What then is a Bodhisattva?B is a Sanskrit term with B meaning Wisdom
or Enlightenment, and , which means Essence or Being.
A Bodhisattva is thus a Wisdom-being or an Aspiring Buddha
who is determined to attain Buddhahood.When enlightened, he renounces Nirvana and goes on living
Samsaric existences for the sake of others, perfects himself dur-
ing an incalculable period of time and finally realises Nirvana
and becomes a Fully Enlightened Buddha, a Samyaksambuddha.
His main attributes are love, compassion, selflessness and wis-
dom and his capacity for service to others is unlimited. e Vows
that he aspires to fulfill are:“owever innumerable sentient beings are, vow to save them.
owever inexhaustible the defilements are, vow to extinguish them.owever immeasurable the harmas are, vow to master them.owever difficult nlightenment is, vow to attain it!”ese great Vows thus commit the Bodhisattva to lead all beings
to liberation and to remain in this world till the end, even for the
sake of a single being. ey are known as the Bodhisattva Vows
which all Mahayanists should practise.A Bodhisattva is usually presented as the personification of a
particular trait of the Buddha, and as there are numerous such