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22 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS
Lama Zopa Rinpoche (center), France, November 2011. Photo by Philippe Garric.
The result of one act of kindness benefiting By having a good heart (and at the very least,
others with your body, speech and mind not to harm others), it causes you happiness
is experiencing the resulting happiness and, by the way, causes happiness to all
for thousands of lifetimes. From that one sentient beings. If you harm someone, whether
kindness – benefiting someone with your an animal or human being, then you receive
body, speech and mind, or at the least, not harm from others for many hundreds and
harming them – the result is happiness. This thousands of lifetimes, and you can’t benefit
is the result, even if you are looking only for others for that length of time. When you can’t
your own happiness. benefit others, then the purpose of your life
becomes meaningless; the purpose of your life
By generating the good heart and at least not is lost and you are totally lost, like being stuck
harming sentient beings purifies instantly in a quagmire of mud or in the ocean.
your negative karmas and defilements created
from beginningless rebirths and you collect By generating compassion, the good
unbelievable merit. heart and loving kindness for someone
– even one sentient being – it brings you
It is mentioned in the Bodhicharyavatara by to full enlightenment. Not only does one
the great holy being Bodhisattva Shantideva: achieve liberation from samsara, but full
“Even thinking to heal the headaches of enlightenment – buddhahood, the complete
sentient beings has benefit.” There’s no cessation of all the defilements and sufferings,
question if one is actually working for the and all realizations, including omniscience.
happiness of all sentient beings. There’s no The purpose of generating the good heart
need to mention the benefit from that – the is incredible: what you can gain is all the
most unbelievable, unbelievable great benefit realizations and whatever you want to
that has. achieve. You will have no obstacles, no
