Buddhisattva - Bodhisattva

Bruce Clifton

A modern definition of Buddhisattva is a spiritual apprentice dedicated to cultivating an enlightened state of being.

The origins of this, is the Buddhist religion. Western Society has developed a culture of: ‘If it can’t be proved then it isn’t so.’ This is a culture developed from when the Roman Empire collapsed and left what is recognised now as Western Society… floundering in its wake.

In short: Buddha was a man who lived 2,500 years ago. He was from a wealthy family who it seems, wanted for nothing. Aware of the suffering, poverty, ignorance, cravings and rebirth of man, he looked for answers. Forty five years later through renouncing life, adopting a role of surrender, mendicancy, ascetism, meditation he awakened and began to teach his understandings.

One of the foundations of Buddhism and many religious practices around the world is the belief in multiple lives and with each life or re-incarnation, we have a lesson to learn.

Nirvana: = Duhkha + Samsa`ra
Duhkha: Habitual experience of mundane life, pain and suffering, unhappiness; as a means of living normally…
Samsa`ra: Kama or karmic cycle is the belief that good comes to good and bad will bring bad and will continue through each life for eternity.

Buddha in his understanding stops the cycle of ‘Nirvana’ rebirth in order to learn and replaces it with enlightenment. Having learned how to avoid suffering and become enlightened the need for rebirth is no more.​

There are three main aspects to Buddhist practice:
1) Doing no Harm.
2) Performing Wholesome Actions.
3) Training the Mind Through Meditation.

​Three vehicles to the path of enlightenment, each of them dependent on the others.Buddhisattva

Buddhisattva
Someone seeking enlightenment and prepared to learn and teach through experiencing the pain and suffering of others.
The wisdom of the Buddisattva is knowing enlightenment can be achieved. This is a non-religious state of play where the objective is not to achieve enlightenment and become (BUDDHA) but to know enlightenment is achievable by experience and to be able to teach this aspect of true enlightenment.

   "A bodhisattva is someone who has compassion within himself or herself,
    and who is able to make another person smile or help someone suffer less.
                                   Every one of us is capable of this."
"Those who are without compassion cannot see what is seen with the eyes of compassion.
​Master Thanh Quy`-Cha`n That`

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