What Are the Standards of an Exemplary Bodhisattva?

To progress swiftly in practice and become a good Bodhisattva, one must speak gently to others, avoiding sharp and aggressive language. Strive to harmonize disputes and gather and embrace sentient beings as much as possible. The Four Methods of Embrace should be diligently practiced, with embracing sentient beings as the foremost priority. Making enemies is a major taboo for a Bodhisattva. In the eyes of a Bodhisattva, there should be no adversaries; all sentient beings are objects of their embrace. Therefore, do not turn the place of practice into a battlefield, engaging in endless debates to determine winners and losers, superiority and inferiority, strength and weakness.

The "self" within each person's mind must be strictly guarded. Do not always be sharp and overbearing, provoking others' anger with a strong sense of self. Be skilled in subduing the self and concealing the self. Taming afflictions is true practice, not constantly seeking to subdue or suppress others. A Bodhisattva’s nature should be gentle, appealing to others with emotion and reasoning. One should not refuse to yield even when in the right. Sometimes, yielding a step can instead subdue and embrace others more effectively.

Both guiding others and personal cultivation require a balance of firmness and gentleness—be firm with oneself and in the face of adverse circumstances, but as gentle as possible with others. Only then can one gather all sentient beings around oneself and blend in with them. If one’s words push others away, keeping them at a distance, it will only alienate sentient beings, preventing the formation of wholesome connections. Such behavior does not make one a qualified Bodhisattva and fails to embrace sentient beings.

A rigid mind is brittle and prone to sudden outbursts; a gentle mind, though it may bend, does not break. A Bodhisattva should be flexible, able to bend with circumstances yet return to their original state without deviation. A Bodhisattva should be skilled in reconciling disputes and should not frequently provoke endless conflicts. Learning to be a good Bodhisattva, cultivating gentleness and harmony, and mastering the embrace of sentient beings are essential courses for every Bodhisattva. Refusing to yield even when in the right is a major taboo for a Bodhisattva. Sharp and aggressive language is a major taboo for a Bodhisattva. Violating these principles alienates sentient beings, forms unwholesome connections, and transgresses the Four Methods of Embrace.