Dharma Outline????# 6-3 Those who wish to be born in the pure land of bliss must develop Bodhicitta

(English Subtitles) 佛法修學概要, 願生安樂淨土者，必須要發菩提心。 Lectured by Master Jìng Jiè (淨界法師) from Taiwan. Subtitles:
【86】Why does setting goals help us break through our self-imposed limitations?
The ancients said that developing bodhicitta and setting goals have three benefits: First, confirm the goal of learning, which is a kind of reservoir theory. Today we chant the Buddha's name in fragments; it is impossible for us to chant the Buddha's name all day long. We recite for half an hour today and half an hour tomorrow. So why can some people accumulate the first half hour and the second half hour? It's because they have a reservoir. He can accumulate little by little because he has a fixed goal. When you have no goal, your Buddha chanting will become scattered. It's like having a lot of rain but without a reservoir. As a result, there's still no accumulated water because you don't have a clear goal.
The second is to bring up the motivation for practice. Some practitioners truly put their strength into it, while others do not.
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This drive is something only known by themselves.
Third, break through self-imposed limitations. We are accustomed to living in the past, harboring a kind of delusion that constrains us. If you don't have goals, it's hard to break through your self-imposed limitations.
I once told you a story that you may remember: a hunter bought an eagle, and to save money, he kept it among his chickens. This eagle has been living with chickens since it was a child, learning the chickens' movements and sounds. When it grew up, because of the influence in childhood, it thought it was a chicken, just bigger. When the eagle grew up, the hunter thought that he should start training the eagle so that it could fly and do some practical work. But the eagle had an obstacle in its mind. It thought it was a chicken.
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It thought its owner was weird. Why was he training me? I’m just a chicken. Have you seen chickens flying in the sky?
The hunter failed after a long period of training! It wasn't because the eagle lacked the ability, but because it had obstacles in its mind and set limitations for itself.
We are easily limited by past habits.
The hunter was so sad that he was ready to give up the eagle. He took the eagle to a high mountain and let it fall freely. Just as the eagle was about to crash to the ground, its potential kicked in. When faced with a life-threatening situation, it spread its strong wings and flew up when it was about to crash the ground, becoming a real eagle and breaking through its self-imposed limitations.
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Someone asked, "Why do we need to take the precepts?" This is a very good question. We do good for the sake of cultivating virtue—why take the Bodhisattva Precepts? Because without receiving the precepts, you lack the precept body, meaning you have not made the vow. You have not made the vow to "save endless sentient beings, to eliminate endless afflictions, to learn all the Dharma, and to attain the supreme Buddhahood."
Without a vow, your life will be up and down. But after you take the Bodhisattva precepts, you have a vow. There is one critical point in the Bodhisattva precepts: you cannot limit yourself by drawing a line on the ground.
After you read many precepts, you cannot say, "I can't do it." No, you should not! After receiving the Bodhisattva precepts, you should say, "I will do it gradually." You can say I'll take my time to do it, but you can't say I can't do it. Never say this word.
In fact, when it comes to our personality, we shouldn’t always say: I can’t change it, I have been like this since I was a child.
It's done! You can't change just as expect. You have to tell yourself:
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I will change slowly. So making a vow will let you break through your self-imposed limitations. That is to say, we must have a goal before we can have a process.
[87] Why must those who wish to be reborn in that Pure Land of Bliss develop the Bodhicitta?
The guiding force I just talked about is from the perspective of the holy way. If we look at it from the perspective of the Pure Land, should the Pure Land Sect also make vows? Let's read the scripture. Please put your hands together.
“The Sutra of Infinite Life states that among the three levels of rebirth, although their conduct may be superior or inferior, they all develop the intention of supreme Bodhi.
This supreme bodhicitta is the aspiration to become a Buddha. The aspiration to become a Buddha is to save sentient beings. The aspiration to save sentient beings is to bring beings to the Buddha's land.
Therefore, those who wish to be reborn in that blissful Pure Land must develop the supreme bodhicitta.
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If one does not develop the supreme bodhicitta, but only hears of the endless bliss in that land and wishes to be reborn there for the sake of bliss, one will not be able to be reborn there.”
This paragraph is quoted from "Commentary on the Treatise on Rebirth", an annotation by Master Tanluan.