Bodhicitta in the Lam Rim Chen Mo

[Konchog1]

In the last chapter of the Lam Rim Chen Mo, Lord Tsongkhapa says to develop experience in Bodhicitta and confirm it "with the rite" and then study the Bodhisattva deeds, what to discard and adopt, and to take the vow of engaged Bodhicitta.

So there are two separate Bodhisattva vows? One for Aspiring and one for Engaged? What deeds? What should be discarded and adopted?

Thank you.

[Malcolm]

In the last chapter of the Lam Rim Chen Mo, Lord Tsongkhapa says to develop experience in Bodhicitta and confirm it "with the rite" and then study the Bodhisattva deeds, what to discard and adopt, and to take the vow of engaged Bodhicitta.

So there are two separate Bodhisattva vows? One for Aspiring and one for Engaged? What deeds? What should be discarded and adopted?

Thank you.

This is an novel position of Tsongkhapa's. In general, in the other schools it is sufficient to take the bodhisattva vow in teh Madhyamaka tradition. But in Gelug, it is considered important to also supplement that with the Yogachara system.

N

[Tsongkhapafan]

Tsongkhapa is referring to the two stages of generating bodhichitta - first generating the mind of aspiring bodhichitta with a ritual prayer from Shantideva's Bodhisattvacharyavatara Chapter 3:

From this time forth until I become a Buddha,
I shall keep even at the cost of my life,
A mind wishing to attain complete enlightenment
To free all living beings from the fears of samsara and solitary peace.

and then striving to keep the eight precepts of maintaining bodhichitta ritually. Then, when desired, the Bodhisattva Vows can be taken and aspiring bodhichitta becomes engaging bodhichitta.

The bodhisattva deeds referred to are the six perfections of giving, moral discipline, patience, effort, mental stablisation and wisdom. What is to be abandoned is self-cherishing but in particular to make effort to avoid the eighteen root and forty six secondary downfalls of the Bodhisattva Vows. What is to be practised is the bodhisattva's way of life as explained by Shantideva in the Bodhisattvacharyavatara.

[Konchog1]

Tsongkhapa is referring to the two stages of generating bodhichitta - first generating the mind of aspiring bodhichitta with a ritual prayer from Shantideva's Bodhisattvacharyavatara Chapter 3:

From this time forth until I become a Buddha,
I shall keep even at the cost of my life,
A mind wishing to attain complete enlightenment
To free all living beings from the fears of samsara and solitary peace.

and then striving to keep the eight precepts of maintaining bodhichitta ritually. Then, when desired, the Bodhisattva Vows can be taken and aspiring bodhichitta becomes engaging bodhichitta.

The bodhisattva deeds referred to are the six perfections of giving, moral discipline, patience, effort, mental stablisation and wisdom. What is to be abandoned is self-cherishing but in particular to make effort to avoid the eighteen root and forty six secondary downfalls of the Bodhisattva Vows. What is to be practised is the bodhisattva's way of life as explained by Shantideva in the Bodhisattvacharyavatara.

[mudra]

In fact, within the Gelug system as derived from Jowo Atisha's presentation, often the generation of Bodhicitta is presented in three stages:

1. simple aspiration (no commitment but just a fervent wish)

2. aspiration with promise (12 precepts)

3. engaging vow (18 major downfalls, 46 secondary ones, three ethics=6paramitas)

This is reflected in Je Tsongkhapa's Lam Rim Chen Mo.