Bodhisattva(s)

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BODHISATTVA(S)

The term bodhisattva (P?li, bodhisatta; Tibetan, byang chub sems pa; Chinese, pusa; Korean, posal, Japanese, bosatsu) refers to a sattva (person) on a Buddhist m?rga (path) in pursuit of bodhi (awakening) or one whose nature is awakening. In the Mah?y?na tradition, a bodhisattva is a practitioner who, by habituating himself in the practice of the p?ramit? (perfection), aspires to become a buddha in the future by seeking anuttarasamyaksa?bodhi (complete, perfect awakening) through prajÑ? (wisdom) and by benefiting all sentient beings through karu?? (compassion). A bodhisattva is one who courageously seeks enlightenment through totally and fully benefiting others (par?rtha), as well as himself (sv?rtha). A bodhisattva is also termed a mah?sattva or "Great Being" because he is a Mah?y?na practitioner who seeks anuttarasamyaksa?bodhi and who is equipped with the necessities for enlightenment—pu?yasambh?ra (accumulation of merits) and jñ?nasambh?ra (accumulation of wisdom)—and the quality of up?ya-kau?alya (skillful means); that is, he knows how to act appropriately in any situation.

According to the Bodhisattvabh?mi, the bodhisattvay?na (spiritual path of a bodhisattva) is considered to be superior to both the ?r?vakay?na (spiritual path of the disciples) and the pratyekabuddhay?na (spiritual path of a self-awakened buddha) because a bodhisattva is destined to attain enlightenment by removing the kle?ajñey?vara?a (emotional and intellectual afflictions), whereas those on the other two spiritual paths aspire for nirv??a, that is, extinction of emotional afflictions only.

The bodhisattva is known by different appellations; for example, in Mah?y?na-s?tr?la?k?ra XIX: 73–74, the following fifteen names are given as synonyms for bodhisattva:

mah?sattva (great being)
dh?mat (wise)
uttamadyuti (most splendid)
jinaputra (Buddha's son)
jin?dh?ra (holding to the Buddha)
vijet? (conqueror)
jin??kura (Buddha's offspring)
vikr?nta (bold)
param??carya (most marvelous)
s?rthav?ha (caravan leader)
mah?ya?as (of great glory)
k?p?lu (compassionate)
mah?pu?ya (greatly meritorious)
??vara (lord)
dh?rmika (righteous).

Bodhisattvas are of ten classes:

gotrastha (one who has not reached purity yet)
avat?r?a (one who investigates the arising of the enlightenment mind)
a?uddh??aya (one who has not reached a pure intention)
?uddh??aya (one who has reached a pure intention)
aparipakva (one who has not matured in the highest state)
paripakva (one who has matured in the highest state)
aniyatipatita (one who although matured has not yet entered contemplation)
niyatipatita (one who has entered contemplation)
ekaj?tipratibaddha (one who is about to enter the supreme enlightenment)
caramabhavika (one who has entered supreme enlightenment in this life).

Regarding the bodhisattva's practice, different texts use different categories to discuss the process. For example, the Da?abh?mika-s?tra refers to the da?abh?mi (ten spiritual stages) of a bodhisattva, while the Bodhisattvabh?mi makes reference to twelve vih?ra (abodes), adding two vihara to the list of ten bh?mis: gotravih?ra (abode of the bodhisattva family) and adhimukticary?vih?ra (abode of firm resolution), the latter of which continues throughout the next ten abodes. The last ten of the vih?ras essentially correspond to the ten bodhisattva stages of the Da?abh?mika-s?tra, although each has a name different from the names of the stages. In each of the ten stages of the Da?abh?mika-s?tra, a distinct paramita is practiced so that the bodhisattva gradually elevates himself to the final goal of enlightenment. The stages of practice according to the Da?abh?mika-s?tra, with their corresponding paramitas, are as follows:

pramudita-bh?mi (joyful stage): danaparamita (perfection of charity)
vimala-bh?mi (free of defilements stage): ??lap?ramit? (perfection of ethical behavior)
prabh?kar?bh?mi (light-giving stage): dhy?nap?ramit? (perfection of contemplation)
arc??mat?bh?mi (glowing wisdom stage): k??ntip?ramit? (perfection of patience)
sudurjay?-bh?mi (mastery of utmost difficulty stage): v?ryap?ramit? (perfection of energy)
abhimukh?bh?mi (wisdom beyond definition of impure or pure stage): prajñ?p?ramit? (perfection of wisdom)
d?r??gam?-bh?mi (proceeding afar stage [in which a bodhisattva gets beyond self to help others]): up?yakau?alyap?ramit? (perfection of utilizing one's expertise)
acala-bh?mi (calm and unperturbed stage): pra?idh?nap?ramit? (perfection of making vows to save all sentient beings)
sadhumati-bh?mi (good thought stage): balap?ramit? (perfection of power to guide sentient beings)
dharmamagha-bh?mi (rain cloud of dharma stage): jñ?nap?ramit? (perfection of all-inclusive wisdom)

However, the numbers of stages of a bodhisattva are inconsistent from s?tra to s?tra and from commentary to commentary. One finds fifty-two stages in the Pusa yingluo benye jing (Taish? no. 1485), fifty-one in the Renwang jing (Humane Kings S?tra, Taish? no. 245), forty in both the Fanwang jing (Brahm?SNet S?tra, Taish? no. 1484) and the Avata?sakas?tra (Huayan jing, Taish? no. 278), fifty-seven in the ??rangama [sam?dhi]-s?tra (Taish? no. 642), fifty-four in the Cheng weishi lun (Taish? no. 1591), four in the Mah?y?nasa?graha (She dasheng lun, Taish? no. 1594), and both thirteen and seven stages in the Bodhisattvabh?mi (Pusa dichi jing, Taish? no. 1581).

There are other classifications of bodhisattvas, such as those who enter enlightenment quickly and those who enter gradually; those who are householders and those who are not, each divided into nine classes; those who are extremely compassionate, such as Avalokite?vara; and those who are extremely wise, such as Mañju?r?. Maitreya bodhisattva is considered to be the future buddha who is prophesized to appear in this world. ??kyamuni himself is understood to have been a bodhisattva in his past lives and is so called in the accounts of his previous births (j?taka).

In order to distinguish him from the ?r?vakas and pratyekabuddhas, who benefit only themselves, a Mah?y?na bodhisattva is characterized as one who makes vows to benefit all sentient beings, as well as himself. In the Pure Land tradition, for example, according to the Larger Sukh?vat?vy?ha-s?tra, the Bodhisattva Mah?sattva Dharm?kara makes forty-eight vows and becomes the Buddha of Infinite Light and Life (Amit?bha or Amit?yus), who resides in the Western Quarter and functions as a salvific buddha.

Among the well-known bodhisattvas, Avalokite?vara and Maitreya are probably the most popular in East Asia. In the East Asian Buddhist tradition, Avalokites?vara, better known by the Chinese name Guanyin (Korean, Kwanseu?m; Japanese, Kannon), is worshiped by both clergy and laity as a mother figure, a savior, and a mentor, who responds to the pain and suffering of sentient beings. In Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, is considered to be a reincarnation of Avalokites?vara.

Maitreya (P?li, Metteyya) bodhisattva, who is said to dwell in Tusita heaven, is known as the "future buddha" because he will appear in this world to reestablish Buddhism after all vestiges of the current dispensation of ??kyamuni Buddha have vanished. Tradition holds that Asa?ga went to Tu?ita to study

under Maitreya, where he received five treatises from him that became the basis for establishing the Yog?c?ra school. Worship of Maitreya as the future buddha has also contributed to millenarianism and millenarian movements in several Buddhist traditions.

Mañju?r? and Samantabhadra are bodhisattvas who are often depicted in a triad together with the primordial Buddha Vairocana. Samantabhadra stands on Vairocana's right side and Mañju?r? on his left. Samantabhadra is also often shown seated on the back of a white elephant, holding a wish-fulfilling jewel, a lotus flower, or a scripture, exemplifying his role as the guardian of the teaching and practice of the Buddha. Mañju?r?, by contrast, represents wisdom, and is depicted wielding a flaming sword that cuts through the veil of ignorance.

Buddhist scholars and savants of India, such as N?g?rjuna and Vasubandhu, have been referred to as bodhisattvas; in China, Dao'an, for example, is known as Yinshou pusa. In more modern times, founders of new Buddhist movements in China, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States are considered by followers to be bodhisattvas and, in some cases, even buddhas.