..续本文上一页. One can see how various cultures of the past such as the Greek civilization influenced the world and one can see how that influence was very short-lived. The activity of Buddha, however, is spreading and increasing all the time without any break in continuity and is always effective wherever it is. The Buddha”s activity is also always appropriate and fresh. In the first centuries after the Buddha”s passing away, the Buddha”s activity was very appropriate. Even 2,000 years later it is still very meaningful and appropriate.
The view or approach of a bodhisattva to the Mahayana teachings is rooted in the second turning of the wheel of dharma. This second main phase of Buddha”s teachings is called “the second turning” or sometimes “the intermediate turning.” The first turning was concerned with the four noble truths and was the basis for the Hinayana. The second turning was the main basis for the Mahayana. The main topic of the Buddha”s teaching in this turning is what is called voidness or emptiness.11 The Buddha described the empty nature of both outer phenomena of the universe and inner phenomena in the mind of the perceiver. Then later on, in the third turning, the Buddha mainly taught about wisdom (Skt. jñana).
When Thrangu Rinpoche was in Germany there was one person who said that he appreciated Rinpoche”s teachings very much, but when it came to the teachings on emptiness, they somehow made him feel depressed and uncomfortable. He said that if Rinpoche taught more about the existence of something rather than nonexistence of something, it would probably make him feel better. Because of this discomfort, emptiness will be explained in terms of the simultaneity of emptiness and interdependence called interdependent origination (Tib. tendrel).
The Six Paramitas
The practice of the Mahayana of the bodhisattva is mainly concerned with the six paramitas. There are in fact ten13 paramitas but six of these are most commonly spoken of. So we will discuss the six paramitas which constitute the bodhisattva”s practice.
The Buddha said that when we do dharma practice, it should be done in a genuine and heartfelt way. This means that when we practice dharma, we must not just do it as an outer show or pretense or like a theatrical performance where actors dress up as kings and ministers even though they are not really kings and ministers. We must practice dharma wholeheartedly and very properly with our body, speech, and mind. When we perform virtuous actions with our body, our mind should be there also working for dharma.
When we say things, our mind should mean it as well. Practicing the dharma whole-heartedly is very important. If we do a prostration, for instance, our mind should also be filled with faith, devotion, and confidence to make that prostration meaningful. But if we just prostrate with the body and the mind is not involved with it, then it is more like theater with us just going through the movements, but the power is not there. It is the same when we recite mantras. If we recite a mantra and at the same time our mind is visualizing, we are filled with certainty, confidence, and faith; then all the power of the mind will be there and it will be a very good practice. But if we just recite the mantras and our mind is elsewhere, then it is just a show and the power is not there. It is not necessarily a bad thing to just do a prostration or a mantra mouthing the words. It just means the power is not there; just as it is not necessarily a bad thing that people pretend to be king and ministers in the theater. So, if we really want to get everything possible out of practice, we need to do it very sincerely and wholeheartedly with our body, speech, and mind.
With this wholehearted approach the bodhisattva”s practice is…
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