Enlightened Hero
Bodhisattva
The Bodhisattva
A Bodhisattva, which is a Sanskrit word (Tibetan; Chang Chub Sempa) is motivated by pure compassion and love. Their actions are sourced out of a great pool of skillful means that they have acquired over many lifetimes on the Bodhisattva path serving humanity and guiding others.
Their goal is to achieve the highest level of being: that of a Buddha.
A Buddha exists in all realms of existence simultaniously; effortlessly guiding and teaching wandering beings until they reach liberation.
"Bodhisattva" translates as: bodhi [enlightenment] and sattva [being]. This lineage reaches back thousands of years into our human history. The Bodhisattva will undergo any type of suffering to help another sentient being and continues to incarnate within the six realms of existence to liberate all sentient beings until all of samsara has been emptied. "Samsara" is the Sanskrit word for our human realm, which translates roughly to; cyclic. Around and round we go.
In Buddha's "Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines' it states: "I will become a savior to all those beings, I will release them from all their sufferings." If this sounds familiar to anyone not acquainted with Buddhism, then you only need to think of the example of Jesus Christ, another noble example of a Bodhisattva.
When someone first enters the way of the Bodhisattva, they develop Bodhicitta, or, mind of enlightenment. Even as a person strives towards such an exalted goal, they feel as though they are limited by the fact that they, too, are suffering. So that they can be of aid to others, they decide to become Buddhas for a Buddha is capable of unlimited compassion and wisdom. Spontaneously benefiting beings as vast as space. Also, Buddhas are able to relate to all others at whatever level is needed. To those of lesser intelligence, a Buddha will use simpler words; and to those of great intelligence, a Buddha can explain answers in a more exalted language. By entering the Bodhisattva way, the mind will become enlightened, eventually. The training begins by generating the 6 Perfections.
The Six Perfections
The Six Perfections; 1) generosity 2) ethics 3) patience 4) effort 5) concentration 6)wisdom
-Vajrayana page
Bodhicitta is...
It is the supreme elixir that overcomes the sovereignty of death.
It is the inexhaustible treasure that eliminates poverty in the world.
It is the supreme medicine that quells the worlds disease.
It is the tree that shelters all beings wandering on the path of conditioned existence.
It is the universal bridge that leads to freedom from unhappy states of birth.
It is the dawning moon of the mind that dispels the torment of disturbing conceptions.
It is the great sun that finally removes the misty ignorance of the world.
-From Bodhisattvacharya Avatara by Shantideva (7th century)
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It is the supreme elixir that overcomes the sovereignty of death.
It is the inexhaustible treasure that eliminates poverty in the world.
It is the supreme medicine that quells the worlds disease.
It is the tree that shelters all beings wandering on the path of conditioned existence.
It is the universal bridge that leads to freedom from unhappy states of birth.
It is the dawning moon of the mind that dispels the torment of disturbing conceptions.
It is the great sun that finally removes the misty ignorance of the world.
-From Bodhisattvacharya Avatara by Shantideva (7th century)
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10 Bhumis to Buddhahood
The realization of Emptiness, shunyata, is the goal. Therefore, the bhumis are the consequences of virtue-in-action. The bhumis are also interpreted as reflecting the kayas or levels of "reality."
The Foundation: Beings in samsara having generated the aspiration to enter the Bodhisattva Bhumis by practicing the 6 paramitas.
The 10 Bhunis are: 1) The Joyous 2) The Stainless 3) The Luminous 4) The Radiant 5) The Unconquerable 6) The Manifest 7) The Gone Afar 8) The Immovable 9) The Good Wisdom 10) The Dharma Cloud
-Vajrayana Page
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The realization of Emptiness, shunyata, is the goal. Therefore, the bhumis are the consequences of virtue-in-action. The bhumis are also interpreted as reflecting the kayas or levels of "reality."
The Foundation: Beings in samsara having generated the aspiration to enter the Bodhisattva Bhumis by practicing the 6 paramitas.
The 10 Bhunis are: 1) The Joyous 2) The Stainless 3) The Luminous 4) The Radiant 5) The Unconquerable 6) The Manifest 7) The Gone Afar 8) The Immovable 9) The Good Wisdom 10) The Dharma Cloud
-Vajrayana Page
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What does a Bodhisattva look like?
"When the 16th Karmapa came to America, at one time he was asked, "Are there other emanations of bodhisattvas in the world? For example, do they exist in our society, in countries like America and Europe, and so on?" In answer, His Holiness said, "There are a lot of them. They are all over the place. But they are difficult to recognize. They are not necessarily going to look like me. They are not necessarily going to have a shaven head, wear the robes of a Buddhist monk, and so on."
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Chenrezig
Chenrezig is the Bodhisattva who is an emanation of Buddha Amitabha. In this form – an embodiment of compassion — he vowed not to assume buddhahood until he had liberated every single individual in all realms of existence. He is said to have manifested in our era as Padmasambhava ,and it is in reference to the legend of this manifestation of that Precious Teacher, Guru Rinpoche in the heart of a giant lotus that we say the famous 6-syllable mantra of Chenrezi : Om mani padme hum .
Chenrezig is the Bodhisattva who is an emanation of Buddha Amitabha. In this form – an embodiment of compassion — he vowed not to assume buddhahood until he had liberated every single individual in all realms of existence. He is said to have manifested in our era as Padmasambhava ,and it is in reference to the legend of this manifestation of that Precious Teacher, Guru Rinpoche in the heart of a giant lotus that we say the famous 6-syllable mantra of Chenrezi : Om mani padme hum .
The Karmapa
In the current age, two known manifestations of the Bodhisattva Chenrezig are His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His Holiness Karmapa.
In the current age, two known manifestations of the Bodhisattva Chenrezig are His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His Holiness Karmapa.
According to Tibetan tradition, The Karmapa is a 10th level Bodhisattva and an emanation of the body, speech, mind and qualities of Chenrezig.
Long ago, he was the Buddha called Shenpen Namdrol.
He will again manifest as the sixth Buddha, at a future time known as Fortunate Eon, when he will be called Drukpa Senge... ..THE LION BUDDHA
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BODHICITTA
