Chenga Londrö Gyaltsen (1402–1472) was born in central Tibet, and after becoming a monk he trained under the early masters of the Geluk school, including its founder, Tsongkhapa. He was renowned for his scholarship and contemplative practice, especially in mind-training. A prolific writer and teacher who spent many years in solitary retreat, his legacy has inspired generations of practitioners. In this verse text, written in the Sanglung Hermitage, Csenga systematically explains the need to cultivate all sentient beings as the foundation of bodhisattva practice and the surest path to Buddhahood.
Mahayana Mind Training
Seeking the welfare of others
Streams of your great compassion
we thoroughly cool the sentient beings
tormented by the raging fire of suffering.
To you, O merciful one, I bow.
Although there is no difference
between sentient beings and a wish-granting jewel,
the sentient beings we disrespect
while making a wish-granting piece of jewelry.
If they are unwaveringly well respected,
both are equal in achieving our goals.
If they are not steadfastly respected,
likewise, they do not secure our goals.
The Bodhisattvas, the children of the Buddhas,
because they have great respect for sentient beings,
to accomplish whatever their minds desire.
If you look closely, it is actually profit and happiness
gained from the respect of sentient beings
cannot be paired with wish-fulfilling jewelry:
merit accumulates and all negative karma is purified.
Tribulations such as hatred
he will calm down, he will achieve peace,
and qualities such as loving kindness and compassion
it will increase like the increase of the moon.
You will attain Buddhahood quickly.
Even if you don’t help others,
the moment the idea of help arises,
incalculable benefits accrue.
This also leads us to arrive
states of great fortune.
Such benefits from the award
they are not found in connection with a wish-granting jewel
but (only) in relation to sentient beings.
Long life, absence of diseases, prosperity,
involving a circle of attendants, and so on
results shared by
respect for sentient beings and a wish-granting jewel.
If the thought arises
“The moment you honor a wish-fulfilling jewel,
food, drink and the like will fall;
this is not true with respect to sentient beings.”
(Answer:) If you have the karma, it is even honorable
sentient beings can produce such blessings.
If karma is lacking, even honoring a wish-granting jewel
does not lead to the appearance of such things.
So there is absolutely no difference between the two.
When there can be absolutely no doubt about it,
who doesn’t respect sentient beings?
However, instead of respecting sentient beings, some
respect the gods, the nāgas and the yakshas.
Even if they worship gods and Nagas,
they doubt whether they will find protection and shelter.
This is granted by respect for sentient beings
protection and shelter, we can see directly.
Protect us from enemies, robbers,
and beasts of prey, of fire, water, and so forth.
We can see that this is beneficial
both our bodies and our financial resources.
Not to mention respecting sentient beings
alone gives us protection and shelter,
when you respect sentient beings,
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas also like this,
as well as the protectors of the Dharma who all promised
to guard the creatures as they would their own children.
Therefore, who would not strive to respect sentient beings?
They also offer any protection and shelter
by honoring gods, yakshas, nāgas and mighty men,
these are found in honoring sentient beings.
. . .
So avoid gods, nagas and powerful people
and strive to respect sentient beings.
And just like the gods, nagas and mighty men, give up
the (ordinary) pursuits, even for the sake of your own child and for your honor
beings.
Helping sentient beings leads to benefits
mentioned above and brings all benefits and pleasures.
But about the help provided by parents to their child,
not even a century will be repaid.
If you benefit the best kind of beings,
they will reciprocate the help you provide a hundredfold.
Even among medium and smaller types of creatures,
most will reciprocate the help you give.
. . .
Just as when the help is given to the child,
a feeling of happiness arises in their parents,
likewise by helping a sentient being,
other sentient beings will sing your praises.
“This person strives to help others
without expectation of thanks or reward –
such a man is truly wonderful!”
Such praise, honor and recognition will be given.
If, as we helped our own child,
we helped other beings as if they were our children,
ah! We would have attained Buddhahood,
countless long eons ago.
This thought is to help sentient beings
in every possible way indeed
the essence of all lofty teachings;
it is the lifeblood and heart of this great vehicle.
Those who, despite being able to
do not help other sentient beings
and do not discard harm and intolerance
they avoid the essence of the sublime dharma.
This idea is to help other beings
a really essential preview;
this is the main exercise as well as the conclusion.
It makes the vessel receptive and fills it;
it is the ground, the root, the site and the support.
This is the inner instruction, a quick way
the realization of the two goals (the well-being of ourselves and others),
know that it is like swift feet, a diamond, an ocean,
a wish-granting tree, a jewel, an elixir and the four great elements.
. . .
In the idea of helping your own child,
is there such a great virtue?
There are many accounts
of sons who kill their own fathers, beat them,
or scolds them with insults.
If you treat other beings as if they were your children,
such things could never happen; how did they know
So now if you help other beings,
no doubt it can result
much more benefit than help
your own relatives, friends, servants,
and those who are part of your entourage.
Thus, if due to thoughts of attachment and aversion,
you do not help other beings and instead
try to provide care for your own child (alone),
you don’t get the happiness (that you seek).
So without any bias based on proximity and distance,
keep kindness and love in your heart.
And to each being of the six realms,
look upon them with loving kindness and keep them in your heart.
With a smile of joy, beckon them with attractive words,
and help them achieve whatever they want.
O sentient beings, source of benefit and happiness,
out of love, come here because I am calling you.
Because I have no need of my body, my resources, and the roots of my virtue,
please accept them with an open and free mind.
In the past, while under the rule of ignorance,
I thought I had done a lot for you and you owed me.
I saw today, whatever I did for you
I did it to achieve my own happiness.
So now, even if I do a hundred acts of kindness for others,
I will never think about what is owed to me.
In fact, whatever material possessions I have,
I already dedicated them to you.
So don’t hesitate,
but feel free to take what is useful.
Moreover, satisfying the beggar,
in addition to bringing happiness to others,
the best way to please the gift giver.
What intelligent person would not do such an act
If one seeks sensual pleasure
can endure immeasurable pain,
How can I avoid suffering when I help others?
an act that is a source of inestimable benefit –
even if I suffer a temporary loss of funds?
Through whatever merits I have accumulated
from this expression of eloquence,
let all beings enter the bodhisattva path
and attain unparalleled enlightenment.
♦
From The Bodhisattva Ideal: Selected Key Textstranslated by Thupten Jinpa and Julia Stenzel. © 2026 Institute of Tibetan Classics, reprinted by permission of Wisdom Publications, Inc.
