按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
qualified renunciation； at any time during a twenty…four period； we are always concerned with liberation from the cycle of existence … it's at that point we have generated the fully qualified renunciation。 As is mentioned in the Letter to a Friend； we should be like a person whose hair has caught fire； if a person's hair has caught alight； whatever they are doing … whether it be important work or some kind of hobby … that all gets thrown to one side； and one's whole attention and one's whole time and action is concerned only with one thing； that is putting out the fire on one's head。 So in the same way； we should have renunciation like that； within which all other work apart from work which is going to lead us out of the cycle of existence can be easily left aside； and we remain single…pointed and steadfast in our attitude of striving for liberation from the vicious cycle of existence。 So it is at that point that the fully qualified mind … wishing to go forth from the cycle of existence； or renunciation； has been developed in our being； or mind。
Bodhi…Mind
The next stanza then reads：
Renunciation without the pure bodhi…mind does not bring forth
the perfect bliss of unsurpassed enlightenment。
Therefore the wise generate the excellent bodhi…mind。
So here； even if one has generated the fully qualified renunciation （that is to say； wishing to escape from the vicious cycle of existence）； if one doesn't contemplate the dissatisfaction of others； one's kind mother sentient beings； then no matter how much renunciation one has； this is not going to bring about the state of having abandoned the most subtle abandonments； and having gathered together all the most excellent qualities； that is to say； the state of buddhahood； or unsurpassed enlightenment。 Therefore the wise； seeing that being without the bodhi mind （that is to say； bodhicitta） is not going to bring about this state of unsurpassed or highest enlightenment； strive to generate within their existence； or within their mind； this wish to achieve buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings； this mind of bodhicitta。
So then in order to achieve the state of buddhahood； or unsurpassed enlightenment； one needs two factors … method and wisdom。 So as is quoted in the sutras； method without wisdom is bondage and wisdom without message is again； bondage。 So what this tells is that we cannot achieve buddhahood through just one； either wisdom or method … we need both of them in union to achieve unsurpassed enlightenment。 This is also echoed in Chandrakirti's book The Entrance to the Middle Way where he gives the analogy of the crane … so when a crane flies through the sky； he does so in dependence on both wings； if there is a fault with either of the wings； then the crane will not be able to fly from the east to the west or wherever。 So in the same way； in order for the crane…like individual to 'fly' to the state of omniscience； one needs both 'wings' of method and wisdom unified together in one practice。
This is again mentioned in the Abhisaymamalankara where it says that the final； or ultimate； peace is brought about not through just contemplation on the nature of existence （that is to say； on selflessness）； but rather is brought about through a dual practice of wisdom and method。 We can here see a fault in those foe…destroyers of the hearer lineage in that they practise fully qualified renunciation and in addition to that meditate single…pointedly upon selflessness or suchness； and through that they achieve a lesser state of emancipation； or lesser nirvana。 So then as we are not striving for this lesser nirvana but rather for a higher nirvana； we need to add something else to our practice； and this additional practice which we need to utilise is this mind of great passion or 'the great lord of the minds'。 This practice； in dependence upon which the welfare for all sentient beings is brought about； can thus take us to the end of the path of peace； that is to say； to the highest state of enlightenment。 And if we look at the resultant state； then the various emanation bodies which e forth through the Buddha's activities； again； these solely e about through familiarisation with this mind striving to bring about benefit for others； the great mind which strives to remove others' pain or this great mind of bodhicitta。 In this resultant stage； the Buddha can emanate various emanations for the benefit of others； so this is a result of training oneself in the bodhi mind。
So then we need to generate this bodhi mind。 So there is a quote from the Mahayana sutra Alankara which says： 。。。＇end of side … tape breaks here＇
…colours and lights going here and there； we think 'oh； that is a nice； magical being； I want to bee just like that magical individual'。 So this is not the bodhi mind； the correct attitude for achieving full enlightenment； rather； this is just a selfish wish to bee something rather odd！ However； as individuals striving for buddhahood we need to have two qualities。 The first quality is viewing all sentient beings with a mind of great passion； wishing to free them from the predicament of suffering in which they find themselves； and it is said that the stronger one's passion； the easier it is to bring about this bodhi mind。 So the first cause； or first necessity； is bringing about this bodhi mind。 The second one is a mind which is bent on achieving full enlightenment to be of maximum use to other sentient beings。 So one needs to have these two contemplations together in order to achieve buddahood； these are the two crucial points which one must have … the mind wishing to liberate sentient beings from their suffering； and then a mind which is determined to achieve full enlightenment in order to bring this about in the best possible way。
The Predicament of Sentient Beings
In order to bring about this feeling of wishing to liberate sentient beings from their predicament； or their lot； of suffering； then we need to understand what is meant by their dissatisfaction or suffering。 Then the next line of our root text reads：
Swept by the current of the four powerful rivers；
tied by strong bonds of karma so hard to undo；
caught in the iron net of self…grasping；
pletely enveloped by the darkness of ignorance。
So here then if we use the first analogy 'swept by the current of the four powerful rivers'。 So if we use this imagery of four really strong rivers flowing very fast； then caught within the bination of those four rivers。 Here the 'four rivers' are four factors which hold sentient beings in the state of dissatisfaction； or suffering。 So these are desire； views （wrong views）； existence in and of itself； and then ignorance。 So if we look at these four … ignorance is the initial cause of all the other destructive emotions。 So it is said the first moment is ignorance … conceiving something in a wrong way … and that confusion brings about all the other destructive emotions and thereafter all the actions that are entered into through the force of those wrong thoughts and then thereafter the various karmic results of those actions。 As for desire then； there are various kinds of desire … there is the strong desire which makes one's mind