All Dharma practice is fundamentally for the cultivation of the mind, and it begins with a choice: to become a Buddha for the benefit of all sentient beings. This is the vow of spiritual practice—the choice you consciously make. From that point onward, you need begin to experience this choice; what follows is the practice itself as lived experience.
You must pass through these experiences to actualize that choice. Otherwise, the choice remains merely conceptual—a kind of self-deceptive wish. In that case, the so-called great vow is nothing more than words spoken lightly, something not truly upheld in our heart. Such a choice cannot be called genuine.
Once a choice has been made, we should strive tirelessly to bring it to fruition. Firstly, we must not forget our vow. If, in the course of taking action, we lose sight of this vow, then the direction of our actions will deviate. As a result, practice will yield little effect, and in the end, we will fail to realize what was originally chosen.
Making a true choice is actually very difficult; it requires extensive study. Yet we often make choices very rashly. Why do I say “rashly”? Because we do not truly understand what we are choosing. We only have a vague sense that “this choice will be beneficial.” For example, we may be carried along by those around us: “You should generate Bodhicitta. Once you have the rice grains, why worry about the rice stalks?” (Here, the rice grains symbolize Bodhicitta, while the rice stalks symbolize personal gain.)
In reality, however, you may not have truly apprehended or acted in accordance with the true meaning contained in the vow “to become a Buddha for the benefit of all sentient beings.” Instead, you may simply have been influenced by others’ rhetoric and packaging, believing that such a choice will bring worldly rewards—that you will have “Money, fame, and girls”
Deep down, then, what is actually being chosen is still worldly benefit.
But that’s okay. At the beginning, such a vow, as it is initially chosen, may appear to be merely nominal and conceptual — a pseudo-choice. Yet it still has its value, for it serves as a direct link to the auspicious fruition behind the genuine choice. Through this connection, we come into contact with those who truly understand and embody the meaning of that choice. Under their guidance, the false altruism we initially contrived —rooted in self-grasping—can gradually be transformed into genuine altruism, in which understanding and action are fully integrated. This process of transformation gradually brings the choice closer to fruition, even though it is a long and often painful journey.
During this process, we also began to clearly understand the true implications of the choices we have made . In fact, the entire Tripiṭaka—the three collections of the Buddhist teachings—is devoted to explaining this very process. What explains this system of Buddhist understanding is called view or insight; what realizes this systematic view through bodily and mental conduct is called practice; and when it is fully embodied and actualized, it becomes what is called the fruition of practice, or attainment, fully aligned with the vow we have chosen.
For example, why are we now practicing the Guru Rinpoche mantra together? Is it for rewards or blessings? Certainly not. It is to fulfill our fundamental choice. Any rewards that arise are merely incidental. Most importantly, we rely on collective mantra recitation to actualize our deepest vow. As Mahāyāna practitioners, the great vow we uphold is: “to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.” These words may appear simple, yet the meaning they encompass is vast and profound beyond measure.
When we first begin to practice, can we truly act in complete accordance with this vow, without any compromise? Almost no one can. But that is perfectly fine. At the beginning, you know that you are being insincere; I know that you are being insincere; and you know that I know you are being insincere. And yet—it truly does not matter. Over time, through practice and experience, our altruistic hearts will gradually become genuine.
