The Living Journal –The Tibetan Dorje And The Bell

His Holiness The 17th Karmapa, Karmapa Chenno, Karmapa Chenno

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Bodhichitta is the practice of the awakened mind. As human beings, we are self-centered and we work hard to earn a living for ourselves. We even pray only for our own benefit. However, when we possess Bodhichitta, or awakened mind of an enlightened being and our mind and will constantly consider the welfare of others including our enemies, strangers and those dearest to us.

Why Bodhichitta is important to us? These beings, who we now perceive to be strangers or opponents, could be our parents in our previous live as we undergo rebirth many times according to Buddhism. Just as we worry and feel troubled for our loved ones, so we should extend our feeling toward the others as well. 

I know it may seem and sound wildly unreasonable, illogical, or inappropriate; it’s easy to say than doing, just hard to imagine to extending your love and feels for your opponents who once betray you?

Tough, it is it? But that’s not true. Each one was born and has a mother and a father; for that reason, by practicing Bodhichitta, our practice is directed to reduce the sufferings of others. Some are suffering from mental illness, or from personal anguish or from religious manipulation. 

In the midst of grief and anger for those who suffer, can we not spare some compassion for those who have missed out on the life filled with grace and hope that religions had called all of us to live? I want to be very clear: I am not supporting or seeking to humanize of terrorism and violence . I am also not arguing for legal consequences of those actions.

By practicing Bodhichitta, an ordinary merit becomes extraordinary. Just as a drop of water by itself will evaporate quickly while one in an ocean will never run dry. Besides Bodhichitta, we also need to have skillful means and wisdom. The joining of skillful means and wisdom is traditionally symbolized by the Buddha of Vajrasattva, the method aspect of purifications with skillful means and wisdom.

In Vajrayana Buddhism, you can see the Buddha of Vajrasattva His right hand is holding a dorje that  represents skillful means and left hand is holding a bell that represents wisdom. The bell and dorje which symbolized wisdom and skillful method. 

Using these hand implements in your practice symbolizes the union of skillful means and wisdom. Like using the two hands to produce a sound. Skillful means encompasses rightful methods, compassion and Bodhichitta. If we do not have the implements of skillful ways of compassion and Bodhichitta, it is like a house without a door.

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the precious Buddha’s teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Nagarjuna's Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note

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