Making of special aspiration to walk the Bodhisattva way

By the power of whatever blessings and wholesomeness that this nature of “mine” had cultivated from the distant past till now, may it arise the causes and conditions for this nature of mine to have the following right Dharma understanding life after life whenever it choose to come or have to come in the form of a Form and Mind:

i) Right view with regards to:

a) the law of karma (karma niyāma);

b) the law of Dependent origination or 12 links (Citta niyāma) and

c) the Four Noble Truths (Dhamma niyāma);

ii) To understand the 2 aspects of the 5 aggregates of Form and Mind clearly via the direct seeing to realize that they are all condition arising entities, causal phenomena hence impermanent; leading to suffering; not me, non-self and empty. That this so called living being (5 aggregates of Form and Mind) is just a karmically conditioned ‘vehicle and tool’ for me to come to this existential world to develop the cultivation and experience all of the beauty and wonders of life. So use it with wisdom to arise the right thoughts, right speeches and right actions to be a blessing to all and not to be deluded by it. To constantly recite with understanding the following dharma profoundly:

Rūpam anniccam, rūpam anattā;

Vedanā annicca, vedanā anattā;

Saññā annicca, saññā anattā;

Saṅkhāra annicca, saṅkhāra anattā;

Viññāṇam anniccam, viññāṇam anattā.

Sabbe saṅkhāra annicca,

Sabbe saṅkhāra dukkha

Sabbe dhamma anattā.

iii) Having developed the above right view this nature of “mine” vows to always keep the following 3 sets of pure precepts following the advice of all Samma Sambuddha:

a) To avoid all evil and to understand clearly what constitute evil (the 3 evil roots of Greed, Hatred and Delusion);

b) To cultivate all virtues and blessings leading to the perfection of them all;

c) To cultivate wisdom to help liberate and take across all sentient beings.

Taking of the 4 basic vows

‘Just as all the previous Sugatas, the Buddhas generated the Bodhi mind of enlightenment and accomplished all the stages of the Bodhisattva training. So too will this nature of 'mine’ for the sake of all beings, generate the Bodhi mind of enlightenment and accomplish all the stages of the Bodhisattva training so that the seed of ’Bodhi’ can be strongly planted within my nature.’

This nature of mine further vows with utmost sincerity, faith and perseverance to walk to perfection this Bodhisattva way via taking the following initial 4 basic vows of a Bodhisattva:

i) This nature of mine vows to liberate the countless living beings from samsara and take them all across to the other shore; 众生无边誓愿度

ii) This nature of mine vows to endure and sever all vexation/suffering; 烦恼无尽誓愿断

iii) This nature of mine vows to cultivate and penetrate all dharma to realize the perfection of all wisdom; 法门无量誓愿学

Iv) This nature of mine vows to perfect the 10 pāramitā (or perfections) to realize the unsurpassed Samma Sambuddhahood. 佛道无上誓愿成

Additional vows to break all karmic obstructions to bring about the way

i) If by action, speech or thought, whether knowingly or unknowingly via ignorance, delusion and heedlessness, that this nature of ’mine’ had offended or done anything wrong unto the Triple Gems (Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha), this nature of ’mine’ would like to sincerely ask for forgiveness.

ii) Whomsoever from the distant past until now, whether knowingly or unknowingly that this nature of ’mine’ had caused any karmic negativity, misery, suffering or mislead, this nature of 'mine’ would like to sincerely ask for forgiveness from them all. May my sincere request for forgiveness be accepted by all so that all these karmic obstructions can be amicably dissolved or watered down or lessened; thereby enabling this nature of 'mine’ to continue with its cultivation to realize the true dharma with ease.

iii) This nature of ’mine’ also vow to repent and from now onward vow never to repeat any of these karmic negativities (borne of Greed, Hatred and Delusion) by following the advice of the Buddha to avoid all evil, do good and purify my mind via striving on with heedfulness to keep the 5 precepts and cultivate the Buddha dharma diligently so that it will never violate this law of karma again whenever it arise.

iv) By the power of whatever wholesomeness or merits that this nature of’mine’ had cultivated since the distant past until now may it arise the causes and conditions for this nature of ’mine’ to have the ability to overcome all other karmic obstructions or obstacles amicably so that this nature of ’mine’ will be able to gain back its life, life after life to walk the path of dharma to fulfill and realize all its Bodhisattva vows.

Additional miscellaneous vows to enhance the cultivation

This nature of ’mine’ vow:

i) To be successful in fulfilling all my above vows soonest possible;

ii) To cultivate strong affinity with all Buddha and Bodhisattvas and to request their nature’s blessing, protection and guidance always;

iii) To strengthen my 5 spiritual faculties of saddhā, viriya, sati, samādhi and paññā until they become balas or powers, life after life so that all the above vows can be successfully fulfilled with ease;

iv) To cultivate extensively all virtues, blessings and merits to help support my cultivation so that they will shine forth to aid this nature of ’mine' when needed in times of trials, difficulties and tribulations while walking the Bodhisattva way.

Table of Contents

Making of special aspiration to walk the Bodhisattva way

Taking of the 4 basic vows

Additional vows to break all karmic obstructions to bring about the way

Additional miscellaneous vows to enhance the cultivation