2 Commentary by Khenpo Sodargye
Now, the refuge vow is taken. I see that most of you are very fluent when reciting the stanza because it’s part of your daily prayer. You folks repeated the stanzas smoothly and that was impressive.
F. Receive the Bodhisattva Vow Now comes the actual receiving of the bodhisattva vow. The following stanzas are for the generation of bodhicitta. We will recite them three times. By the third round, I will snap my fingers and an affirmation of receiving the vow should arise within your mind. Some of you have not generated the genuine bodhicitta yet. Today, in front of buddhas, bodhisattvas, and gurus, you should make the commitment seriously. The solemnity is like making a declaration on joining a national organization or a party. We should hold an earnest attitude when entering the Mahayana path. Here we are in this magnificent shrine hall surrounded by sutras, buddha statues, images of masters, as well as hosts of buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions and lineage vajra masters that we visualize in the space—we must take the vow seriously. We should not hold a frivolous attitude or a distracted mindset to come here for some tsok offerings and snacks. Instead, this should be a crucial moment in our life, just like getting married is, when one places great importance on the wedding day. As one of the most significant changes in one’s entire life, one will remember that moment clearly
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