For they see all phenomena neither come nor go,Yet still endeavor one pointedly to benefit all beings,To the supreme teacher and the protector Chenrezig. With devotoion, I prostrate with body, speech and mind at all times
Perfectly enlightened Buddhas, Source of all well-beings and happiness. Arise from accomplishing the sublime Dharma, Because they achieved by following the essence of teachings, So I will explain the practices of a bodhisattva.
One who is fortunate to obtain this precious human form in this live is like pocessing a leisure and perfect vessel. In order to liberate others and ourselves from this ocean of samsara, a Bodhisattva should make the best use of this life. To practice day and night in listening, contemplating and meditation is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
One day long time relatives and friends will leave; Wealth and pocessions accumulated by great effort will be left behind; Consciousness, a temporary dwelling guest, will discard the body. To renounce this life is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
If associated with harmful companions, three poisons will grow stronger. The virtues of listening, contemplation and meditation become gradually declined and loving kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity will fad away. To stay away from harmful companions is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
If one relies on a sublime spiritual friend, one's faults will gradually disappear and virtues will grow like the waxing moon. To cherish the sublime spiritual friend even more than one's body is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Gods themselves are trapped in the prison of samsara and can not protect anyone from falling into samsara. To take refuge in the supreme undeceived three Jewel is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Since beginningless kalpas, we are indebted to our mothers who took care of us with loving kindness and mercy. What use is our happiness when they still suffer? to generate bodhicitta in order to liberate limitless sentient beings is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
All sufferings come from desiring our own happiness; while perfect Buddhahood arises from the altruistic mind. To exchange one's happiness for the suffering of others is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Even if someone out of desire or incited someone else to take away our wealth by force, to still dedicate body, money and merits accumulated in three times to him is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Even though we are not guilty, yet someone wants to cut off our head. To take on all his quilts with compassion is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
If someone slander us till the entire world filled with malicious gossip, to generate profound compassion to praise his virtues is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Even if someone expose our faults and speak ill of us in the public meeting, to pay reverent respect and view him as a supreme spiritual friend is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
If someone whom we have protected and nurtured as our own child treat us like an enemy, in return, to treat him even kinder than a loving mother caring her sick child is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
If those who are equal or inferior to us, despises us or out of arrogance attempt to debase us, to always respect them as guru is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
When we are belittled and abuse because we are poor and lowly, all the same time afflicted by dangerous illness and evil spirits, not to be discouraged to take on all sufferings caused by wrongful actions committed by all beings is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Though we may be famous and repsected by many people and have the same amount of wealth as Vaishravana, we should know that wealth and power are without true essence. To abandon the mind of arrogance is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Even though the outer enemy is subjugated, unless this inner enemy of aggression is conquered, the outer enemy will grow more and more. To promptly conquer his own mind and arm with compassion and loving kindness is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
All phenomena come from illusions of the mind and the mind itself is from beginningless time without inherent existence, free from extremes (eternalism and nihilism) and beyond all elaboration. To understand this and not to fabricate one's own mind in subject-object duality is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
When we encounter favourable and pleasant circumstances, we should see it as a summer rainbow with a beautiful projected appearance yet it has no real essence. To abandon attachment and desire towards these circumstances is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
All sufferings are like experiences in a dream of the only child's death. If we take them as real then we will become extremely worry. To view unfavourable conditions and difficult circumstances as merely illusions is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
A Bodhisattva would even sacrifice the body to pursuit the bodhi, not to mention to sacrifice the possessions. To practice generosity and not to expect the fruition of karmas and not to ask for reward is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Without following strict precepts, we cannot even benefit ourselves, not to mention to benefit others. Therefore, not to look for worldly happiness, but to diligently follow and protect precepts is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
If a bodhisattva desire the reward of virtuous merit, he should see the enemy as a precious treasure. To abandon hatred and aggression towards beings, learn to be spacious and enduring is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Even pratyebuddhas and shravakas who accomplish only their own welfare diligently practice if pulling off fire on their head. Seeing this, to take up diligent effort - the source of good qualities - for the sake of all beings is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
The vipashyana wisdom arises from profound shamatha can destry devils of karmas and worry. To cultivate meditative concentration to abandon the four formless absorptions is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Without the guidance of wisdom, it is impossible to attain perfect enlightenment through other five paramitas. To cultivate skillful means with wisdom and to recognise that the one who act, the action, and the one being act upon completely lack inherent existence is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
If we do not reflect on our own fault, it is like having the appearance of a practitioner and doing things contrary to the Dharma. Therefore, to constantly reflect ones own fault and abandon them is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Because of disturbing emotions, we speak ills of others' faults which cause our merits to decrease and our practice regress. To avoid criticising or speaking of other Mahayana practitioners' error is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
In order to receive offerings and respect, we gradually regress on listening, contemplating and practicing Dharma. Therefore to abandon the attachment towards the house of relatives and benefactors is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Coarse language and harsh words disturb the mind of others and further deteriorate our conducts. To abandon unpleasant harsh words is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
It is difficult to overcome our worries and old habits. To arm oneself with antidotes of mindfulness, to destroy desire, hatred and ignorance emotions at the moment of rising is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Whenever or whatever we engage in doing things, we should reflect on the state of mind constantly. To accomplish benefitingothers with contine mindfulness and awareness is the practice of Bodhisattva.
A Bodhisattva should endeavor in cultivating cirtues in order to remove sufferings of limitless beings. To dedicate all merits to the enlightenment of all sentient beings with the pure wisdom of realising empty essence of the three wheels is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Based on the teachings of Sutras, Tantras and Shastras, I have written the Thirty-seven Practices of a Bodhisattva in order to benefit those who wish to train on the Bodhisattvas' path.
Due to my inferior intellect and poor learning, this is not poetry that will please scholars, yet these teachings relied upon the Sutras and the speeches of the Sublime Ones, I think the practices of Bodhisattva have no mistake.
However, the immense practice of the Bodhisattva is difficult for someone of ignorance like me to understand and realise; I ask patience of the Sublime Ones and forgive my errors such as contradictions and incoherent.
By the merit of this effort and through relative and absolute Bodhicitta, may all sentient beings without remaining within the limits of samsara and nirvana attain the same Buddhahood as Avalokiteshvara.
(This was written in a cave in Ngulchu Rinchen by Ngulchu Thongme Zangpo, and exponent who taught scriptures and reasoning in order to benefit self and sentient beings.)
