Week 6 Essay
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What is the difference between relative and ultimate bodhicitta? first thought(s)! Remember: there are no wrong (or right) answers. <3
reading assignment: https://www.lionsroar.com/basic-principle-bodhicitta/
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This is a tough prompt. Everything that comes to mind seems too superficial or facile, but here goes. In looking at the aspects of relative bodhicitta, it seems all about the best intentions. Yes, we want to be kind, caring, compassionate and loving. Riding the waves of life in equanimity seems inexpressibly appealing, even delightful. But then the question arises: Who is forming the intention? Receiving the kindness and care (the giver as well as the receiver)? Who is riding the waves? I think that this is where absolute bodhicitta comes in. No one is doing anything to/for anyone else, no one is riding the waves, no giver, no receiver, maybe even no waves or ocean.
I once heard meditation described as sitting in the front row of a theater with dozens of little scenes/stories being acted out on an infinite stage, all thoughts and emotions that are tugging at our minds when we sit. Then the teacher pointed out that there really is no theater goer, no actors, maybe no stage, no theater – it’s inseparable and only imaginable in the way that you catch a glimpse out of the corner of your eye, that you cannot even name.
I love to research, to ferret out answers to complicated questions (nerd that I am). On this one, though, I have to pause, to allow whatever wisdom is out there to enter. And to be aware, receptive, relaxed while also alert – and maybe even joyful.
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I think the way I am making sense of it is this: First, in general terms, bodhicitta as the path to awakening to myself and others. To get closer, through practice and learning and sangha, to seeing myself for who I am and making peace with it, developing self-compassion. And through self-compassion extending my compassion and generosity to all other sentient beings, too, since, ultimately, their feelings are the same as mine (on some level).
Relative bodhicitta I would then describe as this compassion towards others, feeling someone else’s feelings by being brave enough to open my heart to all that there is (in myself and others): joy, fear, sadness, grief, and everything else. In this relative conception, I would think, though, that categories still exist: “you/me”, “fear/joy/etc.”.
Maybe in absolute bodhicitta these boundaries all dissolve. My feeling and yours just blur into one another, they fully mix. And love and grief (for example) also, ultimately, become the same.
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Beautifully put, Anna. I love the mixing of feelings and how love and grief are ultimately the same. I have been thinking of meditation as laying face up in a meadow of life and death – life in the grasses and flowers, and all the busy insect/bird/flora life above ground, and death in the dark soil that once was life. Susan once quoted Saul Bellow, something like “[knowing death] is the black backing on the mirror that allows us to see anything at all.”
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Thanke, Anna, this is clarifying, and inspiring.
Do you think that “Bodichitta” is equivalent to “the point of Buddhist teachings”? Or is it one part of the teachings?
I’m thinking that the point of practicing, studying, and being in Sangha is to see ourselves as we are and make peace with it, and to extend compassion to self and others — as you say here.
What an honorable goal.
This is Relative — in relation to self and others, yes? Not Absolute, where boundaries dissolve.
Writing in the most excellent company of a Steller’s Jay and an Oregon Junco.-
Thanks, Pam, I have been thinking about your question for a while and I think, yes, the whole point of Buddhist teachings and the entire Buddhist path is probably Bodhicitta. The path to becoming more aware, more awake, more attuned. I would think that absolute bodhicitta can occur now and then, for little moments, along this path. Beautiful little birds!
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Anna, I appreciate for relative Bodichitta: your “feeling someone else’s feelings by being brave enough to open my heart”. I never thought of it as “bravery”, but it does require ourselves being vulnerable and to take risks.
And, with ultimate Bodichitta: the mix…the sameness…therefore, boundaries no longer exist.
Thank you for your comments. So helpful.
Betsy
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What is the difference between Relative and Ultimate Bodhicitta?
Bodhichitta seems to be about cultivating or being with love and compassion, toward ourselves and others.
Relative Bodhicitta is more everyday/”real life.” How to behave in order to be of significant service to others — alleviating suffering, our own and others’. To cultivate Relative Bodhicitta we can observe the Six Paramitas — challenging, beautiful teachings. I understand that Lovingkindness practices have this purpose too.
Ultimate Bodhicitta seems like getting beyond duality. To move toward Ultimate Bodhicitta, we can turn to an inexplicable text, The Heart Sutra.
More on all this, coming our way.I’ve been having vivid thoughts and feelings arising from reading Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s words about the Paramita of Generosity.
Of late, Trump and Musk arise as figures who lack generosity, and if they were to do the work of cultivating generosity all would benefit. These people, and others involved, may have never picked up after themselves, much less acted as caregiver for a child, disabled loved one, elder, beloved dog or cat, any being approaching death and dying.
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s words about mothers remind me of this. There seems to be an assumption that we the readers/listeners haven’t served as mothers ourselves, or other types of caregivers. Hello. I wonder whether Generosity is Paramita #1 because the speaker and the assumed audience are unfamiliar with caregiving, and may have to work at addressing the reality of other beings whose needs . . . matter.
While I can do much better, I don’t think Generosity is my point of growth. Patience seems more like it. Not so much to deal with aggression in myself and others. More, to closely observe and tolerate my ping-ponging between “I want this to change!” and “I hope this never changes!”
Oh to be able to sing with John Lennon – “I’m just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round, I really love to watch them roll. No longer riding on the merry-go-round — I just had to let it go.”-
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Love your reflections, and the Lennon reference. I, too, have a strong sense that Patience is my most fertile field for growth. Perhaps generosity is foundational for patience, since there has to be a softening, an allowance for time and space to roll on in their own pace, which can only come from a feeling of abundance of both. I’m not sure I’m making sense, but impatience seems tight and squeezing of time and space to our will to control. There is no need to control when abundance eases control.
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Relative Bodhichitta is that desire we all have along the path~We want all beings to be free of suffering and to feel happiness and the root of happiness. How we manifest this is through dedicating the merit and ultimately the Bodhisattva Vow.
Absolute Bodhichita is the wisdom of emptiness that I am on a nonstop journey to understand. Every time I feel I am close, it disappears… -
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“Relative bodhicitta is how we learn to love each other and ourselves, according to Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. The basic principle of ultimate bodhicitta is to rest in the fundamental state of consciousness, before it is divided into ‘I and ‘other.’
Generosity is self-existing openness, complete openness. The ultimate principle of the awakened heart is based on developing transcendent generosity. You are no longer subject to cultivating your own scheme or project. And the best way to open yourself up is to make friends with yourself and others.”I decided to cheat a bit. I copied the above from our reading.
As I see “relative Bodhichitta”, it’s our daily practice in our life experiences of bringing loving-kindness and compassion to self and others. It’s being generous to others. It is ultimate & divine love. It is getting off of the “me-first-train”. It’s thinking of others with kindness as best we are able in the moment.
I believe that “ultimate Bodhichitta” can be best described when a woman first gives birth to her child. (And, I recognize that under certain circumstances not all new moms experience this.) There is no feeling of separation. Just a feeling of how can I be with you in a way that gives unconditional support and love to you for your well-being and ease into becoming a human. In ultimate Bodhichitta there is only “us”.
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What is the difference between Relative and Ultimate Bodhichitta? And you want our first thoughts. “First thought, best thought”- Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Relative Bodhichitta is the cultivation of generosity towards ourselves and others. A softening of the wall we construct around ourselves to protect our egoic self from others. And in some way to protect our egoic self from our true Self. When we cultivate Relative Bodhichitta we make friends with ourselves and begin to really Love ourSelf. We see that we are so abundant that we can share ourselves with others. We can be generous and loving to others and ourSelf. We no longer are in a poverty way of Being, we are so full that we can give of ourselves freely and without expecting to get anything in return, mainly because we already have everything within ourSelf. e can radiate Love to the whole world just because that is our way of Being.
Ultimate Bodhichitta is much more challenging. It is actually seeing reality as it truly is; groundless, spaciousness, and complete openness. The understanding that there is no self and no other, no “I”, no “me’, no “other”. That is the illusion of duality. Ultimate Bodhichitta is non-dual awareness, even awareness itself. Ultimate generosity; no giver, no receiver, and no gift. Basically beyond concept and understanding. Inscrutable! I should have just written ” . ” To be honest I should have written nothing at all in this space because it’s “void”, “empty”, and “unborn”. Consciousness itself and even beyond that even.
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