Today is Saka Dawa, the 15th Day of the 4th Tibetan lunar month. On this special occasion, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, out of his infinite compassion for all sentient beings, conducted the Ceremony for Generating Bodhicitta online. I was able to attend virtually.
As part of the Ceremony, His Holiness reminded us of the importance of Bodhicitta, or compassion, in everything we do, for it is only through this, combined with the wisdom of realizing emptiness (reality as it is), that one can achieve enlightenment.
His Holiness cited texts of Master Nagarjuna and Master Shantideva to illustrate the importance of Bodhicitta even if one wishes to attain success for oneself, as the altruism associated with Bodhicitta will invariably benefit not just oneself, but also the people around you. His Holiness gave the extremely practical advice that even if one wished to be “selfish”, Bodhicitta is the way to be wisely selfish, because if one were kind to others, one will always have friends. His Holiness taught that each and every one of us has potential to become like Lord Shakyamuni Buddha, as the nature of the mind is luminosity and omniscience, and defilements which give rise to our destructive emotions, can be overcome and uprooted with Bodhicitta as an important antidote.
We rejoice in His Holiness’ declaration today that in the many years to come, His Holiness, whose infinite compassion has shone in these times across the seven continents, shall preside over this Ceremony during Saka Dawa, in order to spur all of us onto the practice of the supreme Dharma. As cited by His Holiness, the Kadampa masters and other Tibetan masters have said, it is through our past good karma that we have been able to achieve our human form in this life, and may our continued practices of the Buddha’s teachings prevent us from generating the causes to lose this precious human birth.
May any and all merits accrued on this special day inure to the benefit of all of you, and may you join me once again in wishing His Holiness and very long and healthy life. May the precious Dharma, particularly the seeds of Bodhicitta, remain forevermore in the great three thousand worlds and their environment, in order to bring relief to all sentient beings.
🙏 Geshe Lama Konchok
Cultivating the Awakening Mind
薩噶月十五號的法會