This episode on Bodhicitta, or Way-Seeking Mind, is chapter two of my book The Ten Fields of Zen Practice: A Primer for Practitioners.” Bodhicitta is the first Field of practice because without it we never even begin practice, and, if we don’t nurture and sustain it, our practice will wither and die. I discuss the first arising of Bodhicitta, its function, how to cultivate it, and its profound nature.
Read/listen to Chapter 1 or Chapter 3
See all Ten Fields of Zen Practice
This episode is chapter two of my book The Ten Fields of Zen Practice: A Primer for Practitioners.” I talked about my plan for this book at the beginning of Episode 259; as I mentioned then, as I write this book, I am not worrying about repeating anything I have said on the podcast before. Hopefully, framing each topic in the context of this project will make it interesting listening/reading even if I have covered the topic in the past.
Quicklinks to Article Content:
The First Arising of Bodhicitta
The Function of Bodhicitta
We Cannot Take Way-Seeking Mind for Granted
Cultivating Bodhicitta by Turning Toward What We Don’t Yet Know
Practical Ways to Cultivate Bodhicitta
The Profound Nature of Bodhicitta
The first Field of Zen practice is Bodhicitta, the “mind (citta) of enlightenment (bodhi)” or the “Way-Seeking Mind.” Without Bodhicitta we never even begin practice, and if we don’t nurture and sustain Way-Seeking Mind, our practice will wither and die.
The First Arising of Bodhicitta
Bodhicitta is not just dissatisfaction, but it arises because of dissatisfaction. Inevitably, we encounter dissatisfaction in our lives – with ourselves, with others, with our conditions, with the state of the world.
Society – especially modern, capitalist society – emphasizes objective solutions to our discontent. We will be happy, we’re told, if we can just find the right job, right relationships, right pastimes, right lifestyle. Along the same lines, we are told we’ll be happy if we can only fix ourselves – apply the right self-discipline, overcome our troubling emotions and desires, and end our negative habits. Although this latter approach to satisfaction focuses internally, on the self, I’m calling it “objective” because it divides us into a superego which attempts to impose an agenda on an object – the troublesome aspects of self.
Somewhere along the line, we become dissatisfied not just with the various less-than-ideal aspects of life but with all the approaches we have employed to achieve greater happiness and peace of mind. Perhaps we have struggled to attain the objects, relationships, and conditions we hope will ease our dissatisfaction, but these things relentlessly elude us. Maybe we have attained those things but still find ourselves dissatisfied.
The spiritual discontent that sparks the arising of Bodhicitta can look different ways in different people, and in the same people at different times. It may be fairly subtle, manifesting as a vague sense of regret. “Is this all there is?” we ask ourselves. Or “The end of my life fast approaches; how do I want to have lived?” We may find ourselves in the middle of a life we have built for ourselves and wonder what it’s all about. Outwardly, we may manage to appear relatively happy and well-adjusted, but inwardly we are nagged by a terrifying doubt that we’re missing something important.
Spiritual discontent, called samvega[1] in Buddhism, may also manifest more painfully and dramatically as depression, despair, or addiction. Regardless of how fortunate or unfortunate our circumstances, life may seem bleak, pointless, discouraging, threatening, or overwhelming. Perhaps our negative habits may cause great suffering to ourselves and others, but we find ourselves unable to change. Or, our personal life may be okay but we still feel anguish about the incomprehensible suffering and injustice in the wider world.
Society is uncomfortable with our spiritual discontent. When we bring up our doubts, it threatens to awaken the doubts of others and suggests the relentless pursuit of happiness through objective attainments isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. We’re advised to return to that pursuit and told our discontent is simply due to not having attained the right things yet. Unless we are courageous, we are likely to believe what we’re being told by society. Consequently, we’ll probably attempt to bury our discontent and distract ourselves with all the activities that are supposed to bring us lasting happiness and peace of mind.
If we don’t bury our discontent, or if it refuses to be buried, at some point in our life Bodhicitta may begin to arise. It may appear as a desperate defiance within us based purely on intuition. “I haven’t found it yet, but there has got to be a better way,” we repeat to ourselves. This spurs us on to search for that better way – through reading, study, talking to people, travel, or trying out different practices. Alternatively, our Bodhicitta may arise when we are exposed to someone who gives us hope, whether we meet them personally or through writings or teachings. Such a person expresses or demonstrates a way of being in the world that has never before occurred to us. This is what happened to the Buddha, when he was still Siddhartha Gautama and struggling with spiritual discontent. The sight of a monk calmly meditating planted a seed in his mind, and eventually he set off on his own spiritual search.
When our Bodhicitta first arises, it is like a tender shoot emerging from a seed: Full of hope and potential, but also fragile. Our freshly born Way-Seeking Mind can be trampled and killed by cynicism, sarcasm, negativity, and lack of respect, support, understanding, and sympathy – from others, or from ourselves! It’s important to recognize the preciousness of this tender shoot of Bodhicitta and protect its growth. We should seek more of what has given us hope and inspiration. We should seek the company of like-minded people who will understand and encourage us.
If your Way-Seeking Mind is threatened by your own negativity or skepticism, it can help to make a pact with yourself. Seeking a better way to live doesn’t mean you have to give up your power of discernment or your autonomy. It doesn’t mean you suddenly have to change your life (in fact, that’s not recommended). It doesn’t mean you have to swallow Buddhism hook, line, and sinker. Promise your wary or skeptical side that you will take things one step at a time, gradually confirming the efficacy of the path of practice for yourself. Also ask your skeptical side to make a little space for hope, or at least for trying something new.
The Function of Bodhicitta
Bodhicitta inspires us to take the first step on the path of Zen practice: Reading or listening to our first Zen book or podcast, trying our first period of meditation, or showing up at a Zen center for the first time. If Buddhism is part of our family tradition, Bodhicitta inspires us to explore the practice of it more deeply, for ourselves, as adults. Taking this first step is a big deal, and we are propelled past all the attendant inhibitions or inconveniences by our Bodhicitta.
Once you’ve embarked on a path of practice, whatever that looks like for you, Bodhicitta is what continues to motivate you. It’s a sincere desire to alleviate suffering for self and others, and to live a life characterized by greater freedom, wisdom, compassion, and peace of mind, plus a conviction that all of this is possible. Early on, when our Bodhicitta is a tender sprout, our conviction is based on intuition and hope. Later, when we have experienced some of the fruits of practice, our faith and determination grow. Our Bodhicitta can become strong and resilient. This, in turn, can give us the courage to face and deal with our remaining spiritual discontent.
When our discontent has eased somewhat, we practice for the sake of others. We recognize our wellbeing is inseparable from the wellbeing of all that lives, all that is. We naturally want to help others who are suffering. Just as we refused to accept the status quo when dealing with our own discontent, we refuse to accept that the world can’t be changed. We may be inspired to take the bodhisattva vow, or the vow of enlightening (bodhi) beings (sattvas), which is to stay engaged in the world until every last being is liberated from suffering. It may be an impossible task in a literal sense, but living by this vow transforms us and positively affects everyone around us.
The bodhisattva is the ideal of Zen practice, and it doesn’t stop with a wish to help others. In order to be of the most benefit, we need to keep working on our own freedom, wisdom, compassion, and peace of mind. Thus, the bodhisattva continues to deepen their practice, never reaching a point where they say, “good enough.” The Dharma – the truth of this life – is infinite. There is always more to be discovered. Bodhicitta is what continues to motivate the practice of beginners and sages alike.
We Cannot Take Way-Seeking Mind for Granted
As part of our Zen practice, we need to cultivate our Bodhicitta. “Cultivate” means to care for something in a way that allows it to grow, thrive, and reach its full potential. We can’t assume our Bodhicitta will always be there to inspire and motivate us. In fact, it is not uncommon for our Way-Seeking Mind to weaken once practice has alleviated the worst of our suffering. Then we may find ourselves getting lazy or disinterested, sliding back into old habit patterns, or prioritizing fun, comfort, excitement, or pleasure over practice. Intellectually, we know life is short and we probably include greater freedom, wisdom, compassion, and peace of mind on our bucket list… but we’ll get around to all that later. In the meantime, the days pass inexorably through the hourglass of time, never to be recovered.
On the other hand, our Bodhicitta – to continue to use a plant metaphor – may be overcome by weeds. These weeds are motivations that superficially resemble Bodhicitta but are actually about making aspects our Zen practice into objects to be attained. When our Bodhicitta is overrun by weeds, we have taken the same approach to practice that previously we have taken to the rest of our lives, except in this case we’re sure true happiness and peace of mind will result if we just attain the right meditation, the right mindfulness, the right understanding of the teachings, the right enlightenment experience, or the right saintly demeanor. When we do this, we have objectified the rewards of Zen practice and placed them outside of ourselves. In doing so, we have set ourselves up for the same pattern of disappointment that we experienced in pursuing anything else in hope of happiness and peace of mind.
How do we cultivate our Bodhicitta without falling into the trap of objectifying our practice? This is an art, so we shouldn’t judge ourselves too harshly if it takes us many years – or even decades – to learn how to do it. As Zen master Dogen said:
You have to force yourself to arouse bodhi-mind and practice the buddha-dharma…. Who has such bodhi-mind from the beginning? Arousing what is difficult to arouse, practicing what is difficult to practice… in this way, you will naturally progress in the buddha-dharma. Each one of us has buddha-nature. Do not meaninglessly deprecate yourself.[2]
Cultivating Bodhicitta by Turning Toward What We Don’t Yet Know
If we’re aiming to cultivate our Bodhicitta, it helps to know what strong, healthy, mature Bodhicitta look like. The details will manifest differently in each person, but generally speaking, it looks like an utterly sincere love for the truth. When we mature in practice, we understand that the truth is the medicine for all ills and that awakening to, and according with, the truth results in liberation and great compassion.
It is said in Zen that first we practice for the sake of our own suffering. Then we practice for the sake of others. Ultimately, we practice for the sake of the Dharma – the truth itself. When we approach this relationship to practice, it becomes less and less about us. The realization that what we don’t yet know is infinite does not discourage us, it inspires in us deep reverence, gratitude, and curiosity. The direct perception of our inadequacy when it comes to being a positive force in the world does not become an indictment of our worthiness as a human being but a motivation to roll up our sleeves and dive into the work of a bodhisattva with the fascination of a scientist or inventor.
How do we cultivate strong, healthy, mature Bodhicitta? First, we learn to pay attention to and value it. People often wonder why their practice is stagnating, or why it’s hard to motivate themselves to meditate, be mindful, study, or participate in Sangha. If we regard these challenges through the typical framing offered by society, we will assume that what’s required here is something objective like greater self-discipline or a better approach to meditation or a different community to practice with. Within the paradigm of practice, though, the obvious question is, “What’s the state of your Bodhicitta?”
It may seem paradoxical, but the way toward the alleviation of suffering and greater wisdom, compassion, and peace of mind involves turning toward your remaining spiritual discontent, or the limitations of your understanding and embodiment of the Dharma. You may resist this, imagining it’s counterproductive. If you’ve gained a decent measure of happiness or peace, why go trolling for your unresolved stuff? Why try to transform a “good enough” sense of happiness into dissatisfaction? Is Zen just an endless self-improvement project? These are valid questions, but the answer to all of them is, “Don’t worry, it’s optional.”
Trust yourself and connect with what you really, truly want. Bodhicitta is not an ideal imposed from the outside, it arises deep within you. You can’t manufacture it, you can only nurture what is already, naturally, there. It’s just like a farmer planting a seed and cultivating a plant until it yields something nourishing. The farmer didn’t create the seed, they just paid attention to and valued the seed and helped it grow and flourish. There’s no point whatsoever in comparing your bodhi seed or sprout to anyone else’s, or to any ideal. Just nurture what’s there.
At the same time, don’t neglect your bodhicitta. It is your fierce love, your determination, your humility, and your wonder. Practice – however that looks for you – is not just a hobby. It’s about the meaning of your entire life, no more and no less. Don’t let your life slip by without courageously facing your doubts, trying a new way, and exploring all possibilities.
Unless you are a completely liberated Buddha, you still have more to learn. Ask yourself, “Why am I not completely and utterly at peace with my life, like a Buddha? What – within my own mind – stands in the way of this?” What are your unresolved fears? Where do negative habits and reactions still arise in your life, and what’s behind them? How can you reconcile the two sides of life – the beautiful, and the horrible? How can you be more present with those you love? How can you better appreciate each and every moment of your life, living each day as if it were your last?
Opening up to what you do not yet know, to what you have not yet mastered, is not about fabricating a sense of inadequacy, it’s about acknowledging the wondrous and boundless nature of existence.
Practical Ways to Cultivate Bodhicitta
In addition to turning toward your remaining spiritual discontent, or toward the limitations of your understanding and embodiment of the Dharma, there are many things you can do to cultivate Bodhicitta.
- Challenge yourself. Attend a silent meditation retreat, participate with Sangha in a new way, or study a profound Zen text. Volunteer, learn something new, or try to be better friend, parent, partner, boss, employee, or citizen. There is no limit to our possible growth – at least no limit any of us are in any danger of approaching. This isn’t about “improving” or overcoming inadequacy, it’s about growing into our potential, like a flower coming into full bloom. It’s a rewarding process that lasts our whole lifetime.
- Open up to teachers and teachings. This is an important version of “challenge yourself.” Admitting our limitations can make us feel vulnerable, and grappling with teachings we do not yet understand doesn’t do much for our ego. However, the most important teachers show us what we didn’t know we didn’t know.
- Seek the company of good spiritual friends. Good spiritual friends, Buddhist or not, are also cultivating their Bodhicitta. They see their lives as a spiritual path, and are not afraid of acknowledging discontent or limitations, or of sharing stories of growth, positive change, or insight. Such friends can be a source of great inspiration and support.
- Build a habit of practice to sustain you when Bodhicitta flags. No matter how carefully we cultivate Bodhicitta, there will be times when it is not so resolute. When our Way-Seeking Mind is robust, it’s good to take advantage of this to build a strong habit of practice we can then rely on when we don’t feel naturally inspired.
- Live by Vow. Vow is very important in Buddhist practice. Whether vows are small and specific or life-encompassing, we form them based on our heart’s deepest aspirations. They can give shape to our lives even when momentarily we lose touch with those aspirations.
- Give yourself credit – don’t forget how you have changed. Many of us have a tendency to focus only on what we still want to change, understand, or accomplish. Occasionally reflecting on how practice has already enriched our life can strengthen our faith and give us the motivation to keep going.
- Be grateful for Bodhicitta. When your Way-Seeking Mind is strong, try to cultivate gratitude for it. This is a gentle way to encourage ourselves without falling into the trap of objectifying our practice.
The Profound Nature of Bodhicitta
Bodhicitta is a profound thing. It goes far beyond our personal aspirations. It is not merely a utilitarian phenomenon that motivates our practice. The Way-Seeking Mind is nothing other than our own awakened nature stirring within us, beckoning us to know It and manifest It. This is why one translation of “Bodhicitta” is “the mind of enlightenment.” Bodhicitta isn’t just the thought that maybe some kind of enlightenment is possible, or the mind that propels us toward enlightenment, it is the mind of enlightenment. Early in our practice this may not be clear, but later we may experience over and over that whenever we attain some new, transformative insight, it simply uncovers, clarifies, or liberates what has been with us all along.
There is no explanation for why Way-Seeking Mind arises when and where it does. We may want to take credit for it, but it is something we simply find ourselves blessed with, like a heathy body, intelligence, or a supportive family. Two people may have similar life experiences and one may set off on a lifelong path of spiritual seeking while the other thinks such activity is a waste of time. In Buddhism it is taught the Bodhicitta eventually arises in everyone, even if it takes many lifetimes,[3] and you can’t make it arise before its time. Keeping this in mind can help you be patient and compassionate when your own Bodhicitta is motivating you to practice but people around you are not similarly inspired.
Like the other Fields of Zen practice, Bodhicitta has a purposeful and a goalless aspect. We value and cultivate our Way-Seeking Mind because it is what keeps us moving along the path of practice – for the benefit of self and other. At the same time, we nurture and celebrate Bodhicitta for its own sake. Even if we are doomed to forget everything we have learned, even if our negative habits remain with us until the end, even if our practice remains mediocre, any moment can be transformed by the sincerity of our intention. This fact is famously celebrated by Shantideva:
The wish to benefit beings that others
Have never had for their own sake—
This special jewel of mind—is born,
A wonder without precedent.
The cause of every wanderer’s joy,
The cure for beings’ suffering;
How could one take the measure of
The merit of this precious mind?[4]
Endnotes
[1] Thanissaro, “Affirming the Truths of the Heart: The Buddhist Teachings on Samvega & Pasada” (https://www.dhammatalks.org/books/NobleStrategy/Section0004.html)
[2] Okumura, Shohaku (translator). Shobogenzo Zuimonki: Sayings of Eihei Dogen recorded by Koun Ejo. Tokyo, Japan: Sotoshu Shumucho, 1988.
[3] In Buddhism and Zen, we often speak about rebirth or multiple lifetimes. This is because rebirth was part of the religious and cultural worldview of the Buddha’s time. Some Buddhists believe literally in rebirth, but many of us, including me, remain agnostic about what happens after death. Nevertheless, the mythology and imagery around rebirth is often a useful metaphor for the way the infinite web of causes and effects reach beyond the lifespan of individuals.
[4] Shantideva was an Indian Buddhist scholar who lived in the late 7th or early 8th century. Quotation from Shantideva (David Karma Choephel, translator). Entering the Way of the Bodhisattva. Shambhala. Kindle Edition.
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