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Is the Boddhisattva Path Necesary?

edited October 2011 in Philosophy
The Buddha said that all Buddhas who attain Nibbana through self awakening awake to the dhamma of the four noble truths. The whole point of taking up the Boddhisattva vow is to spend billions upon billions of lifetimes traveling from one samsaric birth to the next (which includes hell realms. Sounds like a grand time, right?) with the aspiration that at some point you will awaken to the dhamma of the four noble truths, and thus liberate all beings from suffering. My question is, why would you want to spend such a long, horrible time suffering only to awaken to the Dhamma that is right here for you to practice in this very lifetime.
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Comments

  • Just a guess: Because it ain't as easy as it sounds?
  • Take the path of an arhat or bodhisattva or the path to lead a happier life. The end goal is the same, which is the end of suffering.

    In mahayana we practice to directly realize emptiness. From the point of interconnectivity anothers suffering is my suffering. When another is hungry i am hungry. But the end goal is nirvana nonetheless.

    Whatever works for you.
  • The Boddhisattva vow is one way to free ourselves from the fetter of narrow self-interest. When we concern ourselves only with our own liberation, ignoring the suffering of others and essentially flipping them the finger, then our practice becomes poisoned with a sense of self that is separate from others.

    Disciple: "Where will you go after one hundred years?"
    Zen Master: "I will change into a horse or a donkey."
    Disciple: "And then?"
    Zen Master: "I'll go to hell."
    Disciple: "But you are a man of great goodness and wisdom! Why would you go to hell?"
    Zen Master: "If I don't go to hell to teach you, who will?"

    Alan
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    My question is, why would you want to spend such a long, horrible time suffering only to awaken to the Dhamma that is right here for you to practice in this very lifetime.

    @Tikal2010 -- Because it is NOT here for you in this very lifetime.

    If it were, you'd be laughing. :)
  • Take the path of an arhat or bodhisattva or the path to lead a happier life. The end goal is the same, which is the end of suffering.

    In mahayana we practice to directly realize emptiness. From the point of interconnectivity anothers suffering is my suffering. When another is hungry i am hungry. But the end goal is nirvana nonetheless.

    Whatever works for you.
    the End goal may be the same, but the path of the arahant takes only one lifetime of pleasant abidings in the human realm, whereas the path of the boddhisattva is painful, tormenting, and very unpleasant. Not to mention that it lasts for an almost uncountable number of lifetimes.
  • The Boddhisattva vow is one way to free ourselves from the fetter of narrow self-interest. When we concern ourselves only with our own liberation, ignoring the suffering of others and essentially flipping them the finger, then our practice becomes poisoned with a sense of self that is separate from others.

    Disciple: "Where will you go after one hundred years?"
    Zen Master: "I will change into a horse or a donkey."
    Disciple: "And then?"
    Zen Master: "I'll go to hell."
    Disciple: "But you are a man of great goodness and wisdom! Why would you go to hell?"
    Zen Master: "If I don't go to hell to teach you, who will?"

    Alan
    At what point does my happiness become an act of aggression towards another? The path of the Arahant involves taking precepts. One cannot attain final knowledge in this lifetime without adhering to those precepts. What do you think? Does the maintaining of the precept to refrain from killing benefit all those around us, or just our selves? Does the maintaining of the precept not to steal benefit all those around us, or just our selves? Does the maintaining of the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct benefit all of those around us, or just ourselves? Does the maintaining of the precept to refrain from lying benefit all those around us, or just our selves? And the precept to refrain from taking mind altering substances. Does it benefit all those around us, or just ourselves?
  • My question is, why would you want to spend such a long, horrible time suffering only to awaken to the Dhamma that is right here for you to practice in this very lifetime.

    @Tikal2010 -- Because it is NOT here for you in this very lifetime.

    If it were, you'd be laughing. :)
    How is the Dhamma of the four noble truths not here for me to awaken to in this very life time?? I mean, the Buddha did arise in this world a few years ago, and taught this dhamma. We have records of those teachings, and many people benefit from those teachings in this lifetime. I consider that having a Dhamma present in this very lifetime.
  • riverflowriverflow Veteran
    edited October 2011
    path of the boddhisattva is painful, tormenting, and very unpleasant.
    Who is it that feels pain, torment and unpleasantness?
  • path of the boddhisattva is painful, tormenting, and very unpleasant.
    Who is it that feels pain, torment and unpleasantness?
    The person that feels pain, torment, and unpleasant feelings is the person who rejects the teachings of the Buddha, and spends many lifetimes drifting through samsara.

  • Who says I'm going to spend billions of lifetimes fulfilling the Bodhistattva vow? And if I do, so what? How many lifetimes have I spent before now? I don't know and don't care. This lifetime, the next, or a billion from now, it takes as long as it takes. After all, we can only life one lifetime at at time.

    To those who wonder why we take on such a task, I always reply, would you have one moment's happiness in Heaven if you could hear the screams of the tortured in Hell?

    Nobody gets left behind.



  • Who says I'm going to spend billions of lifetimes fulfilling the Bodhistattva vow? And if I do, so what? How many lifetimes have I spent before now? I don't know and don't care. This lifetime, the next, or a billion from now, it takes as long as it takes. After all, we can only life one lifetime at at time.

    To those who wonder why we take on such a task, I always reply, would you have one moment's happiness in Heaven if you could hear the screams of the tortured in Hell?

    Nobody gets left behind.



    Have fun. :)
  • path of the boddhisattva is painful, tormenting, and very unpleasant.
    Who is it that feels pain, torment and unpleasantness?
    The person that feels pain, torment, and unpleasant feelings is the person who rejects the teachings of the Buddha, and spends many lifetimes drifting through samsara.

    And are these people separate entities from you?

    This is like a person trapped in a burning building but the left hand spies a small area where it can escape, separates itself from the rest of the body in order to save its "self."

  • edited October 2011
    At what point does my happiness become an act of aggression towards another? The path of the Arahant involves taking precepts. One cannot attain final knowledge in this lifetime without adhering to those precepts. What do you think? Does the maintaining of the precept to refrain from killing benefit all those around us, or just our selves? Does the maintaining of the precept not to steal benefit all those around us, or just our selves? Does the maintaining of the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct benefit all of those around us, or just ourselves? Does the maintaining of the precept to refrain from lying benefit all those around us, or just our selves? And the precept to refrain from taking mind altering substances. Does it benefit all those around us, or just ourselves?
    But if you follow those precepts only for the purpose of attaining personal liberation, how are you different from the Christian who only follows the Ten Commandments to get into Heaven and avoid Hell? Aren't both ways fundamentally selfish? You say that following the precepts benefits others, and it does, but your concern for others seems to end at the point where it no longer benefits you. If you're in it only for yourself, then fine, good luck with that. I'm with Cinorjer on this one.

    Alan
  • path of the boddhisattva is painful, tormenting, and very unpleasant.
    Who is it that feels pain, torment and unpleasantness?
    The person that feels pain, torment, and unpleasant feelings is the person who rejects the teachings of the Buddha, and spends many lifetimes drifting through samsara.

    And are these people separate entities from you?

    This is like a person trapped in a burning building but the left hand spies a small area where it can escape, separates itself from the rest of the body in order to save its "self."

    Yes, they are indeed separate entities from me. It's like being trapped in a burning building, and every one else wants to stay, but I see the door and decide to leave.
  • At what point does my happiness become an act of aggression towards another? The path of the Arahant involves taking precepts. One cannot attain final knowledge in this lifetime without adhering to those precepts. What do you think? Does the maintaining of the precept to refrain from killing benefit all those around us, or just our selves? Does the maintaining of the precept not to steal benefit all those around us, or just our selves? Does the maintaining of the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct benefit all of those around us, or just ourselves? Does the maintaining of the precept to refrain from lying benefit all those around us, or just our selves? And the precept to refrain from taking mind altering substances. Does it benefit all those around us, or just ourselves?
    But if you follow those precepts only for the purpose of attaining personal liberation, how are you different from the Christian who only follows the Ten Commandments to get into Heaven and avoid Hell? Aren't both ways fundamentally selfish? You say that following the precepts benefits others, and it does, but your concern for others seems to end at the point where it no longer benefits you. If you're in it only for yourself, then fine, good luck with that. I'm with Cinorjer on this one.

    Alan
    The reason why I am different form the Christian who follows the ten commandments so that they can get into heaven, is because I follow the five precepts so that my mind will be unperturbed when I meditate, and I wish for my mind to be unperturbed when I meditate so that insight will arise in me. And I wish for insight to arise in me so that I may abolish ignorance and attain Nibbana.
  • Buddha: I have come to teach the way of no-self...

    Dude: Oh, really? What's in it for me?

    Buddha: :orange:
  • Buddha: I have come to teach the way of no-self...

    Dude: Oh, really? What's in it for me?

    Buddha: :orange:
    Buddha: I have come to teach the way of non-self.
    Dude: Oh really what's in it for me?
    Buddha: Freedom from suffering.
  • You got it wrong, Tikal. The bodhisattva path is a path to become a buddha. The mahayana distinguishes peaceful nirvana from full enlightenment. A bodhisattva awakens bodhicitta which is necessary for full enlightenment that goes beyond peace.

    The jewel ornament of liberation says that the buddhist path consist of three practices. Impermanence to release attachment to this life. Suffering (contemplate) to release attachment to pleasure. Love to release attachment to peace.
  • You got it wrong, Tikal. The bodhisattva path is a path to become a buddha. The mahayana distinguishes peaceful nirvana from full enlightenment. A bodhisattva awakens bodhicitta which is necessary for full enlightenment that goes beyond peace.

    The jewel ornament of liberation says that the buddhist path consist of three practices. Impermanence to release attachment to this life. Suffering (contemplate) to release attachment to pleasure. Love to release attachment to peace.
    So just because the mahayana sais something, does that make the mahayana right?



  • Who says I'm going to spend billions of lifetimes fulfilling the Bodhistattva vow? And if I do, so what? How many lifetimes have I spent before now? I don't know and don't care. This lifetime, the next, or a billion from now, it takes as long as it takes. After all, we can only life one lifetime at at time.

    To those who wonder why we take on such a task, I always reply, would you have one moment's happiness in Heaven if you could hear the screams of the tortured in Hell?

    Nobody gets left behind.

    Have fun. :)
    I'm sorry, but do you really think having fun is what I'm talking about? I'm not sure how serious you are taking the question. You did ask.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    What makes you right?
    I mean, where did you get this "Me first above all others, because I matter more than them" from.....?
  • Ayn Rand! :hiding:
  • What makes me right is that I adhere to the core teachings of the Buddha, which are the four noble truths, then I check to see if they are correct, and by comparing them to my personal experience, I validate their legitimacy.
  • Awesome! Then do what works for you. The path of an arhat is honorable and valid.

  • Precisely, so why is the path of the Boddhisattva necessary?
  • It isn't. Think of mahayana as reformed catholicism. Are there differences between mahayana and theravada? Sure, but the similarities are more obvious.

    It is all too human to only see the differences. I've seen boh paths transform people to have better lives and open hearts.

    One path may work for you and another may not.
  • Yeah, except for the little differences that your talking about are actually quite large. The Boddhisattva path means taking a vow not to attain Nibbana until all other beings have reached final knowledge. The length of time that this requires is almost incomprehensible, and the amount of pain and suffering that one would have to endure while waiting is equally incomprehensible.
    The path of the Arahant requires but one life time, and results in supreme security from bondage.
  • From our current view the path might make no sense. We have to practice and examine for ourselves. Until we try fully nothing make sense. What is an arhat or bodhisattva? Enlightenment or nirvana. All of these are meaningless until they become our reality.

    If the path of arhat makes sense for you then go 100%. Don't get caught on making better or worse. Practice and free yourself from suffering.

    After you realize no self you'll have a pleaant surprise. An open heart and clear seeing. The natural functioning of a buddha is a bodhisattva.

    To immitate the buddha is to be a buddha. But enough of this. Practice. Engage. That is real buddhism.
  • You have to Study the heart sutra. This is what the bodhisattva holds as truth.

    Don't make divisions because you do not see clearly.
  • From our current view the path might make no sense. We have to practice and examine for ourselves. Until we try fully nothing make sense. What is an arhat or bodhisattva? Enlightenment or nirvana. All of these are meaningless until they become our reality.

    If the path of arhat makes sense for you then go 100%. Don't get caught on making better or worse. Practice and free yourself from suffering.

    After you realize no self you'll have a pleaant surprise. An open heart and clear seeing. The natural functioning of a buddha is a bodhisattva.

    To immitate the buddha is to be a buddha. But enough of this. Practice. Engage. That is real buddhism.
    Well, the path makes perfect sense to me. And what is that path? That being subject to birth and death is suffering, and that not being subject to birth and death is non - suffering.
    An Arahant is one who is no longer subject to birth and death. Enlightenment is seeing the arising and passing away of the four noble truths. Nirvana is a state of being which is not subject to birth or death.
    The natural function of a Buddha is not a Boddhisattva, the natural function of a Buddha is after having seen correctly with wisdom, to pass away into Nibbana.
  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    edited October 2011
    Alright do it and then we shall see? Lol

    We can talk and bark bout this or that. Free yourself then. Tell us all how it goes.

    Prove us mahayana wrong.

    Though i see no difference. :)
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited October 2011
    It sounds like you already know your truth. If you are curious about the mahayana purchase the Jewel Ornament of Liberation. It outlines the bodhisattva path.
  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    As others have answered the bodhisattva path isn't necessary. In Mahayana Buddhism though they make a distinction between the liberation of an arhat and the enlightenment of a buddha. A fully enlightened buddha is one who has removed all the obstacles to omniscience and is infinitly compassionate, the bodhisattva path is necessary to achieve that state.

    As to why someone would want to follow that path. Its simply out of compassion for others suffering.
    the path of the boddhisattva is painful, tormenting, and very unpleasant.
    As one progresses along the path and their mind becomes more refined and karma becomes more purified I doubt the suffering is all that bad.
    So just because the mahayana sais something, does that make the mahayana right?
    I don't know, maybe, there are plenty of threads on mahayana vs. theravada if you want to try to sort that one out.
  • Here's a question - if you take the direct path (that of the Arahant?) and achieve enlightenment then you have obtained freedom from suffering. What is to stop you then from reincarnating as many times as you like to help others obtain enlightenment? As you are already free from suffering you would just be 'playing the game' for the benefit of the unenlightened but inwardly totally at peace. Could it in fact be the case that everyone else is already enlightened and I'm the last one to follow?? Thanks to all you buddhas who are doing this for me :)
  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    Here's a question - if you take the direct path (that of the Arahant?) and achieve enlightenment then you have obtained freedom from suffering. What is to stop you then from reincarnating as many times as you like to help others obtain enlightenment? As you are already free from suffering you would just be 'playing the game' for the benefit of the unenlightened but inwardly totally at peace. Could it in fact be the case that everyone else is already enlightened and I'm the last one to follow?? Thanks to all you buddhas who are doing this for me :)
    Good question. I've heard it said that its very hard for a buddha to get someone who's attained nirvana to reengage with samsara. I don't have a better answer than that, just something from a corner of my mind.
  • The reason that after attaining final knowledge one is not capable of remaining in Samsara is because in one who has attained final knowledge there is no longer ignorance. For one who does not have ingorance in their mind, then craving can not arise. And for one in whom craving does not arise, becoming can no longer arise. And for one who is no longer subject to becoming, they are no longer subject to birth and death. One cannot remain in samsara, the chain of birth and death, if that being is no longer subject to birth and death.
  • The gods begged the buddha to teach. Lol the look on the buddha face hahahaha
  • The buddha didn't attain anything. He just recognized what is.

    Becoming will never end. The skandas are empty.

    Does a buddha feel pain? Sure, but it is seen as not self, impermanent, not satisfying. Then the buddha just accepts what is. By accepting what is all that arises is accepted.

    Lol
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited October 2011
    Nirvana isn't a place as we think. We could be in the same room talking and one in samsara and one in nirvana.

    A buddha can *be* in hell with a hell being, but for the buddha it is nirvana.
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    My question is, why would you want to spend such a long, horrible time suffering only to awaken to the Dhamma that is right here for you to practice in this very lifetime.

    @Tikal2010 -- Because it is NOT here for you in this very lifetime.

    If it were, you'd be laughing. :)
    How is the Dhamma of the four noble truths not here for me to awaken to in this very life time?? I mean, the Buddha did arise in this world a few years ago, and taught this dhamma. We have records of those teachings, and many people benefit from those teachings in this lifetime. I consider that having a Dhamma present in this very lifetime.
    @Tikal2010 -- If I understand correctly, you are inspired and comforted by the fact that Gautama's words were (more or less) recorded and thereafter repeated and you are the beneficiary of those words. Moreover those words represent the Dharma to which Gautama pointed in his lifetime. Have I got that straight? I apologize if I have missed something.

    But to the extent that my understanding is OK, then I wonder what sort of Buddhism you are practicing. A Buddhism of words? A Dharma of words? This is a peculiar sort of Buddhism or Dharma to me, the kind of thing that creates heart-felt believers, perhaps, but misses the joy and juice Gautama was pointing out. That joy and juice, that realization and actualization, is entirely dependent on your own intimate efforts and clear and compassionate mind. It is not something to make up and believe in. It is something to actualize in your own life.

    All of us may be grateful indeed to a variety of written or spoken teachings. But to imagine that such teachings could somehow compass or define the Dharma ... well, this is a heretic's Buddhism and a heretic's Dharma, I'd say.

    No criticism is intended here ... just an encouragement to keep up a determined and focused practice.

  • The Buddhism that I am practicing is the Buddhism that has indeed been preserved through out history by the usage of words. And those words speak of understanding reality correctly so that one is no longer subject to suffering. In my opinion, it is quite sound.
  • Can words alone save you from suffering?
  • No, however, correct understanding can.
  • One can understand no self, but to actualize it through insight meditation is the point of buddhism. Understanding arises out of correct practice.

    Such practice is the transformation of mind.
  • This article who's buddhism is truest is an analysis of the origins of mahayana and theravada, concluding that it is not a tree, but rather there was diversity within buddhism for quite some time earlier and my guess is that views were diverse even at the time of Mr. Siddhartha.
  • To argue dogma is a way to pass the time. Attachment to our point of view does not help us, and it does not help anyone else either. The bottom line:

    If you want to awaken all of humanity, awaken all of yourself. If you want to eliminate the suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation. Lao-Tzu
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    edited October 2011
    The Buddhism that I am practicing is the Buddhism that has indeed been preserved through out history by the usage of words. And those words speak of understanding reality correctly so that one is no longer subject to suffering. In my opinion, it is quite sound.
    @Tikal2010 -- By what method do you propose to "understand reality correctly?" Emotionally, intellectually, altruistically, historically, analytically, religiously, philosophically ...?

    As a means of instruction, the Vedanta teacher Sri Ramakrishna (some called him "avatar") once invited a student to take his favorite text and place it in a room. After locking the doors and windows, the student was instructed to go way for a couple of days and then come back ... and see if anything had changed in that room.

    Later in life, one of Ramakrishna's disciples, Swami Vivekananda, would write, "The mind (he meant intellect) is a good servant and a poor master." This was not an invitation to posit some god or ethereal and ineffably-perfect emperor; but it was a suggestion to acknowledge and actualize the 'master.'
  • To argue dogma is a way to pass the time. Attachment to our point of view does not help us, and it does not help anyone else either. The bottom line:

    If you want to awaken all of humanity, awaken all of yourself. If you want to eliminate the suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation. Lao-Tzu
    It's still too easy for myself to fall into a thicket of views... thank you, for a much-needed reminder, Daemyo! _()_
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    edited October 2011
    @riverflow -- Let's not think too poorly of the thicket of views. True, they can be terrible trip wires. But where else might we discover a living release?
  • @genkaku

    Nibbana is the result of an experiential based understanding. Such as when you look up at the sky and see that the sky is blue. From that point onward you know that the sky is blue.
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