The three nobilities

Apr 19, 2010, 09.09am IST
GIRISH DESHPANDE.


When you chant and recite any mantra, bear in mind the importance of the Three Nobilities: Bodhichitta, Non-Objectifying Wisdom and Dedication. This brings benefit to the one reciting and for those it is meant to bring benefit.

The two aspects to remember are: Firstly, keep secret your mantra recitation and its result. Secondly, be mindful not to speak to others who are not Dharma practitioners about your practice and accrued benefit. If we are not mindful of this, the result will not be perfect due to many forces that may be counter-productive.

The three nobilities are as important as your yearning to achieve the result by reciting the specific mantra.

The first nobility is called Bodhichitta, which is ‘Awakened Mind.’ It means generation of a special motivation to benefit all sentient beings with the virtues being accumulated. This motivation should be generated prior to any kind of virtuous practice. You can read this line to motivate yourself for the benefit of all:

"I will benefit all sentient beings bestowing them with eternal bliss and qualities."

The second nobility is called Non-Objectifying Wisdom. It means whatever virtue is accumulated or practiced, it's done without any sense of desires clinging to the mind. This, in other words, is called primordial awareness and is maintained during the main practice itself.

One should be fully aware without any clinging or self-centric desires such as, ‘I am the one who practices this virtue’ or ‘this is the virtue I'm practising and for them I practise.’ In fact, one should cut out such thoughts from the mind stream. When the mind is devoid of such discriminative thoughts, all emotions naturally calm down. It is therefore called Non-Objectifying Wisdom, the true and primordial awareness of all beings.

The third nobility is called Dedication. It means whatever virtue has been accumulated, for example, by chanting and reciting the mantra, it is dedicated to bringing to sentient beings whatever benefit is possible to rid them of their suffering and bringing them happiness. Usually, the dedication prayer is chanted only after the virtuous practice.

Chant this line as a dedication prayer: "Gewa Ma-ghen Drodug Kunla Ngo” - which means “May all motherly sentient beings attain enlightenment through the power of all the virtues I might have accumulated by chanting and reciting the mantra."

It is of crucial importance to feel what other beings need. Feel what you need. To our surprise we will discover that the need and requirement are one and the same, that is, happiness. Each and every being needs nothing more than happiness.

So it is with us. Therefore all sentient beings are similar and even the same. However, remember that just like us, other sentient beings too get trapped in the net of suffering, pains, torture, afflictions and emotions. Now feel and chant this: “May all sentient beings be free from sufferings and its causes.” This is the real definition of compassion.

Extend this practice further from one being to two and four - for instance from your family and then to the neighbourhood, to your town and other towns, cities and to country -- and further towards all sentient beings.

Practice this daily and see the result. Don’t forget that Dharma belongs to nobody. It comes to those who endeavour the most. So begin, now.

The author is a practitioner of Nyingma Buddhism