There was a very famous Dzogchen master in the thirteenth century Tibet named Longchenpa who taught that the entire conduct of the bodhisattva can be summarized into two aspects of aspirational and actualizing bodhicitta.

Longchenpa went on to explain that the aspirational bodhicitta is actually based upon the Four Immeasurables:


immeasurable love,
immeasurable compassion,
immeasurable joy, and
immeasurable equanimity.

Because sentient beings are as limitless as space, our practice of these four virtues must also be immeasurable.

We can begin developing these in our heart by chanting aspirational prayers such as, "May all beings be happy, may the causes of their suffering be removed, may they always be joyful, and may they all remain in a state of equanimity."

The aspirational bodhicitta is mainly applied at the levels of mind and speech. Through practice, it becomes the cause of the actualized bodhicitta. Once we accomplish this, we can perform actions with confidence arising from our intention to benefit others.

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Immaculate Rays