Whatever you do, be mindful of your mind. That’s the crux of the 36th verse of the 37 Verses of a Bodhisattva. It reads:
In brief, whatever you are doing, ask yourself: what is the state of my mind?
With constant mindfulness and mental alertness,
Accomplish other’s good-
this is the practice of a bodhisattva.
Verse 36
As we near the conclusion of these verses, we return to the basics. When it all comes down to it, all of these verses teach us to be mindful. When we learn to sit with the reality of what is, we can begin to see patterns, habits, and reactions that block us. Once we see that, we can start working with them in a way that’s compassionate and gentle, so that our basic human goodness comes through more clearly.
As Thubten Chodron teaches, “To sum up the previous thirty-five verses, whatever you are
doing—whether you are standing, lying down, walking or sitting; whether you are awake or asleep; whether you are happy or miserable; whether people like you or don’t like you; whether you are dying or living; whether you are in pain or are healthy—no matter what is going on in your life, ask yourself, “What is the state of my mind?” Because the mind is the source of happiness and suffering, it’s important to check what state it is in.”
This seems as good a time as any to reiterate that you can’t possibly do this without a meditation practice. Shamatha meditation is the primary vehicle through which we learn to check in on our minds. And it’s the very best way I know to teach us how to abide in a state of calm presence, regardless of what we find there.
This is the key. It’s the whole shebang. Nothing happens if this doesn’t happen. It doesn’t matter how many hours you do other spiritual practices if you do them with an unaware mind. Without awareness, the rest is just noise.
Being a bodhisattva means seeking the good of all created beings, and all creation. And we simply can’t do that unless we seek the good that resides in our own selves first. Meditation gets us in touch with our basic human goodness, and from there, compassion flows effortlessly.
It’s always a good time to begin a meditation practice. It’s a great time to restart your practice if you’ve gotten rusty. Today, right now, this is the time to begin once again to be mindful of your mind.
