When you take a spiritual vow, you are binding yourself together with the teachings. You already have a vague idea of the teachings, and now you would like to tighten the whole thing up to make sure that it is actually being practiced and worked on. The term dompa or “binding,” applies to all vows: the refuge vow, the bodhisattva vow, as well as the vows of tantrayana.  In the dompa of the bodhisattva vow, the discipline is living up to your aspiration to work for others. You would like to work with sentient beings and relate with the rest of the world, to offer your service and have your particular effort be put toward other people’s benefit.

From “Making a Commitment,” in The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Volume Two, page 120.

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