Seven Point Training in Cause and Effect

Seven point pith instruction for generating bodhichitta related to its cause and effect (Tib. རྒྱུ་འབྲས་མན་ངག་བདུན་, Wyl. rgyu 'bras man ngag bdun) — the way of generating bodhichitta as taught by Atisha, which has the following seven points:

1. recognizing beings as our past mothers
2. remembering the kindness of beings
3. a sense of gratitude for the kindness
4. love, wishing beings have happiness
5. compassion
6. responsibility (Tib. lhaksam)
7. bodhichitta

The first six points relate to the causes of bodhichitta, and the last one is the result, bodhichitta itself.

Alternative translations

• The seven-point causal sequence giving birth to the attitude of bodhichitta (Padmakara)
• Seven-Part Cause and Effect Quintessence Teaching for Developing Bodhichitta (Alexander Berzin)

Further Reading

• Kangyur Rinpoche, Treasury of Precious Qualities (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2001), pages 276-278.

External Links

• 'Explanation of the even-Part Cause and Effect Quintessence Teaching for Developing Bodhichitta' by Alexander Berzin