Gaden Choling Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Centre

This is an outline summarizing the condensed meaning of the chapter "Engaging in a Bodhisattva's Actions" in the Lam Rim book "The Joyful Path of Good Fortune" by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (Tharpa Publications, 2nd rev. ed., 1995). It is a restructuring of a portion of the book's appendix "The Condensed Meaning of the Text."

The square brackets enclose the outline key (e.g. "[4.1.2]" means "the second part, of the first part, of the fourth part"). This page is available as a PDF document.

How to engage in a Bodhisattva's actions. ^{[4.2.2.3.4] p.447}

1. Training in the six perfections to ripen our own mental continuum. ^{[4.2.2.3.4.1] p.448}
   1. The six perfections in general. ^{[4.2.2.3.4.1.1]}
      1. The perfection of giving (material things ^p.449, Dharma ^p.454, our body). ^{[4.2.2.3.4.1.1.1] p.448}
      2. The perfection of moral discipline (restraint ^p.455, gathering virtuous Dharmas ^p.456, benefiting living beings). ^{[4.2.2.3.4.1.1.2] p.454}
      3. The perfection of patience (not retaliating ^p.461, enduring suffering ^p.464, thinking about Dharma ^p.467). ^{[4.2.2.3.4.1.1.3] p.459}
      4. The perfection of effort (laziness of procrastination ^p.468, attraction to non-virtue, discouragement ^p.469; effort that is armour-like ^p.471, gathering virtue ^p.472; benefiting others; four powers of aspiration ^p.473, steadfastness, joy ^p.474, relaxation ^p.475). ^{[4.2.2.3.4.1.1.4] p.467}
      5. The perfection of mental stabilization. ^{[4.2.2.3.4.1.1.5] p.476}
      6. The perfection of wisdom. ^{[4.2.2.3.4.1.1.6] p.479}

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Context

1. Explanation of the pre-eminent qualities of the author, showing that the instructions of Lamrim are authentic. ^{[1] p.5}
2. Explanation of the pre-eminent qualities of Lamrim to inspire faith and respect for the Lamrim instructions. ^{[2] p.17}
3. Explanation of how to listen to and teach Dharma. ^{[3] p.25}
4. Explanation of the actual instructions of the stages of the path to enlightenment. ^{[4] p.39}
   1. How to rely upon a Spiritual Guide, the root of spiritual paths. ^{[4.1] p.39}
   2. How to take the essence of our human life. ^{[4.2] p.121}
      1. How to develop the determination to take the essence of our precious human life. ^[4.2.1]
      2. Training the mind in the actual methods for taking the essence of our precious human life. ^{[4.2.2] p.139}
         1. Training the mind in the stages of the path of a person of initial scope. ^{[4.2.2.1] p.144}
         2. Training the mind in the stages of the path of a person of intermediate scope. ^{[4.2.2.2] p. 267}
         3. Training the mind in the stages of the path of a person of great scope. ^{[4.2.2.2] p. 381}
            1. Why we need to enter the Mahayana. ^[4.2.2.3.1]
            2. The benefits of bodhichitta. ^{[4.2.2.3.2] p.382}
            3. How to develop bodhichitta. ^{[4.2.2.3.3] p.394}
            4. How to engage in a Bodhisattva's actions. ^{[4.2.2.3.4] p.447}
               1. Training in the six perfections to ripen our own mental continuum. ^{[4.2.2.3.4.1] p.448}
                  1. The six perfections in general. ^{[4.2.2.3.4.1.1] p.448}