When we think that others are important, and that their happiness and freedom are important, we are cherishing others. If we cherish others, we will naturally perform actions that will cause them to be happy. This will make our daily life peaceful, happy, harmonious, and meaningful. We can begin this practice with our family, friends, and those who surround us, and then gradually extend this to all living beings without exception. In this way, we will show the best example of pure Dharma practice.

In Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, Shantideva says:  

All the happiness there is in this world
Arises from wishing others to be happy.

If we think carefully, we will realize that all our present and future happiness depends on our cherishing others—on our wanting others to be happy. In our past lives, because we cherished others, we practiced moral discipline, such as refraining from killing or harming others and abandoning stealing from them. Sometimes, out of fondness for them, we practiced giving and patience. As a result of these positive actions, we have now obtained this precious human life. In addition, because sometimes in the past we helped others and gave them protection, we ourself now receive help and enjoy pleasant conditions.

If we sincerely practice cherishing others, we will experience many benefits in this and future lives. The immediate effect will be that many of our problems, such as those that arise from anger, jealousy, and selfish behavior, will ­disappear, and our mind will become calm and peaceful. Since we will act in considerate ways, we will please others and not become involved in quarrels or disputes. If we cherish others, we will be concerned to help rather than to harm them, so we will naturally avoid negative actions. Instead, we will practice positive actions, such as love, patience, and generosity, and thus create the cause to gain a precious human life in the future.

If we make cherishing others our main practice, we will gradually develop very special minds of great compassion and bodhichitta, and as a result, we will eventually come to enjoy the ultimate happiness of full enlightenment.

MEDITATION

As the preparatory practice, we recite Prayers for Meditation while concentrating on the meaning. Then we engage in the following contemplation:

The precious mind that cherishes all living beings protects both myself and others from suffering, brings happiness, and fulfills our wishes.

Having repeatedly contemplated this point, we make the strong determination: “I must always cherish all living beings.” This determination is the object of our meditation. We then hold this without forgetting it; our mind should remain on this determination single-pointedly for as long as possible. If we lose the object of our meditation, we renew it by immediately remembering our determination or by repeating the contemplation.

At the end of the meditation session, we dedicate the virtues accumulated from this meditation practice toward our realization of cherishing others and the attainment of enlightenment for the happiness of all living beings.

During the meditation break, we never forget our determination and always put it into practice. We should always keep in mind the great advantages of cherishing others, and continually improve our consideration, respect, and love for them.