My dear friends,

The sixth precept in Atiśa's "The Best" is:

To conduct oneself in a manner "at odds with the mundane world" means to live guided by the light of ultimate Bodhicitta, free from the distractions of the eight worldly concerns: pleasure and pain, gain and loss, praise and blame, fame and obscurity. These concerns keep us bound to samsara because they stem from the Three Poisons—ignorance, attachment, and aversion. To transcend them, we must engage in a profound transformation that touches the very core of our being.

The key to this transformation lies in understanding and experiencing the truth of emptiness and dependent arising. When we see that all things arise due to causes and conditions, without any intrinsic, independent nature, we realize that the craving (tanha) that drives our actions is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of reality. This new understanding allows us to cultivate a mindset where we are not swayed by external circumstances, but rather act from a place of deep compassion and wisdom.

As Geshe Chekawa advises,

This points to a subtle but profound shift. We do not need to forcefully demonstrate our spiritual progress by adopting behaviors that appear eccentric or aloof. Instead, we allow our understanding to permeate our actions so deeply that our conduct remains simple, humble, and natural. We embody a quiet and gentle stability that does not react impulsively to the fluctuations of worldly conditions but instead responds with the equanimity and warmth of the awakened mind.

Thus, the "best conduct" is not about external behavior alone but the inner attitude that guides our actions. It arises from a heart centered in ultimate Bodhicitta—a heart that sees all beings as interconnected and responds to their suffering with the same care and concern as if it were its own. In this way, we engage in the world without being ensnared by it, moving skillfully and compassionately through the currents of life, like a lotus blooming unstained in the muddy waters.