佛說，當我們生起菩提心時，便同時成就了自他兩者的目 的。這是如何辦到的？若有人問及：你的目的是什麼、你 想達成的是什麼，你可能會回答：「我不想要痛苦。」你 的目的是免於痛苦。那麼，造成你痛苦的根源是什麼？你痛苦的根源便是我執心。如果能夠生起利他心，它便可對 治我執心。

如果你對他人生起具有大愛的利他心，則你的我執以及他 人的我執都將同時消失，如此，就是在幫助自己以及他人。 兩種我執的同時瓦解，是因為自他之間已無分別。正如太 陽同時照耀兩個冰塊，而它們同時融化一般。

了悟到這一點，也就了悟到菩提心的珍貴。經典中說，經由利他心，能自然且同時成就自他二利。

關於菩提心，﹝直貢噶舉傳承﹞祖師吉天頌恭在他的諸多 金剛偈中的一則曾說到：「慈悲之馬若不為利他而馳，人 天會眾便不會為其讚揚。」此處將「利他心」比喻為駿馬 或良駒。如果只是讓駿馬休息而不騎著牠各處奔馳，牠便 無用武之處。慈悲良駒乃藉由培養六度的修持而得以奔馳。 當你生起菩提心時，所有行止便必然成為六波羅蜜的修持， 此時你的所有事業，無論入世、出世，一切所行都將成為 六度的修持。

密勒日巴曾說，關於菩提心的功德便是：「不論你做什麼， 都能圓滿佛法的修持。沒有比這個更善巧的方法了。」

The Buddha said that when we give rise to bodhicitta, then we will accomplish the dual purpose of self and others simultaneously. How will that be accomplished? When asked what your own purpose is, what you want to accomplish, you would answer "I do not want to suffer." Your purpose is freedom from suffering. Then what is the root of your suffering? The root of your suffering is the self-grasping mind. If you give rise to the altruistic mind, then that is the antidote for the self-centered mind.

If you give rise to an altruistic mind with great love for others, then your own self-grasping and that of others will simultaneously diminish, so in this way, you are helping yourself and also others. The two self-graspings will simultaneously collapse as there is no difference between self and others. It is just like the sun shining on two ice blocks; they melt together.

If you realize that, then you realize the preciousness of bodhicitta. It is said that through the altruistic mind the dual purpose of self and others is spontaneously and simultaneously accomplished.

Regarding bodhicitta, Lord Jigten Sumgon [founder of the Drikung lineage] said in one of his many Vajra songs, "If the steed of love and compassion does not run for the benefit of others, it will not be rewarded in the assembly of gods and humans."

The altruistic mind is likened here to the steed or the excellent horse. If you just let it sit and don't run with it then it will be of no benefit; it runs through cultivating the practice of the six paramitas. When you give rise to bodhicitta, your conduct must become the practice of the six paramitas. Then it doesn't matter what activity you engage in - whether worldly or Dharmic activity - all your activities become a practice of the six paramitas.

Milarepa said regarding the qualities of bodhicitta, "in whatever you do practice the Dharma perfectly. There is no other skillful means than that."