Expert: Bodhicitta - 8/22/2005

Question
Hello,

I've been in the dharma for only 18 months - so I'm a young beginner (in tibetan buddhism), practising meditation & studying...  Then, although I had this incredible chance to meet wonderful teachers, there is still this point I don't get a clear idea about : how one could describe the content of bodhicitta ? I mean how one can discrimate "bodhicitta" from tathagatagarbha (nature of buddha) ? And if bodhicitta has always been here as the awaken consciousness, then, could it be possible to understand better the meaning of actualisation ?

Thank you for your help and all the best

Lucie (Paris, France)

Answer
Hi Lucie
Thanks for your question.

It is good that you have been able to study Mahayana Buddhism so young with good teachers. It is good too that you understand that is necessary to study and to meditate and keep the two balanced and in harmony.

There are different approaches taken by different teachers to
introducing students to the heart of the Mahayana which is Bodhicitta. It is a great mystery and extremely subtle.It is the heart and the nature of being itself, it is tathagatagarbha  so how could it be anything but mysterious? Beyond words, beyond concepts and beyond ordinary knowing.It like all truth in Buddhism has to be experienced and can not be known by pure study.

Basic meditation and studying the view opens out a student to the reality of Bodhicitta. When the student has some connection to basic meditation   then the teacher introduces the student
to the teachings on Buddha nature and the student can
perhaps take the Bodhisattva vow.,

The teachings in the
Tibetan Buddhist traditions are extremely rich and contain supreme
methods such as the Mahamudra and Dzogchen teachings which allow
a qualified Dzogchen master to point out the nature of mind
/the nature of Bodhicitta to the student.But quite a lot of work
is required before a student is ready for this usually.

Bodhicitta is always here with us - it is called the Ground in Dzogchen texts. The actualisation is the Fruit. The Path is what connects the two. The two maybe the same but without realization this is merely words.

Bodhicitta