The Definition of a Bodhisattva

Quote:

“The bodhisattva who initially aspires to the bodhi mind [bodhicitta] with the great virtues of a forthright mind harbors a pure and deep faith in the Buddha, the Dharma, and sangha; through this deep faith and respect for the Three Jewels, the bodhisattva can bring forth the bodhicitta.” Avatamsaka Sutra, Vol. 6

「菩薩初發意，直心大功德，於佛及法僧，深起清淨信，信敬三寶故，能發菩提心。」《大方廣佛華嚴經》卷六

 

Remarks:

A Buddhist disciple who courageously aspires to the great bodhi mind (bodhicitta) and is willing to stay in the burning house of the three realms and to benefit other sentient beings throughout three immeasurable eons to accomplish the ultimate fruition of Buddhahood together with them can be called a bodhisattva.

Strictly speaking, practitioners who initially aspired to attain the bodhi mind across the Tenth Faith stage of the Path to Buddhahood have yet to be qualified to be called bodhisattvas. They can be said to be nominal bodhisattvas or bodhisattvas at most because they are still fully endowed with the natures of ordinary beings; they can be considered ordinary novice bodhisattvas. When they have gained direct comprehension of prajñā and have become non-regressed bodhisattvas of the seventh abiding (enlightenment), they will be qualified to be senior bodhisattvas.

What are the requirements for the bodhisattvas newly aspiring to the bodhi mind to be called Mahāyāna bodhisattvas? There is a clear definition of bodhisattva by the Buddha in Sutra on Upāsaka Precepts: “Good son, anyone who seeks great wisdom is called a bodhisattva. Because he wishes to know the truth of all dharmas and is greatly adorned, because his mind is fortified and he saves many sentient beings, and because he does not spare his own life, he is called a bodhisattva who practices the Mahāyāna.” These passages teach us that bodhisattvas are those who pursue great wisdom and will thus want to know the true reality of all dharmas rather than merely being liberated from endless transmigration. Furthermore, a practitioner who harbors the mind to seek the ultimate reality of all dharmas with a firm conviction regardless of how difficult/profound/dangerous the journey might be must be a bodhisattva as he has already been equipped with the bodhisattva nature.

As is said to be the notion of “true reality,” there must be a true entity that is permanent, existent, and indestructible; this denotes the tathāgatagarbha. This true entity does not belong to the existent dharma of the three realms as it remains everlasting even after the total extinction of all existent phenomena in the three realms. Thus, only then can this dharma deserve to be called the true reality. This true tathāgatagarbha is the root source of all phenomenal dharmas, and all dharmas depend on it to arise and cease perpetually. 

Therefore, we can conclude that there are six requirements for becoming a Mahāyāna bodhisattva: (1) pursuing great wisdom (for the sake of sentient beings); (2) seeking the true reality of all dharmas; (3) being adorned with merits, virtues, and wisdom; (4) having a firm conviction to strive on the Path to Buddhahood; (5) endlessly helping and guiding sentient beings toward the correct path; and (6) being willing to sacrifice one’s own life when necessary, including daring to refute the incorrect teachings by contrasting them with the True Dharma. 

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