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Auxiliary bodhisattva ethical restraints 7-12

Auxiliary bodhisattva ethical restraints 7-12

The text turns to training the mind on the stages of the path of advanced level practitioners. Part of a series of teachings on the Gomchen Lamrim by Gomchen Ngawang Drakpa. Visit Gomchen Lamrim Study Guide for a full list of contemplation points for the series.

  • When it is not appropriate to teach the Dharma
  • Not giving up on people with poor ethical conduct
  • In which situations to break vinaya rules
  • What kind of person can do non-virtuous actions to benefit others
  • Explanation of the wrong livelihoods for monastics

Gomchen Lamrim 92: Auxiliary Bodhisattva Ethical Restraints 7-12 (download)

Contemplation points

Venerable Chodron continued giving commentary on the bodhisattva ethical code, which are the guidelines you follow when you “take the bodhisattva precepts.” Consider them one by one, in light of the commentary given. For each, consider the following.

  1. In what situations have you seen yourself act this way in the past or under what conditions might it be easy to act this way in the future (it might help to consider how you’ve seen this negativity in the world)?
  2. From which of the ten non-virtues is the precept helping you to restrain?
  3. What are some of the exceptions to the precept and why?
  4. Which of the six perfections is the precept eliminating obstacles to and how?
  5. What are the antidotes that can be applied when you are tempted to act contrary to the precept?
  6. Why is this precept so important to the bodhisattva path? How does breaking it harm yourself and others? How does keeping it benefit yourself and others?
  7. Resolve to be mindful of the precept in your daily life.

Precepts covered this week:

To eliminate obstacles to the far-reaching practice of generosity and obstacles to the ethical conduct of gathering virtuous actions, abandon:

  • Auxiliary Precept #7: Not giving the Dharma to those who desire it.

To eliminate obstacles to the far-reaching practice of ethical conduct, abandon:

  • Auxiliary Precept #8: Forsaking those who have broken their ethical conduct: not giving them advice or not relieving their guilt.
  • Auxiliary Precept #9: Not acting in accord with your pratimoksa precepts.
  • Auxiliary Precept #10: Doing only limited actions to benefit sentient beings, such as strictly keeping the Vinaya rules in situations when not doing so would be of greater benefit to others.
  • Auxiliary Precept #11: Not doing non-virtuous actions of body and speech with loving-compassion when circumstances deem it necessary in order to benefit others.
  • Auxiliary Precept #12: Willingly accepting things that either you or others have obtained by any of the wrong livelihoods of hypocrisy, hinting, flattery, coercion or bribery.
Venerable Thubten Chodron

Venerable Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1977 by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche in Dharamsala, India, and in 1986 she received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan. Read her full bio.