Indo-Tibetan Dudeism - Bodhichitta

[WeAreSame]

Now, way out East, there's a term called "bodhichitta," pronounced "bo-dee-chee-ta."  This here's the second aspect of the path.  Now, in English, it's sometimes translated as "Buddha mind," but a wiser feller than myself once told me that that's not the correct use of wordage in the parlance of our times..."bodhichitta" should simply be translated as "enlightenment mind."

Now, what's "enlightenment mind," and what does it have to do with the Dude?

Well, once someone has renunciation, or has arisen from this reality that's darker than a black angus' tucous on a moonless night, one then figures everyone else is in the same predicament.  And rather than sitting back and ignoring everyone, one make's it one's goal to help others.

Now, if I remember correctly, the Dude helps everyone that asks him for help...am I wrong?  Am I wrong?

Sure, he uses cuss words, and even states if his ex-wife (which he doesn't have) asked him to watch her dog while she and Marty Ackerman went on vacation to Hawaii, that he'd tell her to fuck off...well...sometimes love and compassion and enlightenment mind MEANS "fuck off."

And, one could argue that all his motives are selfish, but I don't think that's the case.  Anything that anyone ever does is selfish...but, there's a difference  between cherishing the ego and enlightened self interest...and I think the Dude had the latter...and after all, all he ever wanted was his rug back...and call me crazy, I think that rug stands for something a little more than a rug...

hmmmm...lost my train of thought there...oh yeah...The Dude never got violent, never antagonized enemies even if they were threating castration, and even helped pay for Donnie's funeral, since no one else seemed to be able to do it. 

When it appeared another toe may be cut off, or that Bunny might even be killed, the Dude cared man...unlike Walter who just said, "What's the problem?"

And the kicker is, when he was watching his landlord dance, he honestly seemed intent on watching...not just being there to make Marty happy.

Or, maybe I'm just talkin' out of my ass.  But, my gut tells me, the Dude understood the importance of thinking of others, of helping them out when he could.  He knew he had to feed the monkey, but didn't see why he couldn't help others along at the same time.

And even though the Dude has a greater awareness of how things work in the bowling league we call life, he never forced that awareness on others. He'd just abide, which, the best definition I've heard, means to simply "rest without judgement." Which, if you look at books written in ancient India a couple thousand years ago, it seems that's what a good majority of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas did with their time...abide.

Welp, gotta mosey on down the trail for now...my special lady friend needs my services.

Thankie.

[sufidude]

rough paraphrase:
To serve others is to serve one's self is to serve one's creator.
-Unkown Upanishad

Also, dude, a good "fuck off!" to the -ex would've been in order, the Bodhisattva helps others by freeing them from maya (the illusion that life starts and stops at your command), and not by indulging their egos or transitory desires.

[WeAreSame]

<laughing heartily>...Sufi dude...man...far out man...far fuckin' out!