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LEAD ARTICLE | EASTERN HORIZON 5

ghosts, animals, human beings, but because you, as a parent, have happy by thinking: How wonderful
asuras, suras and intermediate state a particular karmic connection that my life can be beneficial for
beings. If you do these activities for with and are responsible for the even one sentient being.
every single sentient being including specific sentient beings that are
every single insect, it goes without your children, you should always How wonderful that I can take care
saying that you also do them for your pay special attention to the fact that of even one sentient being.
own children. If you think in this way, your children are included among How wonderful that my limbs can
you will have the same motivation to those sentient beings. be useful for looking after and
care for your children as you would bringing happiness to even one
any sentient being. By thinking in this way, you will sentient being.
have a totally different attitude
Because your children are sentient toward your children; there will Especially when you encounter
beings, you have received every not be the slightest negative difficulties—when your children do
happiness experienced throughout thought caused by the eight worldly not listen to you, when you cannot
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beginningless lives from them. concerns, and instead you will control them and when you feel
You also receive all your present take care of them motivated by the disappointed with them—it is good
happiness from them and you positive thought of cherishing a to rejoice in these ways. If you can
receive all the happiness of future sentient being. do this, there will be no difficulties
lives from them (not just the in your heart. With a sincere wish
happiness of one future life but On the other hand, if you allow to help your children, you won’t
the happiness of all future lives). yourself to come under the have that annoyed and exhausted
In addition, you receive liberation influence of the eight worldly mind that wishes to give them up.
from samsara from them and you concerns, when your children do Motivated by bodhicitta, you will
also receive the realizations of the something to please you, something be able to rejoice in having the
entire path up to enlightenment that you like, you will happily take opportunity to help them.
from them. By understanding and care of them. However, when they
recognizing this, you will see that do something that is contrary to Likewise, the motivation for doing
your children are the most precious your wishes, something that upsets a job that involves taking care
and kindest people in your life. you or makes you angry, you may of other people’s children or the
even be tempted to give them elderly should be exactly the same
So when you begin a practice with up entirely. This change in your as the one you have for looking after
the motivation of bodhicitta, the attitude towards them happens your own child. The thought, “This
thought to achieve enlightenment because you are attached to your person is the most precious and the
for all sentient beings, recall that own happiness and want to avoid most kind,” is the best attitude to
your child is one of those sentient suffering and problems. have when you are doing this kind
beings and do the practice with of work.
that awareness. Similarly, when With bodhicitta, you feel that your
you conclude a practice with the children are the most precious and With the motivation of bodhicitta,
dedication to achieve enlightenment the kindest beings in your life. If every hardship that you undergo and
for the sake of all sentient beings, you have this attitude, you will take every single service that you do for
remember that your child is one of care of them with a healthy positive others will purify negative karma
those sentient beings. mind rather than with a negative collected throughout beginningless
emotional mind and the pain of lives. Your job will also become a
Of course, all other sentient beings attachment. means for you to collect extensive
are exactly the same as your merit and a chance to practise all
children in being precious and kind, As a parent, you can make yourself six perfections or paramitas: giving,