A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night: A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of LifeCompassion is the guiding principle of the bodhisattvas, those who vow to attain enlightenment in order to liberate all sentient beings from the suffering and confusion of imperfect existence. To this end, they must renounce all self-centered goals and consider only the well-being of others. The bodhisattvas' enemies are the ego, passion, and hatred; their weapons are generosity, patience, perseverance, and wisdom. In Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama is considered to be a living embodiment of this spiritual ideal. His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama presents here a detailed manual of practical philosophy, based on The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicharyavatara), a well-known text of Mahayana Buddhism written by Shantideva. The Dalai Lama explains and amplifies the text, alluding throughout to the experience of daily life and showing how anyone can develop bodhichitta, the wish for perfect enlightenment for the sake of others. This book will surely become a standard manual for all those who wish to make the bodhisattva ideal a living experience. |
Contents
The Way of the Bodhisattva | 1 |
The Benefits of Bodhichitta | 9 |
Offering and Purification | 20 |
Copyright | |
7 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
able absolute truth accumulate merit accumulate positive actions anger angry antidote arise aspects aspiration attachment attain enlightenment attitude avoid become benefit Bodhi Bodhicharyavatara bodhichitta body Buddha's teachings Buddhadharma Buddhahood Buddhist cause chapter Chögyam Trungpa compassion consciousness consider Dalai Lama develop Dharma dharmakaya discipline dispel enemies everything existence experience feel Four Noble Truths gain Gelug generosity happiness and suffering harm hatred human ignorance important kalpas karma Likewise Mahāyāna means meditative concentration mental calm mind Nāgārjuna nature negative actions negative emotions never Nyingma object obscurations oneself ordinary ourselves pain path Patrul Patrul Rinpoche perceive perfect phenomena pleasure praise Pratyekabuddhas primal substance qualities rebirth relative truth Rinpoche sake Samkhyas samsāra Shambhala Shantideva says Shravakas six pāramitās sorrow spiritual supreme Sutra Sūtras tantra things Thomas Cleary thoughts Three Jewels Tibet Tibetan Tibetan Buddhism tion tradition Translated true ultimate understanding Vehicle wisdom wish