The Path of the Bodhisattva, Subhana Barzaghi, Roshi Ungan asked Dojo, "How does the Bodhisattva Kanzeon

　　use all those many hands and eyes

　　"

　　Dogo answered, "It is like a man in the middle of the night reaching

　　behind his head for his pillow."

　　Ungan said, "I understand."

　　Dogo said, "How do you understand it

　　"

　　Ungan said, "The whole body is hand and eye."

　　Dogo said, "That is very well expressed, but it is

　　only eight-tenths of the answer."

　　Ungan said, "How would you say it, Elder Brother

　　"

　　Dogo said, "Throughout the body, the hand and eye."

　　Hekigan Roku: Case 89

　　The Bodhisattva ideal is particular to the Mahayana Path. Bodhi means awakened one, sattva means being. Together they mean a person who is awake and who is committed to the liberation and well-being of every human being and creature.

　　One of the grand archetypal images of the Bodhisattva of Compassion is portrayed with 1,000 arms and eyes. In this imagery, the eyes of the Bodhisattva symbolise wisdom, while the hands symbolise compassion. The compassion and wisdom of the 1,000 arms and eyes are symbols of active help to those who are suffering and the readiness to take on the suffering of all other beings.

　　The question is, "How does the Bodhisattva of great compassion use those many hands and eyes

　　" Or, in other words, what is the Bodhisattva way of being in the world

　　 What are some of the ways we can bring wisdom and compassion into the world

　　Dogo said, "It”s like a person in the middle of the night reaching behind their head for their pillow."

　　This is a very interesting answer. There is a lovely image of naturalness in this response. It suggests a person who is half conscious and half asleep, like in a dream, instinctively groping around in the dark and reaching back for the pillow. This is a metaphor for true compassion which comes from a truly natural response. Our deepest natural response arises from the act of forgetting the self.

　　A commonly held but erroneous view is that the Bodhisattva seeks Buddhahood through the systematic practice of perfect virtues but renounces complete entry into nirvana until all beings cross over to the other shore, and are liberated.

　　In our Bodhisattva vows we chant, "The many beings are numberless, I vow to save them." But how do we save the many beings

　　 The correct Mahayana perspective is that realisation is the act of "forgetting the self". In the moment of "forgetting the self", we are united with all beings in the universe and in doing so we liberate them, because in truth we are not separate from all beings. This is what is meant by saving all beings.

　　To follow the trail of a true human being is to hear the call of suffering and use every circumstance to express compassion and understanding. As our practice widens we gather a greater capacity to bear witness and embrace the suffering in the world. One of the pitfalls is that we can hold some inflated or idealistic image of ourselves as the saviour, the rescuer, the do-gooder, none of which reflects who we actually are. The Bodhisattva way is the way of true simplicity, it is the art of being very attentive, listening with an open spacious heart and returning the freedom and wonder to every encounter, to every situation.

　　The Bodhisattva within each of you knows that love is irresistible and perhaps irreversible. There is no going back. Once we encounter awareness and love we see through our narrow old ways of contraction, stubbornness, fear, defensiveness, anger and greed. Although we may revisit our old patterns, we tend to no longer be buried by them. We come to abide and trust that love and wisdom are irresistible and transform whatever they touch.

　　Within each of you is this spirit, this light, this generosity and peace of our Buddha nature which are in many way…

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