:: The 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas - 佛子行三十七颂 ::

~ wow!! this is super inspiring! ~



The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas
By Ngülchu Thogme Zangpo

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Homage to Lokeshvaraya!


At all times I prostrate with respectful three doors to the supreme guru
and the Protector Chenrezig who,
though realizing that all phenomena neither come nor go,
strive solely for the welfare of migrators.

The perfect buddhas, source of benefit and happiness,
arise from accomplishing the sublime Dharma;
and as that [accomplishment] depends on knowing the [Dharma] practices,
I will explain the bodhisattvas’ practices.

1) At this time when the difficult-to-gain ship of leisure
and fortune has been obtained, ceaselessly hearing,
pondering and meditating day and night in order
to liberate others and oneself from the ocean of cyclic existence
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

2) [The mind of] attachment to loved ones wavers like water.
[The mind of] hatred of enemies burns like fire.
[The mind of] ignorance that forgets what to
adopt and what to discard is greatly obscured.
Abandoning one’s fatherland
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

3) When harmful places are abandoned,
disturbing emotions gradually diminish.
Being without distraction, virtuous endeavors naturally increase.
Being clear-minded, certainty in the Dharma arises.
Resorting to secluded places
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

4) Long-associated companions will part from each other. Wealth and
possessions obtained with effort will be left behind.
Consciousness, the guest, will cast aside the guesthouse of the body.
Letting go of this life
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

5) When [evil companions] are associated with, the three poisons increase,
the activities of listening, pondering and meditation decline,
and love and compassion are extinguished.
Abandoning evil companions
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

6) When [sublime spiritual friends] are relied upon,
one’s faults are exhausted
and one’s qualities increase like the waxing moon.
Cherishing sublime spiritual
friends even more than one’s own body
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

7) What worldly god, himself also bound in the prison of cyclic existence,
is able to protect others? Therefore, when refuge is sought,
taking refuge in the undeceiving Triple Gem
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

8) The Subduer said that all the unbearable suffering
of the three lower realms
is the fruition of wrongdoing.
Therefore, never committing negative deeds,
even at peril to one’s life,
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

9) The pleasure of the triple world, like a dewdrop
on the tip of a blade of grass,
is imperiled in a single moment.
Striving for the supreme state of neverchanging liberation
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

10) When mothers who have been kind to one since beginningless time
are suffering, what is the use of one’s own happiness?
Therefore, generating the
mind of enlightenment in order to liberate limitless sentient beings
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

11) All suffering without exception comes from
wishing for one’s own happiness.
The perfect buddhas arise from the altruistic mind.
Therefore, completely exchanging one’s own happiness
for the suffering of others
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

12) Even if others, influenced by great desire,
steal all one’s wealth or have it stolen,
dedicating to them one’s body, possessions and virtues
[accumulated in] the three times
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

13) Even if others cut off one’s head when one is utterly blameless,
taking upon oneself all their negative deeds by the power of compassion
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

14) Even if someone broadcasts throughout the billion worlds
all sorts of offensive remarks about one,
speaking in turn of that person’s qualities with a loving mind
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

15) Even if, in the midst of a public gathering,
someone exposes faults and speaks ill of one,
humbly paying homage to that person,
perceiving him as a spiritual friend,
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

16) Even if someone for whom one has cared as lovingly as his own child
regards one as an enemy,
to cherish that person as dearly as a mother does an ailing child
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

17) Even if, influenced by pride,
an equal or inferior person treats one with contempt,
respectfully placing him like a guru at the crown of one’s head
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

18) Though one may have an impoverished life,
always be disparaged by others,
afflicted by dangerous illness and evil spirits,
to be without discouragement and
to take upon oneself all the misdeeds and suffering of beings
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

19) Though one may be famous and revered by many people
or gain wealth like that of Vaishravana,
having realized that worldly fortune is without essence, to be unconceited
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

20) If outer foes are destroyed
while not subduing the enemy of one’s own hatred,
enemies will only increase.
Therefore, subduing one’s own mind with
the army of love and compassion
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

21) However much sense pleasures are enjoyed,
as [when drinking] salt water, craving still increases.
Immediately abandoning whatever things give rise to clinging and attachment
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

22) Appearances are one’s own mind.
From the beginning, mind’s nature is free
from the extremes of elaboration.
Knowing this, not to engage the mind in subject-object duality
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

23) When encountering pleasing sense objects,
though they appear beautiful like a rainbow in summertime,
not to regard them as real and to abandon clinging attachment
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

24) Diverse sufferings are like the death of a child in a dream.
By apprehending illusory appearances as real, one becomes weary.
Therefore, when encountering disagreeable circumstances,
viewing them as illusory
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

25) If it is necessary to give away even one’s body
while aspiring to enlightenment,
what need is there to mention external objects?
Therefore, practicing generosity without hope of reciprocation
or [positive] karmic results
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

26) If, lacking ethical conduct, one fails to achieve one’s own purpose,
the wish to accomplish others’ purpose is laughable.
Therefore, guarding ethics devoid of
aspirations for worldly existence
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

27) To bodhisattvas who desire the wealth of virtue,
all those who do harm are like a precious treasure.
Therefore, cultivating patience devoid of hostility
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

28) Even hearers and solitary realizers,
who accomplish only their own welfare,
strive as if putting out a fire on their heads.
Seeing this,
taking up diligent effort – the source of good qualities
– for the sake of all beings
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

29) Having understood that disturbing emotions
are destroyed by insight possessed with tranquil abiding,
to cultivate meditative concentration that
perfectly transcends the four formless [absorptions]
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

30) If one lacks wisdom, it is impossible to
attain perfect enlightenment through the [other] five perfections.
Thus, cultivating skillful means with the wisdom
that does not discriminate among the three spheres
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

31) If, having [merely] the appearance of a practitioner,
one does not investigate one’s own mistakes,
it is possible to act contrary to the Dharma.
Therefore, constantly examining one’s own errors and abandoning them
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

32) If, influenced by disturbing emotions,
one points out another bodhisattva’s faults, oneself is diminished.
Therefore, not speaking about the faults of those
who have entered the Great Vehicle
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

33) Because the influence of gain and respect causes quarreling and
the decline of the activities of listening, pondering and meditation,
to abandon attachment to the households of friends, relations and benefactors
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

34) Because harsh words disturb others’ minds and
cause the bodhisattva’s conduct to deteriorate,
abandoning harsh speech that is unpleasant to others
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

35) When disturbing emotions are habituated,
it is difficult to overcome them with antidotes.
By arming oneself with the antidotal weapon of mindfulness,
to destroy disturbing emotions such as desire the moment they first arise
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

36) In brief, whatever conduct one engages in, one should ask,
“What is the state of my mind?”
Accomplishing others’ purpose through constantly
maintaining mindfulness and awareness
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

37) In order to clear away the suffering of limitless beings,
through the wisdom [realizing] the purity of the three spheres,
to dedicate the virtue attained by making such effort for enlightenment
is the bodhisattvas’ practice.

Following the speech of the Sublime Ones
on the meaning of the sutras, tantras and their commentaries,
I have written The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas
for those who wish to train on the bodhisattvas’ path.

Due to my inferior intellect and poor learning,
this is not poetry that will please scholars,
yet as I have relied upon the sutras and the speech of the Sublime Ones,
I think the bodhisattva practices are not mistaken.

However, because it is difficult for one of inferior intellect like myself
to fathom the depth of the great deeds of bodhisattvas,
I beseech the Sublime Ones to forbear my errors
such as contradictions and incoherent reasoning.

By the virtue arising from this may all migrators become,
through excellent conventional and ultimate bodhicitta,
like the Protector Chenrezig who does not
abide in the extremes of existence or peace.
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- Whole text can be found here -
- Chinese version and its teachings by H.E. Garchen Rinpoche -