Bodhisattva (moral, Earth, tradition, Buddhism, incarnation)

[Green Gaia]

In Buddhist thought, a bodhisattva is a being that, while not yet fully enlightened, is actively striving toward that goal. Conventionally, the term is applied to hypothetical beings with a high degree of enlightenment and power. Bodhisattva literally means a "being bent on enlightenment" in Sanskrit.

Bodhisattvas in Theravada Buddhism

In Theravada Buddhism, the bodhisattva is seen as seeking enlightenment so that, once awakened, he or she may efficiently aid other beings with the expertise of supreme wisdom. Gautama Buddha's previous life experience as a bodhisattva before Buddhahood are recorded in the texts of the jataka. Lay Buddhists of Theravada seek inspiration in Gautama's skill as a good layman in these texts, which account not only his historical life, but many previous lives. The only currently active bodhisattva described in the Pali Canon is the future Buddha Maitreya (Pali: Metteyya).


Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism

In Mahayana Buddhism, a bodhisattva has the compassionate determination to aid all beings on their quest for the highest state of development, full enlightenment of a Buddha. This type of motivation is known as Bodhicitta.

Remaining in this world of uncontrolled rebirth (cf. Wheel of Life), this individual has taken the bodhisattva vows not to pass into Parinirvana until all other beings have achieved Nirvana.

According to the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism, on his/her way to becoming a Buddha, the bodhisattva proceeds through ten (sometimes fourteen) grounds or bhumi.

Before a bodhisattva arrives at the first ground, he or she first must travel the first two of the five paths (marked also with the syllables from the heart sutra that represents each path):

1. the path of accumulation (gate)
2. the path of preparation (gate).

The ten grounds of the bodhisattva then can be grouped into the next three paths
1. Bhumi 1 the path of insight (paragate)
2. Bhumi 2-7 the path of meditation (parasamgate)
3. Bhumi 8-10 the path of no more learning (bodhi)
4. Great Joy
* It is said that being close to enlightenment and seeing the benefit for all sentient beings, one achieves great joy, hence the name. In this bhumi the bodhisattvas practice all virtues (paramita), but especially emphasizing generosity.
5. Stainless
* In accomplishing the second bhumi, the bodhisattva is free from the stains of immorality, therefore, this bhumi is named 'Stainless'. The emphasized virtue is moral ethics.
6. Radiant
* The third bhumi is named 'Radiant', because, for a bodhisattva who accomplishes this bhumi, the light of Dharma is said to radiate from the bodhisattva for others. The emphasized virtue is patience.
7. Luminous
* This bhumi is called 'luminous', because it is said to be like a radiating light that fully burns that which opposes enlightenment. The emphasized virtue is perseverance.
8. Very difficult to train
* Bodhisattvas who attain this bhumi strive to help sentient beings attain maturity, and do not become emotionally involved when such beings respond negatively, both of which are difficult to do. The emphasized virtue is meditative concentration.
9. Obviously Transcendent
* "By depending on the perfection of wisdom awareness, he [the bodhisattva] does not abide in either samsara or nirvana, so it is 'obviously transcendent'". The emphasized virtue is wisdom.
10. Gone afar
* Particular emphasis is on the perfection of skillful means, or upaya-kaushalya, [to help others].
11. Immovable
* The emphasized virtue is aspiration.
* This, the 'Immovable' bhumi, is the bhumi at which one becomes able to choose his/her place of rebirth.
12. Good Discriminating Wisdom
* The emphasized virtue is strength.
13. Cloud of dharma
* The emphasized virtue is the practice of primordial wisdom.
1. Buddhahood
* After the ten bhumis, according to Mahayana Buddhism, one attains complete enlightenment and becomes a Buddha.
* According to Mahayana tradition, Arhats have purified their stains and all emotional afflictions, but have not yet attained complete, unsurpassable enlightenment, or buddhahood.

The list of ten bhumis and their descriptions are from The Jewel Ornament of Liberation, a treatise by Gampopa, an influential character of the Kagyu tradition.

A bodhisattva practices several virtues, called the paramitas. These are often listed as the perfection of:

* giving
* ethics
* patience
* joyous effort
* concentration
* wisdom

When becoming liberated from uncontrolled rebirth, the bodhisattva becomes like an Arahant (sometimes spelled Arhat), but rather than moving into Nirvana, remains in the world to lead other beings to liberation and enlightenment.

Specific bodhisattvas
Relief image of the bodhisattva from in 's province.
Enlarge
Relief image of the bodhisattva Guan Yin from Mt. Jiuhua in China's Anhui province.

Various traditions within Buddhism believe in certain specific bodhisattvas. Some bodhisattvas appear across traditions, but due to language barriers may be seen as separate entities. For example, Tibetan Buddhists believe in Chenrezig, who is Avalokitesvara in India, Guan Yin in China, and Kannon in Japan. A modern bodhisattva for many is the 14th Dalai Lama, considered by many followers of Tibetan Buddhism to be an incarnation of that same bodhisattva, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

The place of a bodhisattva's earthly deeds, such as the achievement of enlightenment or the acts of dharma, is known as a bodhimandala, and may be a site of pilgrimage. Many temples and monasteries are famous as bodhimandalas; for instance, the island of P'u T'o, located off the coast of Ningbo, is venerated by Mahayana Buddhists as the bodhimandala of Avalokitesvara. Perhaps the most famous bodhimandala of all is the bodhi tree under which Shakyamuni achieved buddhahood.

Partial list of bodhisattvas

* Akasagarbha (Ch. 虚空藏　Xu Kong Zang, Jp. Kokuzo)
* Avalokitesvara (Ch. 觀音　Guan Yin, Jp. Kannon, Tib. Chenrezig)
* Ksitigarbha (Ch. 地藏　Di Zang, Jp. Jizo)
* Mahasthamaprapta (Ch. 大勢至 Da Shì Zhì, Jp. Seishi)
* Maitreya (Ch. 彌勒　Mi Le Jp. Miroku)
* Manjusri (Ch. 文殊　Wen Shu, Jp. Monju, Tib. Jampal Yang)
* Padmasambhava (Tib. Padma Jungne or Guru Rinpoche)
* Samantabhadra (Ch. 普賢　Pu Xian, Jp. Fugen, Tib. Kuntu Zangpo)
* Vajrapani (Ch. 金剛手 Jin Gang Shou, Jp.Shukongojin, Tib. Channa Dorje)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by Maize

According to the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism, on his/her way to becoming a Buddha, the bodhisattva proceeds through ten (sometimes fourteen) grounds or bhumi.

Before a bodhisattva arrives at the first ground, he or she first must travel the first two of the five paths (marked also with the syllables from the heart sutra that represents each path):

1. the path of accumulation (gate)
2. the path of preparation (gate).

The ten grounds of the bodhisattva then can be grouped into the next three paths
1. Bhumi 1 the path of insight (paragate)
2. Bhumi 2-7 the path of meditation (parasamgate)
3. Bhumi 8-10 the path of no more learning (bodhi)
4. Great Joy

Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate. Bodhi. Svaha!
Go, go, go beyond, go way beyond. Enlightenment. Yeah!

Originally Posted by Maize

Various traditions within Buddhism believe in certain specific bodhisattvas. Some bodhisattvas appear across traditions, but due to language barriers may be seen as separate entities. For example, Tibetan Buddhists believe in Chenrezig, who is Avalokitesvara in India, Guan Yin in China, and Kannon in Japan. A modern bodhisattva for many is the 14th Dalai Lama, considered by many followers of Tibetan Buddhism to be an incarnation of that same bodhisattva, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

I grew up exposed to Kwan Yin, the Chinese bodhisattva of compassion, otherwise known as the goddess of mercy. (Exposed by aunts and uncles, but my parents were/are both atheists.) Kwan Yin is female in China and Japan, but she... er, he is male in India and Tibet. I have a Avalokiteshvara/Chenrezig statue on my altar and for the life of me can't think of her as anything else but "her." Even tho the Dalai Lama is supposed to be the current incarnation of her and he is clearly a "he." Talk about transgender issues!

Originally Posted by Maize

Partial list of bodhisattvas

* Akasagarbha (Ch. 虚空藏　Xu Kong Zang, Jp. Kokuzo)
* Avalokitesvara (Ch. 觀音　Guan Yin, Jp. Kannon, Tib. Chenrezig)
* Ksitigarbha (Ch. 地藏　Di Zang, Jp. Jizo)
* Mahasthamaprapta (Ch. 大勢至 Da Shì Zhì, Jp. Seishi)
* Maitreya (Ch. 彌勒　Mi Le Jp. Miroku)
* Manjusri (Ch. 文殊　Wen Shu, Jp. Monju, Tib. Jampal Yang)
* Padmasambhava (Tib. Padma Jungne or Guru Rinpoche)
* Samantabhadra (Ch. 普賢　Pu Xian, Jp. Fugen, Tib. Kuntu Zangpo)
* Vajrapani (Ch. 金剛手 Jin Gang Shou, Jp.Shukongojin, Tib. Channa Dorje)

On my altar I have statues of the Shakyamuni buddha in the center, Avalokiteshvara (the bodhisattva of compassion) to his left, Manjushri (the bodhisattva of wisdom) to his right, and behind them all is a thangka of Vajrapani (the bodhisattva of power). My personal practice is a mixture of Buddhism with neo-Paganism, and I think of Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara, Vajrapani and the Buddha as "intellect" (air) "emotion" (water), "will" (fire), and "manifestation" (earth) respectively. It works well for me.

Another reason why Avalokiteshvara is female to me is because of the balance between wisdom and compassion, intellect and emotion, swords and cups, male and female, yang and yin. I just can't deal all four "beings" on my altar being male!

[Engyo]

Originally Posted by lilithu

Kwan Yin is female in China and Japan, but she... er, he is male in India and Tibet. I have a Avalokiteshvara/Chenrezig statue on my altar and for the life of me can't think of her as anything else but "her." Even tho the Dalai Lama is supposed to be the current incarnation of her and he is clearly a "he." Talk about transgender issues!

Lilithu -

You might try reading Chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra. If you don't have a copy, I can link you to several online. There is an explanation of Avalokitesvara/Quan Yin/Kanzeon's 34 different aspects. They are all expedient means to allow this Bodhisattva to be able to reach people and help them. Just as you are uncomfortable with all male figures, and need at least one female one, thus this Bodhisattva becomes female in order to support you. BTW, the name translated means Perceiver (Hearer) of the World's Cries.

[Prima]

My school has a program called the Bodhisattava program - it's where an older student (an 'enlightened student') mentors a younger student. It's pretty cool

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by Engyo

You might try reading Chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra. If you don't have a copy, I can link you to several online. There is an explanation of Avalokitesvara/Quan Yin/Kanzeon's 34 different aspects. They are all expedient means to allow this Bodhisattva to be able to reach people and help them. Just as you are uncomfortable with all male figures, and need at least one female one, thus this Bodhisattva becomes female in order to support you. BTW, the name translated means Perceiver (Hearer) of the World's Cries.

Namaste, Engyo.

Thank you for this. Some part of me felt like I was doing violence to Avalokiteshvara by imposing my preconceptions of what her gender "should" be. (I certainly would never do that to a human!) It is good to be told, from within the tradition, that this is alright.

I do not ask Avalokiteshvara to hear my cries. I look at her as an ideal, the "role model" by which I (hopefully) can better hear the cries of others. But lately I've been thinking that there is room there for compassion for myself as well as others. And I think that she can help me with that too.

Thanks again,
-lilith