BY SOME COINCIDENCE AN AWAKENING MIND HAS BEEN BORN WITHIN ME

by The Real Santideva

Respectfully I prostrate myself to the Sugatas
Who are endowed with the Dharmakaya,
As well as to their Noble Sons and Daughters
And to all who are worthy of veneration.

Leisure and endowment are very hard to find;
And, since they accomplish what is meaningful for man and woman
If I do not take advantage of them now,
How will such a perfect opportunity come about again?

Those who wish to destroy the many sorrows of (their)
conditioned existence,
Those who wish (all beings) to experience a multitude
of joys,
And those who wish to experience much happiness,
Should never forsake the Awakening Mind.

The moment an Awakening Mind arises
In those fettered and weak in the jail of cyclic existence,
They will be named 'a Son or Daughter of the Sugatas',
And will be revered by both men and gods of the world.

If even the thought to relieve
Living creatures of merely a headache
Is a beneficial intention
Endowed with infinite goodness

Then what need is there to mention
The wish to dispel their inconceivable misery,
Wishing every single one of them
To realise boundless good qualities?

This intention to benefit all beings,
Which does not arise in others even for their own sake,
Is an extraordinary jewel of the mind,
And its birth is an unprecedented wonder.

How can I fathom the depths
Of the goodness of this jewel of the mind,
The panacea that relieves the world of pain
And is the source of all its joy?

I bow down to the body of him or her
In whom the sacred precious mind is born.
I seek refuge in that source of joy
Who brings to happiness even those who harm her.

***

In order to seize that precious mind
I offer now to the Tathagatas,
To the sacred Dharma, the stainless jewel,
And to the Sons and Daughters of Buddha, the oceans of excellence,

Whatever flowers and fruits there are
And whatever kinds of medicine,
Whatever jewels exist in this world
And whatever clean refreshing waters;

Likewise gem-encrusted mountains,
Forest groves, quiet and joyful places,
Heavenly trees bedecked with flowers
And trees with fruit-laden branches;

Fragrances of the celestial realms,
Incense, wishing trees and jewel trees,
Uncultivated harvests, and all ornaments
That are worthy to be offered;

Lakes and pools adorned with lotuses
And the beautiful cry of wild geese,
Everything unowned
Within the limitless spheres of space.

Creating these things in my mind I offer them
To the supreme beings, the Buddhas, as well as their Sons and Daughters;
O Compassionate Ones, think kindly of me
And accept these offerings of mine.

Having no merit I am destitute
And I have no other gifts to offer.
O Protectors, you who think of helping others.
By your power accept these for my sake.

Eternally shall I offer all my bodies
To the Conquerors and their Sons and Daughters.
Please accept me, you Supreme Heroes,
Respectfully shall I be your subject.

Through being completely under your care
I shall benefit all with no fears of conditioned existence;
I shall perfectly transcend my previous evils
And in the future shall commit no more.

To very sweetly scented bathing chambers
With brilliantly sparkling crystal floors
And exquisite pillars ablaze with gems,
Having canopies above aglow with pearls.

I beseech the Tathagatas and their Sons and Daughters
To come and bathe their bodies
From many jewelled vases filled with waters scented and
enticing,
To the accompaniment of music and song.

Let me dry their bodies with incomparable cloths
Clean and well-anointed with scent,
And then may I present these Holy Beings
With fragrant garments of suitable colours.

I adorn with manifold ornaments
And various raiments fine and smooth,
The Aryas Samantabhadra, Manjughosha
Avalokiteshvara and all the others.

Just like polishing pure, refined gold
Do I anoint the Buddhas' forms that blaze with light
With the choicest perfumes whose fragrance permeates
A thousand million worlds.

And to the highest objects of giving I offer
Beautiful, well-arranged garlands,
As well as enchanting, sweet smelling flowers,
Such as lily, jasmine and lotus blooms.

Also I send forth clouds of incense
Whose sweet aroma steals away the mind,
As well as celestial delicacies
Including a variety of foods and drinks.

I offer them jewelled lamps
Arranged on golden lotus buds;
Upon land sprinkled with scented water
Do I scatter delicate flower petals.

To those who have the nature of compassion
I offer palaces resounding with melodious hymns,
Exquisitely illuminated by hanging pearls and gems
That adorn the infinities of space.

Eternally shall I offer to all the Buddhas
Jewelled umbrellas with golden handles
And exquisite ornaments embellishing the rims,
Standing erect, their shapes beautiful to behold.

And in addition may a mass of offerings
Resounding with sweet and pleasing music,
(Like) clouds that appease the misery of all,
Each remain (for as long as necessary).

I glorify the Oceans of Excellence
With limitless verses of harmonious praise;
May these clouds of gentle eulogy
Constantly ascend to their presence.

With bodies as numerous
As all the atoms within the universe,
I prostrate to all Buddhas of the three times,
The Dharma and the supreme community.

The untrustworthy lord of death
Waits not for things to be done or undone;
Whether I am Sick or healthy.
This fleeting lifespan is unstable.

Remaining neither day nor night,
Life is always slipping by
And never getting any longer ,
Why will death not come to one like me?

Therefore I now seek refuge
In the Buddhas who protect the world,
Who strive to shelter all that lives
And with great strength eradicate all fear.

Likewise I purely seek refuge
In the Dharma they have realised
That clears away the fears of cyclic existence,
And also in the assembly of Bodhisattvas.

***

Gladly do I rejoice
In the virtue that relieves the misery
Of all those in unfortunate states
And that places those with suffering in happiness.

I rejoice in that gathering of virtue
That is the cause for (the Arhat's) Awakening,
I rejoice in the definite freedom of embodied creatures
From the miseries of cyclic existence.

I rejoice in the Awakening of the Buddhas
And also in the spiritual levels of their Sons and Daughters

And with gladness I rejoice
In the ocean of virtue from developing an Awakening Mind
That wishes all beings to be happy,
As well as in the deeds that bring them benefit.

With folded hands I beseech
The Buddhas of all directions,
To shine the lamp of Dharma
For all bewildered in misery's gloom.

With folded hands I beseech
The Conquerors who wish to pass away,
To please remain for countless aeons
And not to leave the world in darkness.

Thus by the virtue collected
Through all that I have done,
May the pain of every living creature
Be completely cleared away.

May I be the doctor and the medicine
And may I be the nurse
For all sick beings in the world
Until everyone is healed.

May a rain of food and drink descend
To clear away the pain of thirst and hunger
And during the aeon of famine
May I myself change into food and drink.

May I become an inexhaustible treasure
For those who are poor and destitute;
May I turn into all things they could need
And may these be placed close beside them.

Without any sense of loss
I shall give up my body and enjoyments
As well as all my virtues of the three times
For the sake of benefiting all.

By giving up all, sorrow is transcended
And my mind will realise the sorrowless state
It is best that I ( now) give everything to all beings
In the same way as I shall ( at death).

Having given this body up
For the pleasure of all living beings,
By killing, abusing and beating it
May they always do as they please.

Although they may play with my body
And make it a source of jest and blame,
Because I have given it up to them
What is the use of holding it dear?

Therefore I shall let them do anything to it
That does not cause them any harm,
And when anyone encounters me
May it never be meaningless for him.

If in those who encounter me
A faithful or an angry thought arises,
May that eternally become the source
For fulfilling all their wishes.

May all who say bad things to me
Or cause me any other harm,
And those who mock and insult me
Have the fortune to fully awaken.

May I be protector for those without one,
A guide for all travelers on the way;
May I be a bridge, a boat and a ship
For all who wish to cross ( the water).

May I be an island for those who seek one
And a lamp for those desiring light,
May I be a bed for all who wish to rest
And a slave for all who want a slave.

May I be a wishing jewel, a magic vase,
Powerful mantras and great medicine,
May I become a wish-fulfilling tree
And a cow of plenty for the world.

Just like space
And the great elements such as earth,
May I always support the life
Of all the boundless creatures.

And until they pass away from pain
May I also be the source of life
For all the realms of varied beings
That reach unto the ends of space.

Just as the previous Sugatas
Gave birth to an Awakening Mind,
And just as they successively dwelt
In the Bodhisattva practices;

Likewise for the sake of all that lives
Do I give birth to an Awakening Mind,
And likewise shall I too
Successively follow the practices.

In order to further increase it from now on,
Those with discernment who have lucidly seized
An Awakening Mind in this way,
Should highly praise it in the following manner:

Today my life has (borne) fruit;
(Having) well obtained this human existence,
I've been born in the family of Buddha
And now l am one of Buddha's Daughters.

Thus whatever actions I do from now on
Must be in accord with the family.
Never shall I disgrace or pollute
This noble and unsullied race.

Just like a blind man
Discovering a jewel in a heap of rubbish,
Likewise by some coincidence
An Awakening Mind has been born within me.

It is the supreme ambrosia
That overcomes the sovereignty of death,
It is the inexhaustible treasure
That eliminates all poverty in the world.

It is the supreme medicine
That quells the world's disease,
It is the tree that shelters all beings
Wandering and tired on the path of conditioned existence.

It is the universal bridge
That leads to freedom from unhappy states of birth,
It is the dawning moon of the mind
That dispels the torment of disturbing conceptions.

It is the great sun that finally removes
The misty ignorance of the world,
It is the quintessential butter
From the churning of the milk of Dharma.

For all those guests traveling on the path of conditioned
existence
Who wish to experience the bounties of happiness,
This will satisfy them with joy
And actually place them in supreme bliss.

Today in the presence of all the Protectors
I invite the world to be guests
At (a festival of) temporary and ultimate delight
May gods, anti-gods and all be joyful.

***

Having firmly seized the Awakening Mind in this way,
A Conqueror's son or daughter must never waver;
Always should he or she exert herself
To never stray from her practice.

In the case of reckless actions
Or of deeds not well considered,
Although a promise may have been made
It is fit to reconsider whether I should do them or not.

But how can I ever withdraw
From what has been examined by the great wisdom
Of the Buddhas and their Sons and Daughters,
And even many times by me myself?

For if my being is impaired
By destroying the joy of even one creature,
Then what need is there to mention
Destroying the joy of creatures vast as space.

If the arising of a Tathagata,
Faith, the attainment of a human body
And my being fit to cultivate virtue are scarce,
When will they be won again?

Although today I am healthy,
Well-nourished and unafflicted,
Life is momentary and deceptive:
The body is like an object on loan for but a minute.

For these very reasons, the Buddha has said
That like for a turtle to insert its neck
Into a yoke adrift upon the vast ocean,
It is extremely hard to attain the human state.

So if, when having found leisure such as this,
I do not attune myself to what is wholesome,
There could be no greater deception
And there could be no greater folly.

And if, having understood this,
I still foolishly continue to be slothful,
When the hour of death arrives
Tremendous grief will rear its head.

Although enemies such as hatred and craving
Have neither any arms nor legs,
And are neither courageous nor wise,
How have I been used like a slave by them?

For while they dwell within my mind
At their pleasure they cause me harm,
Yet I patiently endure them without any anger;
But this is an inappropriate and shameful time for patience.

Should even all the gods and anti-gods
Rise up against me as my enemies,
They could not lead nor place me in
The roaring fires of deepest hell.

While in cyclic existence how can I be joyful and unafraid
If in my heart I readily prepare a place
For this incessant enemy of long duration,
The sole cause for the increase of all that harms me?

Therefore as long as this enemy is not slain with certainty
before my very eyes.
I shall never give up exerting myself (towards that end).
Having become angry at someone who caused only slight
and short-lived harm.
Self-important people will not sleep until their ( enemy) is
overcome.

And if while engaged in a violent battle,
Vigorously desiring to conquer those whose disturbing
Conceptions will naturally bring them suffering at death,
Men disregard the pain of being pierced by spears and
arrows
And will not withdraw until the day is won;

Then what need to mention that I should not be
faint-hearted and slothful,
Even if I am caused many hundreds of sufferings
When now I strive to definitely overcome my natural
enemies,
(These disturbing conceptions) which are the constant
source of my misery?

If even scars inflicted by meaningless enemies
Are worn upon the body like ornaments,
Then why is suffering a cause of harm to me
Who impeccably strives to fulfill the great purpose?

If fishermen, hunters and farmers,
Thinking merely of their own livelihood,
Endure the sufferings of heat and cold,
Why am I not patient for the sake of the world's joy?

When I promised to liberate all those beings
Dwelling in the ten directions as far as the ends of space
From their disturbing conceptions,
I myself was not yet freed from mine.

Thus unaware of even my own capacity,
Was it not somewhat crazy to have spoken like that?
But as this is so I must never withdraw
From vanquishing my disturbing conceptions.

And to do this will be my sole obsession:
Holding a strong grudge I shall meet them in battle!
But disturbing conceptions such as these
Destroy disturbing conceptions and (for the time being)
are not to be ( abandoned).

It would be better for me to be burned,
To have my head cut off and to be killed,
Rather than ever bowing down
To those ever present disturbing conceptions.

Common enemies when expelled from one country
Simply retire and settle down in another,
Though when their strength is recovered they then return.
But the way of this enemy, my disturbing conceptions, is
not similar in this respect.

Deluded disturbing conceptions! When forsaken by the eye
of wisdom
And dispelled from my mind, where will you go?
Where will you dwell in order to be able to injure me
again?
But, weak-minded, I have been reduced to making no
effort.

If these disturbing conceptions do not exist within the
objects, the sense organs, between the two nor elsewhere,
Then where do they exist and how do they harm the world?
They are like an illusion -- thus I should dispel the fear
within my heart and strive resolutely for Wisdom.
For no real reason, why should I suffer so much in hell?

Therefore having thought about this well,
I should try to put these precepts into practice just as they
have been explained.
If the doctor's instructions are ignored,
How will a patient in need of cure be healed by his
medicines?

***

Those who wish to guard their practice
Should very attentively guard their minds
For those who do not guard their minds
Will be unable to guard their practice.

In this ( world) unsubdued and crazed elephants
Are incapable of causing such harms
As the miseries of the deepest hell
Which can be caused by the unleashed elephant of my
mind.

But if the elephant of my mind is firmly bound
On all sides by the rope of mindfulness,
All fears will cease to exist
And all virtues will come into my hand.

Tigers, lions, elephants, bears,
Snakes and all forms of enemies,
The guardians of the hell worlds,
Evil spirits and cannibals,

Will all be bound
By binding my mind alone,
And will all be subdued
By subduing my mind alone

The perfection of generosity is said to be
The thought to give all beings everything,
Together with the fruit of such a thought
Hence it is simply a state of mind.

Nowhere has the killing
Of fish and other creatures been eradicated.
For the attainment of (merely) the thought to forsake
(such things)
Is explained as the perfection of moral discipline.

Unruly beings are as (unlimited) as space:
They cannot possibly all be overcome
But if I overcome thoughts of anger alone
This will be equivalent to vanquishing all foes.

Where would I possibly find enough leather
With which to cover the surface of the earth?
But (wearing) leather just on the soles of my shoes
Is equivalent to covering the earth with it.

Even those who wish to find happiness and overcome
misery
Will wander with no aim nor meaning
If they do not comprehend the secret of the mind
The paramount significance of Dharma.

This being so,
I shall hold and guard my mind well.
Without the discipline of guarding the mind
What use are many other disciplines?

It is better to be without wealth,
Honour, body and livelihood;
And it is better to let other virtues deteriorate,
Rather than ever to let (the virtues of) the mind decline.

O you who wish to guard your minds,
I beseech you with folded hands;
Always exert yourselves to guard
Mindfulness and alertness!

People who are disturbed by sickness
Have no strength to do anything (useful) ,
Likewise those whose minds are disturbed by confusion
Have no strength to do anything (wholesome).

Whatever has been learnt, contemplated and meditated upon
By those whose minds lack alertness,
Just like water in a leaking vase,
Will not be retained in their memory.

"I am ever dwelling in the presence
Of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
Who are always endowed
With unobstructed vision."

When mindfulness is set with the purpose
Of guarding the doorway of the mind,
Then alertness will come about
And even that which had gone will return.

Whenever there is attachment in my mind
And whenever there is the desire to be angry,
I should not do anything nor say anything,
But remain like a piece of wood.

Whenever I have distracted thoughts, the wish to verbally
belittle others,
Feelings of self-importance or self-satisfaction;
When I have the intention to describe the faults of others,
Pretension and the thought to deceive others;

Whenever I am eager for praise
Or have the desire to blame others;
Whenever I have the wish to speak harshly and cause
dispute;
At (all) such times I should remain like a piece of wood.

Whenever I desire material gain, honour or fame,
Whenever I seek attendants or a circle of friends:,
And when in my mind I wish to be served;
At (all) these times I should remain like a piece of wood.

Whenever I have the wish to decrease or to stop working
for others
And the desire to pursue my welfare alone,
If (motivated by such thoughts) a wish to say something
occurs,
At these times I should remain like a piece of wood.

Whenever I have impatience, laziness, cowardice,
Shamelessness or the desire to talk nonsense;
If thoughts of partiality arise,
At these times too I should remain like a piece of wood.

Having in this way examined her mind for disturbing
conceptions
And for thoughts that strive for meaningless things,
The courageous (Bodhisattva) should hold her mind
steady
Through (the application of) remedial forces.

Being very resolute and faithful,
Steady, respectful, polite,
With a sense of shame, apprehensive and peaceful
I should strive to make others happy.

I should not be disheartened by all the whims,
Of the childish who are in discord with one another
I should know them to arise in their minds due to
disturbing conceptions
And therefore be kind (towards them).

Now having paid my body its wages,
I shall engage it in making my life meaningful.
But if my body is of no benefit.
Then I shall not give it anything.

I should conceive of my body as a boat,
A mere support for coming and going.
And in order to benefit all others
Transform it into a wish-fulfilling body.

Now, while there is freedom to act,
I should always present a smiling face
And cease to frown and look angry:
I should be a friend and counsel of the
world.

I should say, "Well said," to all those
Who speak (Dharma) well,
And if I see someone doing good
I should praise him and be well pleased.

I should discreetly talk about the good qualities (of
others)
And repeat those (that others) recount.
If my own good qualities are spoken about
I should just know and be aware that I have them.

All deeds (of others) are the source of a joy
That would be rare even if it could be bought with
money.
Therefore I should be happy in finding this joy
In the good things that are done by others.

When talking I should speak from my heart and on what
is relevant.
Making the meaning clear and the speech pleasing.
I should not speak out of desire or hatred
But in gentle tones and in moderation.

Always being motivated by great aspiration
Or being motivated by the remedial forces,
If I work in the fields of excellence, benefit and misery
Great virtues will come about.

Endowed with wisdom and joy
I should undertake all that I do.
I (need) not depend upon anyone else
In any actions that I undertake.

The perfections such as generosity
Are progressively more exalted
But for a little (morality) I should not forsake a great (gift).
Principally I should consider what will be of the most benefit
for others.

When this is well understood,
I should always strive for the welfare of others.
The Far-Seeing Merciful Ones have allowed (a Bodhisattva )
To do some actions that (for others) were forbidden.

This body which is being used for the sacred Dharma
Should not be harmed for only slight benefit.
By my behaving in this way
The wishes of all beings will be quickly fulfilled.

Those who lack the pure intention of compassion
Should not give their body away.
Instead, both in this and future lives,
They should give it to the cause of fulfilling the great
purpose.

I should not communicate the Dharma of a lesser being
To one who is a vessel for the vast Dharma.
I must not forsake the (Bodhisattva) way of life,
Nor mislead others by means of sutras or mantras.

When I spit or throw away the stick for (cleaning) my teeth,
I should cover it up (with earth).
Also it is shameful to urinate and so forth
In water or on land used by others.

When eating I should not fill my mouth,
Eat noisily or with my mouth wide open.
I should not sit with my legs outstretched
Nor rub my hands together.

Whether directly or indirectly, I should not do anything
That is not for the benefit of others.
And solely for the sake of sentient beings
I should dedicate everything towards Awakening.

Never, even at the cost of my life,
Should I forsake a spiritual friend
Who is wise in the meaning of the great vehicle
And who is a great Bodhisattva practitioner.

Therefore I shall put this way of life into actual practice,
For what can be achieved by merely talking about it?
Will a sick woman be benefited
Merely by reading the medical texts?

***

There is no evil like hatred,
And no fortitude like patience.
Thus I should strive in various ways
To meditate on patience.

My mind will not experience peace
If it fosters painful thoughts of hatred.
I shall find no joy or happiness,
Unable to sleep, I shall feel unsettled.

A master who has hatred
Is in danger of being killed
Even by those who for their wealth and happiness
Depend upon his kindness.

By it friends and relatives are disheartened;
Though drawn by my generosity they will not trust me,
In brief there is nobody
Who lives happily with anger.

Hence the enemy, anger,
Creates sufferings such as these,
But whoever assiduously overcomes it
Finds happiness now and hereafter.

Having found its fuel of mental unhappiness
In the prevention of what I wish for
And in the doing of what I do not want,
Hatred increases and then destroys me.

Therefore I should totally eradicate
The fuel of this enemy
For this enemy has no other function
Than that of causing me harm.

Whatever befalls me
I shall not disturb my mental joy,
For having been made unhappy, I shall not accomplish
what I wish
And my virtues will decline.

Why be unhappy about something
If it can be remedied?
And what is the use of being unhappy about something
If it cannot be remedied?

For myself and for my friends
I want no suffering, no disrespect,
No harsh words and nothing unpleasant;
But for my enemies it is the opposite.

The causes of happiness sometimes occur
But the causes for suffering are very many.
Without suffering there is no renunciation.
Therefore, mind, you should stand firm.

If some ascetics and the people of Karnapa
Endure the pain of cuts and burns for no reason,
Then for the sake of liberation
Why have I no courage?

The victorious warriors are those
Who, having disregarded all suffering,
Vanquish the foes of hatred and so forth,
(Common warriors) slay only corpses.

Furthermore, suffering has good qualities:
Through being disheartened with it, arrogance is dispelled,
Compassion arises for those in cyclic existence,
Evil is shunned and joy is found in virtue.

As I do not become angry
With great sources of suffering such as jaundice,
Then why be angry with animate creatures?
They too are provoked by conditions.

Although they are not wished for,
These sicknesses arise;
And likewise although they are not wished for,
These disturbing conceptions forcibly arise.

And there are some who injure themselves
Through the unmeritorious deeds
Of hanging themselves, leaping from cliffs,
Eating poison and unhealthy foods.

If, when under the influence of disturbing conceptions,
People will even kill their treasured selves,
How can they be expected not to cause harm
To the bodies of other living beings?

Even if I cannot develop compassion for all such people
Who through the arisal of disturbing conceptions,
Set out to try and kill me and so forth,
The last thing I should do is to become angry with them.

Even if it were the nature of the childish
To cause harm to other beings,
It would still be incorrect to be angry with them.
For this would be like begrudging fire for having the
nature to burn.

And even if the fault were temporary
In they who are by nature reliable,
It would still be incorrect to be angry.
For this would be like begrudging space for allowing smoke
to arise in it.

Thus it is better that I die today
Than live a long but wicked life,
For even if people like me should live a long time,
There will always be the suffering of death.

--Surely material wealth will enable me to live,
And then I shall be able to consume evil and do good--
But if I am angry on account of it
Will not my merit be consumed and evil increase?

And what use will be the life
Of one who only commits evil,
If for the sake of material gain
He causes (the merits needed for) life to degenerate?

Should others talk badly of or even destroy
Holy images, reliquaries and the sacred Dharma.
It is improper for me to resent it
For the Buddhas can never be injured.

When I have seen this to be so,
I should strive for what is meritorious
(In order to) certainly bring about
Loving thoughts between all.

For example, when a fire in one house
Has moved into another house,
It is right to get rid of straw and such things
That will cause the fire to spread.

Likewise when the fire of hatred spreads
To whatever my mind is attached,
I should immediately get rid of it
For fear of my merit being burned.

Having generated the Awakening Mind
Through wishing all beings to be happy,
Why should I become angry
If they find some happiness themselves?

If I wish for all sentient beings to become
Buddhas worshipped throughout the three realms,
Then why am I tormented
When I see them receiving mere mundane respect?

If I do not wish for beings to have even this,
How can I wish for them to awaken?
And where is there an Awakening Mind
In him who becomes angry when others receive things?

What does it matter if (my enemy) is given something or
not?
Whether he obtains it
Or whether it remains in the benefactor's house,
In either case I shall get nothing.

Even if your enemy is made unhappy
What is there for you to be joyful about?
Your merely wishing (for him to be hurt)
Did not cause him to be injured.

And even if he does suffer as you had wished,
What is there for you to be joyful about?
If you say, "For I shall be satisfied,"
How could there be anything more wretched than that?

The honour of praise and fame
Will not turn into merit nor life;
It will give me neither strength nor freedom from sickness,
And will not provide any physical happiness.

Therefore, just like treasure appearing in my house
Without any effort on my behalf to obtain it,
I should be happy to have an enemy
For he assists me in my conduct of Awakening.

And because I am able to practise (patience) with him,
He is worthy of being given
The very first fruits of my patience,
For in this way he is the cause of it.

--But why should my enemy be venerated,
He has no intention for me to practise patience?--
Then why venerate the sacred Dharma?
( It too has no intention) but is a fit cause for practice.

--But surely my enemy is not to be venerated
For he intends to cause me harm
But how could patience be practised
If, like doctors, people always strove to do me good?

Thus since patient acceptance is produced
In dependence upon (one with) a very hateful mind,
That person should be worthy of veneration just like
the sacred Dharma,
Because he is a cause of patience.

A Buddha's qualities are gained
From sentient beings and Conquerors alike,
So why do I not respect them
In the same way as I respect the Conquerors?

Whatever (merit comes from) venerating one with a loving
mind
Is due to the eminence of sentient beings.
And in the same way the merit of having faith in Buddha
Is due to the eminence of Buddha.

Furthermore, what way is there to repay ( the Buddhas)
Who grant immeasurable benefit
And who befriend the world without pretension,
Other than by pleasing sentient beings?

Just as desirable sense-objects would give my mind no
pleasure
If my body was ablaze with fire,
Likewise when living creatures are in pain
There is no way for the Compassionate Ones to be pleased.

( Pleasing living beings) delights the Tathagatas
And perfectly accomplishes my own purpose as well.
In addition it dispels the pain and misery of this universe,
Therefore I should always practise it.

Why do I not see
That my future attainment of Buddhahood
As well as glory, renown and happiness in this very life
All come from pleasing sentient beings?

***

Having patience I should develop enthusiasm,
For Awakening will dwell only in those who exert themselves.
Just as there is no movement without wind,
So merit does not occur without enthusiasm.

What is enthusiasm? It is finding joy in what is wholesome.
Its opposing factors are explained
As laziness, attraction to what is bad
And despising oneself out of despondency.

Because of attachment to the pleasurable taste of idleness.
Because of craving for sleep
And because of having no disillusion with the misery of cyclic
existence,
Laziness grows very strong.

Enmeshed in the snare of disturbing conceptions,
I have entered the snare of birth.
Why am I still not aware
That I live in the mouth of the lord of death?

Do I not see
That he is systematically slaughtering my species?
Whoever remains soundly asleep
(Surely behaves) like a buffalo with a butcher.

When having blocked off every (escape) route
The lord of death is looking (for someone to kill),
How can I enjoy eating?
And likewise how can I enjoy sleep?

Relying upon the boat of a human (body) ,
Free yourself from the great river of pain!
As it is hard to find this boat again,
This is no time for sleep, you fool.

Without indulging in despondency, I should gather the
supports (for enthusiasm)
And earnestly take control of myself.
(Then by seeing) the equality between self and others
I should practise exchanging self for others.

I should never indulge in despondency by entertaining such
thoughts as,
"How shall I ever awaken?"
The Tathagatas who speak what is true
Have uttered this truth.

So, if I do not forsake the Bodhisattvas' way of life.
Why should someone like myself who has been born in the
human race
Not attain Awakening, since I am able to recognise
What is beneficial and what is of harm?

So, having mounted the horse of an Awakening Mind
That dispels all discouragement and weariness,
Who, when they know of this mind that proceeds from joy
to joy,
Would ever lapse into despondency?

The supports when working for the sake of living beings
Are aspiration, steadfastness, joy and rest
Aspiration is developed through fear of misery
And by contemplating the benefits of (aspiration) itself.

But I have never developed acquaintance
With even a fraction of these excellences!
How strange it is to squander
This birth I have found by some coincidence.

I have not made offerings to the Lord Buddhas,
I have not given the pleasure of great festivals,
I have not performed actions for the teachings,
I have not fulfilled the wishes of the poor.

As a result of virtue I shall dwell in the spacious,
fragrant and cool heart of a lotus flower,
My radiance will be nourished by the food of the
Conqueror's sweet speech,
My glorious form will spring from a lotus unfolded
by the Mighty One's light,
And as a Bodhisatttva I shall abide in the presence of
the Conquerors.

Self-confidence should be applied to (wholesome) actions,
The (overcoming) of disturbing conceptions and my
ability (to do this) .
Thinking, "I alone shall do it,"
Is the self-confidence of action.

Powerless, their minds disturbed,
People in this world are unable to benefit themselves.
Therefore I shall do it (for them)
Since unlike me these beings are incapable.

(Even) if others are doing inferior tasks
Why should I sit here (doing nothing)?
I do not do those tasks because of self-importance;
It would be best for me to have no such pride.

When crows encounter a dying snake,
They will act as though they were eagles.
(Likewise) if (my self-confidence) is weak
I shall be injured by the slightest downfall.

How can those who out of faint-heartedness have
given up trying
Find liberation because of this deficiency?
But even the greatest (obstacle) will find it hard to
overcome
One with self-confidence who is developing exertion,

Thus in order to complete this task,
I shall venture into it
Just as an elephant tormented by the midday sun
Plunges into a (cool, refreshing) lake.

Just as poison spreads throughout the body
In dependence upon the (circulation of) blood,
Likewise if (a disturbing conception) finds an opportunity
Unwholesomeness will permeate my mind.

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