To practice Buddhism is to take it seriously—and that means being willing to accept small losses. Many years ago, a group of Dharma friends from Guangzhou came to ask me how to practice Buddhism. I replied, “It's quite simple: start by accepting small disadvantages, move on to accepting major losses, and eventually you will find that there is no loss left to bear.” After speaking, I was secretly feeling rather pleased with myself, believing I had shared an extraordinarily subtle pith instruction—only to find that I had scared them all away.
No one enjoys being at a disadvantage. Yet cultivating bodhicitta demands precisely this of us, because in reality there is truly no loss that can ever be taken. You cannot appreciate this right now because once the solid split between self and other takes hold, the illusion of loss inevitably arises. But as self-grasping gradually dissolves, where can loss be found? Everything is the play of Dharmatā; everywhere is the Great Perfection (Dzogchen). Search as you may, you will not find a single thing that can truly be called a “loss.”
When contemplating conceptual bodhicitta, we must not rest satisfied with merely understanding the literal definitions. Falling into the trap of purely conceptual Bodhicitta leads to thinking that once you comprehend the words, you can go and preach to others. Bodhicitta is not meant merely to be lectured about; it is meant to hold ourselves accountable and bring about a genuine transformation of the heart.
A Bodhisattva is worthy of the deepest veneration from both gods and humans. The Buddha once taught that even if five hundred Arhats were to ask him to do something, he might not necessarily comply; but if someone who has heard of Bodhicitta conceives a deep, unwavering conviction in it, he would willingly stretch out his neck to pull a cart for them.
The Buddha praised bodhicitta in such extraordinary terms. Likewise, those who have studied The Root Verses on the Middle Way (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā) know that when Nāgārjuna begins his exposition of this treatise, the very first homage he paid was to great compassion (mahākaruṇā).
The moment authentic Bodhicitta arises within you, you are a Bodhisattva. Self-cherishing diminishes, and the heart becomes remarkably spacious and tender. As your mental capacity expands, anger and jealousy dissolve, and wisdom naturally deepens. Bodhicitta also makes Dharma joy arise with remarkable ease. Sometimes, with only a single moment of focused attention, Dharma joy appears. In fact, even without concentrating, simply relaxing naturally will fill your entire being with bliss. These are virtues that inevitably blossom when Bodhicitta is aroused. Even afflictions and suffering become supportive conditions for practice, rather than objects of fear.
It is not only emptiness that can accomplish 'afflictions are themselves Bodhi'; Powerful bodhicitta can achieve the exact same result. But if we never put it into practice, there is no remedy. We will simply continue deceiving ourselves. After all, to samsara, one more or one less makes no difference. Yet if you truly wish for liberation, you must take this to heart.
When, through a period of sustained Bodhicitta conditioning, our conceptual understanding has become fully integrated with the mind, suffering will naturally falls away. No longer will you be trapped in regret over the past or anxiety about the future, nor will you be consumed by worries over gain and loss.
In truth, anxieties like 'What if I grow old? What if I run out of money? What if I cannot find a partner?' all revolve around the gains and losses of 'I,' keeping the mind trapped in endless entanglement. But once a person gives rise to Bodhicitta, this disappears entirely. Their every thought is dedicated to the happiness of others—just as the Karmapa famously said: “If you are happy, then I am happy.”
—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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