After
generating aspiring bodhicitta before the guru and the Three Jewels - which means
wanting to become enlightened in order to benefit all sentient beings - one should
observe eight precepts in order to protect one's altruistic intention from degenerating
in this and future lives.
How to protect your altruistic intention
from degenerating in this life:
1. Remember the advantages of bodhicitta
again and again.
2. To strengthen one's bodhicitta, generate the thought to
attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings three times in the
morning and three times in the evening. Recitation and contemplation of the prayer
for taking refuge and generating the dedicated heart (previously sent) is a good
way to fulfil this.
3. Do not give up working for sentient beings even when
they are harmful.
4. To enhance one's bodhicitta, accumulate both merit and
wisdom continuously. After generating aspiring bodhicitta before the guru and
the Three Jewels, one should observe eight precepts in order to protect one's
altruistic intention from degenerating in this and future lives.
How
to protect yourself from being separated from bodhicitta in future lives:
Abandon
the four 'black actions':
1. Deceiving the guru, abbot or other holy beings
with lies.
2. Causing others to regret virtuous actions that they have done.
3. Abusing or criticising Bodhisattvas or the Mahayana (Mahayana is the "Great
Vehicle" of Buddhism).
4. Not acting with a pure selfless wish but with pretension
and deceit.
Practice the four 'white actions':
1. Abandon deliberately
deceiving and lying to gurus, abbots and so forth.
2. Be straightforward,
without pretension or deceit.
3. Generate the recognition of Bodhisattvas
as one's teacher and praise them.
4. Assume the responsibility oneself to
lead all sentient beings to enlightenment.
Click here for an elaborate
teaching by His
Holiness the Dalai Lama in Bloomington 1996 on aspiring Bodhicitta.