From Chapter 10 – “Dedication” in Shantideva’s A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life is HH the Dalai Lama’s favourite prayer, and one I love the best of all.
“Healing Anger: The Power of Patience from a Buddhist Perspective”, by The Dalai Lama, translated by Thupten Jinpa (Snow Lion, 1997).
In the book, HH shows how the power of patience and tolerance can help us overcome anger and hatred. He bases his discussion on A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, the classic work on the activities of Bodhisattvas – those who aspire to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all SSBs – suffering sentient beings.
By Shantideva
May all beings everywhere
Plagued by sufferings of body and mind
Obtain an ocean of happiness and joy
By virtue of my merits.
May no living creature suffer,
Commit evil , or ever fall ill.
May no one be afraid or belittled,
With a mind weighed down by depression.
May the blind see forms
And the deaf hear sounds.
May those whose bodies are worn with toil
Be restored on finding repose.
May the naked find clothing,
The hungry find food;
May the thirsty find water
And delicious drinks.
May the poor find wealth,
Those weak with sorrow find joy;
May the forlorn find hope,
Constant happiness, and prosperity.
May there be timeless rains
And bountiful harvests.
May all medicines be effective
And wholesome prayers bear fruit.
May all who are sick and ill
Quickly be freed from their ailments.
Whatever diseases there are in the world,
May they never occur again.
May the frightened cease to be afraid
And those bound be freed;
May the powerless find power;
And may people think of benefitting each other.
For as long as space remains,
For as long as sentient beings remain,
Until then may I too remain
To dispel the miseries of the world.
Shantideva: How to Wake Up a Hero is the retelling of Shantideva’s teachings before a surprised audience, who had thought he was useless and could only eat, sleep, and poop. Leading his listeners into a superhero training of a different kind, he reveals the secret to perfect bravery and unbounded compassion and shows how anyone can develop them. You don’t need super-strength or magical powers, he says. You just need practice.
“Readers of all ages will enjoy this retelling of a beloved spiritual classic. Playfully illustrated in traditional Tibetan style, the story of the monk Shantideva frames his inspiring lessons on the way of the bodhisattva superhero.
A dozen illustrations painted in traditional Tibetan style draw in readers to this work that will be treasured not only by Buddhist families but by anyone who aspires to become more kind and wise.” (Wisdom Publications, 2015)
No comments:
Post a Comment