འཕགས་པ་ཚངས་པས་ཞས་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 6

6

Every activity undertaken by those engaged in the spiritual life—even those that are beneficial or virtuous—are seen as empty, yet they do not grow weary and they do not despair, and their minds are not burdened with melancholy.

“When they go before preceptors or teachers, they are mindful and think, ‘To meet a preceptor is rare. To meet a teacher is rare. If I were to go there, and they were to mention or make me recall some wrong or unwholesome deed that I have committed, that would be bad.’

“That consideration is the cause, condition, and foundation for observing the precepts with respect, with scrupulousness, with wholesome deeds, with quiet composure, and with great thoroughness. Observing the precepts with respect, with scrupulousness, with wholesome deeds, with quiet composure, and with great thoroughness, they are able to go before preceptors and teachers without any anxiety or timidity. They are fearless and do not even show their burgeoning excitement. Why? Because they are respectful, deferential, and cautious, like a bride from a good family. Because they are cautious, they avoid each and every kind of fault and misdeed of the body.

“Brahmā, what are the faults and misdeeds of the body for bodhisattvas? Brahmā, killing is a fault and a misdeed of the body for bodhisattvas. Brahmā, for bodhisattvas taking what is not given and unchaste conduct are faults and misdeeds of the body. Brahmā, how do bodhisattvas renounce killing?