H.E. Garchen Rinpoche, beloved lineage lama, gifts us with these translations. it is my intent to record each of them and place them online at my splice profile. may it benefit.
edit to add: recordings complete, and now available both on above link (header – Buddhist Recordings) as well as SpliceMusic.Com.
1. At this time when the difficult to gain ship of leisure and fortune has been obtained, ceaselessly hearing, pondering and meditating day and night in order to liberate oneself and others from the ocean of cyclic existence is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
2. The mind of attachment to loved ones waivers like water. The mind of hatred of enemy’s bar is like fire. The mind of ignorance which forgets what to adopt and what to discard is greatly obscured. Abandoning one’s fatherland is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
3. When harmful places are abandoned, disturbing emotions gradually diminish. Without distraction, virtuous endeavors naturally increase. Being clear minded definite understanding of the dharma arises. Resorting to secluded places is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
4. Long associated companions will part from each other. While the possessions obtained with effort will be left behind. Consciousness, the guest, will cast aside the guest house of the body. Letting go of this life is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
5. When evil companions are associated with, the three poisons increase, the activities of listening, pondering and meditation decline, and love and compassion are exhausted. Abandoning evil companions is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
6. When sublime spiritual friends are relied upon, ones faults are exhausted and one’s qualities increase like the waxing moon. Holding sublime spiritual friends even more dear than ones own body is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
7. What worldly God, himself also bound in the prison of cyclic existence, is able to protect others? Therefore, when refuge is sought, taking refuge in the undeceiving triple gem is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
8. The Subduer said that all the unbearable suffering of the three lower realms is the fruition of wrongdoing. Therefore never committing negative deeds, even at peril to one’s life, is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
9. The pleasure of the triple world, like a dewdrop on the tip of a blade of grass, is imperiled in a single moment. Striving for the supreme state of ever-changing liberation is the bodhisattvas’ practice
10. When mothers who have been kind to one since beginningless time are suffering, what’s the use of ones own happiness? Therefore, generating the mind of enlightenment in order to liberate limitless sentient beings is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
11. All suffering without exception comes from wishing for one’s own happiness. The perfect Buddhas arise from the altruistic mind. Therefore completely exchanging one’s own happiness for the suffering of others is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
12. Even if others, influenced by great desire, steal all one’s wealth or have it stolen, dedicating to them one’s body, possessions and virtues accumulated in the three times is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
13. Even if others are going to cut off one’s head when one is utterly blameless, taking upon oneself all their negative deeds by the power of compassion is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
14. Even if someone broadcasts throughout the billion worlds all sorts of offensive remarks about one, speaking in turn of that persons qualities with a loving mind is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
15. Even if, in the midst of a public gathering, someone exposes faults and speaks ill of one, humbly paying homage to that person, perceiving him as a spiritual friend, is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
16. Even if someone for whom one has cared as a lovingly as his only child regards one as an enemy, to cherish that person as dearly as a mother does an ailing child is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
17. Even if, influenced by pride, an equal or inferior person treats one with contempt, respectfully placing him like a guru at the crown of one’s head is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
18. Though one may have an impoverished life, always be disparaged by others, afflicted by dangerous illness and evil spirits, to be without discouragement and to take upon oneself all the misdeeds and suffering of beings is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
19. Though one may be famous and revered by many people or gain wealth like that of Vaishravana, having realized that worldly fortune is without essence, to be unconceited is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
20. If outer foes are destroyed while not subduing the enemy of one’s own hatred, enemies will only increase. Therefore, subduing one’s own mind with the army of love and compassion is the bodhisattvas’ practice
21. Indulging sense pleasures is like drinking saltwater – however much one indulges, thirst and craving only increase. Immediately abandoning whatever gives rise to clinging and attachment is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
22. Appearances are one’s own mind. From the beginning, minds nature is free from the extremes of elaboration. Knowing this, not to engage the mind in the subject – object duality is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
23. When encountering pleasing sense objects, though they appear beautiful like a rainbow in the summertime, not to regard them as a real and to abandoned clinging attachment is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
24. Diverse sufferings are like the death of a child in a dream. By apprehending illusory appearances as real, one becomes weary. Therefore when encountering disagreeable circumstances, viewing them as illusory is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
25. If it is necessary to give away even one’s body while aspiring to enlightenment, what need is there to mention external objects? Therefore practicing generosity without hope of reciprocation or positive karmic results is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
26. If, lacking ethical conduct one fails to achieve one’s own purpose, the wish to accomplish others purpose is laughable. Therefore, guarding ethics devoid of aspirations for worldly existence is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
27. To bodhisattvas who desire the pleasure of virtue, all those who do harm are like a precious treasure. Therefore cultivating patience devoid of hostility is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
28. Even hearers and solitary realizers, who accomplish only their own welfare, strive as if putting out a fire on their heads. Seeing this, taking up diligent effort – the source of good qualities – for the sake of all beings is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
29. Having understood that disturbing emotions are destroyed by insight possessed with tranquil abiding, to cultivate meditative concentration which perfectly transcends the four formless adsorption’s is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
30. If one lacks wisdom it is impossible to attain perfect enlightenment through the other five perfections. Thus, cultivating skillful means with the wisdom that doesn’t discriminate among the three spheres is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
31. If having merely the appearance of a practitioner, one does not investigate one’s own mistakes, it is possible to act contrary to the dharma. Therefore constantly examining one’s own errors and abandoning them is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
32. If, influenced by disturbing emotions, one points out another bodhisattvas faults, oneself is diminished. Therefore, not speaking about the faults of those who have entered the Great Vehicle is the bodhisattvas’ practice
33. Because the influence of gain and respect causes quarreling and the decline of the activities of listening, pondering and meditation, to abandoned attachment to the households of friends, relations and benefactors is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
34. Because harsh words disturb others minds and cause the bodhisattvas conduct to deteriorate, abandoning harsh speech which is unpleasant to others is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
35. When disturbing emotions are habituated, it is difficult to overcome them with antidotes. By arming oneself with the antidotal weapon of mindfulness, to destroy disturbing emotions such as desire the moment they first arise is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
36. In brief, whatever conduct one engages in, one should ask, “What is the state of my mind?” Accomplishing others’ purpose through constantly maintaining mindfulness and awareness is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
37. In order to clear away the suffering of limitless beings, through the wisdom realizing the purity of the three spheres, to dedicate the virtue attained by making such effort for enlightenment is the bodhisattvas’ practice.
Following the speech of the sublime one’s on the meaning of the Sutras, Tantras and their commentaries, I have written the 37 bodhisattvas practices for those who wish to train on the bodhisattvas path.