The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
simsapa
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by simsapa »

It's only silly if you don't know what Ajahn Chah is saying here.
What is he saying?
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bodom
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by bodom »

simsapa wrote: Sat Jul 17, 2021 11:03 pm
It's only silly if you don't know what Ajahn Chah is saying here.
What is he saying?
He is talking about clinging to labels and identites. "Arahant" "Bodhisattva" "I" "me" "mine". They are all wrapped up with self.

Ajahn Chah is not telling anyone to not strive for enlightenment or for Arahantship, but to not make a self out of those conventions. Many people mistakenly believe they have attained these states and cling to those labels when in reality it is just clinging to another sense of self. As Ajahn Chah says "If "you" are "anything at all" you will suffer."
If the mind tries to tell you, ‘I’m a sotāpanna now,’ go and bow to the sotāpanna. He’ll tell you himself, ‘It’s all uncertain.’ If you meet a sakadāgāmī go and pay respects to him. When he sees you he’ll simply say, ‘Not a sure thing!’ If there is an anāgāmī go and bow to him. He’ll tell you only one thing - ‘Uncertain.’ If you even meet an arahant, go and bow to him, he’ll tell you even more firmly, ‘It’s all even more uncertain!’ You’ll hear the words of the Noble Ones: ‘everything is uncertain, don’t cling to anything.’

- Ajahn Chah
:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
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cappuccino
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by cappuccino »

bodom wrote: Sat Jul 17, 2021 10:33 pm
cappuccino wrote: Sat Jul 17, 2021 7:48 pm
Aloka wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2017 1:49 pm From Ajahn Chah :

Don't be an arahant …
silly
It's only silly if you don't know what Ajahn Chah is saying here.
I'm aware
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cappuccino
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by cappuccino »

bodom wrote: Sat Jul 17, 2021 11:22 pm Ajahn Chah is not telling anyone to not strive for enlightenment or for Arahantship
yet he is


:shrug:
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bodom
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by bodom »

cappuccino wrote: Sat Jul 17, 2021 11:47 pm
bodom wrote: Sat Jul 17, 2021 11:22 pm Ajahn Chah is not telling anyone to not strive for enlightenment or for Arahantship
yet he is


:shrug:
If you say so. :shrug:

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
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Coëmgenu
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by Coëmgenu »

Coëmgenu wrote: Sat Jul 17, 2021 7:26 pmmanōmayakāya
This is a lesson in being careful when you copy and paste a word for the diacritics. This incorrect romanization is from PureDhamma. I only noticed now, and I've used it twice. You never have macrons over O's in normal Pāli transcription.
What is the Uncreated?
Sublime & free, what is that obscured Eternity?
It is the Undying, the Bright, the Isle.
It is an Ocean, a Secret: Reality.
Both life and oblivion, it is Nirvāṇa.
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Dhammanando
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by Dhammanando »

Coëmgenu wrote: Sun Jul 18, 2021 12:54 am
Coëmgenu wrote: Sat Jul 17, 2021 7:26 pmmanōmayakāya
This is a lesson in being careful when you copy and paste a word for the diacritics. This incorrect romanization is from PureDhamma. I only noticed now, and I've used it twice. You never have macrons over O's in normal Pāli transcription.
It's non-standard but macrons are to be found in romanised editions of Moggallāna's grammar, for Moggallāna (in contrast with Kaccāyana) held that e and o could be either long or short, depending on how many consonants followed. They're also found in some treatises on Pali prosody.

ettha, ēsa
oṭṭha, gōṇa
Rūpehi bhikkhave arūpā santatarā.
Arūpehi nirodho santataro ti.


“Bhikkhus, the formless is more peaceful than the form realms.
Cessation is more peaceful than the formless realms.”
(Santatarasutta, Iti 73)
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Coëmgenu
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by Coëmgenu »

Corrected twice. Thank you, bhante. I had thought that O's and E's were always long in all contexts.
What is the Uncreated?
Sublime & free, what is that obscured Eternity?
It is the Undying, the Bright, the Isle.
It is an Ocean, a Secret: Reality.
Both life and oblivion, it is Nirvāṇa.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

The Dhamma adventure in overcoming fear, "Afraid of Tigers", is inspiring! (Cannot figure how to link directly to just one single story.)
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

If you want to determine whether a person is genuine or phony, whether he is Bodhisattva or a demon, you can look for the following things: First, see whether he has any desire for sex; and second, see whether he is greedy for money.
Master Hsuan Hua. Spring Sun, Lotus Flower.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

The Buddha’s four measureless attitudes of kindness, compassion, joy, and even-mindedness are totally advantageous to all creatures. When we base ourselves in thoughts such as these, then we can go ahead and put technology to work for us.

Don’t get scared when you hear me call television, radios, and computers “man-eating goblins.” No need to be afraid. My hope is that you will clearly recognize these things for what they are. Once you recognize them, those electric gadgets lose their power to confuse you. But if you’re confused by them, then they can gobble you down.
Spring Sun, Lotus Flower.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

From the new Kalavinka Press edition of the Avatamsaka Sutra, chapter 11 - Manjusri Bodhisatta advises:
When the bodhisattva abides in the home life
he should vow: “May all beings
realize that the home life is empty by nature
and avoid being subjected to its pressures.”

When engaged in filial service to his parents,
he should vow: “May all beings
skillfully serve the Buddha
and protect and nurture all beings.”

When together with wife and children,
he should vow: “May all beings
treat adversaries and intimates equally
and forever abandon desire-based attachments.”

When acquiring the objects of the five kinds of desire,
he should vow: “May all beings
pull out the arrow of desire
and acquire the ultimate peace and security.”
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

More from chapter 11:
When in the midst of social gatherings with musical entertainment,
he should vow: “May all beings
find their pleasure in the Dharma
and realize such entertainments are unreal.“

When in the palace or in one’s home,
he should vow: “May all beings
enter the grounds of the āryas
and rid themselves forever of defiling desires.”

When putting on the strand of beads,
he should vow: “May all beings
relinquish false adornments
and reach the station of genuine truth.”

When ascending a tower,
he should vow: “May all beings
ascend the tower of right Dharma
and develop a penetrating vision of everything.”

When he engages in an act of giving,
he should vow: “May all beings
become able to relinquish everything
and acquire minds entirely free of fond attachments.”

When gathering together with an assembly,
he should vow: “May all beings
relinquish the many accumulated dharmas
and realize all-knowledge.”
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

More from the Pure Conduct Chapter 11:
When in the midst of dangerous difficulties,
he should vow: “May all beings
gain sovereign mastery in whatever they wish for
and become unimpeded in whatever they practice.”

When relinquishing abiding in the home life,
he should vow: “May all beings
have no obstacles to leaving the home life
and have minds that become liberated.”

When entering a Sangha dwelling,
he should vow: “May all beings
expound on the many different topics
and be free of discord or contentiousness.”

When meeting with senior or junior teachers
he should vow: “May all beings
skillfully serve their teachers and elders
and practice good dharmas.”

When requesting to be allowed to leave the home life,
he should vow: “May all beings
acquire the dharmas of irreversibility
and develop unimpeded minds.”
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: The Bodhisattva Ideal in Mahayana Buddhism

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Here are large extracts from several Mahayana shastras & sutras on cultivating the bodhisattva path:

http://kalavinka.org/Jewels/jewels_toc.htm
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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