The Three Nobilities (Speaking Tree, 19/04/'10)

THE THREE NOBILITIES – Prelude to Mantra Recitation

When you chant and recite any mantra, you must bear in mind the importance of the Three Nobilities: Bodhichitta, Non-Objectifying Wisdom and Dedication. This brings benefit to the one reciting and for those it is meant to bring benefit.
There are two things to be borne in mind alongwith this: Firstly, to keep secret of your mantra recitation and its result. Secondly, one must also be mindful not to speak others who are not Dharma practitioners about one's practice and accrued benefit. If we are not mindful of this, the result will not be perfect due to many forces that may be counter active.
These three nobilities are as important as your yearning to achieve the result at the end by reciting the specific mantra.

The 1st nobility is called Bodhichitta, which is ‘Awakened Mind’ and means generation of a special motivation to benefit all sentient beings with the virtues being accumulated. So this motivation should be generated prior to any kind of virtuous practice. You can read this line to motivate yourself for the benefit of others: "I will benefit all sentient beings bestowing them with the Eternal Bliss and Qualities."

The 2nd nobility is called Non-Objectifying Wisdom, which means whatever virtue is accumulated or practiced, it's practiced without any sense of clinging desires in the mind. This, in other term, called primordial awareness is maintained during the main practice itself. One should be fully aware without any clinging or self-centric desires such as, ‘I am the one who practices this virtue’ or ‘this is the virtue I'm practicing and for them I practice’ and so on. In fact, one should cut through such kinds of thoughts from one's mind stream. So when the mind is devoid of such discriminative thoughts, all emotions naturally calm down. It is therefore called Non-Objectifying Wisdom, the true and primordial awareness of all beings.

The 3rd nobility is called Dedication, which means whatever virtue has been accumulated, for example here by chanting and reciting the mantra, it is dedicated for the benefit of sentient beings to rid them of their suffering and bringing them happiness. Probably, the dedication prayer is chanted only after the virtuous practice. Chant this line as a dedication prayer: "Gewa Ma-ghen Drodug Kunla Ngo – which means “May all motherly sentient beings attain enlightenment through the power of my virtues that I have accumulated by chanting and reciting the mantra."
It is of crucial importance to feel what other beings need. Feel what you need. To our surprise we will find out that the need and requirement is one and same, that is happiness. Each and every being needs nothing more than happiness. So it is with us. Therefore all sentient beings are similar and even same. However, remember that just like us, other sentient beings too get trapped in the net of sufferings, pains, torture, afflictions, emotions and so on. Now feel and chant this: “May all sentient beings be free from sufferings and its causes.” This is the real definition of compassion.

Extend this practice further from one being to two and four – that’s from your family then to neighbourhood to town to cities to country and further towards all sentient beings.

Practice this daily and see the results. Remember, the Dharma belongs to nobody. It is his/hers who endeavours most.

Girish Deshpande – The author is a practitioner of Nyingma Buddhism