How To Actualise Bodhicitta (Awakening Mind) Every Day.
and why we should want to put others’ happiness above our own…
Undertaking daily life with Bodhicitta motivation is central to the Mahayana Buddhist practice of helping others with compassion and loving kindness.
Every day we should remind ourselves that others are more important than ourselves as this will help us to begin the work of banishing our self-cherishing and ego attachment.
“If you take a proper look deep into your heart you will see that one of the main causes of your dissatisfaction is the fact that you are not helping others as best you can. When you realize this you’ll be able to say to yourself, ‘I must develop myself so that I can help others satisfactorily. By improving myself I can definitely help.’ “ — Lama Thubten Yeshe.
In the morning before we rise, we can begin by reciting:
“Today I set the intention to actualise Bodhicitta for the benefit of all sentient beings” (x3)
We can then be mindful of and practice The Six Perfections throughout the day, as best we can, in order to effect the actualisation. These are:
- Dana — giving, generosity
- Sila — morality
- Ksanti — patience
- Virya — vigor, diligent effort
