When bodhicitta is no longer merely a concept but has genuinely arisen within the mind, the heart naturally lets go of its entanglements, suffering, anxieties, and constant preoccupation with gain and loss. The qualities of a bodhisattva—gentleness, magnanimity, clarity, and wisdom—will gradually manifest within you. Of course, some bodhisattvas may at times even appear to behave harshly, yet what you do not know is that they may be bodhisattvas practicing through unconventional means.
Simply through the arising of bodhicitta, most of the noble qualities we admire will genuinely begin to manifest within our mental continuum (saṃtāna). This is the most precious treasure of Mahāyāna Buddhism and the one thing most worthy of our wholehearted pursuit.
One specific sign that genuine bodhicitta has arisen is the purity of one's motivation. Once you cultivate the habit of looking inward, you naturally begin examining your intentions at every moment. You will notice whether your actions of body, speech, and mind are in harmony; even when they are not, you will quickly recognize the discrepancy and correct it. This is what is meant by clear comprehension and mindfulness.
You will discover that once you generate genuinely authentic Bodhicitta, whatever you undertake unfolds with remarkable ease, as though blessed by divine forces. The moment genuine bodhicitta awakens within, the Dharma protectors (dharmapālas) naturally gather around you. Possessing the cognition of others' minds, they perceive that your altruistic motivation is completely pure and real, recognizing you as a future refuge for all sentient beings and an object worthy of boundless reverence. Consequently, your path proceeds with flawless harmony and grace.
Of course, this may sound rather mysterious. Yet when generating bodhicitta, we should never pursue such benefits deliberately. Paradoxically, it is precisely by not seeking them that they may naturally arise. Our responsibility is to ensure that whether we encounter favorable conditions or severe adversity, our Bodhicitta remains completely unshakable. Be it wealth or poverty, let wealth or poverty come as they will; if reduced to begging, then let us beg. Even if stricken by illness to the point of being covered in festering sores, lying in the street groaning and writhing in agony, it matters not in the least—so long as our pristine intention remains forever untarnished.
You may ask, “Isn't this just empty talk ?” At the very least, you must dare to think in this way. By thinking it over and over, it gradually becomes real. But if you do not even dare to think this way, then there is nothing that can be done.
This is precisely how the mind is trained. Those who happen to cultivate such an aspiration rarely end up covered with sores, whereas those who lack this mind often do. This is another paradox,but it is the truth. As His Holiness the Dharma King once said, “If you wish to benefit yourself in the long run, temporarily benefiting others is the key.” This is the law of karma.
As you continue practicing in this way, the merit will quickly emerge. At that point, you will discover that The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicaryāvatāra) never deceived you, and that Bodhisattva Śāntideva was truly extraordinary. There is no other secret instruction for generating bodhicitta than to repeatedly read, contemplate works such as The Way of the Bodhisattva and The Seven-Point Mind Training, and taking their teachings entirely to heart. Then continually observe your own mental continuum. Gradually, what was once conceptual will become genuine.
By observing yourself in this way, correcting your conduct within the community and purifying your motivation in practice, you may find that nothing more is required. Gradually, realization will come of itself. I say this with complete confidence because this teaching is well supported in the Buddhist scriptures. Many of the great accomplished masters of the Kadam (Skt. Kadampa) tradition cultivated nothing more than bodhicitta and ultimately attained realization.
You may imagine that the oral instructions of Dzogchen are exceedingly profound and complicated. But in fact, they are not. A few words suffice, and for someone whose mental continuum is mature, the meaning is immediately understood.
One must never deceive oneself, for self deception never leads to a good outcome. Beyond this, I have nothing further to add.
—Excerpted and compiled from Genuine Bodhicitta and Conceptual Bodhicitta.
This article is a preliminary translation draft and has not yet been reviewed or proofread by the speaker.
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