41. At the beginning and at the end, two things to be done

• This is the Third Slogan/Instruction of Point Seven, which consists of twenty-one instructions.
• Point Seven is “Guidelines for Mind Training”

Another helpful way to maintain the lojong spirit is to practice bodhichitta meditation at the beginning and end of each day. The Kadampa teachings continually emphasize that no two days are ever the same. We aren’t caught in some kind of eternal recurrence that makes it impossible to take charge of our lives. If we wake up in a bad mood or start the day with the wrong attitude, we’ll only capitulate to our habitual ways of responding to the world. Regular morning practice clears our mental cobwebs and helps us to face the day in a calm and positive frame of mind. We shouldn’t feel as if we were surviving each day with a sense of relief, then drift complacently into the evening without thinking about anything. The lojong spirit discourages the ennui associated with coming home, having a few drinks, and falling asleep on the sofa. Remaining alert and practicing lojong will help relieve our minds of stress as well as give us the opportunity to review the day and reflect on our bodhichitta activities.

Traleg Kyabgon, The Practice of Lojong: Cultivating Compassion through Training the Mind

Sakyamuni with a Disciple Thangka, 14th century. Nepal. Gouache on cloth; overall: 57.8 x 45.1 cm (22 3/4 x 17 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art