Daily Lojong

[Nicholas Weeks]

The master Vasubandhu states in his Various Counsels:

My life and my body
I must give to all sentient beings.

And again:

May the sins of all creatures
all ripen upon me.
Receiving these sins,
I take upon myself the wickedness of these poor beings.

As Atlsa's great Lama, Serlingpa, states in Stages of the Bodhisattva's Self-Mastery:

To protect the Way of the Sugata
as did King Mahasattva,
I must consider only the welfare of others:
Most certainly I must exchange self for others.

The Master Dharmaraksita states in his Self-Mastery: The Peacocks Antidote:

The Bodhisattva, as Prince Visvantara,
gave up his son and daughter and his kingdom. In like manner,
may I give up everything, including garlands of precious gems
and all my attendants, so that poverty will be no more!

The Bodhisattva, as Prince Mahasattva,
fed his own flesh to the tigress. In like manner,
may I joyfully give to the flesh-eaters
this illusory heap of flesh I hold so dear!...

The Bodhisattva, as Prince Gendun Chenpo,
reversed wrongdoing through his patient compassion.
In like manner, may I reverse samsara,
by showing the highest mercy and acting with great compassion
toward those whose nature is contentious.

When the Bodhisattva was a monkey,
he rescued the wicked ones from the well. In like manner,
may I never give up trying to help the wicked;
may I lead them with compassion, never desiring good in return.

And also:

Let me follow the way of Upali, who was finally the most noble,
and Asvajit, whose care in practice transformed to beauty.
If I do not guide my parents to the path of enlightenment,
the stairway of selfish liberation will lead me downward
to great oppression.

Path of Heroes, 2:330