Daily Archive

The purpose of this meditation is to generate a very strong feeling of wanting to become an enlightened being for the benefit of every other living being, and then to contemplate this wish in the light of actions and their effects.

I began the meditation by thinking about Bodhichitta itself. It is the wish to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all. It seemed very clear to me that all the previous Great Scope meditations are components of Bodhichitta. My equanimity and affectionate love for them. My abandonment of self-cherishing and my wish to cherish others. My wish to relieve all living beings of their suffering, and my wish to give them pure happiness. All these wishes are part of Bodhichitta – with one additional factor. I must become a Buddha to perfect these wishes and be able to actually fulfil them

As I have abandoned self-cherishing (in my idealised meditative activity), I am not interested in working for my own happiness directly. It struck me that I was sort of unemployed! My normal job is looking after my own interests, but now that I have abandoned self-cherishing, what should I do? The only thing is to cherish others and help them be happy. What is the best way of doing this? To become a Buddha!

I felt a deep sense of peace and tranquillity as I imagined myself becoming a Buddha. I had a centre of complete calm and peace, and yet out of that centre came enormous energy for action. I felt great motivation and energy for practising the six perfections of giving, moral discipline, patience, effort, concentration and wisdom. There did not seem to be any contradiction between this peace and this energy.

I stayed with this wonderful feeling of a peaceful centre emanating the energy to practice the six perfections for a while.

I then thought about this in the light of actions and their effects. I understood that this action of pursuing the aim of Bodhichitta was the fundamental meaning of my life. It is what give my life real meaning and purpose. How wonderful! I returned to my object of meditation and stayed with it for the rest of my time.

Dedication

May all living beings develop the supreme good heart of Bodhichitta, and fulfil its aim for the benefit of all.

Practice in the Meditation Break

I will try my best to churn the Great Scope meditation objects in my mind and generate the butter of Bodhichitta in my day-to-day mind.