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Chögyam Trungpa

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Bodhisattva Activity

Bodhisattva activity is a model of action without ego’s goal orientation, at least theoretically. Bodhisattvas are mahayana practitioners who have vowed to help all sentient beings. A bodhisattva would say: “I surrender myself, and I see a glimpse of egolessness. Egolessness has a much greater territory than I ever imagined! It extends to all sentient beings, as far as space reaches. I’m going to help them all.”

As a bodhisattva, you have to have this greater vision, an absolute vision that goes along with infinite feeling. That infinite feeling–that you’re going to save all sentient beings–has no end because you have seen the infiniteness of the inwardness as well. There’s no end out there, and there’s no end in here, at this end, either. In that sense, both sides are equal.

From “The Nowness of Work” in Work, Sex, Money: Real Life on the Path of Mindfulness, page 73.

Visit the Chogyam Trungpa Digital Library to access 550 original audio and video recordings, including the recordings use to edit Work, Sex, Money!

 

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