The “Thirty-Seven Bodhisattva Practices” text was “prepared and distributed” at the request of “His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche” after one of his “disciples” provided me with the small 2-by 4-1/2-inch booklet containing two or three “Practices” per page. The booklet said its distribution was for “the benefit of all sentient beings.”
While sipping coffee and reading them at breakfast 38 days ago, I felt “moved” to publish one-a-day. I have gotten triple the pleasure out of this, upon first reading the text to type it here; reading the text again to edit it; and then “copying” the “modern” version from and reading the interpretation yet a third time.
Somethings take time to sink in. Thirty-Seven Bodhisattva Practices is one of them.
I found several Practices speaking to me on those days I seemed to need them most in my life. Was it simply a coincidence that Practice 35 dealt with “weapons” and guarding one self while I was meditating about PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) from a war still causing suffering some 40 years later? I “posted” Number 35 on “Reddit” with a PTSD tag and an unbelievable number of veterans chose to view it that day.
Others have written about messages they believed were aimed directly to them on different days. Maybe it was meant them. For you. Quantum Physics makes you the center of the universe. Why can’t I be working solely on your behalf at this exact moment you might need to use this.
The following is the “conclusion” of “Thirty-Seven Bodhisattva Practices“:
Following the speech of the Sublime Ones on the meaning of the sutras and their commentaries, I have written the Thirty-Seven Bodhisattva Practices for those who wish to train on the Bodhisattvas’ path.
Due to my inferior intellect and poor learning, this is not poetry that will please scholars, yet as I have relied upon the sutras and the speech of the Sublime Ones, I think the Bodhisattva Practices are not mistaken.
However, because it is difficult for one of inferior intellect like myself to fathom the depth of the great deeds of Bodhisattvas, I beseech the Sublime Ones to forbear my errors such as contradictions and incoherent reasoning.
By virtue arising from this, may all sentient beings become, through excellent conventional and ultimate bodhicitta, like the protector Chenrezig who does not abide in the extremes of existence or peace.
[“This was written for the benefit of himself and others by the monk Thogme, an exponent of scripture and reasoning, in a cave in Ngulchu Rinchen.” (Emphasis added. The author’s full name is Ngulchu Thogme Zangpo) ]
— “Grateful thanks are due to Ari Kiev for the original translation and to many others for editorial, graphic and printing sponsorship assistance. May all beings benefit!” — Garchen Rinpoche
Contoveros 