How do I know I have enough bodhichitta?

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Pema Rigdzin
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Re: How do I know I have enough bodhichitta?

Post by Pema Rigdzin »

jewel123 wrote: Sun Jan 02, 2022 8:06 am I am just feeling that my Bodhichitta is not enough, thus I am violating some samayas.
The samaya doesn’t relate to how much bodhichitta you have—you either have the wish to attain enlightenment to bring all beings to liberation or your don’t.

The samaya is to never *give up* your bodhichitta. You would benefit from learning more about the samayas through studying something like Kongtrul’s “Buddhist Ethics” or Ngari Panchen’s “Ascertaining the Three Vows.”
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Re: How do I know I have enough bodhichitta?

Post by Pema Rigdzin »

jewel123 wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 10:17 am Thank you once again. I wrote once a post about being deeply dissatisfied with my work in the conservation of wildlife animals. I am thinking that maybe I don't have enough Bodhichitta to continue this work and be content. But if I don't do this work then I will be breaking samayas of love and kindness to animal beings and some human beings too?
The fact that questioning if you can go on is causing you so much anguish proves you haven’t given up love for those animals or bodhichitta. Until you attain at least the path of seeing—becoming an arya—your capability and endurance in working for others will be finite and that can only be helped so much. Compassion fatigue, exhaustion, developing one’s own psychological challenges, etc are real, and they must be addressed if you wish to continue your work. You must be honest with yourself about your limitations and show yourself some patience and compassion or you’ll soon be unable to do much for others.
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明安 Myoan
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Re: How do I know I have enough bodhichitta?

Post by 明安 Myoan »

I think it's also a good sign when you start looking to the Three Jewels for guidance in daily life, especially as you encounter inevitable problems.
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jewel123
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Re: How do I know I have enough bodhichitta?

Post by jewel123 »

Pema Rigdzin wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 10:35 pm
jewel123 wrote: Sun Jan 02, 2022 8:06 am I am just feeling that my Bodhichitta is not enough, thus I am violating some samayas.
The samaya doesn’t relate to how much bodhichitta you have—you either have the wish to attain enlightenment to bring all beings to liberation or your don’t.

The samaya is to never *give up* your bodhichitta. You would benefit from learning more about the samayas through studying something like Kongtrul’s “Buddhist Ethics” or Ngari Panchen’s “Ascertaining the Three Vows.”
Bingo. I think you captured it the best. My issue is that I understand the importance of Bodhichitta but I highly doubt that I actually have it...

Friends, I will look into all of the suggested texts and practices. Thank you so much for your support.
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Ayu
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Re: How do I know I have enough bodhichitta?

Post by Ayu »

I think, this article shows nicely, how generating bodhicitta is a longer process with several steps:

7-Part Bodhicitta: Mother Awareness, Kindness & Gratitude
Soma999
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Re: How do I know I have enough bodhichitta?

Post by Soma999 »

Bodhicitta grows with practice. It is like love. You set aspirations, do your best, and it will grow as you practice and integrate this intention with your life.

It is the intention to act for the welfare of all, or to awaken for the benefits of all being. It is the same.

The more you practice, the more it will grow.
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PadmaVonSamba
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Re: How do I know I have enough bodhichitta?

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

One can never develop enough bodhicitta
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
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climb-up
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Re: How do I know I have enough bodhichitta?

Post by climb-up »

jewel123 wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 10:17 am Thank you once again. I wrote once a post about being deeply dissatisfied with my work in the conservation of wildlife animals. I am thinking that maybe I don't have enough Bodhichitta to continue this work and be content. But if I don't do this work then I will be breaking samayas of love and kindness to animal beings and some human beings too?
What specifically did you find dissatisfying!
You’re allowed to feel like a place isn’t a good fit for you, or that you’d be better off somewhere else.

Helping sentiments beings on a relative is very very important, we should really do that. That being said, the best way to help all sentient beings (wildlife and everyone) is to become fully enlightened, so that you will have the capabilities to help beings and the omniscient wisdom to know precisely what they need for full liberation!

Do you can on a relative level, and definitely meditate on the four immeasurables and on tonglen and lojong; and then anything you CAN’T do …maintain your practice so that you can become a fully enlightened Buddha and do all of those things! :)
"Death's second name is 'omnipresent.' On the relative truth it seems we become separate. But on the absolute there is no separation." Lama Dawa
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Re: How do I know I have enough bodhichitta?

Post by Zhen Li »

The idea that bodhicitta is a thing that you accumulate and grow inside of you is wrongheaded.

Think of it as your true nature and orientation. If you simply have the cognitive intention to attain Buddhahood, you are orienting yourself towards that nature. It will take care of itself and the gravitational pull of saṃsāra will unravel naturally, thereafter, the "accumulation" might appear to be like a snowball growing as it is rolling down a hill, but in fact, nothing is being accumulated.

Also, be wary of identifying emotions with bodhicitta. Bodhicitta is not a saṃsāric phenomenon, though it may have worldly (positive) side effects.
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Ayu
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Re: How do I know I have enough bodhichitta?

Post by Ayu »

Zhen Li wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 3:13 am The idea that bodhicitta is a thing that you accumulate and grow inside of you is wrongheaded.

Think of it as your true nature and orientation. If you simply have the cognitive intention to attain Buddhahood, you are orienting yourself towards that nature. It will take care of itself and the gravitational pull of saṃsāra will unravel naturally, thereafter, the "accumulation" might appear to be like a snowball growing as it is rolling down a hill, but in fact, nothing is being accumulated.

Also, be wary of identifying emotions with bodhicitta. Bodhicitta is not a saṃsāric phenomenon, though it may have worldly (positive) side effects.
I agree.
It's just a definition from the opposite corner, but maybe it is better understandable for jewel123.

Especially it is very important to point out that we are not talking about emotions in the sense of having a feeling or not having a feeling.
(If we follow OP's idea of having enough Bodhicitta and breaking samaya:) Every person who is distanced to their up & down going emotions, who doesn't feel overflowing unconditional love all the time, would 'break their samaya' then? Something is being confused with a wrong assumption there.
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Zhen Li
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Re: How do I know I have enough bodhichitta?

Post by Zhen Li »

Ayu wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:10 pm Especially it is very important to point out that we are not talking about emotions in the sense of having a feeling or not having a feeling.
(If we follow OP's idea of having enough Bodhicitta and breaking samaya:) Every person who is distanced to their up & down going emotions, who doesn't feel overflowing unconditional love all the time, would 'break their samaya' then? Something is being confused with a wrong assumption there.
Exactly. If we think we need to be perfect and not have ups and downs, then we have no use for bodhicitta in the first place and we would already be awakened. But precisely because we do have ups and downs, and recognise them as ups and downs honestly, we have bodhicitta.

To accurately see our own faults, regret them, and orient ourselves towards buddhahood is precisely how the Nirvāṇa sūtra defines overcoming icchantika status.


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