What a Bodhisattva Thinks

What a Bodhisattva Thinks

from Longchenpa’s The Excellent Path to Enlightenment

According to the Pure Conduct section of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra:[1]

When entering a house, a bodhisattva should generate bodhicitta by thinking, “May all sentient beings reach the citadel of liberation!”

Likewise, when lying down to sleep, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings attain the dharmakāya of the buddhas!”

In the event of dreaming, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings recognize the dreamlike nature of all things!”

When tightening his belt, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings be connected with sources of virtue!”

When sitting down, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings find the vajra seat at the place of enlightenment (bodhimaṇḍa)!”

When lighting a fire, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings burn away the fuel of their destructive emotions!”

When the fire is burning, a bodhisattva should think, “May the fire of wisdom blaze!”

When finshing cooking, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings gain the nectar of wisdom!”

When eating food, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings gain the food of samādhi!”

When going outside, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings escape the city of saṃsāra!”

When going downstairs, a bodhisattva should think, “May I enter saṃsāra for the sake of all living beings!”

When opening the door, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings open the doorway to liberation!”

When closing the door, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings close the doorway to the three lower realms!”

When setting out on the road, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings set out on the path of the noble ones!”

When going uphill, a bodhisattva should think, “May I lead all living beings to the happiness of the higher realms!”

When going downhill, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings put an end to the lower realms!”

When meeting beings, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings meet perfect buddhahood!”

When putting down his feet, a bodhisattva should think, “May I set about the task of benefiting all beings!”

When lifting his feet, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings be brought out of saṃsāra!”

When seeing someone wearing ornaments, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings gain the adornments of the major and minor marks!”

When seeing someone without ornaments, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings come to possess the qualities of purification!”

When seeing any vessel that is full, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings be replete with enlightened qualities!”

When seeing an empty vessel, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings be devoid of faults!”

When seeing beings take delight, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings delight in the Dharma!”

When seeing beings who are displeased, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings take no pleasure in ordinary conditioned things!”

When seeing happy beings, a bodhisattva should think, “May all living beings gain all the necessities of happiness!”

When seeing beings who are suffering, a bodhisattva should think, “May the sufferings of all living beings be pacified!”

When seeing people who are sick, a bodhisattva should think, “May everyone be freed from sickness!”

When witnessing kindness repaid, a bodhisattva should think, “May the kindness of all the buddhas and bodhisattvas be repaid!”

When witnessing kindness go unreciprocated, a bodhisattva should think, “May those with wrong views fail to be rewarded!”

When witnessing opposition, a bodhisattva should think, “May I be able to overcome all forms of adversity and opposition!”

When witnessing praise, a bodhisattva should think, “May all the buddhas and bodhisattvas receive praise!”

When witnessing a discussion of the Dharma, a bodhisattva should think, “May we gain the courageous eloquence of a Buddha!”

When seeing sacred imagery, a bodhisattva should think, “May there be no impediment to seeing all the buddhas!”

When seeing a stūpa, a bodhisattva should think, “May all beings regard this as an object of veneration!”

When seeing commercial trade, a bodhisattva should think, “May all beings obtain the seven riches of the āryas!”

When witnessing prostration, a bodhisattva should think, “May all beings, including the devas, attain the invisible uṣṇīṣa!”

Apply these in practice with the three stages of preparation, main part and conclusion.

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2026.

Bibliography

Tibetan Edition

klong chen pa. "rdzogs pa chen po sems nyid ngal gso'i gnas gsum dge ba gsum gyi don khrid byang chub lam bzang." In gdams ngag rin po che'i mdzod, Shechen Publications, 1999, Vol. 2: 329–330

Secondary Source

Ga Rabjampa. To Dispel the Misery of the World: Whispered Teachings of the Bodhisattvas. Rigpa Translations, trans. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2012.

Version: 1.0–20260527