"Therefore, Bodhi befits all sentient beings. If there are no sentient beings, all Bodhisattvas will not be able to attain the fruition of the supreme, complete, and perfect enlightenment." Avatamsaka Sutra, Vol.40
《大方廣佛華嚴經》卷40
Remarks:
As we have learned, there are three types of Bodhi in Buddhism: the śrāvaka, the pratyekabuddha, and the Buddha Bodhi. The most superior of these is the Buddha Bodhi, which refers to bodhisattvas’ aspiration to take the Path to Buddhahood. We should note that all beings are well equipped with the Buddha nature to attain Buddhahood, yet not all sentient beings are readily endowed with a Bodhi mind (bodhicitta). We can bring forth the Bodhi mind by enduring fostering the Buddha Dharma already from our past lives as bodhisattvas. In other words, without the process of nurturing the Buddha Dharma in our past lifetimes, practitioners cannot generate an aspiration for the Bodhi mind.
If all sentient beings are already endowed with the Bodhi mind, then it is only logical that all of them should either exclusively possess all the three types of Bodhi mind or none of these at all. However, after practitioners bring forth the Bodhi mind, their aspirations may change depending on the circumstances that they encounter. For example, those who originally resolved to bring forth the śrāvaka Bodhi by cultivating the Path to Liberation may use it as a foundation for bringing forth the pratyekabuddha Bodhi, or even better, the Buddha Bodhi. On the other hand, those who initially resolved to bring forth the Buddha Bodhi may become afraid of undertaking this path after encountering adversities along the way and focusing their minds on the two other vehicles. Hence, under different circumstances, practitioners’ aspirations of bringing forth the three Bodhi minds may change.
When Buddhist disciples resolutely and constantly practice wholesome deeds for the sake of others, naturally, these deeds will enable them to accumulate virtues and merits, and they will not regress from the Bodhi mind that they originally aspired for. As for the real non-retrogressed or immutable Bodhi mind, bodhisattvas will be able to possess it only when they are able to enter the stage of the First Ground and come to possess a thorough and insightful understanding of the prajñā. Thus, to advance on the correct Path to Buddhahood, one must study under the guidance of a truly enlightened mentor.
Therefore, the three types of Bodhi mind have no fixed nature. That is, our minds are subject to change depending on the external conditions we will encounter and our stocks of virtues and merits gathered from our past lifetimes.
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