Inspiring the Great (Bodhi) Mind.

Definition of Sanskrit terms; Bodhi, Citta, Hridaya, Hrid

1. The erroneous spiritual conditions of the mind

A. The inspiration of erroneous spiritual conditions

1. Hell - Suffering and bondage
2. Brutality - The animal realm; shameless, naked selfish aggression
3. Hunger - Addiction & using deception to hide it
4. Asuras - Personal demons; assertiveness & the competition of egos
5. Personality - The human realm; deferring to benevolence & righteousness
6. Heaven - The realm of the gods; mastery of one’s desires
7. Mara - The devil; master of the desires of others
8. Nirgranthas - Ritual skill, the outward form or expression of spirituality
9. Brahma Mind - Spiritual purity and meditation
10. The Two Vehicles - Morality, meditation & spiritual insight

B. The sympathetic response of the Buddha through the Four Siddhanta or methods of spiritual penetration and instruction:

1. The Worldly Siddhanta - according to the wishes and desires of living beings to attract them to the spirituality of Dharma
2. The Personal/Individual Siddhanta - adapting to and encouraging the spiritual capacities and good qualities of living beings
3. The Therapeutic Siddhanta - confronting and healing the ignorance & evil qualities of living beings
4. The Siddhanta of the Highest Significance - Directly awakening living beings to their enlightened nature irrespective of methodology

2. The proper inspiration of the Bodhi (awakened) mind, which in turn is in three parts; The Truths, The Vows & The Identities

A. The Truths:

1. The Four Truths and their four progressively deeper levels of understanding - The Four Doctrines

1. The Four Truths of Birth & Extinction - On causality & conditions - The Doctrine of the ‘3 Baskets’
2. The Four Truths Without Birth or Extinction - On emptiness -   The General or ‘Shared’ Doctrine
3. The Limitless Four Truths - On the temporary & provisional - The Specific or ‘Distinct’ Doctrine
4. The Innate Four Truths - The mean - The Total or ‘Perfect’ Doctrine

2. The Twelve-fold Wheel of Origination and their four progressively deeper levels of understanding

3. Ten other sources of inspiration found in the Sutras; their four progressively deeper level of understanding

1. Considering of principles
2. Seeing the 32 signs of the Buddha
3. Seeing spiritual transformations
4. Hearing the teachings of the Dharma
5. Traveling to various realms
6. Seeing various multitudes
7. Seeing the cultivation of various practices
8. Seeing various kinds of extinction
9. Seeing various kinds of wrongs
10. Seeing others receive various kinds of suffering

4. Inspiration and the three kinds of Calm-Observation

1. Gradual
2. Indeterminate
3. Total & Sudden

B. The Vows

1. Distinguishing the difference between the Truths and the Vows:

1. The Four Truths are an intellectual experience whereas the Four Vows are an act of resolve
2. The Four Truths can be understood in terms of the past, present or future whereas the Four Vows are only understood in terms of the future.
3. The Four Truths are in terms of all six senses whereas the Four Vows are only in terms of the thinking mind (and the 'thought of enlightenment', Bodhicitta).

2. The Four Broad Vows and their four progressively deeper levels of understanding - the Four Doctrines.

1. The Four Vows of Birth & Extinction - On causality & conditions - The Doctrine of the ‘3 Baskets’
2. The Four Vows Without Birth or Extinction - On emptiness -  The General or ‘Shared’ Doctrine
3. The Limitless Four Vows - On the temporary & provisional - The Specific or ‘Distinct’ Doctrine
4. The Innate Four Vows - The mean - The Total or ‘Perfect’ Doctrine

C. The Six Identities with enlightenment - faith and wisdom

1.  Identity with Enlightenment in Principle
2.  Identity with Enlightenment in Name
3.  Identity with Enlightenment in Practice of Observation
4.  Identity with Enlightenment in Appearance
5.  Identity with Enlightenment in Increments
6.  Ultimate Identity with Enlightenment

 Home          Literature

Copyright © Peter Johnson 2001 - All rights reserved

Copyright Policy - Contact the Author at pj@tientai.net

  Since July 9, 2001

FastCounter by bCentral