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ChatGPT-4/DALL-E3, 2024-01-01
In the journey towards enlightenment, the development of Bodhicitta, or the 'Mind of Enlightenment', is a pivotal step. This profound concept in Mahayana Buddhism can be understood in two aspects: relative (aspirational) Bodhicitta and ultimate (actual) Bodhicitta. The former is the seed of the latter, and both are essential in the path of a Bodhisattva.
So have all other sentient beings.
Inspire me to see this and really to practice
Bodhi-mind, that carries the weight of freeing them.
-- The Foundation of All Perfections (7)
The sentiment expressed here encapsulates the essence of relative Bodhicitta. This is the aspirational wish to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is born from a deep recognition of the universal suffering in samsara, the cycle of rebirth, and is characterized by the cultivation of compassion and loving-kindness.
tightly bound by karmic chains, so hard to escape,
trapped in the iron cage of self grasping,
shrouded by pitch-black ignorance,
born again and again in endless cycles of life,
constantly tortured by the three sufferings,
all our mothers are in this plight.
Please generate ultimate compassion and love.
-- The Three Principles of the Path (7,8)
This verse further underlines the need for developing relative Bodhicitta. Recognizing the pervasive suffering of all beings fosters a profound aspiration to attain Buddhahood. This is not for personal liberation alone but to assist all beings in escaping the relentless cycle of suffering inherent in samsara.
The mind that aspires to awaken, and the mind that ventures to do so.
As is understood by the distinction between aspiring to go and (actually) going,
so the wise understand the distinction between these two.
- Shantideva, Bodhisattvacharyavatara, I(15,16)
Shantideva's words here eloquently distinguish between the two types of Bodhicitta. Relative Bodhicitta is the aspiration to reach enlightenment, akin to the intention to embark on a journey. Ultimate Bodhicitta, on the other hand, involves actively engaging in practices that lead to enlightenment, such as the perfection of wisdom and the direct realization of the nature of reality, thereby going beyond mere aspiration.
Understanding the distinction between relative and ultimate Bodhicitta is fundamental in the Mahayana path. While relative Bodhicitta sets the direction towards enlightenment, ultimate Bodhicitta embodies the actual journey through direct experience and realization. Both are indispensable in the pursuit of complete awakening for the benefit of all beings.