The 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva

by Guest Fri Apr 24, 2009 5:22 pm


THE THIRTY-SEVEN PRACTICES OF A BODHISATTVA by Ngülchu Thogma commentary by HIS HOLINESS THE SEVENTEENTH KARMAPA OGYEN TRINLEY DORJE
Oral Translation: Ringu Tulku Rinpoche Tilokpur Nunnery, India February 2007 Oral Translator: Ringu Tulku Rinpoche Transcriber: Sally Clay Editors: Sally Clay and Michele Martin Verse translation: 2008 Michele Martin

Stanza 7

Captive themselves in the prison of samsara,
Whom could worldly gods protect?
Therefore, in seeking protection, going for refuge
To the unfailing Three Jewels is the practice of a bodhisattva.

In some countries there are ancient ways that are not necessarily part of an established philosophical tradition, but belong to a kind of animism. If we see an impressive rock, we think there is something special there. If we see a tree that is a few hundred years old and outstanding, we think there is something there. In this kind of worship, we depend on the power of gods, nagas, great spirits, and so forth. Not taking responsibility for our own future, we make prayers to those spirits or beings and put our life in their hands.
These kinds of practices are sometimes useful. In Tibet people point not only to trees or rocks, but also to a whole mountain and say, “This mountain is such-and-such a god.” The benefit of this is that it helps to protect the environment. If the mountain is sacred, we cannot destroy it or do anything to it. Not only is the environment protected, but many animals on the mountain are saved. With this way of thinking, we do not harm anything on the mountain, so there are some benefits to these beliefs and practices.

Continued here:

http://www.kagyu.org/ktd/densal/archives/1802/hhexcerpt.php

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