Page:Dudjom Rinpoche A Torch Lighting the Way to Freedom.pdf/150

i. Maturing oneself: training in the six transcendent perfections Having taken up the discipline of bodhichitta, one now trains in the Bodhisattva activities, principally the six transcendent perfections, as described in Letter to a Friend: Generosity and discipline, patience, diligence, Concentration and the wisdom that knows thusness— Those measureless perfections, make them grow, And be a Mighty Conqueror who’s crossed the ocean of existence. 110 Of these six, the first is generosity. (1) Generosity The essence of generosity is to completely give away one’s possessions with a mind free of attachment. Its function is to get rid of other people’s poverty. It should be motivated by the thought of striving for perfect enlightenment for the benefit of others. There are three kinds of generosity, depending on what it is that one gives. (a) Material giving Material giving involves freely giving away the different parts of one’s body (inner gifts) and all one’s wealth and possessions (outer gifts), avoiding the four improper aspects of generosity and adopting the four proper aspects— these four referring to one’s intention, the gift itself, the recipient, and the manner of giving.111 We should give in particular to the four fields. i In this, both the intention and the deed should be perfect, with no trace of stinginess, as if we were merely giving a piece of grass. (b) The gift of protection from fear This is to use whatever means are appropriate and within our power to protect those who are in danger from the authorities, savage beasts of prey, enemies, robbers, fire, water, illness, negative forces, and the like, thereby relieving them of their fear. (c) The gift of Dharma So that others have faith and we do not ourselves degenerate, we should practice the sublime Dharma by giving up improper actions with our body, speech, and mind and adopting proper ones. In this way we become worthy of being a spiritual friend, and the others are pleased and develop respect, thus bringing about the right conditions for disciple and teaching to come together. At that time, with our minds free of personal considerations, we should be skillful in the different means for expounding the teachings of the Greater or Lesser Vehicle to those who seek the Dharma, matching the instructions with the disciples’ capacities and thereby setting them on the most appropriate path.