{"collection":"Buddhism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/bud/tib/ctbw.htm","path":"bud/tib/ctbw.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/ctbw.htm","text":"BODHISATTVA WARRIORS\nby Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche\nMany great Buddhist masters have prophesied that centuries from\nnow, when the forces of aggression amass on earth and no reason can\nturn them back, the kingdom of Shambhala will open its gates and its\nenlightened warriors will come forth into battle. Whoever they\nencounter will be given a choice--turn away from non virtue to virtue\nor, by direct, wrathful intervention, be liberated into a pure land\nbeyond suffering.\nA Buddhist story tells of a ferry captain whose boat was carrying\n500 bodhisattvas in the guise of merchants. A robber on board planned\nto kill everyone and pirate the ship's cargo.\nThe captain, a bodhisattva himself, saw the man's murderous\nintention and realized this crime would result in eons of torment for\nthe murderer. In his compassion, the captain was willing to take\nhellish torment upon himself by killing the man to prevent karmic\nsuffering that would be infinity greater than the suffering of the\nmurdered victims. The captain's compassion was impartial; his\nmotivation was utterly selfless.\nNow, as I write this, the Middle East is inflamed with war.\nWatching the television news, I pray that this war will prevent\ngreater wars, greater suffering, and that those opposed to war develop\nthe skills to bring about authentic peace. We cannot fully discern\nthe motivation of any participants involved in the conflict, but it is\nunlikely that many have the ability to bring about ultimate liberation\nfor friends and enemies alike, or that they will be able to sustain\nthe bodhisattva's impartial compassion as they engage in conflict.\nWhat we can know is our own minds. We can adhere to Buddhist ideals\nin our activities, whether we are combatants, protestors, decision-\nmakers or concerned witnesses. We can pray that whatever virtue there\nis in the situation prevails, that genuine peace be established. The\nBuddha has taught that throughout countless lifetimes all beings have\nbeen our parents and have shown us great kindness. Now they have\nfallen under the sway of the mind's poisons of desire, anger,\nignorance, and they suffer terribly. Could we exclude any from our\ncompassion any more than the sun could exclude any from the warmth and\nradiance of its rays.\nAs we aspire to peace, now and in the future cycles of our\nexistence, we cannot deny the possibility that each of us may be\nconfronted with the need for wrathful intervention in order to prevent\ngreater harm. May the spiritual mining we undertake now allow us to\nenter such situations free from the delusions of the mind's poisons.\nMay we act with spontaneous compassion to bring ultimate liberation to\nall alike, both victims and aggressors.","title":"Bodhisattva Warriors","type":"page"}