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“On many levels, the book is splendid as both an introduction to Buddhist spirituality and an explication of Shantideva for contemporary Westerners.” —Library Journal “One does not have to be a Buddhist to appreciate the beauty of the teachings and the simplicity of the life presented here. Indeed, non- Buddhists may discover a refreshing new approach to the doctrines of ‘love your neighbor,’ and ‘do unto others.’” —Booklist ABOUT THE BOOK The fourteenth Dalai Lama, a living embodiment of the bodhisattva ideal, presents detailed practical guidance based on sections of The Way of the Bodhisattva by Shantideva, the best-known text of Mahayana Buddhism. The Dalai Lama explains this classic and beloved work, showing how anyone can develop a truly “good heart” and the aspiration for the enlightenment of all beings. In this book, the Dalai Lama’s profound knowledge is evident—the result of extensive training. Here he shares his extraordinary insight into the human condition and what it means to be a responsible and caring person. HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA, Tenzin Gyatso, was born in 1935 in the province of Amdo in eastern Tibet. When he was two years old he was recognized as the fourteenth in the line of Dalai Lamas, the spiritual masters who for three centuries had governed the country. After China invaded Tibet, the Dalai Lama took refuge in Northern India, where he has led and inspired the Tibetan community in exile. Sign up to learn more about our books and receive special offers from Shambhala Publications. Or visit us online to sign up at shambhala.com/eshambhala. Shambhala Publications, Inc. Horticultural Hall 300 Massachusetts Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02115 www.shambhala.com © 1994 by Association Bouddhiste des Centres de Dordogne Translation of the Way of the Bodhisattva © 1997, 2006 by the Padmakara Translation Group. For the Benefit of All Beings is an updated edition of a book previously published as A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night (Shambhala, 1994). All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bstan-’dzin-rgya-mtsho, Dalai Lama xiv, 1935– [Flash of lightning in the dark of night] For the benefit of all beings: a commentary on The way of the Bodhisattva / Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, foreword by Tulku Pema Wangya; translated from the Tibetan by the Padmakara Translation Group. p. cm.—(Shambhala classics) Includes bibliographical references and index. eISBN 978-0-8348-2411-9 ISBN 978-1-59030-693-2 (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. Santideva, 7th cent. Bodhicaryavatara. 2. Mahayana Buddhism—Doctrines. I. Santideva, 7th cent. Bodhicaryavatara. English. II. Title. BQ3147.b774 2009 BQ3147.b774 2009 294.3′ 85—dc22 2008044079 CONTENTS Foreword Acknowledgments Translators’ Note Introduction: The Way of the Bodhisattva 1. The Benefits of Bodhichitta 2. Offering and Purification 3. Embracing Bodhichitta 4. Carefulness 5. Attentiveness 6. Patience 7. Endeavor 8. Meditative Concentration 9. Wisdom 10. Dedication Notes Glossary Bibliography Index E-mail Sign-Up PUBLISHER’S NOTE This book contains many Sanskrit diacritics and special characters. If you encounter difficulty displaying these characters, please set your e-reader device to publisher defaults (if available) or to an alternate font. FOREWORD HIS HOLINESS the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was born in 1935 in the province of Amdo in eastern Tibet. When he was two years old he was recognized as the fourteenth in the line of Dalai Lamas, the spiritual masters who for three centuries had governed a country three times the size of France that was united and independent throughout its two-thousand-year history. In 1950, Communist China invaded Tibet under the pretext of bringing about a “peaceful liberation.” In reality what this entailed was the destruction of an entire people and its culture. Today, both are threatened with extinction. One man, the Dalai Lama, was to become the symbol of the dramatic fight for the survival of Tibet as a nation. Since 1959, as a refugee in Dharmasala, North India, he has led and inspired the Tibetan community in exile. As a spokesman for nonviolence, he has worked untiringly for world peace. As a spiritual teacher communicating his wisdom and his experience of altruism with great simplicity, he is universally respected and venerated by millions of Buddhists who regard him as the Buddha of Compassion. For him, Buddhism is not a dogma or religion but a way of life, a source of happiness, inner peace, and wisdom. It awakens in us kindness and love, teaching us to protect every living thing on this earth. This is why he emphasizes universal responsibility, the awareness that each one of us, as a member of the human family, can be a worker for peace and a protector of the environment: “Outer disarmament comes from inner disarmament. The only true guarantee of peace lies within ourselves.” It was in this spirit that His Holiness taught for a whole week in August 1991 in Dordogne, southwestern France. Commenting on one of the greatest poetic works in Buddhist literature, Shāntideva’s Bodhicharyāvatāra (The Way of the Bodhisattva), he introduced several thousand people to the way of compassion, the path of the Bodhisattvas who, overwhelmed by the suffering of beings, take the vow to perfect themselves in order to liberate others. Despite the fact that His Holiness has given this teaching many times, so truly and fully does he live this ideal that on occasion he himself was moved to tears by the beauty of Shāntideva’s text. Just like this great Indian master of the eighth century, the Dalai Lama talks about human nature in simple and moving terms. He urges us to develop the potential we all have for love and kindness. Appealing to our everyday experience, he shows us how to become goodhearted people and give our lives