The Four Great Vows stated at the opening
Beings are numberless; I vow to save them. Delusions are inexhaustible; I vow to end them. Dharma gates are boundless; I vow to enter them. Buddha's Way is unsurpassable; I vow to become it.
The instinctive basis of the first vow
When we think of saving all beings, when one or many appear to be suffering, you cannot turn your head, your mind, away from it. That's the basis of the feeling of saving.
Expanding the sense of self beyond the skin boundary
Your external body, limitlessly opened, is the larger part of your body, actually. The inside of your skin is a very small part. It's a landmark, where your mind is resting. Whatever exists externally is all included in your being.
Enlightenment as abundance that naturally overflows
The enlightenment business is like becoming rich, not becoming poor. You get so much stuff, you have to take care of others. In such a state there is no sense of saving others.
On non-judgment as expression of the bodhisattva path
It is very important not to judge. Judgment means to name and measure and finally say, "good" or "bad," or "exist," or "not exist." You still have concern for others, but free them from your judgment.
Defining compassion as the mind's inability to turn away
When your mind cannot leave the object, it is compassion. By this compassion you are connected to other beings, not just connected, but you become one, so to speak. You become one, but you are different.
The paradox of the bodhisattva's endless, unaccomplished vow
The bodhisattva is like a seed on the asphalt. It never grows. It never accomplishes its own life. Endlessly this vow keeps bodhisattvas at work. But still a bodhisattva is a bodhisattva.
Saving beings through inner transformation rather than external action
Without doing anything, you can also save things. By your own change, things change.
The enrichment that comes from compassionate connection
Others' suffering becomes your suffering. Others' joy becomes your joy. Your life becomes very rich that way.
Practical gradations of compassionate response
If a need is truly urgent, death may be close. Grab the person and place them in a safe place, or if someone is sick, but has hope of recovery, you can allow that space.