Giving It 100% – Falling in Love with Sentient Beings

The stronger our drive, the faster we are able to reach our destiny. Drive comes from passion, and passion is created by our own deep motivation._x000D_
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Our motivation must be to transform our mind through the practice of a good heart, and thereby release our internal suffering through the blessing of this bodhicitta. We must understand that only the good heart of bodhicitta can clear away all the internal afflicting emotions and suffering, and bring our mind to a state of deep peace._x000D_
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Only bodhicitta practice can increase the qualities of mind which we admire in great beings and even ordinary people. These are all qualities of the good heart. It’s only through practicing the good heart of bodhicitta that we find these qualities within ourselves._x000D_
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There are so many rich, famous, creative, and powerful people in the world. They aren’t simply admired for their wealth or fame. It’s only when they possess some of the qualities of a good heart that they are admired._x000D_
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In our own daily experience, whenever we feel touched by someone else, it is because of that person’s good heart that we feel touched. And whenever we feel moved, it is the response of our own good heart that we feel moved._x000D_
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It is important to have the motivation to invest ourselves one hundred percent in the practice of bodhicitta, and know that this is the only way to decrease our internal suffering and pain. This can bring us to a state of peace and joy that we can extend to others, thereby contributing something to the world while progressing on the spiritual path._x000D_
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In this way we must become a fully committed advocate of the bodhicitta practice and take it as our main practice for this lifetime._x000D_
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Every time we engage in the practice of bodhicitta—the practice of the good heart—whether it is through the practice of Four Immeasurables or the absolute practice of meditating on the emptiness nature of mind, we must understand there are two benefits. The first is decreasing one’s self-centeredness; the second is increasing the love for others within our heart._x000D_
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It’s up to you how close or distant you choose to be from other sentient beings, but you cannot stop having deep love and care for sentient beings if you really want to suffer no longer within your own self-centered emotions and truly wish to contribute something of benefit to the world._x000D_
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Secretly you have to fall in love with sentient beings._x000D_
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What is so significant about this emotion of falling in love? We cannot stop thinking about whoever we have fallen in love with. We think continually of how to cater to their needs, how to make them happy, and how to clear away all their suffering._x000D_
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Within the strong emotion of falling in love, you forget about yourself, and this has an aphrodisiac quality which even makes you feel high. It also summons the courage to accomplish what you could not have imagined you could ever do just for yourself._x000D_
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You begin to feel a great confidence to accomplish whatever is needed. This is because our normal self-centeredness diminishes during that state of mind, allowing our natural courage to arise._x000D_
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I often think that buddhas and bodhisattvas are like ordinary people falling in love. They are always in love with sentient beings. In that state, they can’t even think of themselves.  They see no point in doing that at all._x000D_
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All the great masters and practitioners are like that. For instance, when my teacher Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was able to do something, no matter how small, for the Dharma or for other beings, it made him incredibly happy. Nothing gave him greater happiness, no matter how people praised him or revered him. He paid little attention to praise or when people served him. This was always less significant than when he was able to accomplish something for the Dharma or for the benefit of beings._x000D_
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So I think the abundant joy that exudes from great beings, the joy we observe in their presence and which we see in their eyes, is really due to them being deeply in love with mother sentient beings.This ability to engage fully in the practice of a good heart is a truly magnificent strength to develop.