Dearest Bodhicitta Practitioners @ Phuntsok Cho Ling ( CAS ),     The DALAI LAMA frequently weeps whenever He speaks deeply about SUPREME BODHICITTA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn46qZlU3T0&feature=related      Like our precious Teachers, Bodhicitta, afterall, is what exhorts Him to return, life after life to work hard for the Dharma and for all sentient beings.     Probably, for the first time, ever, the holy Dharma was recited aloud by the holy Sangha at St Paul's Cathedral, one of Europe's oldest and most sacred churches.   The Dalai Lama had earlier accepted the Templeton Prize which was offered to Him, in recognition of His selfless contribution to inter-religious dialogue amongst others.     His Holiness, flanked by the Archbishop of Canterbury and other seniormost church ministers, mobbed by the adoring thousands.     BODHICITTA works its magic. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   "Just as the previous Buddhas Gave birth to Bodhicitta, And just as they successively dwelt In the Bodhisattva practices;   Likewise, for the sake of all that lives, Do I give birth to Bodhicitta, And likewise, shall I, too, Successively follow the Dharma practices."   "....Just like space And the great elements such as earth, May I always support the lives 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."   ( Shantideva - "Guide to the Bodhisattvas' Way of Life" ) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________       We are humbled to offer a teaching on SUPREME BODHICITTA to our Dharma Friends on SAKA DAWA, the day our Teacher, Buddha Shakyamuni showed the Highest Enlightenment and the passing into the Great Peace of Nirvana.   "May the precious Bodhi Mind, Not yet born arise and grow; May that born have no decline, But increase forever more !!"   "Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha !!"   bb & all students of Bodhicitta @ Phuntsok Cho Ling ( CAS ) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________     SUPREME BODHICITTA   by Most Venerable Gyudmey-Segyu Khensur, Sera Je Khen Rinpoche, Geshe Lobsang Delek (Most precious: Human body meets Dharma) We have obtained this precious human body that is so difficult to find, and we have met the peerless teachings of the Buddha. Having these two conditions come together is exceedingly rare and there is no guarantee we will find ourselves in similar circumstances soon. Having attained this human rebirth and met the teachings, we should always engage in activities that make our life happy and meaningful. (Lost opportunity) Why must we make this human life meaningful? This is because if we spend our entire human rebirth immersed in the activities aimed at achieving the temporary happiness of this life alone, we will have wasted this opportunity. This has been explained by all the great masters such as Lord Buddha, Venerable Asanga and the Protector Nagarjuna. (Keeping the body well) Firstly, we need to take good care of our body and mind so that we are able to practise the dharma over the long term. By ensuring our physical and mental health, we are protected and establish a stable basis upon which to engage in the practices of dharma, purifying our mind and collecting virtue. (Not to harm and to benefit) By cultivating a stable intention that wishes to benefit every sentient being, and establishing a determination never to harm any living creature, one will find that wherever one travels and whomever one meets, the mind remains  naturally peaceful and undisturbed. We must cultivate an attitude that all beings, not just those of the human realm, are immeasurably kind and precious. Then whatever sentient being we encounter, we will automatically give rise to a feeling of appreciation and closeness. (Best uses of human body) There are two aims to which we need to direct ourselves constantly. Firstly, the temporary aim of achieving higher rebirths in the god and human realms from lifetime to lifetime.  Secondly, the ultimate aim in which we should strive towards is the attainment of full and complete enlightenment, Buddhahood.  If we manage to direct our activities to the achievement of these goals, then our human life will become rich and meaningful.  But, in order to accomplish this, we need a stable practice of the Buddhadharma, which in turn requires a complete study of its philosophy. (Supreme Bodhicitta) The very heart of the dharma can be said to be the practices of refuge and bodhicitta. In the texts, it is said that, if bodhicitta is generated, we will migrate from happy rebirth to happy rebirth.   Since bodhicitta accomplishes all our temporal and ultimate goals, we must constantly strive to engage in the practices that bring it forth. (How to generate Bodhicitta) In order to generate bodhicitta, there are two primary systems of instruction explained in the texts.  The first lineage passed from Lord Buddha to Venerable Manjushri  and then to the Protector Nagarjuna. Shantideva was a holder of this lineage of instruction and the Precious Lord Atisha also received it.  This method is known as the instruction of equalizing and exchanging oneself with others (*). The next lineage of instruction for the generation of bodhicitta passed from Lord Buddha to Maitreya , through the lineage of Arya Asanga and then also to Lord Atisha. This instruction is known as the sevenfold cause and effect method (**).  We are blessed with two sets of precious instructions that are easy to understand and practice, and which allow us to effectively bring forth bodhicitta. Since we have these two extraordinary methods available, we must earnestly strive to meditate on and study these teachings. If we do this, our precious human rebirth will become meaningful and we will not have to lament a lost opportunity at the time of death. (Ecumenical open-heartedness) Finally, it is important to, like His Holiness the Dalai Lama, cultivate an attitude of genuine respect towards all religious traditions.  If we combine this with our practice of bodhicitta, we can establish peaceful and harmonious relationships with everyone. _____________________________________________________________________________ Postscript / Notes: The 2 ways of generating Bodhicitta:      A)           **Sevenfold Cause and Effect             Equanimity: All beings are Equal in that they all want and have the right to be happy i)   Recognising all beings have for countless times been our mothers in past births ii)  Remembering their unrepayable kindness as mothers iii)  I want and need to repay their great kindness iv)   I want to establish them in every happiness (  Love ) v)    I want to remove every suffering from them (  Compassion ) vi)   I, myself, will take on this responsibility even if this means using unspeakable effort and countless time into the future vii)  The only way I can do this perfectly is to become a Buddha: So, may I attain perfect Buddhahood for the sake of all mother sentient beings.     B)         *Equalizing and Exchanging self with others                     Equanimity: All people whom I dislike are but reflections of my own Anger; all people                        whom I have attachment to are but reflections of my own Greed-Attachment;                    all people whom I am indifferent to are but reflections of my own Ignorance.             i)     All suffering happens because of selfishly-cherishing oneself ii)     Therefore, I pray wholeheartedly to take on all the sufferings of all beings always so that I can destroy the self-cherishing attitude iii)    Meditate sufferings of all in the form of black smoke breathed into and destroying the black-dot of self-cherishing in one s heart iv)     All happiness happens because of fully-cherishing others v)    Therefore, I pray wholeheartedly to give every happiness to all beings so that I can fully master the attitude of fully-cherishing others vi)  Meditate happiness in the form of white light breathed out and giving all blessings and happiness to all beings vii)  The only way I can do this perfectly is to be a Buddha. Therefore, may I attain perfect Buddhahood for the sake of all mother sentient beings.       Most Venerable Gyudmey Khensur Lobsang Delek     About Most Venerable Gyudmey Khensur Lobsang Delek: Khensur Rinpoche is the Abbot Emeritus of the Tantric College of Lower Lhasa and has again been re-appointed by HH the Dalai Lama to the prestigious position of the 100th Abbot of Segyu Monastery. Rinpoche is the teacher of literally thousands of monks especially in Sera Je Monastery, one of the Three Great Seats of Learning in the Gelugpa tradition. Rinpoche is a deeply respected Teacher of many Dharma centres around the world. Together with HH the Dalai Lama and HH the 100th Ganden Trisur (Supreme Head Emeritus of the Gelugpa tradition), Khensur Rinpoche is one of the esteemed Teachers of Phuntsok Cho Ling (CAS), a Buddhist centre recently established in Malacca, Malaysia and affiliated to the Charitable Assistance Society ( CAS  www.casotac.com ) and Camden Education Center (www.camden.edu.sg) in Singapore.         ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   Meditation Points on the Stages to Enlightenment        Four Thoughts that Change-Train the Mind: Precious Human Rebirth 1a) Cause: It takes great accumulation of good to attain a Human Rebirth 1b) Number: Humans are numerically few relative to beings in other realms 1c) Function: Humans are uniquely poised to practice the Dharma and to derive benefit including Buddhahood from Dharma practice Death & Impermanence 2a) Eventual: Death inevitably claims all who lives 2b) Random: Death strikes anytime 2c) Only Dharma: When Death comes, only our Dharma practice, Guru and the Triple Gem will help ( Insert A - Contemplating the above, we, therefore, take refuge in the Guru and Triple Gem. Insert B  After having taken refuge, we need to note the Law of Karma )         3. Karma 3a) Perfect: Good begets good; Bad begets bad  only Time / the Object / Motivation will affect this. 3b) Avoiding the 10 Non-Virtuous Paths; contemplate how they lead to suffering 3c) Cultivating the 10 Virtuous Paths; contemplate how they lead to happiness Renunciation 4a) Suffering of Change: Ø Cultivating the 10 Virtuous Paths lead to rebirth into the 3 Higher Realms. Ø The 3 Higher Realms are marked mainly by the Suffering of Change. Ø We, therefore, renounce even rebirth into the 3 Higher Realms. 4b) Suffering of Suffering: Ø Committing the 10 Non-Virtuous Paths lead to rebirth into the 3 Lower Realms. Ø The 3 Lower Realms are marked mainly by the Suffering of Suffering. Ø We, therefore, renounce even rebirth into the 3 Lower Realms. 4c) Suffering of Aggregates: Ø Non-recognition of Intrinsic Awareness ( or  Rigpa ) / Not · realizing Dependent Arising ( or  Emptiness )necessarily · involves the functioning-effects of the Aggregates. Ø From the functioning-effects of the Aggregates, rebirth into any of the 6 Realms or Samsara is inevitable. Suffering ensues. Ø We, therefore, renounce Samsara totally. ( Insert contemplation on the Twelve Links )           Bodhicitta: Aspiring Bodhicitta A) Seven-Point Cause and Effect Equanimity: All beings are Equal in that they all want and have the right to be happy i) Recognising all beings have for countless times been our mothers in past births ii) Remembering their unrepayable kindness as mothers iii) I want and need to repay their great kindness iv) I want to establish them in every happiness (  Love ) v) I want to remove every suffering from them (  Compassion ) vi) I, myself, will take on this responsibility even if this means using unspeakable effort and countless time into the future vii) The only way I can do this perfectly is to become a Buddha: So, may I attain perfect Buddhahood for the sake of all mother sentient beings. B) Mind Training i) All suffering happens because of selfishly-cherishing oneself ii) Therefore, I pray wholeheartedly to take on all the sufferings of all beings always so that I can destroy the self-cherishing attitude iii) Meditate sufferings of all in the form of black smoke breathed into and destroying the black-dot of self-cherishing in one s heart iv) All happiness happens because of fully-cherishing others v) Therefore, I pray wholeheartedly to give every happiness to all beings so that I can fully master the attitude of fully-cherishing others vi) Meditate happiness in the form of white light breathed out and giving all blessings and happiness to all beings vii) The only way I can do this perfectly is to be a Buddha. Therefore, may I attain perfect Buddhahood for the sake of all mother sentient beings. Application Bodhicitta i) To attain Buddhahood for all, I will accumulate boundless merit through GENEROSITY ii) To attain Buddhahood for all, I will accumulate boundless merit through DISCIPLINE-PRECEPTS iii) To attain Buddhahood for all, I will accumulate boundless merit through PATIENCE iv) To attain Buddhahood for all, I will accumulate boundless merit through PERSEVRANCE v) To attain Buddhahood for all, I will accumulate boundless merit through MEDITATIVE ( CONCENTRATION-AWARENESS ) vi) To attain Buddhahood for all, I will attain Perfect View of Emptiness through cultivating WISDOM Uncommon Bodhicitta i) Accumulating the above takes countless aeons. ii) I cannot bear the suffering of all mother beings meantime while I am accumulating the above for them. iii) Therefore, I need to find a way of attaining Buddhahood fastest for them. iv) This way is to enter into and practice the Vajrayana.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ For FULL details of the above Teachings, visit CASOTAC weblink to Lam Rim Meditation: http://www.casotac.com/lamrim.html (click on this link) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Other matters ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ tELL A fRIEND "KNOW DHARMA; SHARE DHARMA !!" 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