Bodhicitta means Awakened (bodhi) Heart / Mind (citta – pronounced chitta). The heart of Buddha’s teachings, bodhicitta contains compassion – the desire to liberate beings from suffering and longing for wisdom – insight into reality.
Table of Contents
Bodhicitta overview
Bodhicitta, the heart of awakening, describes the impulse of the bodhisattva to pursue the path of the Buddha. It has 4 components: relative/absolute and aspirational/active.
Bodhicitta is the energy of the entire path of dharma. Matured hinayana practitioners will hopefully, and eventually, find the relative aspect through their own easing of suffering. They will want to alleviate others’ pain and hence grow into the Mahayana path.
Bodhicitta is the ultimate fuel of the bodhisattva. It provides limitless sustenance. This is not internal, but absolute. It is a universal reality, freely available, and the most purified form of the mind itself. Lying below all the confusions of mind it is the longing to attain wisdom and stop all suffering everywhere. It is in fact, the Buddha Nature in a path form.
Bodhicitta is also an essential quality for walking the Tantric path. Any progress must be fueled by it. Otherwise, it becomes either a mere Hinayana path of self-liberation or, far worse, a manifestation of intense egohood. The tools are so powerful that they can lead to Rudrahood – ultimate ego, total narcissism.
Bodhicitta thus functions as a check or guard, a protector of the mind-stream against such negative outcomes. Awakened heart, in Buddhist doctrine, is the most precious thing in the universe. Also, in Tantra, it is seen as the sexual fluids. That is beyond this post, but it is important to know that there are more manifestations than merely the abstract sense of compassion and the desire for wisdom.
The key to developing awakened heart is longing. Since it is a native aspect of the mind, it is primarily a matter of bringing it forth. Wanting it badly enough will create the connection with it. Knowing its value, its qualities and trying to increase it through traditional methods and your own creativity will increase it steadily. He continued:
How to meditate like a yogi
and enter profound samadhi
Bodhicitta and Atisha
Atisha, the great Mahayana master, wrote the Lojong slogans (featured in this series on the 6 paramitas). He would clasp his hands in the anjali or prayer mudra whenever he spoke of his teachers. But when he spoke of Serlingpa, he clasped his hands above his head. When asked if Serlingpa had greater realization, he said there was not – all were fully realized.
Serlingpa caused the bodhi-citta to take root in me, so there is a difference in gratitude
Atisha
Aspirational Bodhicitta
Aspirational bodhi heart is triggered by and leads to actions like taking the bodhisattva view, practicing for merit, and being on the first or second of the 5 paths – accumulation and joining, tonglen, and the 4 immeasurables. This level means not having directly experienced the full force of it, but retaining the longing to engage in the path of the bodhisattva.
Bodhisattva Vow of Bodhicitta by Shantideva
As Earth and the other elements together with space
Eternally provide sustenance in many ways for the countless sentient beings
So may I become sustenance in every way for sentient beings
To the limits of space, until all have attained nirvana.
As the sugatas of old gave birth to the bodhicitta
And progressively established themselves in the training of a bodhisattva
So I too, for the benefit of beings, shall give birth to the bodhicitta
And progressively train myself in that discipline.
At this moment my birth has become fruitful; I have realized my human life.
Today I am born into the family of the Buddha; now I am a child of the Buddhas.
From now on, I will forthrightly perform the actions befitting my family.
I will act so as not to degrade the faultlessness and discipline of my family.
Just as with a blind man finding a jewel in the heap of dust,
Thus, somehow, bodhichitta has been born in me.
This is the supreme amrita which destroys death,
The inexhaustible treasure the removes the world’s poverty.
It is the supreme medicine that cures the world’s sickness,
The tree that provides rest for beings weary of wandering on the paths of existence.
It is the universal bridge on which all travelers may pass over the lower realms,
The rising moon of mind which dispels the torment of the kleshas.
It is the great sun which puts an end to the obscurity of ignorance,
The pure butter which comes of churning the milk of the holy dharma.
For travelers wandering the paths of existence seeking happiness from objects of
enjoyment,
It is supreme bliss near at hand, the great feast which satisfies sentient beings.
Today, witnessed by all the protectors, I have welcomed the sentient beings and
sugatas;
Devas and asuras rejoice.
V
Active Bodhicitta
This is actually engaging in direct, compassionate action with sentient beings for their benefit. It requires skill and meaning. The 3 types of generosity, actively exchanging self for others, teaching dharma, and demonstrating wisdom fall into this category. Also, pursuing deep meditation in an attempt to increase wisdom.
Relative Bodhicitta
The relative form is the compassionate aspect. Seeing suffering and having the longing to eliminate it is, in essence, relative awakened heart. Helping beings with material possessions, helping them to feel content with their station in life, to let go of things they cannot change, and so forth so they don’t feel destitute. To relieve their suffering in any way over the short term.
Another approach is to alleviate fear. Fear of the loss of self-identity, fear of being in samsara, fear of death, suffering, and material losses can be helped by applying relative bodhicitta. The bodhisattva provides strength to others, the gift of fearlessness in the face of samsara.
The 3rd approach is to teach the dharma. Help them understand the path of the Buddha, the path of liberation from suffering, the nature of samsara, the endlessness of rebirth, the trap of karma, the great fortune of being human and able to practice the dharma and so on. Setting beings on the path, giving them beneficial teachings, skillfully gaged to their level and insight is the highest approach to relative bodhicitta.
Absolute bodhicitta
The absolute form is the desire to attain wisdom, to understand reality itself. The desire to attain enlightenment informs the relative aspect. Without strong insight (prajna) the practitioner cannot determine whether an action is truly beneficial or not. Without having the wisdom of emptiness, actions can easily go awry even with good intentions.
Not understanding reality in a penetrative way can lead to unintended, sometimes extremely negative consequences. For example, trying to put someone on the path of dharma when they have resistance can push them away from it.
Absolute and relative awakened heart thus play off of each other in a positive feedback loop. As the relative type increases, the desire for wisdom increases to increase skill at benefit. As wisdom increases, the sense of freedom increases. This freedom leads to an increase in compassion for those who are unfree.
3 styles of Awakened Heart
In Words of My Perfect Teacher, Patrul (old dog) Rinpoche spoke of the styles of bodhicitta action.
- Monarch – The approach of the monarch is to attain enlightenment first, then return to bring other beings along.
- Ferryman – the ferryman brings beings to the other shore simultaneously as himself.
- Shepherd – the shepherd intentionally remains on the bhumis, forgoing enlightenment, vowing to bring all others to liberation before attaining enlightenment himself.
Texts on Bodhicitta
- Bodhicharyavatarya – Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life – Shantideva
- Among the most famous texts on the Mahayana path, the Guide explains awakened heart through a series of logical constructs, moving quotations, images and metaphors. Most of the text concerns the relative aspect, but the 7th chapter is very famous as the wisdom chapter and concerns absolute bodhicitta. The famous bodhisattva vow is from this text.
- Atisha’s Bodhipathapradīpa – Lamp for the Path of Enlightenment.
- Covers the factors leading to enlightenment with special sections on bodhicitta and the bodhisattva vows.
- Lojong – Seven Points of Mind Training. Numerous commentaries and translations.
- A well-known text and set of practices for the bodhisattva path, with point two focusing especially on relative and absolute bodhicitta. (see the Lojong section in this guide).
Flow, the profound mental state, also called Peak Performance, can be attained with meditation and can be ‘triggered’ at will, with enough discipline. Guide to Flow Mastery will teach you how.
Lojong
The Lojong (training the mind) text has a section just on bodhicitta meditation – point 2. The following points are listed, for a more detailed explanation – see this.
Absolute slogans – for developing emptiness insight
- See all phenomena as dream-like
- Examine the nature of unborn awareness – study the mind’s deepest quality – emptiness
- Self-liberate even the antidote – do not cling to emptiness
- Rest in the nature of alaya, the essence – the storehouse of mind
- In postmeditation, be a child of illusion
Relative slogans
- Sending and receiving should alternate upon the breath
- Tonglen meditation is taking in others pain and sending them peace
- 3 objects, 3 poisons, 3 roots of gewa (virtue)
- objects are friends, enemies, and neither, poisons are passion, aggression, and delusion, and 3 roots of gewa are the absence. Practice taking on others’ kleshas to liberate them from suffering. This creates a better world immediately.
- In all activities, train with slogans
- Always think of holding the negative and giving the positive to others.
- Begin the sequence of sending and taking with yourself
- FIRST, take the discomfort or pain. Then give out space, peace, light, etc.
The 4 immeasurables
The four immeasurables are
- Immeasurable love – a sense of warmth toward all beings
- Immeasurable compassion – feeling the suffering of others and longing to alleviate it
- Immeasurable joy – taking delight in others’ happiness.
- Immeasurable equanimity – seeing all others as equal. This creates stability in the face of change
What is the heart of bodhicitta?
Citta means heart or mind, which are similar in Sanskrit. It is the awakened heart, seeing the utmost import of compassion and wisdom.
What are the benefits of bodhicitta?
Bodhicitta engenders happiness. By longing to ease the suffering of others, the mind focuses less and less on the self, inducing a relaxation of one’s own self-concern. It also leads to wisdom.
What is the awakening mind of bodhichitta?
The mind awakens to compassion, caring for the suffering of the innumerable wandering beings, and to wisdom, seeing the emptiness of reality.
What are the seven steps of bodhicitta?
All beings have been your mother
Mother’s kindness (hence all beings)
can never be repaid
Looking on all beings with maitri – loving kindness
And Karuna – compassion
Aspiring to awakened heart
Generating actual bodhichitta
How do you practice bodhicitta?
Read and apply the Lojong, mind training slogans to practice awakened heart. Exchange self with others. Meditate on suffering by doing Tonglen.
What does bodhicitta feel like?
There is no particular feeling. It’s an underlying innate quality of the mind, like reason or emotion. However, moments of bodhicitta arising can feel deeply sad, joyful, blissful, and intent upon helping or attaining realization.
What is bodhicitta explained?
It is the Heart or Mind of awakening to the suffering of the world and the truth of emptiness with the longing to help and realize those two things respectively.
What are the teachings of bodhichitta?
Many. Lojong and Shantideva’s Way of the Bodhisattva are the best known. The actual teachings are to awaken the heart and the mind to suffering and reality.
What are the two types of bodhicitta?
Aspiring and Active. Wanting and engaging.
Or Absolute (longing for truth) and relative (compassion)
Conclusion
Bodhicitta is the heart and soul of the Buddha’s path. Without it, genuine and profound progress is blocked. It even exists, in a subtle way, on the hinayana path. It exists as the desire to free oneself from suffering by seeing the non-self. Once fully matured and opened, it arises as full-blown bodhicitta.
Without bodhicitta, nothing is possible. With it, the entire path is possible. In fact, if it is truly recognized for what it is – the pure gold of the path – then the path and enlightenment are inevitable.
May all beings be happy
May all beings be peaceful
May all beings be safe
May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature
May all beings be free
