勸發菩提心集 1.34

1.34

Next, praising the arousal of bodhicitta is explained. If a bodhisattva initially arouses the great bodhicitta, at that time, by relying on limitless sentient beings, he immediately obtains good protection and does not commit any evil. On account of this, this person is far removed from the fear of regressing and falling into evil destinies. Furthermore, because he possesses and increases wholesome qualities, he constantly rejoices in joy; because he possesses and increases compassion, he constantly rejoices in suffering. On account of this, this person is far removed from the fear of losing the wholesome path, and therefore through the arousal of bodhicitta he obtains protection from non-action (meaning he can well protect [himself] and not commit evils). The verse says:
'Loving others more than loving oneself, / forgetting oneself to benefit sentient beings;
Not hating others for one's own sake, / how could one commit unwholesome actions?'
The bodhisattva loves others more than loving himself; on account of this, he forgets his own body and life to benefit others. He does not harm others for his own benefit; on account of this, he can terminate all evil actions toward sentient beings and attain non-retrogression. The bodhisattva takes his own merits as his personal adornment, takes joy in benefiting [others] as his own food, takes intentional places of rebirth as his pleasure gardens, and takes supernatural transformations as his playful delight. Such four things belong only to the bodhisattva and are absent in practitioners of the two vehicles. Since he possesses such four things, how could he ever regress?