The Beginning
Take refuge and arouse bodhichitta.
The Main Part
Meditate on the suffering of birth: In the womb, the fetus experiences being in a pitch-dark, cramped, and foul-smelling place. It feels like being trapped in a narrow copper vessel. When the mother takes hot food, the fetus feels as if it were being cooked in boiling water; when she takes cold food, it feels as if it were being frozen in ice.
At the time of birth, the infant feels as if its body were being squeezed through a narrow hole and its skin were being torn by sharp weapons. When the baby is born and touched by others or wrapped in clothes, the sensation is as painful as if its soft skin were being scraped by a rasp.
Everyone has gone through the process of birth, but because of the intense pain, we have forgotten the agony we endured. Therefore, resolve: In order not to be born in samsara again, I must seek the path of liberation.
The Ending
Dedicate all the merit of your practice to all sentient beings.
