There was a very famous Dzogchen master in the
thirteenth century Tibet named Longchenpa who taught that the entire
conduct of the bodhisattva can be summarized into two aspects of
aspirational and actualizing bodhicitta.
Longchenpa went on to explain that the aspirational bodhicitta
is actually based upon the Four Immeasurables:
immeasurable love,
immeasurable compassion,
immeasurable joy, and
immeasurable equanimity.
Because sentient beings are as limitless as
space, our practice of these four virtues must also be immeasurable.
We can begin developing these in our heart by
chanting aspirational prayers such as, "May all beings be happy, may the
causes of their suffering be removed, may they always be joyful, and may
they all remain in a state of equanimity."
The aspirational bodhicitta is mainly applied
at the levels of mind and speech. Through practice, it becomes the cause
of the actualized bodhicitta. Once we accomplish this, we can perform
actions with confidence arising from our intention to benefit
others.
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