Photo by Tenzin Choejor, courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has stated that the highest respect one can show the teacher is to practice the teachings. To that end, and in honor of his birthday on July 6th, we offer the Eight Stanzas for Training the Mind from the Tibetan lojong, or mind-training tradition. Tibetan Buddhism suggests that reciting these verses, meditating on their meaning, and ultimately merging them with one’s mind will greatly assist one on the path to enlightenment. His Holiness has recited these verses every day for most of his life. They provide a tool for transformation and a pathway to the radiant mind of enlightenment.

Eight Stanzas for Training the Mind

1. With a determination to accomplish
   The highest welfare for all sentient beings
   Who surpass even a wish-granting jewel
   I will learn to hold them supremely dear.
2. Whenever I associate with others I will learn
   To think of myself as the lowest among all
   And respectfully hold others to be supreme
   From the very depths of my heart.
3. In all actions I will learn to search into my mind
   And as soon as an afflictive emotion arises
   Endangering myself and others
   Will firmly face and avert it.
4. I will learn to cherish beings of ill nature
   And those oppressed by strong sins and suffering
   As if I had found a precious
   Treasure very difficult to find.
5. When others out of jealousy treat me badly
   With abuse, slander, and so on,
   I will learn to take all loss
   And offer victory to them.
6. When one whom I have benefited with great hope
   Unreasonably hurts me very badly,
   I will learn to view that person
   As an excellent spiritual guide.
7. In short, I will learn to offer to everyone without exception
   All help and happiness directly and indirectly
   And respectfully take upon myself
   All harm and suffering of my mothers.
8. I will learn to keep all these practices
   Undefiled by the stains of the eight worldly conceptions
   And by understanding all phenomena as like illusions
   Be released from the bondage of attachment.

Around the web…

When preparing this post today, I was delighted to see all the news stories about celebrations around the globe for this most amazing human being. I loved this video from the Friends of the Dalai Lama and their request:

Give the Dalai Lama, who has dedicated his life to peace and kindness, the ultimate 80th birthday present: share how you will make the world a more compassionate place using ‪#‎WithCompassion‬.

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