In Mahayana Buddhism, a central and defining practice is the taking of the Bodhisattva vow. This profound commitment, known in Sanskrit as *bodhisattva-praṇidhāna*, signifies an aspiration or resolution to achieve full Buddhahood not just for oneself, but for the benefit of all sentient beings. One who undertakes this vow is recognized as a bodhisattva, a being actively working towards enlightenment with a universal and compassionate aim. This path
is often seen as a higher and nobler pursuit compared to the goals of an arhat or a solitary Buddha, emphasizing the liberation of all from suffering.
Origins and Early Interpretations of the Vow
The concept of the bodhisattva vow has roots in early Buddhist schools, as evidenced by texts like the Theravada *Buddhavaṃsa* and *Nidanakatha*, and the Mahasamghika *Mahāvastu*. These sources recount stories of Sakyamuni Buddha, in a previous life as Sumedha, making a vow to become a Buddha in the presence of the past Buddha Dīpaṅkara. Dīpaṅkara then confirmed Sumedha's future Buddhahood. This early understanding held that becoming a bodhisattva required making such a vow before a living Buddha and receiving a prediction of one's future enlightenment. This view remains the orthodox understanding of bodhisattva vows within the Theravada tradition.
The *Mahāvastu* further illustrates this by depicting Shakyamuni taking multiple vows under various past Buddhas. One such vow, made under the past Buddha Samitāvin, closely resembles the "fourfold vow" found in later Mahayana sources. It expresses a deep commitment: "Having crossed over, may I lead others across; comforted, may I comfort others; emancipated, may I emancipate others. May I become so for the benefit and welfare of mankind, out of compassion for the world, for the good of the multitude, for the welfare and benefit of devas and men." This highlights the altruistic core of the bodhisattva ideal from its early conceptualization.
The Mahayana Emphasis on Bodhicitta and Perfections
In Mahayana Buddhism, the defining feature of a bodhisattva is the universal aspiration to end suffering for all sentient beings, a state of mind termed *bodhicitta*. This spontaneous wish and compassionate mind to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all is considered the starting point of the bodhisattva path. Mahayana bodhisattvas are characterized as spiritually heroic individuals driven by great compassion (*mahākaruṇā*), embodying qualities such as loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity.
To fulfill their aim of attaining Buddhahood for all beings, bodhisattvas promise to practice the six perfections (*pāramitās*): giving, moral discipline, patience, effort, concentration, and wisdom. These perfections are not merely ethical guidelines but transformative practices that cultivate the necessary spiritual and moral perfection. The *Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā sutra* instructs a bodhisattva to train with the thought: "My own self I will place in Suchness, and, so that all the world might be helped, I will place all beings into Suchness, and I will lead to Nirvana the whole immeasurable world of beings."
Entering the Path and the Length of the Journey
Mahayana sutras generally describe the bodhisattva path as beginning with the first arising of *bodhicitta*, often aeons before receiving a Buddha's prediction. This initial arising of the compassionate mind aimed at awakening for all beings is a central defining element. Following this, a bodhisattva's *praṇidhāna*—a resolution, vow, or aspiration—becomes crucial. This earnest wish, closely linked to *bodhicitta*, evolved into the practice of taking specific, formulaic bodhisattva vows.
One of the earliest such formulas, found in the *Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra*, expresses the commitment: "We having crossed (the stream of samsara), may we help living beings to cross! We being liberated, may we liberate others! We being comforted, may we comfort others! We being finally released, may we release others!" Other sutras, like the *Ten Stages Sutra*, present more elaborate sets of ten vows. The path is depicted as immensely long, often spanning many lifetimes and numerous "incalculable aeons" (*mahāsaṃkhyeya kalpas*) to achieve Buddhahood. Some texts suggest it could take anywhere from 3 to 22 countless aeons, or even an "inconceivable" number of kalpas, highlighting the profound and enduring commitment required of a bodhisattva.
