Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c9.s3: Development of Bodhicitta

Aspects of Mahāyāna Buddhism and its Relation to Hīnayāna c9.s3

Language: English

Development of Bodhicitta

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The Mahāyānists think very highly of the virtue of developing Bodhicitta which throws into the shade all disciplines. An idea about their conception of the efficacy of possessing bodhicitta can be formed from the following stanza:—

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kṛtvāpi pāpāni sudāruṇāni
yadāśrayād uttarati kṣaṇena,
śūrāśrayeṇeva mahābhayāni
nāśriyate tat katham ajñāsattvaiḥ.

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[After committing atrocious crimes, one can absolve himself from them in one moment by developing (lit. taking refuge in)]

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bodhicitta, just as some persons can escape punishments by being protected by powerful persons. It is only the ignorant who do not take to such an excellent refuge, the bodhicitta ¹. The Mahāyāna texts are replete with references to the excellences of the bodhicitta, a topic with which the early Hinayānists had no concern. By bodhicitta the Mahāyānists mean the forming of a resolution to attain bodhi and save every being of the world from misery by leading him to Nirvāṇa or Bodhi.

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¹ Bodhic., pp. 20.

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Though originally the development of bodhicitta was regarded as a matter of long practice and the outcome of qualities that one could possess rarely, it became later a matter of ceremony, and the persons seeking bodhicitta went through some formalities, an idea of which is given in the works of Śāntideva. The formalities are:—

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(i) Vandanā and Pūjana (worshipping) of Buddhas and Caityas ²;

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² According to the Śikṣā., p. 290, Vandanā is included in Pāpadeśanā (Vandanā pāpadeśanāyām antar bhavati).

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(ii) Śaraṇagamana (taking refuge) and Pāpadeśanā (confession) ³;

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³ Śikṣā., p. 290 says that in the Akṣayamatisūtra, ātmaparapāpadeśanā is included in puṇyasambhāra.

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(iii) Puṇyānumodanā (expressions of sincere approval of others' good deeds) ⁴;

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⁴ Bodhic., pp. 74-6; Śikṣā., pp. 291, 313; see Aṣṭa., pp. 135, 142, 149 for anumodanā and pariṇāmanā.

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(iv) Buddhādhyeṣaṇā or Yācanā (entreating Buddhas to be the guides of all beings, ignorant as they are ⁵; and

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⁵ Śikṣā., p. 290 : yācanam adhyeṣaṇāyām ekārthatvāt; also p. 315.

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(v) Bodhipariṇāmanā (offering up one's merits for bodhi) ⁶.

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⁶ These formalities are collectively called Triskandha. See Śikṣā., p. 290 and also pp. 13, 291 ff.; Bodhic., pp. 73, 152, 154.

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I. Vandanā or Pūjana is effected by mentally dedicating all things of the world including his own self ⁷ to Buddhas with their disciples, and the promise of repenting for past sins and refraining from committing any further evil deeds. The Pūjā¹ (worship) is to be performed by bathing the Tathāgatas and Bodhisattvas, *viz.*, Samantabhadra, Ajita, Mañjughoṣa, etc., in a magnificent bathroom (snānagṛha) with scents, unguents, flowers, incense, etc., accompanied by music. This is to be followed by the offering of robes, bowls, food and other requisites. Having thus finished the Snānapūjā, Malyapūjā and so forth², one is to perform the Dīpapūjā (illumination). Then commences the Dharmapūjā, which consists in decorating or making offerings to the caityas and images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This is followed by Stutipūjā³ (chanting hymns in praise of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas) and Praṇāmapūjā (uttering the formulæ of salutation) addressed to Buddha Dharma, Saṅgha and Tathāgatastūpa⁴. The Śikṣāsamuccaya devotes three chapters⁵ to the description of the results obtained by worshipping a stūpa⁶, or repairing a dilapidated stūpa, by drawing a picture or making an image of Buddha, by praising a Buddha and persuading others to do the same⁷, but it gives first place to the three great pūjās, *viz.*, (i) development of bodhicitta, (ii) practising the religion, and (iii) having a compassionate heart towards all beings.

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⁷ Bodhic., p. 48: dadāmi cātmānam aham jinebhyaḥ, sarveṇa sarvam tad ātmajebhyaḥ.

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¹ Śikṣā., p. 290 does not detail the Pūjā and dismisses it simply by saying ‘tatra vandanā sarvabuddhān namasyāmīti.’

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² Cf. Śikṣā., p. 290.

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³ For an instance of stuti, see Śikṣā., pp. 318ff.

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⁴ Bodhic., pp. 44-57.

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⁵ Śikṣā., chs. xvii, xviii, xix.

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⁶ It may be observed in this connection that the Bodhic. attaches more importance to reverence shown to Bodhisattvas than to the worship of Caityas, the argument put forward being that Caityas depend for their origin on Buddhas, who issue from Bodhisattvas. For a discussion of the topic that Buddhas issue from Bodhisattvas, see M. Ava. (Le Muséon, Vol. VIII).

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⁷ Śikṣā., pp. 309, 311, 313.

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The mental pūjās were all converted into rituals, and ended in the ceremonious worship of the images and caityas of various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The underlying object of these Pūjās is, of course, to develop Śraddhā (reverential faith) in one's mind for Buddha, his Dharma and his followers. Be it Hinayāna or Mahāyāna, Śraddhā is at the basis of all practices⁸. In the Nikāyas, one of the stock passages is that a disciple must have firm faith (aveccapasādena samannāgto bhavati) in Buddha, Dhamma and Saṅgha¹. Perfection in the practice of Śraddhendriya is laid down in the Hinayāna works, as one of the conditions which a candidate for Arhathood must fulfil. The Śikṣāsamuccaya quotes sūtra after sūtra to establish the necessity of ‘śraddhādīnaṃ sadābhyāsaḥ’ (i.e. faith, etc., should be constantly practised)². From the Akṣayamatisūtra it cites the definition of Śraddhendriya which runs as follows: One can be said to have Śraddhendriya if he believes that (a) there is a right view (samyagdrṣṭi) for men of the world; (b) one enjoys the fruits of his actions; (c) there is merit in performing the duties of a bodhisattva; (d) things in reality are devoid of any essence (śūnya) and therefore are non-existent. The first two of these debar him from committing any evils for the sake of livelihood, the third from developing a desire for any practice other than Mahāyānic, and the fourth from following any doctrine other than Mahāyānic³. Śraddhā comprises the three anusmṛtis (i.e. constantly thinking of the excellent qualities) of Buddha⁴, Dharma⁵ and Saṅgha⁶, the Hinayānists adding to these the three others, viz., cāga (gifts), sila (precepts) and deva (gods)⁷. In short, faith (Śraddhā and Prasāda) in Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha is the first essential to be fulfilled by a person aspiring for Buddhahood or Arhathood.

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⁸ Bodhic., p. 87; Śikṣā., p. 2.

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¹ For passages in the Nikāyas emphasising Śraddhā, see, e.g., Aṅguttara, I, p. 207; III, p. 153; Majjhima, I, p. 320; Theragāthā, 507, 1253-4.

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² Śikṣā., p. 316.

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³ Ibid., p. 316.

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⁴ Ibid., pp. 318 ff.

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⁵ Ibid., pp. 322 ff.

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⁶ Ibid., pp. 324 ff.

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⁷ Dīgha, III, p. 250.

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II. After acquiring firm faith, an adept is to take refuge (Śaraṇagamana) by uttering the formulæ of Triśaraṇa⁸ and confessing (Pāpadeśanā) his past sins. The Pāpadeśanā consists in the candidate’s formal confession of all his sins, bodily, mental or verbal, actually committed or approved by him in his previous lives and in the present one, through ignorance or delusion, and in repentance of same, being convinced of the fact that akuśalakarmas lead a being to hell⁹. He is frightened by the prospect of hellish sufferings, and in despair, takes refuge in the three Ratnas and the Bodhisattvas, *viz.*, Samantabhadra, Mañjughoṣa, Avalokita, Ākāśagarbha, Kṣitigarbha and Vajrapāṇi.¹ He absolves himself from his sins by this Śaraṇagamana² and Confession.

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⁸ Bodhic., pp. 58, 65; p. 66 adds the taking of refuge in Bodhisattvas.

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⁹ Ibid., pp. 59, 72; cf. Svayambhūpurāṇa, p. 116. For the formulæ of Śaraṇagamana and Pāpadeśanā, see Śikṣā., pp. 169, 170.

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¹ *Bodhic.*, pp. 66, 67.

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² *Ibid.*, p. 67.

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III. Puṇyānumodanā follows Pāpadeśanā. It consists in the expression of sincere joy by words, mind, or body³ on seeing beings who after suffering hellish pains enjoy happiness through their good actions, or on seeing people developing citta for Śrāvakabodhi or Pratyekabodhi, or on seeing the great beings, the self-finders of the path,⁴ continuing to be bodhisattvas or becoming Buddhas and exerting themselves for the welfare of beings.⁵

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³ *E.g.*, Romaharṣa, aśrupāta, gātrakampana. *Ibid.*, p. 74.

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⁴ Tāyinām=svādhigatamārgadeśakānām, or Tāyaḥ=samtānārthaḥ. Asamsāram apratiṣṭhitanirvāṇayāvasthāyinām. *Ibid.*

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⁵ *Bodhic.*, p. 76; *Śikṣā.*, p. 315.

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IV, V. After Puṇyānumodanā, the adept is to perform Adhyeṣaṇā⁶ or Yācanā, *i.e.*, to entreat Buddhas not to attain parinirvāṇa but to be the light (of knowledge = dharmapradīpa) to the innumerable beings, who cannot distinguish between the right and the wrong ways on account of their ignorance.⁷ This is followed by Pariṇāmanā, when he offers all his merits for the good of all beings and for obtaining the powers and privileges of a Buddha and thus be able to satisfy all beings by meeting the individual needs of each one, no matter whether the need be worldly happiness or salvation.⁸

Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c9.s3: Development of Bodhicitta

Development of Bodhicitta

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