Bodhisatta

　　菩薩行

　　A Bodhisatta is a being devoted to Enlightenment. As a ”Compassionate Being”, a Bodhisatta is destined to attain Buddhahood, and become a future Buddha, through the cultivation of his mind.

　　In order to gain Supreme Enlightenment, he practices transcendental virtues(Parami) to perfection. The virtues are generosity, morality, renunciation, wisdom, energy, patience, truthfulness, determination, loving-kindness, and even mindedness. He cultivates these Parami with compassion and wisdom, without being influenced by selfish motives or selfconceit. He works for the welfare and happiness of all beings, seeking to lessen the suffering of others throughout the series of his countless lives. In his journey to perfection, he is prepared to practice these virtues, sometimes even at the expense of his own life.

　　In the Pali scriptures, the designation ”Bodhisatta” is given to Prince Siddhartha before His Enlightenment and to His former lives. The Buddha Himself used this term when speaking of His life prior to Enlightenment. According to the Pali texts there is no mention of Buddha Bodhi being the only way to attain the final goal of Nibbanic bliss. It was very rare for a disciple during the Buddha”s time to forgo the opportunity to attain sainthood and instead declare bodhisattahood as his aspiration. However, there are some records that some followers of the Buddha did aspire to become Bodhisattas to gain ”Buddhahood”.

　　In the Mahayana school of thought, the Bodhisatta cult however, plays an important role. The Mahayana ideal regards the Bodhisatta as a being who, having brought himself to the brink of Nibbana, voluntarily delays the acquisition of his prize so that he may return to the world to make it accessible to others. He deliberately chooses to postpone his release from Samsara in order to show the path for others to attain Nibbana.

　　Although Theravada Buddhists respect Bodhisattas, they do not regard them as being in the position to enlighten or save others before their own enlightenment. Bodhisattas are, therefore, not regarded as saviors. In order to gain their final salvation, all beings must follow the method prescribed by the Buddha and follow the example set by Him. They must also personally eradicate their mental defilements and develop all the great virtues.

　　Theravada Buddhists do not subscribe to the belief that everyone must strive to become a Buddha in order to gain Nibbana. However, the word ”Bodhi” is used to refer to the qualities of a Buddha, or PaccekaBuddha and Arahant in expressions such as Sammasmbodhi, PaccekaBodhi and SavakaBodhi. In addition, many of the Buddhas mentioned in the Mahayana school are not historical Buddhas and are therefore not given much attention by Theravada Buddhists. The notion that certain Buddha and Bodhisattas are waiting in Sukhawati(Pure Abode)for those who pray to them is a notion quite foreign to the fundamental Teachings of the Buddha. Certain Bodhisattas are said to voluntarily remain in Sukhawati, without gaining enlightenment themselves, until every living being is saved. Given the magnitude of the universe and the infinite number of beings who are enslaved by ignorance and selfish desire, this is clearly an impossible task, since there can be no end to the number of beings.

　　Must a Bodhisatta always be a Buddhist

　　 We may find among Buddhists some self-sacrificing and ever loving Bodhisattas. Sometimes they may not even be aware of their lofty aspiration, but they instinctively work hard to serve others and cultivate their pristine qualities. Nevertheless, Bodhisattas are not only found among Buddhists, but possibly among the other religionists as well. The Jataka stories, which relate the previous birth stories of the Buddha, describe the families and forms of existence taken by the Bodhisatta. Sometimes He was born as an animal. It is hard to believe that He could have been born in a Buddhist family in each and every life. But no matter what form He was born as or family he was born into. He invariably strived hard to develop certain virtues. His aspiration to gain perfection from life to life until final birth when he emerged as a Buddha, is the quality which clearly distinguishes a Bodhisatta from other beings.

　　菩薩是走向覺悟的人類

　　一個擁有慈悲心的衆生，通過自己努力耕耘，修學佛道，准備將來成爲佛陀，他就是菩薩。

　　爲了達到證悟正自覺，他實踐超越的德行──巴拉密 (parami)，這些德行是：布施、持戒、出離、智慧、精進、忍辱、堅定、慈悲和平等。這些德行通過斷除私欲，以慈悲心和智慧獲得。佛陀透過無數次的輪回轉世，體驗衆生的痛苦，爲一切衆生尋求快樂和幸福。在他求道的過程，他不斷的實踐巴拉密，有時候甚至付出自己的生命。在巴利文經典裏，菩薩是悉達多太子證悟正自覺以前的稱號，也是他過去無數世的稱號。佛陀以自己的菩薩行作爲例子，講解證悟正自覺的道路。在巴利語經典裏不同意只有擁有佛智的人才能到達涅槃。在佛陀時代，有志于證悟佛道的人非常稀少。但是，在一些記載中，有些信徒渴望成爲菩薩來實現佛道。在大乘的教法裏，向菩薩禮拜、禱告是很重要的。在大乘思想裏，菩薩是抵達涅槃邊緣的人，他們自願發心不進入涅槃，是爲了乘願再來，度化衆生。上座部同樣敬重菩薩，但是他們不要求衆生在覺悟前度化衆生。菩薩並不是人類的救星，人類要拯救自己，獲得解脫，必須實踐佛陀的教誨，追隨佛陀的教法，同時要舍棄個人的欲望和物質的需求，發展自己的德性。

　　上座部不認爲人人都必須成佛，才能達到涅槃。菩提(Bodhi)這個字眼相等于正自覺佛、獨覺佛或阿拉漢，被解釋爲正自覺智、獨覺智、聲聞覺智。大乘佛教提到的諸佛，並不是人類曆史的佛陀，因此，上座部並不重視。他們的概念是有些佛和菩薩在淨土中等候那些禮拜他們的人。這種思想和佛陀的教誨背道而馳。有些菩薩聲稱他們自願留在淨土，不願成佛，是爲了等候所有的衆生都圓成佛道。可是，不止我們這個星球有生命啊！而衆生都被愚癡、自私和欲望所困擾，這是一項無邊無際、無法完成的工作。菩薩一定是佛教徒嗎？我們會發現一些自發慈悲心的菩薩就存在于佛教界中，他們無私的爲佛教作出貢獻，可是他們並不意味到他們自己就是菩薩。菩薩不一定就是佛教徒，在其它的宗教一樣可以找到。在《本生經》中敘述了佛陀無數的往世，有時佛陀轉世爲畜生，很難想像他曾在一世或多世中曾經降生于佛教家庭中。但是，無論他降生于什麼生類或什麼家庭中都沒有關系，在他的每一次生命中，都勤奮的發展和培養他的德行，一直到他的最後一生──成爲佛陀。這點很清楚的顯示菩薩和其他衆生的不同。

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