Toh 44-19Chapter 19: The Verses of the Assembly of Bodhisattvas
Pāli / Sanskrit:byang sems tshogs kyi tshigs bcad le'u/
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Scriptural Commentary: The Verses of the Assembly of Bodhisattvas
Context
This chapter belongs to the Kangyur, the principal canonical collection of the Northern Tibetan tradition (Tibetan Buddhism), compiled within the era of Mahayana Buddhism. The Assembly of Bodhisattvas (byang sems tshogs) represents the entire community of bodhisattvas throughout the three realms, those who have generated bodhicitta and resolved to liberate all sentient beings from the cycle of samsara.
In the Mahayana context, the Assembly of Bodhisattvas is not a specific individual, but a collective concept of an immeasurable spiritual force. They are those who have practiced or are practicing the bodhisattva path, the hallmark of the Mahayana, ready to sacrifice themselves in order to serve sentient beings. This scripture records the teachings of bodhisattvas, often advanced ones such as Avalokiteśvara, Kṣitigarbha, or others in various pure lands or Buddha-fields.
The use of the form of “verses” (tshigs bcad) is an important feature of the Northern Tibetan canon, making the teachings easy to remember, easy to recite, and consistent with the mnemonic tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
Main Content
The verses of the Assembly of Bodhisattvas often express the core principles of the bodhisattva path, especially the Four Noble Truths in a Mahayana context. These verses affirm that the truth of suffering is not only an understanding of one’s own suffering, but deep compassion for the suffering of all limitless sentient beings.
The scripture emphasizes the truth of the accumulated causes of suffering, which arise from ignorance, desire, anger, delusion, and mistaken views. However, in the Mahayana, understanding this cause is not for the individual alone, but is meant to help all sentient beings gain profound realization.
The truth of cessation and the truth of the path are presented through the lens of bodhicitta and the Six Pāramitās. These are: Generosity (Dāna), Discipline (Śīla), Patience (Kṣānti), Diligence (Vīrya), Meditative Concentration (Dhyāna), and Wisdom (Prajñā).
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