Bodhicaryāvatāra (菩提行經)

Perform all virtuous deeds, With generosity and discipline leading the way. Make offerings to the Thus-Come One, For hundreds of thousands of eons without end.

Cultivate patience and forbearance, So anger and wrongdoing have no foothold. See all things as ultimately empty, Therefore, focus the mind on patient endurance.

Do not cling to pleasure and happiness; Guard your mind and make it equanimous. If the mind is sick with anger and resentment, Even without sleep, it will never be satisfied.

There are benefactors on all sides, Providing support and offerings. Follow their kind and compassionate hearts, Never giving rise to anger or resentment.

In all matters of close association, Do not give rise to dislike or contempt. With no anger towards them, You will find true peace and happiness.

Endure such things as these; Even when facing an enemy. If you can remove anger from your heart, Life after life, you will gain peace and joy.

If resentment arises in the heart, You will find no joy even in love. If you feed on the food of anger and resentment, Without patience, no goodness remains unspoiled.

That food is my great enemy, Bringing me no benefit. Knowing this enemy does not feed, My patience becomes strong and firm.

Whenever you see an enemy come or go, Be joyful and do not be angry. If you give rise to anger towards an enemy, All your beneficial qualities will be destroyed.

Maintain a mind of patience like this always, So that anger has no chance to arise. Abide in patience without pause, And the enemy of anger will not arise.

If a person loves and protects themselves, They should not create harmful speech. If harmful speech is not abandoned, They will later experience the suffering of enemies.

Fearing suffering, yet not seeking escape, Not practicing the causes of suffering, Therefore, with a resolute mind of patience, They attain all kinds of happiness.

That follower of Nirgrantha, With wrong views sought liberation. They could endure cutting with knives and burning with fire, But without any real benefit.

Foolish and without right view, They endured great suffering in vain. I, with the mind of enlightenment, Why can I not endure suffering?

Mosquitoes, fleas, bedbugs, and so on, Constantly troubled by hunger and thirst, Great itching plagues people, But one abiding in patience does not see them.

Heat, cold, rain, and wind, Sickness, chains, beatings. When afflicted by all these sufferings, Abide in patience, not seeking pleasure.

Killing another causes blood to flow; One with a firm and courageous mind, If cut and seeing their own blood, Would be terrified and faint.

A wise person's mind is pure; They always fear the invasion of anger. Engaging in battle with afflictions, Their mind of patience is ever courageous.

A snake slithering on the ground Is like anger lying dormant in the mind. To kill it is not called courage; Killing it brings the highest victory.

The Thus-Come One, of great compassion, Explained samsara out of pity for suffering beings, To help them recognize the root of wrong, And abide in patience, doing no evil.

What intention do parents have, Fearing their child will drown? To guard the mind and abandon anger, Is to naturally stay far from great suffering.

Like an ignorant person Who allows wrong to arise? One who cultivates without wisdom Will similarly give rise to anger.

If you wish to abide in the inconceivable, You must hold your own mind firmly. Cherish this practice, And let anger not arise.

If you crave those sense-objects, All kinds of wrong will arise. Through the power of those actions, You will never be free.

If you do not crave sense-objects, Their accumulation has no basis to stand. When the mind has no concept of union, Then nothing is truly born.

Without craving, there is no arising. Without attainment, one naturally states, "I have realized this, therefore, This is the birth of the inconceivable."

As for that "no arising, no birth," How can this "attainment" exist? Examining and observing this subject-object, It is utterly extinguished, leaving no remainder.

This mind is ever pure, Like a wish-fulfilling gem that follows a color. All its transformations arise from causes. If there are no causes, what appearance can there be?

When actions were performed in the past, What did those actions do? Following the causes of those actions, Equal causes bring forth their results.

Though everything is due to causes, Good and evil causes arise from the mind. If one speaks of seeking the nature of stillness, What fault is there in such a view?

If one grasps at a cause of aggregations, It is to delight in suffering itself. The mind cannot dwell on this; A wise person should encourage themselves.

Therefore, when you see an enemy, Think of them as a spiritual teacher. By practicing in this way, You will attain happiness.

All these sentient beings, Are not in control due to their actions. If they were truly in control, Who would ever choose to experience suffering?

A distracted mind running after sense-objects Is like being pierced by a thorn without feeling it. One who stops eating, or eats more, increases anger. They are attached to suffering instead.

If one has no meritorious conduct themselves, They are bound by attachments. Like eating poisoned food, They fall from the cliff of birth and death.

Abiding in these afflictions themselves, They are not protecting themselves. How can they possibly Liberate anyone else?

Afflictions cloud and confuse, Even leading to suicide. When harmful intent is strong, there is no compassion. Why not protect against anger?

Since one's own nature is ignorant and deluded, They trouble others. No doubt, this will give rise to anger in the other, Like a fire that burns everything.

When a being's nature is ignorant, They commit all kinds of faults. Because of ignorance, this is so, Like smoke wafting through space.

If a person does not protect against anger, It is due to ignorance and lack of wisdom. It is like urging someone with a stick; Only increasing their anger and distress.

In my past lives, I caused suffering to many beings. Therefore, in this present body, I can endure suffering.

This body of mine is like iron, Subject to beating, burning, and forging. If the body is like iron, How can it feel any pain?

I now see this body As insentient and merely an image. Though it is struck by many sufferings, No anger arises.

The ignorant, driven by craving, Do not know the root of suffering. When suffering comes, it is their own fault; Why then give rise to resentment?

Like those suffering in hell, With forests of swords and flying weapons, Knowing these are born from one's own actions, Where can resentment arise?

This is the karma I have accumulated. I know this fault's origin. Even if I am cast into hell, It is not created by another.

The karma I wish to exhaust Is measureless and boundless. Since my karma is like this, For a long time, I suffer in hell.

This fault of mine is thus; That person is truly my enemy. How can I discriminate and know That ignorant anger created this?

If a person protects themselves, Enduring an enemy without anger, This merit of mind is born; How then can they enter hell?

All that I have done, The causes I have made as before, If I cannot endure, if anger is not protected, It will destroy my cultivation.

The mind is signless and formless; Distraction destroys it. Because the body can be held and guarded, Physical pain should be endured.

If I create no verbal wrong, And commit no misdeeds of speech, If the body is not afflicted by pain, How can anger arise in the mind?

In this present life, With a pure mind, I practice beneficial deeds. If there is no benefit for others, What is the use of food and drink?

Whatever actions are taken, Their purpose is to benefit others. If there is no benefit and no love in an action, It will certainly bring blame.

Better to die right now, Than to greedily live an wrong life. Though a wrong life may last long, After death, one falls into miserable realms.

Like in a dream, Enjoying happiness for a hundred years, Feeling real joy, But upon waking, you know it was all false in an instant.

Likewise, this life is impermanent, Its length, long or short. When you realize these two things, What happiness does one find?

Long immersed in pleasure, Thinking one gains much benefit, Like a traveler who is robbed, Left naked and empty-handed.

Merits fade as delusions pass, Roots of wrong again arise. When merit is exhausted and no new wrong arises, One gains the benefit of non-anger.

What is the point of living, if just To do nothing but evil? Without such reflection, No goodness will remain unspoiled.

Never praise anger, For it harms sentient beings. With a mind that benefits others, How can anger arise?

For those who practice the mind, Without abiding in patience, Seeing afflictions arise, One should praise the merit of patience.

If stupas, images, and the wonderful Dharma Are slandered or destroyed, The Buddhas and others do not suffer, So I do not become angry at this.

Toward teachers and their families, Do not create actions of attachment. This is due to past lives; Seeing it, I encourage myself.

With an awakened mind, observe sentient beings, Always dwelling in great suffering. Seeing them like this, One can endure their own afflictions.

Anger and ignorance Are equally faults. Regarding this poison and its danger, How can one say it is faultless?

Why, in the past, Did I create actions that harmed others? What is the purpose of these karmic causes If they are now being cut off?

Just as the Buddhas' merit, I now single-mindedly create it, And with all sentient beings, Regard each other with loving-kindness.

Like a fire burning a house, When the fire enters the house, If there is straw in the house, The fire will certainly spread.

This is a metaphor for the mind. When the fire of anger unites with it, It burns one's merit and virtue, Leaving nothing in an instant.

If a person holds a weapon to kill, Better to release it; this act is commendable. If it can save them from hell's suffering, Who would not praise this goodness?

If, while living in the world, One cannot endure even a little pain, But hell's suffering is immeasurable, Why not cut off the cause of anger?

I have experienced such suffering For hundreds of thousands of hells, Each time for the sake of others, Not acting for myself.

I do not have such great sufferings, For I am separated from the world. I act for the benefit of all.

When beings are freed from pain and find joy, They praise virtues. Receiving such praise, How can one not be joyful?

If they achieve this Unobstructed happiness, The supreme act of benefiting others Is a path the wise should not neglect.

Such supreme conduct, If one attains happiness but does not cultivate it, If this view is not abandoned, It will destroy right view.

If you honor another, Praising them for their virtues, Praising another's virtues Is itself honoring yourself.

Generate the mind of enlightenment For the sake of all sentient beings, Causing them all to gain happiness. How then can you be angry with them?

The Buddha is an offering for the three realms, And wishes all beings to become Buddhas. Worldly benefit is unreal; What can these afflictions do?

If we consider a person's flesh and blood, And all their family and relatives, Nurtured and cherished as one's own life, If there is no love, why does anger arise?

If one seeks enlightenment, They should use the awakened mind. But if they do not love sentient beings, And abandon their own merit, why be angry?

If a person seeks something, They expend wealth in great generosity. If what they seek is not obtained, It is worse than keeping the wealth at home.

Pure, wholesome merit, What obstacle prevents its attainment? If, having attained it, one rejects it, It is like cultivating with a mind full of anger.

Creating wrong and creating merit, One does not follow them with equal mind. Nor does one act based on them. If one attains nothing for oneself, And if one loves even an enemy, And seeks their happiness, Also seeking their praise, This cannot be achieved by any cause.

Though one wishes for benefit to be complete, One returns to suffering, without joy. If the mind of patience is absent, One does not accomplish benefit.

The evil hook of afflictions Drags people, depriving them of freedom. Like the wardens of hell, Who cast beings into boiling water and fire. I originally sought to benefit others; What use is empty praise?

Without merit, without long life, Without strength, without peace, The practice of self-benefit is incomplete. A wise person should awaken; Step by step, practice in this way, And come to love completeness.

If cultivation needs praise, It is like using a sword to kill oneself, Like an unreal thing in the world, Without benefit or happiness.

For example, in a ruined house, The sun illuminates both inside and out. It is also like false praise; One must see clearly with the mind.

You think of sounds, Their arising and ceasing are equal. With a mind that thus benefits others, You should practice this way.

What does one receive from others To act for their benefit? If they attain happiness, My benefit is not in vain.

When they attain benefit and happiness, And praise me in every way, Why is it that for me There is no distinct majestic happiness?

When they praise me so, Out of love for them, I myself attain it. If they are without connection in this way, They are like the ignorant or the deluded.

Even though I gain this praise, Quickly break through it and do not cling. Those who hate true virtuous qualities, Will create anger from this.

This praise becomes an obstacle; I do not let it arise. I protect myself from falling into miserable realms; For them, I practice without a self.

If one understands that sentient beings Are bound by gain, honor, rank, and humility, And seeks to liberate them, How can their mind be angry?

If a person wishes to end suffering, And enter the door of liberation, This is the Buddha's majestic power; How can I be angry with them?

I do not create this anger, For it is an obstacle to merit. Cultivating peace and patience, One will attain everything.

All one's own faults Are not created due to patience. Since faults are not created, One attains that merit.

If one has no merit, And patience naturally arises, One always abides in patience. How can this be called an obstacle?

People in the world who seek benefit Do not create obstacles to giving. Creating obstacles to renunciation Means one will not renounce.

What is difficult to obtain in the world, One who asks is able to give. I speak only of excellent benefit; Regarding faults, I gain nothing.

Through the practice of enlightenment, One stays far from one's enemies, Like removing a treasure from a house. Therefore, it is said to be not difficult.

Repent for the causes of actions; That is the first guide. Therefore, regarding the fruit of patience, This is how it is born.

They have no thought of "me" or "mine"; This mind dwells in patience. They realize the inconceivable And make offerings to the wonderful Dharma.

This mind, to benefit others, Even sacrifices its own life. Or even if an enemy makes no offering, How can one speak of patience in a different way?

For all those evil minds, Give patience to each and every one. Gaining patience in this way Is due to making offerings to the wonderful Dharma.

The Buddha-land and the sentient-land, The Great Silent Sage spoke of this. In this, there is much service, Which can lead to wealth and status.

The Thus-Come One, the Dharma, And sentient beings are equal. Due to revering the Buddha, One also respects beings.

Setting the intention in this way, One does nothing for the self. Through that great equality, One is equal to all beings.

With great intention towards sentient beings, One honors them with a kind mind. Generate the aspiration equal to the Buddhas' merit; One can attain merit equal to the Buddhas'.

Therefore, practicing the Buddha's Dharma, The Buddha and beings are equal. The Buddha has no equal, His ocean of merit is boundless.

The Buddha's merit is pure, No other merit can compare. Though the three realms make offerings, They cannot see it.

The Dharma and teachers of the Buddha Are the most excellent beings. When making offerings to beings, One should maintain this thought.

If one cannot generate benefit For one's own family, What fault is there in not serving others?

"If I destroy myself and enter Avici Hell, I will do whatever they do. With a vast mind for all beings, Thus I constantly perform good deeds."

"If worldly people, as sovereign lords, Are unhappy with their own affairs, How can I act as their child? My actions are not of a slave's nature."

"Like the Buddha entering suffering without suffering, Gaining happiness and joy, I seek the joy of all Buddhas. When the Buddha is joyful, he can do this."

"Just as afflictions are pervasive in the body, If all wants become abundant, And sentient beings' suffering is likewise, Then I am helpless and merely pity in vain."

"Therefore, I will abandon this suffering myself, Arouse great compassion to rescue all suffering. First, I provoked that patient person; Now I repent for those wrongs."

"I now serve the Thus-Come One, Like all the attendants in the world. Let people trample on my head; I accept it joyfully, as towards the Buddha."

"I can do all lowly things in the world, For out of compassion, there are no obstacles. Seeing this matchless form, Who would not respect such a revered one?"

"Thus I serve the Thus-Come One, Thus I achieve my own benefit, Thus I remove the world's suffering, Thus I now renounce the world."

For example, one man of a king Is able to control a great assembly. Not one person alone can control the many, But that is due to his long association with the king.

That man is not powerful on his own; He relies on the king's authority. He can judge decisively without fear, And also without making mistakes.

With a compassionate mind abiding in patience, His strength is like the wardens of hell. He protects and cares for sentient beings, Like serving a cruel king.

Anger is not commanded by the king, Like the suffering of hell. Afflictions in sentient beings, They themselves experience that suffering.

Happiness is not given by the king, Like attaining the state of a Buddha. A virtuous mind towards beings, Why would this mind not be accepted?

By protecting and caring for beings, One will later attain Buddhahood. Seeing this leads to respect and praise; Why can one not see this goodness?

Freedom from sickness and gracefulness, Happiness and long life, Wealth and the position of a wheel-turning king, All these are obtained through patience.