Bodhicitta
The bodhicitta ( bodhi : awakening; citta : heart-spirit) is the aspiration and engagement to reach the Éveil, or Bouddhéité, in order to bring all the sensitive beings to it, and thus to release them from the inherent suffering (Duhkha) to the cyclic existence (will samsāra). That which generates this motivation and which makes the formal wishes of them (pranidhāna) is called Bodhisattva, literally: to be of Awakening, often represented by hero for the Awakening, according to the connotations of pure and clear energy of the suffix - sattva . The bodhicitta and the bodhisattva, its corollary, are in the middle of the thought Bouddhiste, particularly in the Mahāyāna and the Vajrayāna; at such point that they justify name “bodhisattvayāna”, vehicle of the bodhisattva, often given to the mahāyāna. Current the Dalaï LAMA into known as: “ This spirit of Awakening transforms all the beneficial actions into true a Catalyseur allowing the emergence of the bouddheity. In the ocean of the practices which lead to the bouddheity, the bodhicitta acts like a tidal wave ”.
The aspiration and engagement
One recognizes first of all:- the bodhicitta of aspiration, by the practice of the Incommensurable Four (will brahmavihāras), or spiritualized loving feelings which are the compassion, the benevolence, the joy sympathizer and the equanimity. These feelings “are irradiated” towards the whole universe, and can be maintained throughout the day. The other great technique is named give-to receive (tonglen in Tibetan) or equalization and exchange of oneself with others: On the inspiration, one takes on oneself with compassion the suffering of others, a precise person or the whole world; on the expiry, one gives again benevolence and peace.
See also: Four Incommensurable
One distinguishes then:
- the bodhicitta of application or engagement, by the practice bringing up to date of the six, or ten, perfections of virtue, the Pāramitā S. This exercise of Vigilance justifies as for him the name of “pāramitāyāna” often given to the large vehicle.
See also: Pāramitā
The relative one and absolute
One distinguishes also the absolute bodhicitta and the bodhicitta relative, to put respectively in correspondence with realities, absolute or ultimate, and relative or conventional. “Absolute Reality”, Paramārtha, refer to the phenomena such as they are primarily, in opposition to the “relative reality” (samvriti), which refers then to the phenomena such as they appears and functions “réalistement” at the pragmatic level. Both bodhicittas act from each one from these two points of view: From the ultimate point of view, our ignorance expresses or projects the Nature-of-Buddha as universe of autonomous and substantial objects. This projected substantiality is imaginary, identical to the dream, it is there its Vacuité, which the bodhisattva is involved to recognize. However nothing appears in a fictitious “outside” of the great paramount perfection (Dzogchen). One must thus consider that the universe, this life, is still a skilful means (Upāya) by which our essential nature is represented with us, and compassionément tries to bring back to us to ourself, with our authentic destiny, the Awakening.This compassion inherent in any demonstration is the absolute bodhicitta. When it déploit through the imperfect acitvity and dualistic of a bodhisattva, it is the relative bodhicitta. However the bodhisattva can work directly harmonizes some with the absolute bodhicitta, to channel it so to speak, as soon as it has clearly perceived and integrated wisdoms of vacuity and the Not-duality. The practice of the absolute bodhicitta is thus this drive with the recognition of vacuity, meditation conceptual and analytical initially, then not-verbal and intuitive in the second time, in “ remaining in the natural state of the spirit” where the prajñā can reveal the nature of reality.
Union of the bodhicitta
When this comprehension saturates daily perceptions completely, one speaks then about union of the bodhicittas, absolute and relative. It is also said that this bodhisattva exceeded the preliminary phases and reached the first ground , or stage of its vocation, called Grande Joy. It is called then Ārya Boddhisattva, where ārya, noble, means rather sublimates.Among the texts treating of the bodhicitta and the bodhisattva one finds the Bodhicaryāvatāra of Shāntideva and the thirty-seven practices of a bodhisattva of Gyalsé Togmé Zangpo, tradition Sakya:
“11. Any suffering comes from the wish of sound only happiness.
- perfect Bouddhas was born from the intention to help the others.
- Then thus, exchange your own happiness
- For the sufferings of the others -
- This is the practice of the bodhisattvas.”
“16. Even if a person of which you took care
- Like your own child, treats to you now as an enemy,
- Chérissez it more especially still, like a mother
- the fact for her child, afflicted with disease -
- This is the practice of Bodhisattvas.”
“20. As long as the enemy who is your own anger remains unsubdued,
- Although you overcome external adversaries, they only will not multiply.
- Then thus, with the militia of the benevolence and the compassion
- Subjugate your own spirit -
- This is the practice of Bodhisattvas.”
“22. Anything which appears is your own spirit.
- Forever its nature is free and beyond the extreme developments.
- Including/understanding this nature, do not conceive
- an existing object and a subject.
- This is the practice of Bodhisattvas.”
“23. When you meet attractive objects,
- Considérez them same beauty
- As the rainbows in summer, stripped of substance,
- And release taken on any attachment -
- This is the practice of Bodhisattvas.”
24. The various sufferings are like the death of his/her child in dream.
- Tenir these appearances illusory for real exhausts you in vain.
- Then thus, when you meet unfavourable circumstances,
- Abordez them as illusions -
- This is the practice of Bodhisattvas.”