A bodhisattva is literally a living being (sativa) who aspires to enlightenment
(bodhi) and carries out altruistic practices. The bodhisattva ideal is central
to the Mahayana Buddhist tradition as the individual who seeks enlightenment
both for him- or herself and for others. Compassion, an empathetic sharing of
the sufferings of others, is the bodhisattva's greatest characteristic. It is
shown in the following incident from the Vimalakirti Sutra which concerns a
prominent lay follower of the Buddha who had fallen ill. When questioned about
his illness, Vimalakirti replied, "Because the beings are ill, the bodhisattva
is ill. The sickness of the bodhisattva arises from his great compassion."
It is held that the bodhisattva makes four vows expressing a determination to
work for the happiness of others: "However innumerable sentient beings
are, I vow to save them; however infinite the Buddha-truth is, I vow to attain
it."
The vows, each of which commits the bodhisattva to the open-ended pursuit of
a continually receding goal, may seem daunting. Buddhism asserts, however, that
the path of the bodhisattva is not an otherworldly undertaking for people with
unique gifts of compassion or wisdom. Rather, the life-condition of bodhisattva
is inherent in the lives of ordinary men and women, and the purpose of Buddhist
practice is to strengthen that state until compassion becomes the basis of all
our actions.
In addition to compassion, the vows reflect the bodhisattva's commitment to
self-mastery, to study and learning, to the attainment of wisdom. None of these,
however, is pursued in a vacuum, merely to improve or adorn the self; at the
base of all these efforts is always the determination to remove the sufferings
of others, and to replace them with joy.
For the followers of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, bodhisattva practice is
subsumed in the twin mutually reinforcing aspects of "practice for oneself
and others." The core of practicing for oneself is the recitation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
(the "daimoku" of the Lotus Sutra) along with key passages from the
sutra. The purpose of this practice is to revolutionize one's inner life, to
develop the qualities of the Buddha: courage, wisdom, compassion and abundant
vitality or life force.
While many people may at first be inspired to practice Buddhism by the desire
for personal happiness, to overcome illness or some other seemingly insurmountable
challenge. as their life-state expands, they naturally develop a deeper concern
for the happiness of others. Perceiving the interconnectedness of all beings,
they take compassionate action, including sharing with others the insights of
Buddhism, so that they may also tap into the same rich inner resources that
lie within their lives.
Bodhisattvas are thus naturally engaged in society, actively struggling both
to change themselves and make the world a better, more humane place for all
people. This explains why members of SGI strive to be valuable participants
in society, and to contribute as much as possible to their family, workplace
and community.