Weekend Teaching with Mitra Karl Brunnhölzl and Karunika Stephanie Johnston on Bodhicitta and Visualization
“A bodhisattva is a being who is courageous enough to strive to buddhahood,” Mitra Karl Brunnhölzl taught at the beginning of his teaching on relative and absolute bodhicitta during a weekend hosted by Nalandabodhi Netherlands on this topic. Approaching it from the perspective of the view, practice, and visualization, Mitra Karl together with Karunika Stephanie Johnston offered rich and inspiring teachings that spoke directly to our paths.
Bodhicitta and Bodhisattvas On the Mahayana Path
Either in an aspirational sense or following application and realization, those beings (or minds) who seek out buddhahood for the benefit of others are considered bodhisattvas traversing the Mahayana path.
Pointing to the root meanings of the Sanskrit terms, Mitra Karl explained that bodhi means “awake” or “awakening” but also “bud” or “blossom.” It is also reflected in the word buddha, which points to having perfected the purification of stains (confusion, ignorance, afflictive emotions) and development of (enlightened) qualities. The term citta means “mind” but also “accumulation.” And sattva is about “truth” and also “courage” or “attitude.”
Courageous Compassion and Buddha Nature
From the perspective of the dharma (buddhist teachings), beings, time, and problems, are considered to be infinite, while seeking enlightenment in order to help all others without exception — the loving and compassion mind of a bodhisattvas — is considered to be extremely rare. Why? Because very few are willing to commit to helping all others. It takes courageous compassion to step onto that path.
While the compassionate aspect points to relative bodhicitta, the “awakening” relates to ultimate bodhicitta or buddhahood. The second is extensively commented on in all the teachings on buddha nature, for example by the Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje (1284–1339). Mitra Karl translated and introduced the Third Karmapa’s view in his book Luminous Heart.
Using traditional examples and drawing from teachings by great contemporary masters like Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche and Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Mitra Karl inspired us by asking that we contemplate deeply how to put the teachings (on the innately present wisdom and response to things in a compassionate manner) into practice.
On the one hand, Mitra Karl explained, we learn to laugh more about ourselves and relax, seeing things are empty yet appearing. On the other hand, based on the realization that others are suffering because of taking things as real, the awakened mind is responsive to their situation and does what is needed to lead all beings towards enlightenment.
Motivation and Visualization as a Key Method
What these teachings mean for our individual paths is something we all need to explore. With the motivation to seek enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, Nalandabodhi’s Three Paths, based on teachings and designed by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, offers a richness of methods to help us make progress in our own manner. Karunika Stephanie pointed out that at nearly all or perhaps in every practice — from śamatha (calm-abiding meditation) to various Vajrayana practices in the Mahamudra and Dzogchen tradition of our lineage — visualization plays a key role.
Making a Personal Connection with the Dharma
While “visualization” leads us to think of some kind of seeming “object” (like an image), Karunika Stephanie pointed out that it also needs to be understood as a process. It is a practice that allows us to make a personal connection with the dharma. We learn to work directly with the moving mind. Since we are deeply habituated to following our sensory perceptions and imaginations, visualizations use this response to move us in the direction of the true nature of all phenomena seemingly “out there and in our minds”.
Practicing various ways to use visualization on the path, Karunika Stephanie encouraged everyone to play, be creative, and learn to work with our immediate experience. We usually identify and label what appears to us without thinking; or rather, without looking closely and carefully. If we pay careful attention, be still and present, we move in the direction of reality.
Causes and Conditions Conducive to Enlightenment
Deliberately using visualization as a way to “color” our minds with the intention to train our minds to achieve buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings, we can gather the causes and conditions conducive to enlightenment. If we then are able to let go and go beyond, progressing on the path of the bodhisattvas can suddenly feel more realistic than we might have imagined.
The question both Mitra Karl and Karunika Stephanie left us with is: The responsibility of bodhisattvas may feel daunting and great courage is needed to engage in this practice, but why not give it a chance?
A Gradual Entry into emptiness meditation: Weekend Retreat
Mitra Karl Brunnhölzl will offer a weekend retreat, hosted by our friends at Bodhicarya, based on the traditional Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness as taught by Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche.
Symbolizing the Awakened Heart – Weekend Workshop with Karunika Stephanie Johnston
How is the awakened and awakening heart depicted? How can the practices of looking at and creating buddhist art be a support on our path to awakening?Please join Karunika Stephanie Johnston for a weekend workshop hosted by Nalandabodhi Germany to explore these questions using Buddhist Visual Literacy, a practice that joins art, clear seeing, and symbolism with the Buddhist path.
週末與 Mitra Karl Brunnhölzl 和 Karunika Stephanie Johnston ⼀起進⾏菩提⼼和觀想教學
在荷蘭那爛陀菩提中⼼舉辦的周末活動中， Mitra Karl Brunnhölzl 在開始講授相對菩
提⼼和究竟菩提⼼時說道：「菩薩是有⾜夠勇氣努⼒去証得佛果的⼈」。
Mitra Karl 和 Karunika Stephanie Johnston 兩位老師 從⾒地、修習 和 觀想的⾓度
出發，為我們的修道提供了直接、豐富且充滿啓發性的教導。
⼤乘道上的菩提⼼與菩薩
無論是從發願的⾓度，或是從實踐和證悟的⾓度，那些為了利益他⼈⽽尋求佛果的眾
⽣（或⼼），都被視為走在⼤乘道路上的菩薩。
Mitra Karl 指出了梵語術語的詞根含義，他解釋說 — 菩提的意思是「覺醒」或「在
覺醒的過程中」，也有「花蕾」或「盛放」的意思。這也體現在「佛」這個字上，指
已圓滿地 淨化了染污（困惑、無知、煩惱）並發展出「覺悟」的品質。
citta 這個字的意思是「⼼」，也有「累積」的意思。
sattva 指的是「真理」，也指「勇氣」或「態度」。
勇敢的慈悲 與 佛性
從佛法⾓度⽽⾔，眾⽣、時間、煩惱皆視為無量。
⽽為救度⼀切眾⽣ 及不捨棄任何⼀個⽣命⽽求得無上正等正覺，即菩薩慈悲之⼼，
被視為極其難得。
為什麼呢？因為很少⼈願意致⼒於幫助所有其他⼈。⽽踏上這條路需要勇敢的慈悲
⼼。
慈悲指的是相對菩提⼼，⽽「覺悟」則涉及 究竟菩提⼼ 或 佛果。在所有關於佛性的
教義中都對 究竟菩提⼼ 進⾏了廣泛的評論，例如第三世噶瑪巴讓炯多傑 (1284-
1339) 的釋論。 Mitra Karl 的著作《Luminous Heart》翻譯 並 介紹了第三世噶瑪巴
的⾒地。
Mitra Karl 使⽤傳統的例⼦並引⽤ 堪布⽵清嘉措仁波切 和 ⽵興本樂仁波切 等偉⼤當
代⼤師的教導，啟發我們去深入思考如何將他們的教導付諸實踐（讓我們思考如何透
過運⽤我們與⽣俱來的智慧並以慈悲的⽅式去應對事物及情況）。
⼀⽅⾯，Mitra Karl解釋說，我們可學會更频繁地嘲笑⾃⼰並放鬆，去 看/了知 事物
並非真實卻⼜能顯現。
另⼀⽅⾯，基於認識到其他⼈因為將事物視為真實⽽遭受痛苦，覺醒之⼼會為他們的
處境⽽作出反應，並採取必要的⾏動來引導所有眾⽣走向醒覺。
動機 和 觀想 作為關鍵⽅法
這些教義對我們個⼈的修道意味著什麼是我們每個⼈都需要探索的。
以 ⽵興本樂仁波切 的教導及設計為基礎 ，帶着為了利益⼀切眾⽣⽽尋求覺悟的動
機，那爛陀菩提三學 ( Nalandabodhi’s Three Paths – 學習、禪修 及 正念活動），提
供了豐富的⽅法來幫助我們以⾃⼰的⽅式取得進步。
Karunika Stephanie指出，在幾乎所有或可能每⼀種修⾏中 — 從奢摩他（⽌觀禪
修）到我們傳承的⼤⼿印和⼤圓滿傳統中的各種⾦剛乘修⾏ — 觀想都起著關鍵作
⽤。
與佛法建立個⼈聯繫
Karunika Stephanie 指出，「觀想」這詞可能會引導我們聯想到某種貌似「物體」（例
如圖像）的東⻄，然⽽，它也需要被理解為⼀個過程。這是⼀種讓我們與佛法建立個
⼈連結的修⾏。我們學習直接跟我們驛動的⼼去相處/去熟悉它。由於我們已深深習
慣於追隨我們的感官知覺和想像，因此「觀想」就利⽤了這種反應將我們引向看似
「在外在 及 於我們⼼中」的所有現象的 真實本質。
透過在修道上練習各種運⽤「觀想」的⽅法，Karunika Stephanie ⿎勵⼤家去玩耍、
發揮創意並學習觀照我們的直接經驗。我們通常會不假思索地識別和為 出現在我們
眼前的事物 貼上標籤；或者更確切地說，沒有去仔細觀察清楚。
然⽽，如果我們能仔細觀察、靜下來，稳定下來 及 處於當下，那麼，我們就是在往
實相 的⽅向⽽前進。
有助於覺悟的 因 和 緣
刻意地透過 觀想 的⽅式為我們的⼼「著⾊」— 帶著 要利益⼀切眾⽣⽽証得佛果的
意圖 去訓練我們的⼼，我們就能積聚到有利於覺悟的 因 和 緣。
⽽如果我們能夠放下並超越，那麼，在菩薩道上的進展就會讓我們忽然感覺到它比想
像中來得更實在、更逼真。
Mitra Karl 和 Karunika Stephanie 給我們留下了這樣的⼀個思考題：
菩薩的責任有可能會讓⼈感到畏懼，因為從事這種修⾏需要極⼤的勇氣，但為什麼不
給它⼀個機會呢？
