A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life by Shantideva [10]

Homage to Śāntideva

Throughout all your lives, you took the protector Mañjuśrī,
As the lord of your buddha family, and for the sake of all,
Illuminated the excellent path of the bodhisattva’s way of life,
To Śāntideva, heir of the sugatas, I pay homage!

Khenpo Sherab Sangpo, a professor of Tibetan Buddhism in the Nyingma Lineage (bodhicittasangha.org), offered teachings on "A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life" by Shantideva. This text provides profound guidance on how to train the mind in generating bodhicitta and practicing the six pāramitās of generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and the wisdom of emptiness (śūnyatā). The first five transcendent perfections correspond to the accumulation of the merit of skillful means (compassion) and the sixth to the accumulation of wisdom. These trainings in cultivating bodhicitta and the six pāramitās are the heart practices of the bodhisattvas on the Mahāyāna path of enlightenment.

See the study resources for this class series on our BodhiHeart Blog: https://www.bodhicittasangha.org/shan....

These are the verses that Khenpo Sherab Sangpo taught on January 20, 2024:

Verse 31
Even if one who repays kindness
is worthy of some praise.
Then what need is there to mention the bodhisattvas
who engage in excellent activities without being asked?

Verse 32
There are those who offer food to a few people—
and only give food once with disrespect—
to bring nourishment for merely half a day.
Yet such people are honored by the world as virtuous.

Verse 33
What need is there to speak of the continuous generosity
offered to limitless sentient beings over a long period of time
that perfectly fulfills all their wishes
of gaining the unsurpassable bliss of buddhahood.

Verse 34
The buddha said if someone gives rise to harmful intent
toward the benefactor bodhisattva—
then for as many times as they give rise to harmful intent,
they will remain for kalpas in the hell realm.

Verse 35
On the other hand, if someone has a mind of utterly clear faith,
the fruition of that will increase even more than this evil thought.
Even though bodhisattvas have great challenges, they do not perform harmful actions.
Instead, their virtues naturally increase.

Verse 36
I prostrate to the body of that noble being—
the one who has given rise to this supreme and precious mind.
I take refuge in those great sources of joy
who bring happiness even to those who harm them.

From “Entering the Way of the Bodhisattvas,” this is the first chapter known as “An Explanation of the Benefits of Bodhicitta."