As far as I am aware, there are two different traditions in the Bodhisattva
vows: the Chinese and the Tibetan. In the chinese tradition, the vows for lay
followers and monks and nuns are different. The Chinese version for ordained
people has ten root vows and forty-eight secondary vows. Although the listing of
the vows is not the same, they are very similar to the Tibetan tradition. Below
explanation follows the Tibetan tradition.
The bodhisattva or bodhicitta vows comprise eighteen root and forty-six
secondary vows. These vows have been compiled in the Tibetan tradition from
various authoritative texts. Breaking a root vow completely breaks your
bodhichitta ordination, whereas breaking a secondary or branch vow does not
completely break your ordination, but damages it. Even if you have not taken the
vows, they are useful as guidelines in how to properly engage in the Bodhisattva
practices. This will also help strengthen aspiring bodhicitta. One should take
the time to become familiar with the vows before taking them. That way you can
avoid the discovery later on that you are unable to keep them. These vows are
quite a commitment, as they are not just taken for this life, but all future
lives as well!
The following description of the bodhichitta vows is given according to the
'Compendium of Trainings by Shantideva the Luminous Jewel Garland of
Instructions on the Three Vows' by Gelong Tsewang Samdrub, and teachings by
Geshe Tashi in London (February and March 2001) which were based on Lama Tsong
Khapa's commentary.
THE 18 ROOT VOWS
The eighteen root vows require that you abandon below actions of body speech
and mind:
1. Praising yourself and denigrating others. You must avoid
praising yourself and, with delusion, criticising and denigrating others through
wanting to gain offerings, respect or some sort of profit. Praising yourself and
criticising, denigrating or complaining about others creates heavy negative
karma as well as breaking this root bodhicitta vow.
2. Not giving wealth and Dharma. If you refuse to help others with
financial assistance or Dharma teachings when you are able to do so in response
to their requests, you will break this root vow. You must practise generosity of
material things and generosity of Dharma to those who are suffering, confused
and dissatisfied. You should teach those who want teachings and show them how to
meditate and remove their suffering. This root vow is part of the perfection of
generosity
3. Not forgiving though someone apologises. Refusing to accept the
apology of someone who wrongs you and then apologises, breaks this root vow.
Also, if someone breaks vows or precepts and confesses that negative action to
you, you must be prepared to accept their confession.
4. Abandoning the Mahayana. If you reject the Mahayana, or any
part of it, saying that it is not the teaching of the Buddha, you will break
this root vow. To some, the Mahayana seems complicated and overly mystical. The
teachings assert the existence of countless manifestations of Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas. Some people are unable to come to grips with this vast scope and
such things as the sophisticated tantric methods contained in the Mahayana. They
may come to think, or even say to others, 'The Mahayana is mixed with
non-Buddhist practices. It is not a pure teaching of the Buddha as is the
Hinayana.' By thinking in this way you abandon the Mahayana and break this vow
5. Stealing offerings to the Three Jewels. ("Kings vow") You break
this root vow if you steal anything that was offered, or intended to be offered,
to the Three Jewels. Even stealing from others or taking things intended for
others will break this vow.
6. Abandoning the Dharma. ("Kings vow") Criticising or claiming
that any part of the Hinayana, Mahayana or Vajrayana is not part of the Buddha's
teachings will incur this root downfall. You should not criticise or denigrate a
teaching from the Vinaya, sutra or Abhidharma baskets of the Dharma.
7. Disrobing monks or nuns. („Kings vow") If you force monks or
nuns to give up their ordination by disrobing, or force them to do actions which
break their ordination, you break this root vow. Harming the Sangha must be
avoided as they are essential to the continuation of Buddhist teachings.
8. Committing the five heinous crimes. („Kings vow") The five
heinous karmas are killing one's father, killing one's mother, killing a Foe
Destroyer (Arhat), wounding a Buddha and creating a schism in the Sangha. Doing
any of these very heavy negative actions will break this root vow.
9. Holding wrong views. Wrong views are such as denying the
existence of the Three Jewels, the law of cause and effect, the conventional and
ultimate truths, the four noble truths, the twelve links of Dependent
Origination and so on. Holding such wrong views will break this root vow because
you will be unable even to benefit yourself, let alone others. For example, by
denying karma you will not be concerned about the consequences of your actions
and, with such carelessness, will continue to create negative karma and hurt
others.
10. Destroying towns and so on. („Kings vow") If you completely
destroy any place inhabited by living beings, you will break this root vow.
Destroying a city or country habitat, whether by means of fire, bombs, black
magic or any other means, will kill many living beings.
11. Teaching emptiness to the untrained. („Minister vow") If you
teach the profound subject of emptiness to those who are not able to interpret
it properly, or perhaps do not wish to practise it anyway, you will break this
root vow. The danger is that some may misinterpret emptiness to mean
nothingness, or non-existence, and fall to the nihilist extreme denying the
relationship of cause and effect. The true meaning of the emptiness of inherent
existence of self and phenomena is very profound and difficult to understand.
Many believe that the great Acharya Nagarjuna, who strongly propagated this
system, was a nihilist, but this was because they missed the brilliant subtlety
of his thought. You should therefore only teach the final view of the nature of
phenomenon to those who are ripe to understand it.
12. Reversing others' aspiration for complete enlightenment.
Inducing someone who is practising the Mahayana into the Hinayana path
will break this root vow. If you were to tell someone that the six perfections
are beyond his capacity and suggest that, since he will never attain
enlightenment, it is better to practise the Hinayana - whereby liberation is
attained quickly. You will then lead him or her from a greater goal into a
lesser one and break this root vow.
13. Causing someone to abandon individual liberation. You must not
cause others to abandon their individual liberation vows, whether they be the
two hundred and fifty three precepts of a monk, the thirty-six precepts of a
novice, the eight or five precepts of a layman, or the practice of the ten
virtues. You should never suggest that these are part of the lesser vehicle and
not important for the Mahayanist. Neither should you encourage someone to ignore
their vow not to drink alcohol, or other vows, by implying that such vows are of
a lower level than the Vajrayana vows and therefore not important. If you cause
others to abandon their individual liberation vows, you will break this root vow
14. Denigrating the Hinayana. If you disparage the Hinayana with a
negative mind, especially in the presence of a Hinayanist, you break this root
bodhichitta vow. Some say that the Hinayana is a very low vehicle and it takes a
long time to traverse that path, and therefore it is better that to practise the
great Mahayana and rapid Vajrayana. This is not a suitable attitude because both
the Hearer and Solitary Realiser paths lead to liberation and to the realisation
of renunciation, which are fundamental to the Mahayana path.
15. Falsely claiming to have realised emptiness. Falsely claiming
to have the full realisation of the emptiness of inherent existence of self and
phenomena breaks this root vow. It is a specific form of lying, whereby you
deceive others into believing that you have special attainments. It is not
necessary to claim explicitly that you have high realisations to break this vow.
Just implying that you have high realisations also incurs the downfall. An
example would be to suggest to others that if they practise according to your
instructions they will also gain great powers and spiritual attainments.
Or to say, 'If you practise the three principal paths diligently you will gain
similar experiences of bliss to my own!' The Buddha said that even when you
have attained the paths of insight or liberation you should never openly say to
others, 'I have this or that realisation' or 'I have attained this or that
path'. Publicly stating such things will only cause confusion and suspicion.
Cynics will believe that you are lying to improve your status and reputation,
and the gullible will follow you blindly rather than because of the quality of
your teachings. Deceiving other people into thinking that you have realisations
when you do not is particularly dangerous. Tibetans have a poor opinion of the
person who boasts about his qualities and claims to have special clairvoyance or
an ability to communicate with the Buddhas. On the other hand, we have the
greatest respect for the truly humble practitioner who hides his attainments and
leads a quiet and simple life practising the Dharma diligently.
16. Receiving the property of the Three Jewels. If you accept
things that were originally offered to the Three Jewels, then stolen or
misappropriated and given to you, you will break this root vow. It also refers
to people such as kings or government ministers who use their position of power
to unjustly acquire wealth and then pass some or all of it on to you. Accepting
such gifts is a form of wrong livelihood.
17. The person practising concentration giving his belongings to others.
Where a yogi, engaged in a concentration retreat, reluctantly accepts
the offerings of a benefactor and then with some anger gives the offerings to
others who are not seriously engaged in Dharma practice, he will incur this root
downfall.
18. Giving up bodhichitta. If you give up your aspiration to
attain enlightenment, or your determination to benefit all living beings, or any
single living being for that matter, you will incur this downfall. Having taken
a vow to benefit all living beings, to give up this purpose is to abandon them
and doing so cheats all living beings. You destroy the very basis of your
Mahayana practice.
If you break the vows 9. Wrong View, or 18. Giving up Bodhichitta; you
break completely your bodhichitta ordination, without requiring below four
conditions to be present.
However, in breaking any of the other sixteen root vows, four factors must be
present for you to completely break your bodhichitta vows. The four conditions
are not unique to the bodhichitta vows. No precept is totally broken, nor is any
non- virtue complete unless the four factors are present. These four factors
also contribute to the heaviness of a negative karma. Karma becomes increasingly
heavy, as more of the factors are present, and is most heavy when all four are
present. The four factors are: 1. Not thinking of the action as faulty.
2. Not intending to abstain from the action in future, or retaining the
continuous desire to break the precept. 3. Rejoicing in the action, or
enjoying having broken the vow. 4. Not having any regret about the action.
Killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and so on are not complete
negative karmas if the four factors are not present. If you were to break any of
the root vows other than the 9th and 18th and then had sincere regret, or
otherwise reversed the four factors, your bodhichitta ordination would not be
completely broken.
Having taken the bodhichitta vows, you should endeavour to keep them purely.
If you transgress your vows then you should regret doing so and quickly practise
purification. In that way your development of bodhichitta will progress
constantly.
Besides the 18 root vows, there are 46 secondary vows. Together they form the
method for developing bodhichitta and prevent it from degenerating. The vows are
therefore the source of happiness and the way to avoid harming living beings.
The forty-six branch vows require that you abandon the following actions:
Vow 1- 7 are related to the perfection of generosity.
1. Neglecting to pay homage to the Three Jewels each day. Having
taken the bodhichitta vows it is necessary to accumulate merit. You should
therefore take refuge in the Three Jewels, make physical offerings and
prostrations, verbal praises, requests and mental homage each day.
2. Following the mind of desire. If you do not restrain yourself
from acting out delusions, indulging in desire, and do not know contentment, you
will constantly grasp at material comforts and the enjoyments of cyclic
existence and break this branch vow.
3. Not respecting elders. Elder Bodhisattvas, that is those who
have taken the bodhichitta vows before you, are objects of respect and objects
of offering. Not showing them respect will break this branch vow.
4. Not replying to questions. * When someone trusts you and
sincerely asks a question of you, and if you become angry or, due to laziness do
not give the appropriate answer, you will break this branch vow. Any time that
you avoid skilfully and appropriately answering questions on the Dharma and
other matters is an infraction of this branch vow. For example, if somebody asks
you to explain how to meditate on impermanence and you respond with an
explanation of bodhichitta, you will have broken this vow. Even if you respond
on the subject of impermanence, but in an inappropriate or unsatisfactory way,
that is an infraction. This branch vow applies whether you have full ordination
or lay vows, and also with respect to the practice of the ten virtues, about
unconditioned phenomena, such as space or emptiness.
5. Not accepting invitations. If you decline an invitation without
a proper, valid reason, that is an infraction of this vow. The vow specifically
refers to refusing an invitation because of anger, jealousy, and laziness and so
on. It is acceptable to decline an invitation if you have a good reason for
doing so. For example, you may be sick, too busy, doing a retreat, or if
accepting the invitation could cause an obstacle to your Dharma practice or
cause others to be unhappy or jealous. When people invite you to their home for
dinner, they are extending their friendship. A refusal will cause them to feel
rejected and make them unhappy. So, in general you should try to accept
invitations but, before you do, check first to ensure that you will not be led
into creating negative karma or breaking a vow. For example, if you have a vow
not to drink alcohol and are invited to a function where old friends may put a
lot of pressure on you to drink, then it may be best to refuse such an
invitation politely and gently.
6. Not accepting gold and so on. When a benefactor sincerely
offers gold, silver or other precious things, to decline them through malice,
anger or laziness breaks this branch vow.
7. Not giving the Dharma to those who desire it. Refusing to teach
the Dharma to those who genuinely wish to learn and practise it because of
delusions such as anger, jealousy or laziness is an infraction of this vow.
There are valid reasons not to give teachings, such as being to busy, not
familiar with the subject, believing that there is not a suitable time, or that
the student lacks faith. In those cases it is acceptable not to teach, but to
refuse to teach the dharma due to laziness and so on breaks this vow.
Vow 8-16 are related to the perfection of ethical self-discipline.
8. Forsaking those who have broken their moral discipline. These
people will need advice and help with releiving their guilt. They should not be
treated with contempt or be ignored.
9. Not observing the (Hinayana) trainings in order to generate or sustain
faith in others. If, for example one breaks the monastic vows saying 'I
need to help others', but with the motivation of gaining others' respect.
10. Doing little to benefit other sentient beings. Bodhisattvas
need not observe the Vinaya disciplines exactly in the same manner as the
Hinayana. For instance, the minor rule for an ordained person not to keep new
robes for more than ten days without blessing them is not a natural negativity
but a negativity decree; that is, a decree of the Buddha for the ordained.
However, to place too much importance on such minor rules compared to taking
opportunities to benefit other living beings will incur this downfall. You must
compare which course of action will serve the greater purpose and act to provide
the greatest benefit to other living beings When you are in a situation where
you can help another living being, but doing so requires that you transgress one
of the Vinaya rules and you pull back from helping by thinking, 'I should not
break a vow', then you incur this downfall.
11. Not knowing the full purpose of compassion. If it serves a
special purpose for others, it is permissible for a Bodhisattva to commit the
seven non-virtues of body and speech. If you refuse to commit a such a
non-virtue, when by doing so you could help numberless sentient beings, you will
incur this downfall. Generally, you have to avoid all non-virtues. But when the
circumstances arise in which, through compassion, you can help numberless
sentient beings by engaging in one of the seven non-virtues of body and speech,
then you must do so. For instance, suppose you were living in the country and a
hunter came by and asked you whether you had seen any deer. If you had seen some
and decided not to lie, you would keep your Vinaya precepts and retain
observance of the seven virtues, but the hunter would kill the deer. In this
case you should rather tell a lie than follow the normal rule. This judgement
obviously requires wisdom.
12. Deliberately accepting things which are acquired by wrong livelihood.
If, with selfish motivation you deliberately acquire wealth, reputation
and so on by any of the five wrong livelihoods you incur this downfall. The
five wrong livelihoods are: a) Hypocrisy: for example acting as though you
are a great and holy lama full of love, compassion and limitless insight in
order to win the devotion offerings of others. b) Flattery is praising
others with the negative motivation of gaining something from them c)
Hinting is gaining something by asking for it indirectly. An example would be
saying to your benefactor, 'Last year you gave me a thousand dollars which was a
wonderful help in supporting my retreat to benefit all living beings. This year
I am going to do a special retreat again...??' Or, 'You are so incredibly
successful and wealthy and have always been so kind and generous to me.' d)
Artful acquisition is gaining things by sneaky methods or pressuring others. For
example, by insulting them about their miserliness and lack of caring for the
desperate plight of such deserving individuals as your good self. e) Seeking
reward for favour is giving a small gift in the expectation that you will get
something much greater in return
13. Indulging in frivolity with agitation, delusion and lack of
mindfulness you make fun of others, laugh loudly, make loud noises and so on,
you incur this downfall. Being agitated in this way is an obstacle to
concentration and the practice of Dharma because your attachment will be
increased. If you are constantly joking, singing, dancing, drinking and carrying
on, you will be unable to concentrate and will also distract other people, It is
acceptable to sing, listen to music, laugh, joke and so on if you have a good
purpose for doing so. If, with compassion and love, you want to relax or cause
others to be relaxed and happy, then singing, joking and the like can be useful.
The branch vow refers to doing these things through agitation and delusion.
14. Claiming Bodhisattvas should remain in cyclic existence.
Holding the view that Bodhisattvas should not be attracted to
liberation, not be afraid of delusion and not to become separate from delusion,
but rather that a Bodhisattva's job is to roam in cyclic existence for three
countless aeons while cultivating enlightenment, incurs this downfall. Such an
attitude shows that you do not understand the nature of cyclic existence,
delusion and the Bodhisattva path. Instead, a Bodhisattva is to achieve
liberation and full enlightenment in order to be of greatest benefit to others.
15. Not avoiding a bad reputation. A bodhisattva can often help
others better when having a good reputation. Even joking too much can be tricky
when people misunderstand one's real intentions. Also, when others criticise you
and damage your reputation. you should endeavour to clear your name.
16. Not employing the methods to overcome others' negativities. If
it is possible to overcome others' negativities of body and speech through
forceful methods, but you elect to use flattery and help them save face instead,
you incur this downfall. You should make an effort and use all your skill and
suitable methods to help those who create negative actions, break their vows,
harm others and so on. Where possible, teach them ways to purify negative karma,
such as the 4 opponent powers, and practise such methods yourself as an example.
Vow 17- 20 are related to the perfection of patience
17. Not practising the four noble disciplines. The four dharmas
are to be patient and 1. not responding to anger with anger 2. not
responding to physical harm with physical harm 3. not responding to criticism
with criticism 4. not responding to verbal argumenting with verbal
argumenting These four noble disciplines are said to distinguish a real
practitioner, as they refer to the causes of anger and lack of patience. If you
retaliate in any of the four circumstances you break this branch vow.
18. Not caring about those who are angry. Do not add fuel to the
anger of others by neglecting or ignoring those who are angry with you. Instead
of closing yourself off, try to communicate and dissipate their anger. If you
cause a problem for others or you have suspicious projections that they are
harming you, and then through pride, laziness, malice or other delusions you do
not clear the air by apologising when you have the opportunity you incur this
downfall.
19. Not accepting others' apologies. If others harm you and then
apologise according to the Dharma, but through malice or resentment you do not
accept their apology you will incur this downfall. This vow is the same as the
third root vow except that the four conditions are not required here to break
it.
20. Not checking the angry mind or acting out thoughts of anger.
When you become angry with someone and make no effort to try to control
anger but let it continue unchecked instead, you incur this downfall. .
Vow 21- 23 are related to the perfection of joyous effort.
21 Gathering a circle of followers because of desiring wealth and fame.
If you gather a circle of followers and other people for the selfish
purpose of gaining respect. fame, profit, praise or security, you will incur
this downfall.
22. Not eliminating the three types of laziness. The three types
are: sloth, attraction to negative actions and self-pity or discouragement.
If due to laziness, you sleep excessively during the day or late in the
morning but you do not make an effort to eliminate laziness you break this
branch vow. Note that laziness is not just being non-active, one can very well
be hyper-active in useless or negative activities and because of that be
spiritually lazy.
23. Engaging in senseless talk through attachment. If you waste
your time gossiping with attachment about royal families, politics, wars,
relationships, divorce, crimes and so on, you incur this downfall.
Vow 24- 26 are related to the perfection of concentration
24. Not seeking the meaning of concentration. Although you need to
develop concentration, if through malice or laziness you refuse to seek out
instruction and advice on the means for its development, or refuse to practice
after having received the instructions, you will incur this downfall. You should
make an effort to listen, study and meditate on the development of concentration
25. Not removing obstacles to concentration. There are five
obstacles to concentration: (1) agitation and regret (2) malicious thoughts, (3)
sleep and sloth, (4) longing desire, and (5) doubt. Not making an effort to
overcome these obstacles when they arise causes you to break this branch vow.
26. Viewing the taste of concentration as being its main quality.
The 'taste of concentration' refers to the bliss and pliancy that arise
from this practice. The main quality, or real purpose, of concentration is to
prepare the mind to be able to engage the very subtle object that is the true
nature of phenomena, its emptiness of inherent existence and the development of
compassion. If you become attached to the taste of bliss and pliancy while
viewing it as being the main quality, or real purpose, of concentration, you
will incur this downfall. Although it may be acceptable for Hearers and Solitary
Realisers to enjoy the complete relaxation, peace and bliss of concentration for
long periods; because the Bodhisattva is bound to help other living beings, he
should not waste time like this, but move on to realising emptiness and
developing compassion.
Vow 27- 34 are related to the perfection of wisdom.
27. Abandoning the Hinayana. To assert that listening to the
Hinayana, memorising its texts and engaging in its practices, though necessary
for the Hinayana, is not required by Bodhisattvas, or to proclaim this to
others, will incur this downfall, A Bodhisattva must tread the small and medium
scope paths in common with the Hinayana Hearers and Solitary Realisers to gain
the proper foundation for the explicitly Mahayana practices of the great scope.
A Bodhisattva must also be able to communicate the Dharma to all living beings,
many of whom will have the Hinayana potential, so it is important to know the
Hinayana path. This vow looks similar to the root vow 13, but that vow refers
mostly to vows of individual liberation, and this secondary vow one relates
mainly to the Hinayana explanation of selflessness.
28. Applying great effort to the Hinayana while currently engaged in the
Mahayana . When you have become fully involved in the Bodhisattva
practices and you set them aside and engage in the Hinayana practices instead,
you will incur this downfall. To be able to benefit all living beings requires
that you make use of the precious opportunity to practise the Mahayana. The
keyword here is balance; study the Hinayana, but do not forget to put effort on
the Mahayana practices.
29. Applying effort to non-Buddhist teachings while currently engaged in
the Buddhadharma. When involved in the Buddha Dharma, if you set this
practice aside in preference for the study of non-Buddhist systems, you will
incur this downfall. Generally, studying these systems will strengthen the wrong
view holding an inherently existent self. If however you have a good reason,
such as wishing to be able to communicate with people from other religious
backgrounds, then it is acceptable to study their systems.
30. Excessive involvement in non-Buddhist subjects. With a
specific purpose in mind, you will sometimes have to study non-Buddhist texts
but if you allow yourself to become attached to them, completely involved and
take great pleasure in them you will break this branch vow.
31. Abandoning the Mahayana. Denigrating any Mahayana teaching or
teacher, and suggesting that they are of no benefit and will not help others,
will incur this downfall. Although is looks similar to the root vow 4, this vow
specifically relates to the teachings and practice of wisdom of emptiness.
32. Praising yourself and denigrating others. When, motivated by
pride or anger, you praise yourself and denigrate others you incur this
downfall, this is the same as the first root vow except that the four conditions
are not required to break it.
33. Making no effort to study Dharma. If through pride or laziness
you do not go to teachings, Dharma discussions and so on you will break this
branch vow. It relates mainly to the realisation of wisdom, for which one needs
to study.
34. Deriding guru and word rather than relying on the meaning. If
instead of viewing your guru as a Buddha and making offerings, you knowingly
deride him or make fun of him. And, if instead of relying on the meaning of the
teachings, you rely on the words instead of their meaning or you chase after
pleasant sounding words instead of the teachings, you will incur this downfall.
35 to 45 are related to the perfection of going to the assistance of those
in need, or the "11 ways of benefiting others".
35. Neglect to help whoever needs assistance. Not providing
counselling, teaching, protection, shelter, guidance and so on when you have the
opportunity and capability to do so, but through anger, laziness or other
delusions you decline to help, you will break this branch vow. This relates
especially to situations where you promised to help.
36. Avoiding taking care of those who are sick. When you have the
opportunity to look after a sick person or animal and you do not do so due to
anger, laziness or other delusions, you will incur this branch downfall
37. Not dispelling sufferings of others. If you do not help to
dispell the suffering of the blind, deaf, handicapped, those who are exhausted,
afflicted by the five obstacles, under the influence of malicious thoughts and
superstition, and those derided by others, you will incur this downfall
38. Not guiding the reckless. If through anger or laziness you do
not skilfully guide those who are wrongly involved in the purposes of the
present and future you will incur this branch downfall. Recklessness relates to
a lack of consideration for others.
39. Not returning kindness. If through malicious thoughts or
laziness, you fail to repay the kindness of others who have helped you or been
generous you will break this branch vow.
40. Not relieving the grief of others. If, due to malice or
laziness, you do not dispel the grief of relatives, friends and others who are
stricken with misfortune, poverty, depression and so on, you will break this
branch vow.
41. Refusing charity to the needy. If someone asks for charity and
due to malice or laziness you refuse him or her, you will incur this downfall.
If, however, there are good reason not to give them something, like when it
would cause them harm then it is suitable not to give.
42. Not taking care of friends, disciples, servants etc. If you do
not give teachings and look after the wellfare of people who trust in you, you
will incur this downfall.
43. Not being considerate of the wishes of others. If you do not
act agreeably toward others due to laziness or malice, you will break this
branch vow. You should avoid arguing with, or harming friends, relatives and
those with whom you associate. Rather, be considering and endeavour to respond
to their needs and aspirations, as long as it does not bring harm to oneself or
others.
44. Not praising others' good qualities. If, due to malice or
laziness, you do not praise the knowledge, virtuous qualities of others, you
will incur this downfall. One should encourage others' good qualities and show
interest in them instead.
45. Not using force when necessary. If, due to laziness malice,
you do not expel, punish or deflate the pride of those who need it, you will
incur this branch down-fall. Some situations may require forceful action to stop
harm.
46. Not using miracle powers, threatening activities and so on.
You should use whatever wrathful or miracle powers you may possess if
doing so will benefit other living beings. If you do not use them when
appropriate, you will incur this branch downfall. You should be very careful,
however, not to make a display if it is not really of great benefit;
bodhisattvas should not show their miraculous powers without a good reason.
The purpose of keeping these 18 root and 46 branch vows is to prevent
your bodhichitta degenerating and to make it develop continuously. A person who
has taken the bodhichitta vows should endeavour to keep them purely. The
bodhichitta vows are the means to help other living beings, the means to avoid
harming them and the way to accumulate merit. All positive thoughts and deeds
are encompassed by the root and branch bodhichitta vows. You take the
bodhichitta vows with the intention to attain enlightenment in order to benefit
all living beings. It may take many lifetimes to attain enlightenment. So it is
important to ensure not only that your bodhichitta vows do not degenerate during
this life, but also that circumstances do not arise that will prevent you from
maintaining the practice of the vows in future lives.
If one has lost the Bodhisattva Vows by breaking a root vow, one can restore
the vow in a few different ways:
1. Re-taking the vows in a traditional way from a master 2. Restoring the
vows in front of at least 4 people who understand and hold the vow themselves
(preferrably fully ordained monks) in the following way: - One must generate
sincere regret and the intention not to repeat the same mistake again. - Make
3 prostrations to them. - Say, 'Please listen to me, [and say your name], I
have broken the vow of ....[clearly say in which vow you have broken], and
recite the whole list of vows. Do this 3 times. - Then the people attending
say, 'That is the best way', and one answers with, 'good, thank you'. 3. In
case one has not really fully broken a root vow, one can optionally restore the
vows in front of one person who understands and holds the vows with the same
ritual. 4. As a last resort, if there is nobody available, one can restore
the vows in front of a Buddha statue or a visualisation.
One should realise that after a sincere confession and restoring of the vows,
the original negative consequences cannot be undone, but at least the negative
karma stops increasing further.
