632 Chapter 5: The Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum Segment DK.A.E.9 : The segment begins (DK.A.E 47b ) : /lbyang chub tu sems bskyed pa 'i ngo bo nyid nil It ends (DK.A E b ) with the colophon : /dam chos yid bzhin gyi nor bu thar pa rin po che 'i rgyan las! byang chub kyi sems yangs su gzung ba 'i le 'u ste/ dgu pa 'o// 308 The ninth segment continues the teaching on the general topic of engendering and cultivating the resolve for Awakening (sems bskyed, *cittotpiida) While the preceeding chapter laid out the necessary basis (rten, *iidhiira) that consisted in the individual possessing the Mahayana predisposition, taking refuge, and upholding the outer Priitimok�a vows of a monastic or lay practitioner, the present chapter enters into an exten sive explanation of the actual resolve for Awakening (byang chub tu sems, *bodhicitta) and its initial creation in the practitioner in the form of the ritual for receiving the bodhisattva vow From among the twelve headings c overing the text's teaching on bodhicitta listed at the outset of chapter 8, the ninth chapter covers points two to eleven, including: the nature of bodhicitta , its divisions, foci , motive, the source for receiving it, the ritual, its benefits, the faults involved in losing it, the causes for losing it, and the methods for restoring it The form or nature (ngo bo, *svari'ipa) of the resolve for Awakening is defined as, " the wish to attain complete and perfect Awakening in order to benefit others " (gzhan gyi don du yang dag par rdzogs pa 'i byang chub 'dad pa) This definition is derived from the Indian Abhisamayiilm?1kiira treatise The divisions (dbye ba, *bheda) of bodhicitta are laid out in three different models The first model presents bodhicitta via twenty-two similes (dpe 'i sgo nas dbye ba) taught in the Abhisamayiilary1kiira The similes are arranged in the progressive steps of the five paths (lam lnga) The second model is based on a distinction of four stages (sa mtshams kyi sgo nas dbye ba) of bodhicitta cultivation taught in the Mahiiyiinasiitriilm?1kiira, including ascertainment (mos pa) , exalted conviction (!hag pa 'i bsam pa), a mature stage ( rnam par smin pa), and the stage of buddhahood where the hindrances have been fully eliminated (sgrib pa spangs pa) These steps follow the doctrine of the Yogaciirii treatises, starting with the Bodhisattvabhilmi The third model is a twofold division according to defining characteristics (mtshan nyid kyi sgo nas dbye ba), namely into the ultimate bodhicitta (don dam byang chub kyi sems) and the relative bodhicitta (kun rdzob byang chub kyi sems) These two forms of bodhicitta are here presented with reference to the Sary1dhinirmocana sutra and the Mahiiyiinasutriilary1kiira Having defined the ultimate bodhicitta in brief, the chapter moves into an extensive teaching on the relative bodhicitta It is stated that the relative bodhicitta consists of two aspects , the aspiring bodhicitta (smon pa 'i sems) and the applied bodhicitta ( 'jug pa 'i sems) Differing interpretations of these two aspects are briefly discussed comparatively between the Indian tradition of Nagarjuna and S antideva said to 130 Correlated passages : DK.a.Ka-Thar-rgyan 44b4-59b , DK.B E.9 47b -63b , DK.D Nyi.9.49ar 65ai, DK.S Nyi ar l 4b , and DK.T.Nyi 48n-64n, NGMPP microfilm L l 50/5 folios J b4-55b2, Rtsib ri 'i par ma vol Ka (W20749- 264) folios 80a - 07b4, the Rumtek xylograph folios 67b 1-89b s, the Punakha xylograph (W l KG3 80) folios l b - l b i , TBRC xylograph (W l CZ 1 3) folios 47a163as, and the Si khron mi rigs dpe skrun khang book (Chengdu, 989) pp 34- 7 English translations : GUENTHER ( 95 : 1 2- ) , GYALTSEN & CHODRON ( 99 : 47- 72) Chapter : The Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum 633 stem from the bodhisattva Mafijusrl and the Indian tradition of Asaliga and Ati5a's Indonesian teacher Dharmakfrti (Gser gling pa) said to hail from the bodhisattva Maitreya Next, the chapter analyzes the resolve's foci (dmigs pa, *iilambana) These include Awakening (byang chub, *bodhi) as well as benefit for sentient beings (sems can gyi don , *sattviirtha) The segment here draws its explanations mainly from the Bodhisattvabhilmi and the Mahiiyiinasiltriilm11kiira Regarding the motive (rgyu, *nimitta) for engendering the resolve for Awakening, reference is made to the Dafabhilm ikasittra and the Bodhisattvabhilln i, citing such reasons as having faith in the B uddha, seeing how sentient beings suffer, and feeling inspired by spiritual teachers The source for receiving the bodhisattva vow (blang yul) is said primarily to be a spiri tual teacher (slob dpon, *iiciirya) The aspiring bodhisattva should go and meet a good teacher in order to obtain the vow, even if the journey might be long and arduous The qualities of an authentic teacher are briefly defined If, however, the travel to meet the teacher in person is too dangerous for the practitioner' s life or chastity, the segment als o explains how it alternatively may be possible t o receive the bodhisattva v o w i n virtual form simply in front of a B uddha image or by visualizing buddhas and bodhisattvas In these matters, the chapter draws on Ati5a's Bodhipathapradlpa, the Bodhisattvabh itmi, and S anti deva's Sik�iisam uccaya Thereupon, the segment moves into a comprehensive explanation of the ritual (cha ga, *vidhi) by which the practitioner obtains the bodhisattva vow and thereby ritually engen ders the resolve for Awakening The chapter explains in detail the two main ritual traditions for this ceremony that are used in Tibet, namely the tradition of Mafijusrl-Nagarj un a S antideva and the tradition of Maitreya-Asaliga-Gser gling pa (the Indonesian Dharmakirti of Suvarl).advlpa) 30 The ritual steps of each tradition are laid out in detail, with inclusion of several underlying theoretical points concerning worship, the weight of negative actions, purification, and other issues pertinent to the ritual step s The benefits (phan yon, *anufa1!1sa) o f engendering the resolve for Awakening are listed in the form of those that are countable and those that are uncountable The segment here describes how excellent a person the practitioner becomes by developing this lofty ideal Thereupon, the downsides (nyes pa, *do:ja) of losing this resolve once it has been engendered are stated, given that such loss leads to negative rebirths, failure in benefiting others, and defeat in the attempt to attain high spiritual levels The last part of the chapter lays out the mistakes that may cause the practitioner to lose the resolve ( 'char rgyu) , either by excluding any sentient being from the spiritual aspiration, forsaking the training, or by committing highly negative actions that cause harm to other s Further, the chapter teaches the method that the practitioner must apply t o restore the bodhisattva vow in case the resolve has been weakened or lost (bcos thabs, *vifodhano piiya) This is simply done by retaking the bodhisattva vow in the same manner as it was 309 The former tradition denotes a ritual that is derived from S antideva's Sik0asamuccaya and Bodhicaryavatara, while the latter tradition is b ased on the Bodhisattvabhilmi 634 Chapter : The Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum previously done The chapter ends with a colophon (cited in Tibetan above): " [This was] the ninth chapter in The Wish-Fulfill i ng Gem of the True Teaching Adorning the Precious Liberation , on adopting the resolve for Awakening " The topic o f engendering the resolve for Awakening (sems bskyed, *cittotpiida) i s certainly a key instruction throughout the Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum, because there are countless segments that in passing stress the importance of engendering bodhicitta Nevertheless, it is conspicuous that there is no other segment in the corpus that contains really comprehensive teachings on bodhicitta, its formation, and ritual 1 Segment DKA.E : The segment begins (DK.A.E 63bs) : llbyang chub t u se1ns bskyed nas kyi bslab bya ni gnyis tel It ends (DK.A.E 67 a2 ) with the colophon : /dam chos yid bzhin gyi nor bu thar pa rin po che 'i rgyan las/ smon pa byang chub tu sems bskyed pa 'i bslab bya bstan pa 'i le 'u ste/ bcu pa 'o// With the tenth segment commences the text's extensive explanation on the final point in the teachings on engendering the resolve for Awakening, namely the training (bslab bya, *sik�itavya) needed for cultivating bodhicitta This point constitutes the twelfth heading from among the twelve headings listed in the uddiina verse at the beginning of chapter eight The instructions on the training are covered in segments to The tenth segment describes i n brief the issues involved in forming the aspiring aspect (smon pa 'i sems) of the relative bodhicitta (kun rdzob byang chub kyi sems, *sm7ivrtti bodhicitta) An outline verse (sdom, *uddiina) at the beginning of the chapter enumerates five aspects of the aspiring bodhicitta The first aspect is that the aspiring bodh isattva should avoid excluding any sentient being from his or her resolve to attain Awakening (sems can blos mi btang ba) It is explained that such an all-inclusive attitude of complete impartiality is the method needed to avoid losing the bodhicitta ideal Following a scriptural quotation and explanation, the segment clarifies that if the aspiring bodhisattva mentally excludes any sentient being from Some of the many segments that mention bodhicitta in a variety of contexts include: DK.A.Nga I , DK.A.Ca , DK.A.Ca.6, DK.A.Ca , DK.A.Ca.9, DK.A.Ca , DK.A.Cha.7 , DK.A.Cha , DK.A Cha , DK.A Cha.27 , DK.A.Cha.29, DK.A.Ja , DK.A.Ja.7, DK.A.Ja.9, DK.A.Ja 0, DK.A.Ja 2, DK.A.Ja , DK.A.Nya.2, DK.A.Tha.9, DK.A.Tha , DK.A.Tha 4, DK.A.Tha , DK.A.Tha , DK.A.Da.7, DK.A.Dza l , DK.A.Dza 0, DK.A.Ra.6, DK.A.La.3 , DK.A.La , DK.A S a , DK.A.Sa 2, DK.A.A , DK.A.A , DK.A.Ki , DK.A.Khi 4, DK.A.Khi 1 , DK.A Gi.2, and DK.A.Chi I 1 The only three segments in the corpus apart from the present chapter, which give brief instructions on how to generate bodh icitta, are : DK.A.Ja l , DK.A.Ja.4, and DK.A.Nya None of them, however, provides the kind of detail found here in the ninth chapter of the Dags po thar rgyan 1312 DK.B E 63bs-67a2, Correlated p assage s : DK a.Ka-Thar-rgyan 9br63b , DK.D.Nyi 0.65a -68b , DK S Nyi 1 4b - 20b2, and DK.T.Nyi 64n-67b , NGMPP microfilm L l 50/5 folios 55b3- a1, Rtsib ri 'i par ma vol Ka (W20749- 264) folios 07b+- 1 3bi, the Rumtek xylograph folios 9b -94a6 , the Punakha xylograph (W l KG3 680) folios lb -85h TBRC xylograph (W CZ 1 3) folios as-66b3, and the Si khron mi rigs dpe skrun khang book (Chengdu, 989) pp 8- 87 English translation s : GUENTHER ( 95 : 42- 47), GYALTSEN & CHODRON ( 99 : 73- 77) Chapter : The Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum 635 his overall motivation to liberate all sentient beings from sm?isiira, the bodhisattva needs to remedy this idealistic downfall within an hour Otherwise, he will not only have weakened but will have fully lost the bodhisattva vow It is also explained that one i s sue at hand here is the problem that the practitioner may decide to give up the aspiration to reach Awake ning for the sake of liberating others and may instead decide to follow the B uddhist paths of friivakas and pratyekabuddhas which only result in personal liberation for the practitioner himself without leading to ensuing Awakened activities aimed at liberating others The problem at hand also pertains to committing actions that bring serious harm to other beings, which likewise undermines and violates the bodhisattva's good intention to benefit others The second aspect is to keep in mind the benefits and spiritual developments that are produced by upholding the bodhicitta motivation (sems de 'i phan yon dran bya) It is stated that such recollection is the method needed to avoid weakening the bodh icitta ideal The segment refers to a scriptural refe rence given in Atifa's Bodhipathapradfpa, where it is said that the Ga1:1i;favyuhasiitra presents the many benefits obtained by engendering the resolve for Awakening The segment then sums up the Siitra's teaching in 30 similes by categori zing them under four general headings The segment recommends the practitioner to perform such recollection practices continuously in connection with the regular meditation sessions The third aspect is to gather the two requisites (tshogs gnyis bsags par bya ba, *saf!ibhiirasmJibhrta), i e , the accumulation of beneficence (bsod nams, *punya) and knowledge (ye shes, *jniina ) This is the method needed to strengthen the bodhicitta ideal The principles of these accumulations are briefly explained with reference to the ten Dhar ma practices ( chos spyod bcu ) , 3 the four bases for gathering [disciples] ( bsdu ba 'i dngos po bzh i, *catuJ:tsm?igrahavastu), and the insight purifying the three elements of subj ect, object, and action ( 'khor gsum yangs dag tu shes pa) The fourth aspect is to train in bodhicitta repeatedly (yang yang byang sems sbyang ba), which is said to be the method needed to increase the bodhicitta ideal This involves 3 The ten Dharma practices (chos spyod bcu, dafodhii dharmacaritam) include : ( ) transcri bing the teachings (lekhanii, yi ge 'bri) , (2) making offerings (piijanii, mchod') , (3) practicing genero sity (diina, sbyin pa) , (4) listening to the teachings (§rava�ia, nyan), (5) reading them (viicana, klog), memorizing and internalizing them (udgraha, len pa), teaching them [to others] (prakiifanii, 'chad') , reciting them (sviidhyiiya, kha ton byed pa), contemplating and understanding them (cintanii, sems pa) , and cultivating them through meditation (bhiivanii, sgom pa) This well-known set of practices is, for example, taught in the fifth chapter of the Indian Yogiiciira treatise Madhyiin tavibhiiga (Dbus dang mtha ' rnam par 'byed pa) in the following verse lines (NAGAO, 964 : , verses V 8cd- 0ab) : saf!!y uktii dha rmacaritai[1 sii jiieyii da§abhi(1 puna(1 II V !/lekhanii pfij anii diinG1!1 §rava�W'!1 viica nodgraha(i I prakiifoniitha sviidhyiiya§ cintanii bhiivanii ca tat II V II ameyapui:zyaskandhm,n hi caritan tad dasiitmakaJ?1 I (Sanskrit text based on the electronic Gretil edition) D402 44a4_5 : de ni chos spyod rnam bcu dang/ !yang dag ldan par shes par bya/ !yi ge 'bri mchod sbyin pa dang/ /nyan dang klog dang !en pa dang/ !'chad dang kha ton byed pa dang! Ide sems pa dang sgom pa 'o/ /spyod pa de bcu 'i bdag nyid nil /bsod nams phung po dpag tu med/ See fn 294 636 Chapter : The Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum training in the causes for the resolve by cultivating friendliness and compassion (hymns pa dang snying rje) , training in the actual resolve by again and again wishing to attain buddhahood for the benefit of sentient beings , and training in the conduct that goes with the resolve by repeatedly dedicating all accumulated beneficence for the welfare of others and forming a firm decision to uphold the discipline of a bodhisattva The fifth aspect i s to decide always to avoid four negative actions and always to em brace four positive actions (dkar nag chos brgyad blang dor) , which are the methods needed to avoid forgetting the bodhicitta ideal B ased on the Kasyapaparivartasiltra, the segment lays out the four negative actions : to be deceitful towards spiritual teachers and others worthy of respect, to cause regret in others where no regret is due, to speak nega tively to a bodhisattva out of anger or dislike, and to act in deceitful ways towards sentient beings The four positive actions to be adopted are never knowingly to tell lies even if it is done in order to save oneself, to guide sentient beings to wholesome actions in general and to embrace the wholesome actions of the Mahayana in particular, to regard a bodhi sattva who has properly engendered the resolve for Awakening to be a spiritual teacher like the B uddha and everywhere to speak positively about this person's good qualities, and to uphold an exalted attitude towards all sentient beings while being completely without deceit The segment explains these actions in some detail It ends with a colophon (cited in Tibetan above): " [This was] the tenth chapter in The Wish-Fulfilling Gem of the True Teaching Adorning the Precious Liberation, on training in the aspiring resolve for Awakening " Detailed instruction on the topic of training in the bodhicitta of aspiration i s not found elsewhere in the Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum corpus While - as mentioned above - there are seve ral passages that refer to the importance of cultivating bodhicitta in general and a few sec tions that give brief instructions on how to meditate on all sentient beings in order to cultivate friendlines s and compassion, none of those segments speaks specifically about training in the aspiring bodhicitta (smon pa 'i sems) Segment DK.A.E 1 : The segment begins (DK.A.E l l 67a3 ) : jug p a byang chub tu sems bskyed pa 'i bslab bya ni rnam pa gs um yin tel It ends (DK.A.E l l 68b6 ) with the colophon: /dam chos yid bzhin gyi nor bu thar pa rin po che 'i rgyan las/ pha rol du phyin pa drug gi rnam bzhag bstan pa 'i le 'u ste bcu gcig pa 'o// The eleventh segment is a brief chapter that introduces the bodhisattva's training (bslab bya, *§ik�itavya) in the applied bodhicitta ( jug pa byang chub tu sems bskyed pa 'i bslab bya) The training is first subsumed under the three trainings (bslab pa gsum, *tisraf1 sik�ii(1) which are commonly taught in all the B uddhist approaches, namely the training in higher discipline (lhag pa tshul khrims, *adhislla), higher mind (lhag pa sons, *adhicitta), and 15 DK.B E l 67ar68b6' Correlated passage s : DK.a Ka-Thar-rgyan 63b -64a , DK.D.Nyi l l 68b -70h DK S Nyi 1 20b2- l 23h and DK.T.Nyi l 67b-69b , NGMPP microfilm L l 50/5 folios ar 9h Rtsib ri 'i par ma vol Ka (W20749- 264) folios l 3br l 6b2, the Rumtek xylograph folios 94a6 -96b6, the Punakha xylograph (W I KG3 680) folios 85b3-87bs, TBRC xylograph (W CZ 1 3) folios 66b3-68a7 , and the Si khron mi rigs dpe skrun khang book (Chengdu , 989) pp 8- 93 English translations : GUENTHER ( 95 : 48- ) , GYALTSEN & CHODRON ( 99 : 79- 82) ... , DK .A. Ca , DK .A. Ca.6, DK .A. Ca , DK .A. Ca.9, DK .A. Ca , DK .A. Cha.7 , DK .A. Cha , DK .A Cha , DK .A Cha.27 , DK .A. Cha.29, DK .A. Ja , DK .A. Ja.7, DK .A. Ja.9, DK .A. Ja 0, DK .A. Ja 2, DK .A. Ja , DK .A. Nya.2,... DK .A. Tha.9, DK .A. Tha , DK .A. Tha 4, DK .A. Tha , DK .A. Tha , DK .A. Da.7, DK .A. Dza l , DK .A. Dza 0, DK .A. Ra.6, DK .A. La.3 , DK .A. La , DK .A S a , DK .A. Sa 2, DK .A. A , DK .A. A , DK .A. Ki , DK .A. Khi 4, DK .A. Khi...Chapter : The Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum 633 stem from the bodhisattva Mafijusrl and the Indian tradition of Asaliga and Ati 5a' s Indonesian teacher Dharmakfrti (Gser gling pa) said to hail from the