APH Publishing Corporation, 2002. Hardcover. New. Rootssattva is a being who, having developed the Awakening Mind, devotes his life to the task of achieving Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings. According to Buddhist thought a Bodhisattva is some one on the path to Buddhahood who dedicates themselves entirely to helping all other sentient beings towards release from suffering. The word Bodhisattva can best be understood by.translating the Bodhi and Sattva separately : Bodhi means the understanding or WISDOM of the ultimate Nature of reality, and a Sattva is someone who is motivated by universal compassion. The Bodhisattva ideal is thus the aspiration to practise, infinite compassion with infinite wisdom.. Buddha wrought many deeds of kindness and mercy in a long series of transmigrations as a Bodhisattva, before achieving his final Birth as the Sage, of the Sakyas; but, since Maitreya and other unnamed Buddhas after him are yet to come, there must be Bodhisattvas existing at present in the universe, who are working continuously for the welfare of all things living. The Doctrine of the bodbisattva, looks to the Saint as a fully enlightened being who has deferred his final Nirvana for the sake of all sentient beings. Like the Lotus with its Roots embedded in mud, the saint breeds on worldly attachments without being sullied by them. Through innumerable lives he assumes the character of a "self in order to demonstrate, again and again, its final destruction. To achieve the full effect of that demonstration it has to be recorded as a Model for future generations. So, quite logically, in the Schools of the Great Vehicle the Boddhisattva was thought of not as a being who was soon to become a Buddha, but as one who would bide his time until even the smallest Insect had reached the highest goal. The old ideal of the Arhant, the "Worthy" who achieved Nirvana and would be reborn no more, began to be looked on as rather selfish, Instead of striving to become Arhants men should aim at becoming Bodhisattvas, and by the Spiritual merit which they gained assist all living beings on the way to perfection. The ultimate aim of life to all sentient beings is to transcent all suffering and REACH the Stage liberation and unshakable tranquillity. With unification of mind, Soul and ultimate Truth. This state can be attained by treading the path shown by Bodhisattva. Bodhisattva is a combination of two words, i.e., bodhi and sattva. Bodhi means the understanding or wisdom of the ultimate nature of reality and sattva is some are motivated and absorbed by universal compassion. The Bodhisattva ideal is, thus, the aspiration to practise infinite compassion with wisdom. Bodhisattva is the one having treated the path to Buddhahood and is about to reach the ultimate destination of perfect liberation. Bodhisattvas who live in total accordance with the teachings come ever closer to Enlightenment. The practice of Guruyoga yields both mental and Physical merits, which are necessary for the attainment of the wisdom and the method aspects of the Dharma. Nagarjuna wrote that all offerings should be made of the Guru, and Vajradhara stated, it is more beneficial to make offerings to even one hair of the Guru than to any of the other Objects of devotion. Positive thinking and noble Thoughts can make an ordinary man as exalted as Bodhisattvas are. The Conception of Bodhisattvas in the Mahayana was a corollary to its Buddhological speculation.



Encyclopaedia of Buddhism: Bodhisattva and Selflessness Vol XIV, M.G. Chitkara , APH Publishing, Hardcover, 805 pages, 2002, $75.00

M G CHITKARA, former Vice Chairman, Himachal Pradesh Administrative Tribunal, Shimla, has also served as Advocate General, Himachal Pradesh. He is the author of over twenty books on Buddhism, history and political science.