Friday, June 21, 2013

Bodhisattva


Quan Shih Yin

Question:
What is a Bodhisattva?

Answer:
A being who aspires to attain Buddhahood and carries out various altruistic practices in order to achieve that goal. Compassion is the outstanding characteristic of the bodhisattva, who postpones his or her own entry into nirvana in order to assist others to gain enlightenment. The bodhisattva figure is particularly important in Mahayana Buddhism.

---Burton Watson---

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