traits, so also are there different Bodhisattvas. A transcendent
Bodhisattva who enjoys the most devotion and popularity as
helper to liberation is A (Kuan Shih Yin), who
is the compassionate aspect of the Buddha. He and other popu-
lar Celestial Bodhisattvas described in this book will help to
remove incorrect ideas and speculative doubts from the minds of
those who have little or no knowledge of the Bodhisattvas of the
Mahayana teachings.While the Hinayana Arhat accumulates meritorious karma for
his own salvation through following and practising the teach-
ings of the Buddha, he also serves others though his capacity to
do so is limited. e Mahayana Bodhisattva, on the other hand,
relentlessly carries out his mission of universal salvation, transfer-
ring his vast merits to the less fortunate ones so that they too
may enjoy the fruits of such merits. us the Bodhisattva Ideal
brings about much hope for the down-trodden and provides a
noble goal to those who are seriously on the Buddha’s path. e
Arhat ideal may not sound as noble as that of the Bodhisattva
but it does not necessarily mean that the Mahayana is in any way
superior to the Hinayana practice. Both are ideal paths that lead
to enlightenment and those who are aspiring to become Arhats
are not necessarily selfish since Arhatship cannot be attained if
there is even the slightest tinge of selfishness left in his being. A
true Buddhist will not indulge in glorifying his path of practice,
he should realise that without the Hinayana there can be no
Mahayana path. What is more important is that they both share
the same fundamental teachings such as:-