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, it doesn't make any 
difference therefore you must not think in this way that without doing anything 
from your side if you go on waiting for the blessings of the Buddhas and 
Bodhisattvas it is not going to help. 

And if I continue to act like this,
Again and again shall I undergo
(Suffering) in unhappy realms, sickness, bondage,
Laceration and the shedding of blood.

Which means that now if I continue to act like this, as I have been doing in 
previous lifetimes, countless lifetimes and many not engaging in Dharma 
activities, many not engaging in work for the benefit of others, only working 
for one's own selfish purposes. As I've mentioned we have only rebirth in lower 
realms where there will be a lot of sufferings due to sickness and so on. 

After this complete the mindfulness or heedfulness with respect to - one is 
instructed to be heedful of the attainments, the pledges, the responsibilities 
which you have got as a result of cultivating the Bodhicitta - so heedfulness 
with respect to the attainments. From here heedfulness with respect to the 
proper receptacle which is the precious human birth. 

If the arising of the Tathagata,
Faith, the attainment of a human body,
And my being fit to cultivate virtue are scarce,
When will they be one again.

This is referring to just some of the favourable conditions in a precious human 
rebirth and which shows in fact the 18 good qualities of a precious human birth. 
So now if it is rare to obtain this precious, these qualities, these attributes 
of the precious human birth, once you have won them, once you have got them then 
you must make best use of them. 

Although today I am healthy,
Well nourished and unafflicted,
Life is momentary and deceptive;
The body is like an object on loan for but a minute.

So it shows in addition to the condition, the nature of the body even if you 
have got such a precious human body it is not permanent and even though you are 
- so one is reminding oneself on the impermanence, even though what you have 
obtained is precious it has got a lot of qualities that other births do not have 
but you must not sort of let yourself delay things with respect to practising 
because what you have got may not remain permanent. 

With behaviour such as this,
I shall not win human body again,
And if this human form is not attained,
There will be solely wrong doing and no virtue.

Which means that without engaging in practices, without engaging in activity for 
the benefit of others, which means that you will be engaging in only negative 
actions. Then that is the behaviour such as this. So with this kind of behaviour 
then there is no possibility of being in a human body again and if the human 
form is not attained which means then on other realms on other births there are 
even less chances of getting proper conditions in which you can engage in 
positive action. So if positive action is not performed, which means that you 
will engage in negative and there will be wrong doing and no virtue. It is like 
losing sort of you know even in a worldly daze sometimes you may make one 
mistake and as a result then that will make you sort of better or in doing 
another worldly thing and so one mistake may lead to many repetitions of many 
mistakes. One negative action if it is continued will lead to lower rebirth and 
that will again make you perform negative actions and again sort of it will 
continue and will lead to negative results. So therefore in order not that to 
happen one must, while having these good conditions, make best use of them. 

If when I have a chance to live a wholesome life
My actions are not wholesome,
Then what shall I be able to do
When confused by the misery of the lower realms?

So if having these good conditions if you are not able to do anything good for 
yourself by working for the benefit of others then when in lower realms where 
you have no other opportunity to think of anything else because of being 
afflicted by so many sufferings then what can you do at that time? 

And if I commit no wholesome deeds (there),
But readily amass much wrongdoing,
Then for a hundred million aeons
I shall not even hear the words "a happy life".

Which means that now as it is said this is the best chance that one has got as 
far as engaging for the benefit of others as well as doing something for one's 
good also. One's own good in fact, now through other explanations it has been 
explained that one's own good rests with benefit for others. At other points it 
was mentioned the ordinary beings wish good things for themselves, happiness for 
themselves but others have been engaged in such activities that will give only 
suffering because we think if we engage in selfishness, if we really work hard 
to achieve something for one's own purpose then within that we will rarely 
achieve but actually it is the other way around. If we engage in the benefit of 
others then you will really gain the positive result for yourself also and the 
difference has been mentioned as being the case of an Enlightened being and an 
ordinary being. An Enlightened being has been working for the benefit of others 
and then look at the result Enlightened beings have achieved. In the case of 
ordinary worldly beings they have been working for themselves only and then look 
at the result they have got, still not satisfied. 

So which means because of that since one has not been able to identify the cause 
by which one can get proper happiness or do good for oneself because of not 
identifying one has been engaging in negative activities by which you are going 
to be reborn in lower realms and then where you will remain for a very long time 
and from where let alone getting another rebirth as a human being you will not 
even be able to hear what is called as a happy life. Which means a human life, a 
good human life. There will be continuous suffering as shown by, in the case of 
sufferings of the hell realms. 

For these very reasons, the Buddha has said
That as difficult as it is for a turtle to insert its neck
Into a yolk adrift upon the vast ocean,
It is more difficult to attain the human state.

So because of this reason this precious birth is very rare and it is explained 
in the Sutra by Buddha in this example. 

If even by the transgression of one instant
An aeon may be spent in the deepest hell,
Then because of the transgressions I have gathered since beginningless time,
What need to mention my not going to a happy realm?

So if you commit one moment of negative action it is said that as a result you 
will suffer in the deepest hell in the lowest hell for one aeon. So one moment 
of negative action will lead to one aeon of suffering. If this is said so then 
what about the results of so many negative actions, negative actions which we 
have committed since beginningless time which means that countless moments of 
negative actions which we have performed so one can imagine about the result. 
Now some of these things are usually written, these things are mentioned some 
can be taken as definitive in the conventional sense, some are said to be 
interpretative even in the conventional sense as you have learnt. 

There are two types of interpretative teachings, generally all those teachings 
which are based on conventional truths even the teaching on the law of cause and 
result. All these things also come under interpretative teachings because they 
still teach on the conventional truth. But from the conventional point of view 
there are definitive because they are right as far as conventional truth is 
concerned, there is no further interpretation required to this, it means as it 
is mentioned. But there are some teachings which are interpretative even from 
the conventional point of view which are for instance it is mentioned that 
probably in the Amitabha Sutra that if you pray even once that you may be reborn 
in Sukhavati for instance then you will be reborn. If there is one mentioned in 
the section in which it is said that if you pray to be reborn in Sukhavati you 
will reborn there. Now this kind of teaching is considered as interpretative 
even from the conventional point of view, it doesn't mean that actually I think. 

In Chinese Buddha Dharma we have also in Japanese, the Amitabha Pure Land they 
mostly believe that there's no need to do many other sort of different practices 
of attainment if you only chant the Amitabha's name and then just pray to be 
reborn in this realm then you will be reborn there, you will be blessed by him. 
So probably they have taken this teaching as definitive but it is mentioned in 
according with the Mahayana explanations that this is interpretative because 
when something is an interpretative teaching we believe there should be three 
points or three reasons or three sort of aspects. One is the intention the 
purpose and the contradiction, contradiction means that if it were to be 
definitive what is the contradiction, what is the fault? So three things have to 
be there. 

So in the case of this teaching to be born in Sukhavati the intention the 
purpose is to encourage or to make people exert effort because some people may 
not engage in any kind of activity not even sort of the activity of praying 
also. Some people may find it even difficult to pray also and they just engage 
in idle speech and action and do not engage in praying. So in order to make them 
get away from the laziness, idle action if it is said that it is if they know 
that by praying that they are going to be reborn then since praying is not that 
difficult they might come out of the action of laziness or idle work and then 
may engage in the action of praying. So the purpose is to leave those kinds of 
things and the intention is or the intent is that by doing it is not completely 
interpretative or completely false also but because if you engage in this kind 
of praying but as a result after a long time you may be reborn in Sukhavati also 
as a result of this. It doesn't mean that just by praying you will be 
immediately, in the next immediate rebirth you will be reborn but it's because 
in the long run to help you to be reborn in Sukhavati also, so the intention is 
meant for that. 

The intention is for that kind of thing and the actual contradiction, 
contradiction is that there is no need for other practices, other practices that 
have been mentioned in other teachings about doing a lot of practices would have 
been useless if one were to be reborn in Sukhavati just by praying to be reborn 
in Sukhavati. Some of these mentioning about one instant of evil deed will lead 
to one aeon of suffering may also be sometimes explained in an interpretative 
way also. It is to show again to refrain yourself from engaging in the negative 
action because if you know that one moment of negative action is going to lead 
to such serious suffering, the negative result then definitely you will pay more 
attention and be more heedful. So some of these are usually explained as 
interpretative also but interpretative meaning as I mentioned with the other 
example doesn't mean that it is not at all, there is no connection at all 
because there is a connection, engaging in negative activity for a short time 
will lead to the result of suffering for a long period. 

Yet having experienced merely that (rebirth in hell)
I shall still not be liberated;
For a while it is being experienced,
Other wrongdoing will be extensively produced.

So now which means that if you think that sometimes such thoughts may come even 
while you are believing in the law of cause and result you may think that there 
is no need to be urgent in practising Dharma in order to benefit others you may 
still engage in non-virtuous it doesn't matter even if I will be reborn in the 
hell realms because after experiencing that result I will again come back in a 
human form and then there is still a possibility. 

It is said that you shouldn't think that after experiencing the result in a 
lower realm then it will come to an end, the negative action will come to an 
end, you are not supposed to think like that it will not happen because while 
there are then a lot of other negative actions and new negative actions will be 
accumulated, will be committed because as you suffer, as you are afflicted with 
a lot of suffering then you will generate a lot of negative attitudes also as a 
result of that there is anger there are a lot of other negative attitudes 
arising out of once you suffer. Then because of ignorance you may also indulge 
in negative physical actions also. 

In other words in the lower realms, in a realm which is filled with ignorance 
and delusions there is no way other than committing further negative actions. 
Which means that that result will further create more negative actions, that 
will lead to more lower rebirths, rebirth in lower realms. So there is a 
possibility of continuing in a long way, it is not a point of one negative 
action and one negative result and then coming to an end but it may go on for a 
long time if you, that also depends actually it doesn't mean that every negative 
action will lead to a negative result and then again that will lead, this means 
then there will be less chance for sentient beings to come back from lower 
realms to higher realms which is against the main Mahayana idea of every 
sentient being having the potential of Buddhahood, having the chance and the 
opportunity to be fully enlightened. So since that is the potential is there 
definitely even from the lower realms one will come back but depending on how 
much virtuous action you have accumulated earlier and how much of the positive 
force will protect you depending on that. If there is not much virtuous action 
or virtuous seed that will protect you then that will lead to more negative 
action and that will lead to a longer period of this chain of negative action 
and to that result. Whereas if there are some other aspects of virtuous seeds 
then that will help you to have a quicker sort of end to this chain and then 
come back to a higher realm also. 

So if, when having found leisure such as this, 
I do not attune myself to what is wholesome,
There could be no greater deception,
And there could be no greater folly.

Which means that having found these leisures, these good opportune states, if I 
do not now put into practice then there is no greater deception, there is no 
greater mistake. 

And if, having understood this,
I still foolishly continue to be slothful,
When the hour of death arrives,
Tremendous grief will rear its head.

Which means that now if having understood this still I do not pay attention and 
continue to commit negative actions I do not engage in the practice then at the 
time of death when tremendous grief will come because it will be stronger it 
would have been less if you had not known then you would not have that sense of 
grief which you have because you have known and you have not followed. It is a 
sense of regret that comes to that person who has known something and was not 
able to do something, that is why the regret comes in a stronger form. So in the 
case of somebody who has despite understanding one doesn't sort of follow that 
road then at the time of death they will have this tremendous grief. 

Then if my body blazes for a long time
In the unbearable flames of hell,
Inevitably my mind will be tormented
By the fires of unendurable remorse.
Which means that now there is no doubt that there will be physical sufferings in 
the lower realms but not only this physical sufferings while there is tremendous 
physical suffering at the same time mind will also be tormented by the fires of 
unendurable hells. Which means that it is said that these lower creatures, 
creatures in the lower realms, also have a sense of clairvoyance as a result of 
their strong heavy karma. This is not as a sign of any favourable condition or 
as a favourable quality but this causes more suffering or more torment in their 
mind because they see, they are able to see the suffering that they are 
suffering, that they are experiencing is the result of the actions that they 
have done in the past life time. They are able to see while they are suffering 
what sort of actions have led them to undergo these types of sufferings and when 
they know that their sense of regret which arises in the mind is much more 
greater and so because of that there will be unendurable remorse in the mind. 

Having found by some coincidence
This beneficial state that is so hard to find
If now, while able to discriminate,
I once again am led into the hells.

Which means that having found by some coincidence means referring to of course 
it is not actually a coincidence, nothing arises sort of coincidentally, it's 
all a result of the actions, it's a result of the cause. Which means by chance 
found by some chance which is referring to the obtaining of this precious human 
life. Now we know that it has been explained, that it's very difficult to get 
this kind of human life which means that now it is also shown by the example of 
the turtle and through many examples it has been shown so despite this rarity 
still one has obtained it so it is like you have got this birth by chance or by 
some sheer coincidence not because you have planned in a proper way and then you 
have got it. So since it should be seen in this way and while getting such a 
good birth by chance by coincidence and if you don't take advantage of this 
coincidence and if you are again engaging in the same negative actions then you 
are again leading yourself into the hells. 

Then as though I were hypnotised by a spell
I shall reduce this mind to nothing.
Even I do not know what is causing me confusion;
What is there dwelling inside me?

So which means that even after having got this precious human birth even after 
having got this discerning mind not only the birth in the case of a favourable 
body but the main thing is the favourable mind, the proper mind, the proper 
intellect by which one is able to discern what is right and what is wrong. By 
which one is able to go as far as in fact realising the ultimate truth also. So 
while you have got that still if you do not sort of, do not put into practice, 
if you do not work on your intellect, if you do not make use of it means that if 
you do not think properly if you do not pay attention properly then is like 
being hypnotized by a spell and you have mind but it is like an unconscious 
state of mind. You have a mind but, you see things but you are not able to say 
something or you are not able to think. 

Despite having such favourable conditions if you don't do anything then it's 
like I shall reduce this mind to nothing. Since this is happening to one and 
many opportunities then you need to examine. How come we have got such a good 
intellect? We have got such a good favourable condition under precious human 
rebirth but despite this favourable condition how come most of us are not able 
to engage in a proper direction? So one has to think, one has to examine again 
and what is there and what is causing you confusion you have to examine. 

Definitely you know that this is not something that others cause you, there must 
be a cause inside yourself when you find out then it comes to you'll know that 
it is the delusions it is these negative emotions led by the ignorance which are 
causing all these things. You are coming under the influence of these things, 
they are playing a trick on you. You are in fact being enslaved by these 
delusions and that is why you end up doing negative activities. So with this 
then the part on being heedful or mindful with respect to the receptacle which 
is the precious human birth which means that one must be mindful one must be 
heedful of the fact that you have got this precious human birth and this 
precious human birth has got all these potentials and capabilities and one must 
make best use of them. Without knowing this one will not go further. One will 
just take it for granted that you have got this birth and as many people who are 
taking this life for granted just by coincidence and then when death comes then 
it is the end of everything and for them then there will be a different 
direction. There is no scope not even a chance of direction to give oneself 
ultimate happiness or ultimate attainment. 

So if all the bases of explanations given earlier if we think properly then we 
will know that we have this potential but still we are not able to go forward 
and that is because somebody is holding you back and that is these negative 
emotions and these negative emotions should be examined in the following verses. 
We will know that even if we can control them also we should not let them 
control ourselves but we must control them and so that if they are controlled, 
if we get rid of them if we get ourselves released from the influence of them 
then there is no other obstacle and definitely one will go the proper way so 
this will be explained in the next section in the next verses which is 
heedfulness with respect to the delusions, with respect to what is to be 
abandoned. So in other words in this chapter we are instructed to be mindful of 
the training in general, be mindful of the responsibility that one has after 
having taken the Bodhicitta and then mindful of the potential the capability of 
the precious human birth that one has got and to be mindful and to be heedful of 
the delusions which cause all these problems and to be mindful of not to come 
under their influence. So these are explained in these chapters. So here at this 
point the second section onwards being heedful with respect to the human birth 
precious human birth has been concluded. 

[a few paragraphs are missing on the tape] 

While in cyclic existence, how can I be joyful and unafraid
If, in my heart, I readily prepare a place
For this incessant enemy of long duration,
The sole cause for the increase of all that harms me?

So if in fact we examine carefully it is impossible for us to remain idle, for 
us to remain indifferent. It is like somebody, even a very dangerous person or 
an enemy staying in your house, if such a person is staying in your house you 
can't be happy at all, you can't be comfortable at all. You will be definitely 
thinking of doing something in order to get rid of that person. So it is 
referring to that kind of situation with respect to the delusions because by 
being influenced by the delusions, by engaging in such activities, influenced by 
the delusions we have been in fact helping the delusions, we have been helping 
the delusions to remain firm in our mind. So when we, having done such a thing 
how can we sort of remain indifferent, how can we remain comfortable? How can we 
remain happy when such an enemy is inside your mind and has been inside your 
mind for such a long time. 

And how shall I ever have happiness
If, in a net of attachment within my mind,
There dwell the guardians of the prison of cyclic existence,
These (disturbing conceptions) that become my butchers and tormentors in hell?

So which means that as long as the delusions remain in the mind it is like you 
are imprisoned in the cyclic existence, in the net of attachment, in cyclic 
existence. These delusions are functioning as the guardians of this prison if 
cyclic existence so even if you may try sometimes to get out of it but these 
delusions are always at the entrance, they are always trying to stop you getting 
out of cyclic existence. They also become your butchers and tormentors means as 
a result of delusions then you will engage in negativities and as a result then 
you will suffer in the lower realms, it means they become, these delusions 
become your tormentors, your butchers, those who inflict the sufferings on you 
in the lower realms. So you have to think in this way. 

Now these differing reasons are given to you so you can think in an analytical 
way and so that your understanding or the understanding with respect to 
considering the delusions as the real enemy will become clear. 

Therefore as long as this enemy is not slain with certainty before my very eyes,
I shall never give up exerting myself (towards that end).
Having become angry at someone who caused only slight and short-lived harm,
Self-important people will not sleep until their (enemy) is overcome.

Which means that in the case of the ordinary enemy or ordinary person who gives 
you slight harm, a slight and short-lived harm, if somebody has given that kind 
of harm then some people, self-important people, who do not want such harm out 
of many different reasons, they will not be able to sleep until that enemy is 
overcome, until that harm is retaliated. Generally it happens among the ordinary 
people that you can't tolerate let alone a physical harm, even if somebody says 
something - not even a very obvious clear abuse or clear harsh word - but even 
if you know some words which may show some sort of a negativity towards you 
definitely something happens in your mind and you really want to, either you 
want to tell him the same sort of words or worse, or you may do something. 
Unless you tell them or unless you do something or unless you make things clear 
or clarify my position we will not be peaceful. So in the case of such a slight 
harm, if people behave like that then how can one remain peaceful as long as 
this real enemy within your mind is not destroyed, is not slain. So definitely 
that will help you to exert more efforts in the engaging in the practices by 
which one can destroy the enemy of delusions. 

And if while engaged in a violent battle,
The vigorous desire to conquer those whole disturbing conceptions will naturally 
bring them suffering at death,
Men disregard the pain of being pierced by spears and arrows
And will not withdraw until the day is won;

Again the comparison is being made with respect to ordinary enemies and ordinary 
battles and with the inner enemy or delusions and the harm that will bring upon 
you. In the case of ordinary enemies, the ordinary battle for instance, men 
disregard the pain which means that at the cost of pain within oneself, one sort 
of, one is ready to even accept some of the pains on your body and mind in order 
to destroy your ordinary enemies, that is what they do in battles. In battles in 
order to destroy your enemies then people are ready to face for instance, harms 
form other side, they are ready to face bullets on their bodies in order to 
destroy the other enemy. They will not withdraw until the day is won. In other 
words we are asking so much effort in order to destroy what in this analytical 
examination is considered as an ordinary enemy - not the real, not the great 
enemy. But in order to destroy that ordinary enemy people seem to make a lot of 
efforts even without minding their own difficulties, minding their own pain 
also. If this is done so then why not we do the same thing? or why not with 
regard to destroying out inner delusions. 

The what need to mention that I should not be faint-hearted and slothful,
Even if I am caused many hundreds of sufferings
When now I strive to definitely overcome my natural enemies,
(These disturbing conceptions) which are the constant source of my misery?

If we think carefully, why can't you be ready to face difficulties? Why aren't 
you ready to go through the austere practices by which you can get rid of the 
real enemy which is the delusions. Which is again, through this examination, the 
point we're trying to show, the reasons to yourself, in order to make you exert 
efforts in the practice. 

Generally what withholds people is that when there is some difficulty, when 
there is some sort of physical pain or when there is some mental instability 
people really become easily disheartened and then they turn back form practices, 
they turn back form engaging in the methods to destroy delusions. 

But of we compare this with the things which we are doing with regard to 
destroying our ordinary enemies then we are not being like this. So compared 
with that we must even put more effort, exert more efforts in order to destroy 
the inner enemies. We shouldn't consider these difficulties in the course of 
practice as difficult especially if the purpose is to destroy this real enemy of 
delusions. 

If even scars inflicted by meaningless enemies
Are worn upon the body like ornaments,
Then why is suffering a cause of harm to me
While impeccably striving to fulfil the great purpose?

Which mean that now, this is also a comparison to be made. In a war or in a 
battle if you sort of hit by a bullet for instance then there is a scar from the 
bullet or if you are for instance cut or become a victim of somebody's spear or 
sword for instance then you have a scar on your body and people usually sort of 
show these things as a sign of bravery. They don't mind about having received 
the pain, having experienced the pain at the time but they sort of show this as 
ornaments to others. So, without minding about the difficulties or the pain 
accompanied with that. 

If this is done, why not you consider the suffering or the pain or the 
difficulty which you face during the course of practice as a cause or as 
something, as an ornament by which - because this is a cause which will finally 
help you to fulfil a great purpose. Now these bullet scars or whatever will 
serve you no other purpose, it's only sort of self acclaimed ornament or you 
have just included it as something, an ornament that you can show off, but 
otherwise it doesn't serve any purpose either to you or to anybody else. But in 
the case of the suffering that which you endured in the course of practice then 
this is really reasonable or it's worth the enduring, it's worth going through 
because these minor sufferings, these ordinary sufferings, these sufferings in 
the course of the practice will finally lead you to achieving the great purpose 
which is in accordance with whatever objects you wish for, the solitary 
liberation, Nirvana or fully Enlightenment. So one can achieve in accordance 
with the purpose, so definitely instead of being discouraged or instead of 
considering these difficulties, the suffering in the course of practice as 
something unfavourable, as something which obstructs to your happiness, you may 
take this as a positive cause, condition in order to increase, for you to go 
further in your practices. 

If fisherman, hunters and farmers,
Thinking merely of their own livelihood,
Endure the sufferings of heat and cold,
Why am I not patient for the sake of the world's joy?

Ordinary people can really sort of endure heat and cold just for the sake of 
their own livelihood, just for the sake of earning sort of money, earning 
property, earning bread and butter, one can go through all kinds of 
difficulties. If this can be done then why not you be reasonable enough to think 
and not sort of endure these difficulties in the course of practice? Because 
these practices are worth it, because the difficulties and sufferings, they will 
finally give you the ultimate happiness. They will finally lead you to attaining 
temporary happiness as well as ultimate happiness also. 

So in other words for the sake of greater joy there is nothing wrong in enduring 
a little sufferings as Sakya Pandita also said in his elegant sayings, the 
popular elegant sayings of the Sakya, "Those who are attached to minor 
happiness, or minor pleasure or insignificant pleasure have no hope of gaining 
greater pleasure or greater happiness". Therefore one should not be attached to 
the minor pleasure which means that one should not be mindful of, one should not 
avoid the little suffering or minor suffering if it is for the sake of gaining 
the better happiness, the ultimate or long lasting happiness. 

Unless we have to compare in that way - as far as we don't look further if we 
look in a very short-sighted way then you will see only this far you don't see 
beyond then one may end indulging in this worldly activities such as working 
hard for sort of this life only, which is only for a limited period of time. 
then we have all those thoughts about wealth and property which even do not last 
long and there is no certainty whether you will be able to use them or not, 
first of all difficulties of gaining them, secondly difficulties of the problems 
of safe-guarding them and thirdly the pain and suffering if we lose them. Such a 
gain that is full of faults, you will strive tp gain them with much difficulty, 
going through a lot of problems ad you don't seem to mind. But in the case of 
doing something in order to achieve grater happiness then you seem to be 
minding, so this is not reasonable, so one should sort of look within and try to 
sort of remind oneself. 

When I promise to liberate all beings,
Who dwell in the ten directions as far as the ends of space,
From their disturbing conceptions,
I myself was not yet freed from mine.

Thus, unaware of even my own capacity,
Was it not somewhat crazy to have spoken like that?
Yet as this is so, I must never withdraw
From vanquishing my disturbing conceptions.

So which means that by taking the Bodhisattva's vow, or by developing bodhicitta 
in a way you have promised to liberate all the beings from the sufferings of 
Samsara. So on one hand you have made such a big commitment, such a big great 
promise, you have taken such a big responsibility but on the other hand you are 
not even able to control, you are not even able to get rid of your own negative 
emotions when you become influenced when you let yourself be overcome by your 
own negative emotions then that will lead you to committing negativities. Which 
means that you yourself are not freed form the disturbing conceptions, means 
that if you go on letting yourself be influenced by the negative emotions, the 
negative delusions, that means that then you are not able to overcome your own 
delusions, you are not able to seek a proper method to get rid of your own 
delusions which means then that you're result of suffering, the result of 
suffering from your delusions will not come to an end. So if you cannot do or be 
applying this method in your own case then how can you think of taking such a 
great result to liberate all sentient beings. 

This is like the case of, this shows that you are not aware of your own capacity 
so isn't it somewhat crazy to have spoken like that means it is like the case of 
that person who without having the capacity or ability has made a big sort of 
promise or in the case of sort of physical strength is somebody is not strong 
enough to carry for instance a carry bundle or luggage and if he makes a promise 
or if he sort of you know promises somebody to carry that he will not be able to 
carry that bundle because he's not strong enough. So that means that he has not, 
he was not aware of his own strength, so without being aware of one's strength 
and if you make such a promise then you are like a crazy person. 

So in the same way here without knowing your own capacity, whether you can 
really do such a thing or not, so if you make such a resolve then it is not a 
proper way to behave. So even before that it has been instructed here that 
before making or developing or taking Bodhisattva's vow or making this resolve 
you must go through a lot of analysis, you must go through a lot of the 
contemplation and reasons. Only when you are convinced, only when you think that 
you are capable of, when you have that capacity then you should go ahead and you 
should go through the action which means then taking bodhicitta and then 
accordingly you have to work for the benefit of other beings. But now when you 
work for the benefit of others at least you must have some control or some 
ability to deal with your own negative emotions. When you can't deal with your 
own negative emotions then it is difficult to deal with others. Actually that is 
why it has been mentioned by many masters that it is important for a 
practitioner first to attain a certain sort of stage or certain realisation 
before engaging in actual or strong or extensive work for the benefit of others 
because once you are not equipped with the proper realisation, the proper 
ability, then you cannot, you will not be able to achieve the result of your 
action. You will not be able to benefit more people but if you keep the proper, 
the necessary power, the necessary realisation then you will be able to achieve 
the purpose for which you engage in the actions. 

Because of this reason the need of practice, the need of strong practice until 
one attains - let us say - for instance the first bhumi, also then if you engage 
in the benefit of others the benefit will be very sort of significant, it will 
spread or it will cover many sentient beings. So because of this reason, if you 
not able to do that in your case and if you take a strong resolve the isn't it 
somewhat crazy? But as this is so, thinking on this line then you must make a 
resolve that you must never withdraw from vanquishing your disturbing 
conceptions. 

So once we have taken the Bodhicitta, which is the resolve to work for the 
benefit of others, for that purpose first of all the benefit of others is the 
sole purpose of a Mahayana practitioner, even in the case of precepts actually 
it is said, there can be many different precepts, a number of precepts for 
different vows, a number of rules for different, but basically generally it is 
said that the precept of the Pratimoksha vow which includes all the one day as 
well as the laypersons vow, the bikshu, bikshuni's vow, the abridged or 
summarised precept of all these Pratimoksha vows is not to harm other beings. 
All those five rules, five precepts, eight precepts, ten precepts, two hundred 
and fifty three precepts, if all these are condensed becomes the rule of not 
harming any living being, that is the main precept of the Pratimoksha vow. 

The Mahayana, or the Bodhisattva's vow, there can be the completion, for 
instance four virtuous or four white activities and refrain from committing four 
black activities as it is said, several rules are there. But if they are all 
condensed then it will be the benefit of others so as we say, in the Hinayana 
practice there is this practice, this attitude of not harming others but this 
attitude of benefiting others is not there, just not harming others. Whereas in 
Mahayana it is one step above that, not only not to harm others but you need to 
benefit others, so the benefit of others is the main precept of the Mahayana vow 
as it is said. So the whole point is centered on this, the benefit of others. 

So for the benefit of others what we are wishing when we cultivate Bodhicitta we 
are wishing to attain the state of Buddhahood. So wishing to attain the state of 
Buddhahood is not for one's own enjoyment not for one's own sort of pleasure but 
for the sake of benefiting others. So benefiting others means the main purpose 
after that then wishing to gain Buddhahood comes and in order to gain Buddhahood 
then you have to get rid of the negative emotions and you have to get rid of the 
negative activities, you have to get rid of being born in the Samsara, you have 
to achieve the realisations. So all the purposes are also for the sake of 
attaining Buddhahood because unless you destroy all your negative emotions you 
will not be able to ascend further in the course of practices, the course of 
realisation let alone attaining Buddhahood you will not even become a noble 
Bodhisattva also unless you cut off the negative emotions. So the purpose of 
destroying the negative emotions is also linked finally linked to benefiting 
others. That is why it is saying that on one hand you promise that you will 
benefit all the others and if you look within you are not even able to deal with 
you own negative emotions. So if you don't destroy the negative emotions it will 
not let you go further in the practice, that means you will not reach the state 
of Enlightenment, that means you will not be able to benefit all living beings. 
So you have to come back and first of all deal with your own negative emotions. 

And to do this will be my sole obsession:
Holding a strong grudge, I shall meet them in battle!
Yet disturbing conception such as these
Destroy disturbing conceptions and (for the time being) are not to be 
(abandoned).

Which also tells us about the - here it says holding a strong grudge - positive 
and negativities or positive and negative hatred I mean. So here it says that to 
get rid of the negative delusions will be my sole obsession, so and then I will 
hold a strong grudge against them and meet them in battle, I will meet them in 
battle and destroy them. 

So battle here, because to applying the necessary antidote and then using them 
against the delusions, so for instance if you meditate upon loving kindness for 
instance that is the antidote and you're applying this antidote this against the 
delusion of hatred for instance, the delusion of hatred. If you have a strong 
negative emotion of hatred, the temporary method is to mediate strongly on 
loving kindness which of course covers all sentient beings. The more you 
meditate on loving kindness the lesser your emotions of hatred. So if it is not 
becoming then you're not properly engaging in that meditation process so you 
must again look at the study and contemplate more on the ways of meditating on 
that and if you follow in the proper procedure definitely it should happen. So 
if you do that then that is applying, it's like using a weapon against an enemy. 
Here the enemy is the delusion of hatred and the weapon you are using is the 
loving kindness, the meditation on loving kindness. So that is what is meant by 
"I shall meet them in battle." 

Now, so instead of thinking of ordinary enemies, instead of holding grudge 
against and ordinary enemy, instead of having hatred against an ordinary 
enemies, you should have all these negative emotions, if you really want to 
generate some of these emotions against somebody it should be done against you 
own delusions. So take your own delusions as an object, as an object and then 
you can develop hatred against those. In fact it is also mentioned as one of the 
methods, sometimes well in ordinary cases, the people also sometimes show the 
hatred or you know, on inanimate objects. It is better than, of course, showing 
against the animate beings, showing against the human beings. But still, you 
know, you have expressed, if not living beings, at least to some objects and 
that will not help you to - the only difference that the anger was not directed 
against a living being otherwise as far as the control of your emotion goes on 
that will not serve any purpose. 

So instead of that if you point that hatred towards your own emotions, you own 
delusion, then you can also get an object for your hatred and then that object 
will also be the proper object, so it will in fact sort of serve two purposes. 
One purpose is for your hatred to have some object because naturally you may 
have sometimes hatred sometimes attachment and you need to have an object to 
show it, so that is also served. And then if you develop hatred towards your 
delusions then it means definitely because of this hatred you will also do 
something, or you will seek the method in a more sort of strong way in order to 
destroy that. You know such as by hatred then you want to get rid of that person 
or that particular being, in the same way you will definitely seek methods to 
get rid of this delusion and which is what is required. So it could serve two 
purposes also, that is what it is mentioned. 

If it is asked that then, are we supposed not to have hatred towards anybody, 
whether external beings or whether you inner emotions, whatever, don't you think 
that it is itself a negative emotion towards anybody? So here it says that for 
the time being in the conventional practice when you do such practices in the 
conventional level, or as a skilful method there is nothing wrong in developing 
hatred towards your negative emotions. This kind of hatred can be considered as 
a positive hatred because it helps you to tackle with your negative emotions as 
a whole. Even though hatred itself is also one of your emotions, but you can 
divide for the time being you can have your hatred at one side and the rest of 
the negative emotions at another place and you can direct this hatred towards 
the rest of your negative emotions. So that you will make yourself more prepared 
to use the methods to destroy them. Because if hatred is there that will be 
inside you to engage in the actual activities. 

So this kind of hatred is not to be abandoned, you can have a long as you direct 
it, this is not to be abandoned is the hatred directed towards the negative 
emotions. So as far it is to overcome or destroy your negative emotions then it 
is ok for the time being. But when you are able to use, when that purpose is 
served, when that purpose is served you shouldn't have any kind of hatred, even 
against your negative emotions or whatever. So again there is a step, there is a 
process. 

So one has to keep in mind about the process also as it is said by the Buddha 
for instance that, I think I mentioned earlier also, there are teachings which 
tell us to believe in the law of cause and result to believe in the existence of 
life after death and so on. Then there are teachings which tell us there is not 
self, there are teachings which tell us there is only mind, then there are 
teachings which tell us that everything is empty, so these are not 
contradictions, there is no contradiction. These are all teachings which can be 
helpful at different levels, as you progress, there are certain levels by which 
you have to apply these teachings. So many actually faults arise or mistakes 
arise as a result of not using certain aspects of teachings at the proper time, 
at the proper level. It is because of this reason also many different schools of 
thought arise. As I mentioned earlier, the main teachings or the seed of the 
philosophical course of all the schools are already in the Sutra, but it is 
because of the difference of explaining them as interpretative and definitive 
then difference arose. Which means also in the difference of using them at a 
different levels. 

Therefore now first of all on the conventional level you are supposed to look at 
the existence of the law of cause and result, at the existence of life after 
death and so on. Then after that on the second level then you are to look at the 
emptiness of the self, the selflessness, the fact that there is no inherent 
existence of the self: selfless. Then after that you are to look at the 
emptiness of external objects and only with the mind because it is the mind 
which is said to be the main, the main factor - out of good body, voice and 
mind, mind is the most important. So all the practices have to be done on the 
basis of the mind and so it is good, or it will help you, for the time being, 
when you consider such a mind as existent. So you can have the mind only theory 
also for the time being, but finally for complete liberation or complete 
Enlightenment if you stick to the existence of mind then that also counts as an 
obstacle for complete or full Enlightenment. Even though if you grasp the mind 
as truly existent then that will even stop you from even such states such a s 
first bhumi also. But even if you grasp the mind as just even without truly 
existent if you have a mere grasping still that will also become an obstacle on 
the way of your becoming fully omniscient or the full Enlightenment. Because the 
gross defilements, the delusions, and the residues, may seem to be an obstacle, 
it is easy to understand. But the subtle ones, which comprise the of the 
obscuration of noble object, even in our Sadhanas we have, when we offer the 
mandala there is this prayer that bless me to get rid of two obscurations we are 
saying. We are not praying for us to get rid of only the, ourselves to get rid 
of only the obscuration of defilement. Two obscurations, so the second one, 
obscuration of noble object, and for that even any kind of person also comes as 
an obstacle. Therefore in the last stage then you have to get rid of that also. 

So if you know where which teaching is to applied, then things will become again 
clearer and one can see all the teachings and not have any contradiction. In 
this way it will also help you to have what we call as pure vision or faith or 
understanding with respect to other schools of thought also because you know 
what they consider or what they teach can also be used by ourselves at a certain 
level even though it may not be the ultimate method but at least it can be of 
some help at a certain level also. 

It would be better for me to be burned,
To have my head cut off and to be killed,
Rather than ever bowing down
To those ever-present disturbing conceptions.

So again telling yourself that you would rather go through all these difficult 
sufferings but you should never bow down to the delusions. 

Common enemies, when expelled from one country,
Simply retire and settle down in another,
Though when their strength is recovered, they then return.
However, the way of this enemy, my disturbing conceptions, is not similar in 
this respect.

Now until now we have been, when we made this comparison, we have been thinking 
in terms of the delusions being, our delusions being stronger and the ordinary 
enemies weaker. We have been looking at that side. Now here, now if for instance 
we argue at ourselves that if these enemies are so strong then how can we sort 
of destroy them, we have difficulties even destroying even our own ordinary 
enemies then of you go on explaining that these enemies are really really strong 
then how can we deal with that? So in order to now balance that, another 
comparison is made to the ordinary enemies saying that now ordinary enemies even 
if you destroy them or get rid of them they settle down in another place and 
then when they become strong in the case of old sort of enemies, kingdom against 
kingdom, if one king loses a battle then he goes somewhere and then settles 
somewhere and seeks the help of another and become strong and then comes back 
and then again fights with the previous king, such things can happen. But in the 
case of the inner enemy, the disturbing habit, once you destroy, you know, once 
you uproot it, once you destroy from the root, then they can have no way to come 
back. So from that respect it is easy to defeat them. 

Deluded, disturbing conceptions! When forsaken by the eye of wisdom 
And dispelled from my mind, where will you go?
Where will you dwell, in order to be able to injure me again (later)?
Weak-minded I have been reduced to making no effort.

So once you are able to seek the method you use the sword of the wisdom. If you 
are able to use the proper antidote, to destroy the enemy of delusions, once 
they are destroyed, once they are thrown out of the mind, where will they go? 
They have no other place to reside, to make themselves stronger and then come 
back. So it is in a way better than dealing with ordinary enemies. Ordinary 
enemies may return at some point but these inner enemies of delusions will not 
return. So you have been just weak-minded by not making effort. I have just 
reduced to making no effort, it's that only that I have not made efforts 
otherwise from the side of the delusions they are not difficult to sort of deal 
with because once you destroy it will not come back. 

If these disturbing conceptions do not exist within the objects, the sense 
organs, between the to now elsewhere,
Then where do they exist and how do they harm the world?
They are like an illusion - thus I should dispel the fear within my heart and 
strive resolutely for wisdom.
For no real reason, why should I suffer so much in hell?



So if we examine through ultimate analysis then what we consider as these 
delusions have no place in fact to stay. They do not reside in the sense 
faculties, they do not reside in the objects which are object of sound and so 
on, they do not reside in between. So they do not have any place where they 
reside so how can they be strong to destroy you when they even do not have any 
permanent place to stay? So it is only a matter of exerting efforts from your 
side that if you exert, if you see them the necessary method, the necessary 
antidote it is easy to destroy them, so you should dispel the fear that is 
strong and this can't be overcome, one should get rid of this kind of fear and 
then instead seek the necessary and proper methods and then can deal with that. 

Therefore, having thought about this well,
I should try to put these precepts into practice just as they have been 
explained.
If the doctor's instructions are ignored,
How will a patient in need of a cure be healed by the medicine?

So having thought in this way, Shantideva has given a lot of analysis and the 
reasons and analytical methods by which one can have enough reasons to push 
one's self towards exerting efforts. When you have, as in logic, when you have 
proper sound reasons to do something then that action will be easier for you to 
engage in that kind of action. When you don't find any proper reasons when you 
may or may not do that action. So in order to have a proper reason it is good to 
examine, to see whether there is a proper reason or whether it is just your mind 
being lead by the delusions without any proper reason or whether there is any 
proper reason. So if we check then through the analysis which was made earlier 
then we can come to the conclusion that the emotions, the delusions influencing 
us do not have any proper sort of strong reason but we have the proper reason to 
be able to destroy all of them. So when we know that it is a matter of just 
using the necessary weapons and necessary instruments, necessary antidotes by 
which we can destroy them. These are the proper methods have been shown in the 
teachings that have been taught in the text so in order to destroy them you must 
study them, you must know how to use them and make use of that. Because if you 
want to get rid of any kind of illness you know, any kind of disease, you have 
to listen to the instructions of the doctor, a medical instructor. So without 
listening to the instructions you cannot be cured by that medicine as it is in 
need of a cure how will a patient in need of a cure be healed by the medicine? 

Actually it is said that for a illness which is supposed to be cured by a 
medicine, then definitely you will have to depend on a doctor which means a 
doctor's advice, a doctor's instruction. There can be some illnesses which 
cannot be cured by medicine then that is another method but in the case of 
humans which can be cured by medicines you have to follow the instruction 
otherwise you can't. in the same way, if the delusion is to be cured by the 
method, if through these explanations, we know that these methods will cure or 
will get rid of the delusions then definitely we have to follow these 
instructions otherwise we may not be able to sort of destroy or get rid of the 
delusions. So through this analysis you must sort of, even though you know, you 
have heard of these methods, even though you have gone through, it is important, 
as Shantideva himself has said, that what he is writing here is in order to 
familiarize, in order for himself to familiarize himself with the methods, with 
the teachings. So you can consider in that way also, those who have gone through 
you can familiarize with them and the more you familiarize with these teachings 
and methods the more conviction, more confidence you will get in order to deal 
with the negative emotions and that is how you can then take, you can use this 
teaching, this method in the course of all your practices also.