Bodhicharyavatara Chapter 8, Stanzas 1-2

Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Teachings on Bodhicharyavatara
Chapter 8: Meditation
Session 2
Stanzas 1-2

Continuing the first verses on Meditation, the text examines the reason why we would benefit from meditation and what happens if we don’t do it. Rinpoche talks about three things that contribute to our samsaric experience, resulting in our being caught in the fangs of the afflictions, which he compares to being trapped in the jaws of a crocodile. These three things are: the residual root or seeds of the kleshas harbouring in the mind; an external provocation; and our resulting unskilful reaction.

In order to begin to train ourselves to eliminate these, in the beginning we need a quiet space away from distractions, to place ourselves in an environment conducive to working on our mind through meditation, where the body and mind are undisturbed by external events and can begin to calm down. When we have started to benefit from that we can test our stability outside our meditation space.

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