Shantideva's Compendium of Precepts (Laptu) and A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Chod-jug); 21-Mar-2006 (Day 6 of 9; Afternoon) - Dalai Lama Audio Teachings on Tibetan Buddhism Podcast

Citing Je Tsongkhapa, His Holiness pointed out that if we do not recognise that we experience suffering or that its causes are the disturbing emotions, we will not attempt to put an end to them. Without a wish to be free, we will not try to transcend suffering. As long as disturbing emotions afflicts us, they will give rise to yet more disturbing emotions. Even this life as a free and fortunate human being, which affords us great opportunities for change, is derived from disturbing emotions as the twelve links of dependent arising make clear. However, the subtlest mind has not been afflicted by them, nor has it been defiled by them. From this we can conclude that disturbing emotions can be overcome and we can become free. This is the essence of Buddhist practice. He said that the awakening mind that is an aspiration for enlightenment and for the fulfilment of others’ interests is enhanced by great compassion. To really generate compassion we need to focus on the subtlest of the three aspects of suffering, all-pervasive suffering, the predisposition of living beings to be under the sway of disturbing emotions and negative thoughts that mean they continually encounter suffering. When reading about Patience in the Guide, His Holiness spoke of a man he met in Northern Ireland who had been shot and blinded who, completely without animosity to his assailant, displayed the kind of forbearing patience to which Shantideva refers.