The 37 practices of a Bodhisattva

by Ngulchu Thogme

Paraphrased with comments by Mike Frost

Ngulchu Thogme was born in 1285 and lived as a monk and Buddhist master in Tibet. His "37 Practices of a Bodhisattva " (a short version of a work by Shantideva) is an important summary of the Bodhisattva ideal from the Tibetan Buddhist viewpoint. A bodhisattva is a person seeking enlightenment.

The comments are my own but are based on the commentary by Ringu Tulku in his book "Daring Steps Towards Fearlessness" (with the translation by Rosemarie Fuchs) and on translations by Ken McLeod, Thogme Zangpo, Jeffery Hopkins, Suzanne Schefczky (with commentary by Tsultrim Gyamtso), Rigzen Dorje and Archaya Tamphel.

Namo Lokeshvaraya.
I pay respect with body, words and mind
To the supreme teacher Avalokiteshvara,
Who sees all phenomena as devoid of arising and ceasing
And yet is devoted to helping all.

All Buddhas, the sources of all spiritual happiness,
Have become enlightened by living the Dhamma.
To do this requires knowing both what and what not to do
So here I teach the practices of the Bodhisattvas.

Since it is rare to be born human
We should listen, study and meditate day and night
To free ourselves, with all others, from birth and rebirth.
Doing this without wavering is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Attachment to loved ones drags one in like water,
Hatred of enemies burns one like fire.
Because we lack wisdom we cannot distinguish what is wise from what is not.
Therefore to become a wanderer is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

After leaving places where there are temptations, attachments will decrease.
With freedom from distraction, virtue will grow.
With clarity of mind, confidence in the teachings will increase.
Being alone is therefore the practice of a Bodhisattva.

One will finally leave long-term friends.
One will lose without trace the wealth and possessions that one has fought to obtain.
Consciousness will leave its home, the body, where it was a guest.
To renounce this life is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Practice 5
When one is with bad friends, desire, hatred and ignorance increase
Loving kindness and compassion decrease,
And one forgets to listen, reflect and meditate,
Giving up such friends is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

When spiritual guides cause our good qualities to grow like the waxing moon
And our faults to be eliminated
Then to cherish such guides more dearly than our own body
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

All gods are trapped in the prison of repeated life and death.
How then can they help us escape?
For refuge look only to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha.
This is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

The Buddha taught that the terrible sufferings in bad rebirths
Are the fruits of wrong actions.
Therefore never to harm others, even though one's life is at stake,
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Happiness, even the joy of high meditative states,
Is like dew on the tip of a blade of grass - it lasts a moment and is no more.
To strive for the unchanging joy of Buddhahood
Is therefore the practice of a Bodhisattva.

If the mothers who have loved us in successive lives are suffering,
How cruel it is to forget them while we gain our own happiness?
Generating compassion in order to liberate all beings, however many,
Is therefore the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Comment - This stanza is an argument for the Bodhisattva path. Theravada Buddhists believe that though one can point the way one cannot carry a person along the path.

All our suffering, without exception, comes from our desire for our own happiness.
Buddhahood comes from a mind that is set on helping others.
Fully exchanging one's happiness for the suffering of others
Is therefore the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Should someone, driven by greed, steal all your possessions
Or send another to steal them, you should dedicate to him
Your body, your possessions and your past, present and future merit.
That is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Should someone try to cut off your head,
Even though you had not given the slightest cause,
Out of compassion you should take his misdeeds upon yourself.
That is the practice of Bodhisattva.

Should someone insult you
And his words echo through the universe then
Out of compassion you should be kind and praise his virtues.
That is the practice of Bodhisattva.

Should someone at a public gathering
Expose your hidden faults and abuse you
Then heed his words and respect him as a teacher
That is the practice of Bodhisattva.

Should a person whom you have loved like an only child
Turn against you
You should love them like a mother loves her sick That is the practice of Bodhisattva.

When someone equal or inferior
Spitefully seeks to defame you
Place him on the crown of your head
That is the practice of Bodhisattva.

Though one may be poor and constantly disparaged,
Though one may be seriously ill and haunted by evil spirits.
Not to despair but to take on the suffering of all sentient beings
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Though one may be famous and respected by all,
Though one has become as rich as Vaishravana,
Seeing this as fortunate but having no essence
And not becoming arrogant is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Comment - Vaishravana is a Buddhist god, protector of the teachings, king of the North and especially god of wealth. This stanza reflects the Buddha's teaching that all conditioned things, i.e. things that have a cause, are impermanent. It has been argued that being impermanent they have no essence i.e. no ultimate reality.

If one fights outer enemies, rather than restraining the inner enemy of hatred,
One will just increase their number,
Therefore taming the mind using the armies of loving-kindness and compassion
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Indulging in sense pleasures is like drinking salt water -
The more one does it, the more one's thirst grows.
Avoiding all things to which one gets attached
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Comment - The sense pleasures are normally thought of as pleasures associated with sight, sound, smell, taste and bodily feeling. This stanza emphasises the importance of non-attachment.

All that I see is created in my mind.
My original mind is free from preconceptions.
To know this and not separate perceived and perceiver
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

When one meets things that please one,
Then knowing that they are like rainbows in summer,
Beautiful but not real, and therefore not desiring them
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

All one's sufferings are like the death of one's child in a dream.
Mistaking illusion for reality is exhausting.
Therefore when unpleasant events occur, seeing them as illusions
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

One who seeks enlightenment must be willing to give away his body,
As well as his possessions.
To give generously without expectation of karmic or other reward
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Comment - This stanza is on the first of the six paramitas (=perfections) - generosity.

If, because one lacks moral discipline, one cannot help oneself
How can one help others?
Maintaining right conduct and freeing oneself from attachment to pleasure
Is therefore the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Comment - This stanza is on the second paramita (=perfection): morality, virtue, discipline and proper conduct.

For a bodhisattva who desires a store of merit
Those who hurt him are to be valued as teachers.
Developing patience towards all without anger or resentment
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Shravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, who seek only their own enlightenment,
Strive as though trying to extinguish a fire in their hair.
Developing joyous effort, the source of all good qualities, in order to benefit all beings
Is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Comment - A Shravaka is a Theravada bodhisattva who works only for his own enlightenment and also relies on a teacher throughout his entire training. A Pratyekabuddha is the same but doesn't rely on a teacher during the last stages of training. In modern Theravada (as opposed to vajrayana) compassion is recognised as vital but it is also remembered that the Buddha said, "By oneself is evil done, by oneself is one defiled, By oneself is evil not done, by oneself is one purified. Both defilement and purity depend on oneself. No one is purified by another." (Dhp. v 165) There is not full agreement between translations but the idea is clear. This stanza is on the fourth paramita (=perfection): energy, diligence, vigour and joyous effort.

Greed, anger and ignorance are eliminated
By insight meditation based on calming meditation.
Understanding this, transcending the deepest meditative states
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Perfect enlightenment cannot be obtained through the five paramitas without wisdom as well.
To learn not to separate the actor, the act and the acted upon, nor to see reality in them,
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

If one doesn't analyse one's delusion and mistakes
One might seem to be practising Dhamma but still act contrary to the teachings.
To investigate one's actions and to abandon our faults
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

If, driven by mental poisons, one exposes the faults of other Bodhisattvas
One causes one's own deterioration.
So to avoid criticising a follower of the Mahayana path
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

In the houses of friends, relations and patrons, driven by desire for rewards or respect,
One may start quarrelling and then neglect learning, reflecting and meditating.
Therefore to abandoning attachment to the household
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Words said in anger disturb the minds of others
And cause our spiritual practice to deteriorate.
Therefore giving up abuse of others
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

Once hooked on wrong action we will find it hard to cure ourselves.
Defeating disturbing emotions, such as attachments, as they arise
Using the weapons of mindfulness and awareness
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

In brief, whatever we do should be done
With awareness of the state of our minds.
To help all others while maintaining constant mindfulness and awareness
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

May the merits achieved by my striving dispel the suffering of all beings,
Dedicating thus to the enlightenment of all
Who have seen no reality in the actor, the act and the acted upon,
This is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

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