We like to talk about good things, words, hearts and actions. No one indeed want to be seen say bad word, bad thing and actions.
Bottom-line is we wish to be seen do good things and people will see us as a person who has the quality of boddhicitta or being kind nice person.
Is this really make any sense in the real life?
No
We see some people compete to show their eagerness to do good and hoping to be praised as good person and good hearts.
We see people like politicians and activists who blind to their own desires of tasting name, fame and success.
But they claim that their life have sacrificed to the world and humanity cause
If we look closely, this kind of boddhicitta has a limits , because its is base on “self-clinging” –ego driven motives and desires.
So, we wish and care what others and the world see us when we do good.
There are many expectations of self- praising and recognition. The most important we want to be known and recognized as a distinguish figure.
Social engaged action driven by ego-clinging
Sometimes, we just unaware infect we have all these inner desires and ego clinging Especially social activists.
Our Buddhist masters used to tell us.:
-You are so proud. Because you think you are politicians and leaders of the nation that can save many people life.
-You are so proud. Because you think you are indifference from others- because you are “activists”- you are social workers- you are someone who make big SELF-sacrificed to serve the society with “selfless” mission.
All these most time are fake lies and illusions!
The moment our mind has a single of self-attachments of desires, eagerness and hope to achieve something.
We start to cling to this ego driven wish/hope and expectations. This will eventually drive us towards righteousness and firm belief that we are always right, no matter how my views, ways are the best and correct one.
Without realizing the consequent. Most time, whatever we are doing eventually is leading to ego-feeding, our ego alike monster to grow.
Eventually harm others and ourselves.
Our eyes and minds blind to our firm attachments to our own views and ways. This cause harm to others when we make such foolish decision and actions.
Returning to self less compassion
It is not easy to practice the truly impartial and self-less compassion actions.
Because the key challenge is we need to realize, we need to truly let go our ego clinging, desires driven of minds. Its means that we need to be able to return to our unborn natural mind. that is free from ignorance.
Especially, the realization of the true nature/essence of phenomenon and our unborn natural mind that will lead us eventually to realize the true meaning of emptiness – means “self-less”.
We has seen all the world disasters happening in human society from past centuries’ till today.
Many simply caused by this ignorance mind that trigger by wrong views that led to ego clinging, desires driven.
We need to return to egoless-selfless compassion that are able to truly benefits all sentient beings impartially and self-less.
Today, we need to look deeper inside ourselves. All of us : leaders of nation, activists or everyone in this society., All of us , regardless you are Buddhist, non Buddhist or atheists., we need to contemplate our inner mind, to seek fundamental transformation of views. In result, our conducts will be impartial and truly self-less that can bring true benefits to society.
These are some reflections reference about meaning of Boddhicitta that we can contemplate together:
“Bodhicitta may be viewed as having different levels: one useful classification is that given by Patrul Rinpoche in his Words of My Perfect Teacher. He states that the lowest level is the way of the King, who primarily seeks his own benefit but who recognizes that his benefit depends crucially on that of his kingdom and his subjects. The middle level is the path of the boatman, who ferries his passengers across the river and simultaneously, of course, ferries himself as well. The highest level is that of the shepherd, who makes sure that all his sheep arrive safely ahead of him and places their welfare above his own.”
“The present fourteenth Dalai Lama, for instance, regarded Mother Teresa as one of the greatest modern bodhisattvas[ Buddhism has no monopoly either on compassion or on the realization of the fundamentally illusory nature of our view of “self” and the world. Buddhism teaches that many bodhisattvas neither teach nor announce themselves in any way at all, but live apparently ordinary lives and help other sentient beings by stealth. It is regarded as a very healthy contemplation to hold the view that all other beings may actually be hidden bodhisattvas, including those we do not like”
source:
Trinleychodron's Blog 