155
This thangka, or silk wall hanging,
depicts Tara, who vowed to become
a female bodhisattva to show that the
difference between male and female is
unimportant, as these ideas are illusory.to remain in the world, continuing
to be reborn, in order to benefit
all other beings. This idea brought
about a remarkable change in the
overall view of the Buddhist path.
Instead of striving to become an
arhat, or “worthy one” (the term
used for those of Buddha’s followers
who have gained enlightenment),
it was now possible for Buddhists
to dedicate themselves to the
more exalted path of becoming,
in effect, apprentice buddhas—
bodhisattvas who engage with the
world out of universal compassion.
The great vehicle
Those who followed this new
ideal called it Mahayana, or “great
vehicle,” in contrast to the earlier
tradition, which they described
as Hinayana (“small vehicle”) and
regarded as too narrow in scope.
Practitioners of Mahayana believe
that it represents a deeper
teaching, which was implicit in
the original Buddhist dhamma.
Its scriptures—notably the Lotus
Sutra—present an image of Buddha
preaching to beings in a vast
universe made up of many world
systems, of which this present
world is a very small part. Followers
of Mahayana argue that the earlier
teaching was a necessarily limited
version, and that their own was
kept hidden for many centuries,
awaiting the right conditions to
allow it to be preached.
Mahayana Buddhism, although
it developed in India, spread north
and was established in China
and then in Tibet. The earlier
tradition still exists as Theravada
(“tradition of the elders”) Buddhism.
It is found today mostly in Thailand,
Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia.Two bodhisattvas
The earlier tradition, now known
as Theravada, recognizes only two
bodhisattvas: the incarnation
of the historical figure of Buddha
(who is also known as Sakyamuni
Buddha or Gautama Buddha), and
Maitreya, a bodhisattva who will
arrive in the future to preach the
truth of the dhamma. However,
in Mahayana Buddhism, lay
people, as well as the monastic
community, are encouraged to
reach nirvana and thereafter to
become bodhisattvas. Once the
possibility of a vast number of
bodhisattvas was accepted, each
dedicated to the task of universal
enlightenment, the floodgates of
Buddhist iconography were opened,
because these beings could then
be imaginatively depicted in order
to provide inspiration to others.Symbolism and images
Each bodhisattva vows to become
a buddha (“enlightened being”)
and to lead others toward
enlightenment. To do this, theymust cultivate six “perfections”:
generosity, morality, patience,
energy, meditation, and wisdom.
These qualities are shown in
individual bodhisattva images.
For example, the quality of wisdom
is depicted through the image of
Manjushri, a young man holding a
lotus (representing the enlightened
mind) and brandishing a flaming
sword (representing the wisdom
with which he cuts through the
veil of ignorance).
The most widely venerated of
images is that of Avalokiteshvara,
the Bodhisattva of Compassion. His
name is a Sanskrit word meaning
“The Lord who looks down.” He
looks upon earthly beings as
a good father would upon his
children, offering them assistance
and trying to liberate them from
their faults and suffering through
his unwavering compassion. ❯❯See also: The ultimate reality 102–105 ■ Physical and mental discipline 112–13 ■ Seeing with pure consciousness 116–121
■ Zen insights that go beyond words 160–63 ■ Man as a manifestation of God 188
BUDDHISM
There has arisen in me the
will to win all-knowledge,
with all beings for its object,
that is to say, for the purpose
of setting free the entire
world of beings.
Sikshasamuccaya