Bodhisattva Path
Bodhisattva Path (Sanskrit: Bodhisattva Marga) is a concept in Mahayana Buddhism.
Overview
The Bodhisattva Path describes the spiritual journey of a being who aspires to attain complete Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. Unlike the Arhat path of early Buddhism, the Bodhisattva Path postpones final nirvana out of compassion, choosing to remain within saṃsāra until all beings are liberated.
Philosophical Context
The path is outlined across the Six Pāramitās (perfections) and the Ten Bhūmis (grounds) through which a bodhisattva progresses. It represents the Mahayana reorientation of Buddhist soteriology from individual liberation to universal salvation. The Bodhisattva ideal is rooted in the Prajñāpāramitā literature, which emphasizes that the bodhisattva realizes emptiness (śūnyatā) while engaging compassionately with the world. The path integrates wisdom and compassion as inseparable qualities, rejecting any form of spiritual practice that neglects either dimension.
Interpretations
In Tibetan Buddhism, the path is elaborated through the Lamrim (stages of the path) tradition. In East Asian Buddhism, figures like Kṣitigarbha embody the ideal of the bodhisattva who vow to remain in hell realms until all beings are freed. The path is both a developmental sequence and an ontological statement about the nature of awakened mind.
Verification Notes
- Referenced in the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras and the Avataṃsaka Sūtra
- Distinguished from the Śrāvakayāna and Pratyekabuddhayāna paths
- Related to the existing files: bodhisattva-vow.md, ten-bhumis.md, bodhicitta.md