EDIT: After I posted this to my Bright Dawn peers and after our weekly call, I was given some feedback I wanted to include in this post. The original version of the post has been archived here if you want to read it.
Being a bodhisattva is a puzzling thing to me. There are 2 main concerns I have about the concept:
- The goal
- The vows/perfections
I was raised LDS. From the time that we are able to read we are taught that “every member is a missionary”. You were to preach to anyone and everyone who would listen to you in hopes of saving them and leading them towards Godhood. Because of this social pressure, I put myself in some very uncomfortable positions over the years. I almost certainly unknowingly strained friendships, and sometimes I knowingly did so. I could give dozens of examples, but I distinctly remember me telling a friend about how the Book of Mormon is far superior to the Bible because the Book of Mormon was supposed to have gone through less translations than the Bible and thus was a more more pure version of the original texts. My friend, a devout Christian, had to stop the conversation because it was insulting and I was jeopardizing the friendship I had with her. I was willing to do something like this because of the pressure I felt to do it.
One of my classmates made a great comment to me. He explained that I may just not have the right understanding, and that I should re-examine it because of my past experiences in life.
The bodhisattva is the ideal state for many Buddhists. What does a Boddhisattva do that makes them so ideal? The 2nd and 4th of the bodhisattva vows are “to save all beings” and “to lead all beings toward Buddhahood”. In other words, every member should strive to be a missionary. Placing this much emphasis and pressure on seeking to convert everyone makes me uncomfortable because of similar past experiences.
My classmates posted a link to this article, which says that the bodhisattva are just meant to help people, not proselytize. A talk linked to in that article even says “In the Mahayana sutras, different bodhisattvas are often depicted as each choosing their own unique vows.” However, he went on to say that its more standard practice to take the standardized 4 vows and most of the rest of the talk is concerned with these 4 vows. The vows of the bodhisattva seem to go above and beyond simply helping others with their vows. bodhisattva vow to save ALL beings and lead ALL beings to Buddhahood. From my point of view, this necessitates proselytizing to a certain degree, because not all beings are going to willingly come to you for help towards enlightenment. Having come from a background that focused heavily on proselytizing, I am uncomfortable doing this.
Does that mean I prefer the path of an arhat? Not quite. I recognize that helping people achieve enlightenment is a good thing. I wouldn’t be on this path if people like Noah Rasheta hadn’t started their blog to help others, and I definitely recognize the importance of helping people who are interested in listening.
The second thing I have trouble understanding things like the 4 vows, the 10 stages, and the 6 perfections. Many of these concepts are already covered in the 4 Noble Truths, which is the path to enlightenment. To re-iterate and re-commit to the same concepts in just a slightly different way seems to detract from the central and simple message. For me, the 4 Noble Truths and by extension the 8-Fold Path are enough. The 3 Pure Precepts, which are often viewed as a sub-section of wise intention, are
- Do no evil
- Do good
- Help others
When you combine this with the other parts of the 8-fold path, you strive to communicate wisely and act wisely. This naturally will lead to helping others towards enlightenment.
An article that one of my class mates posted really summarizes it perfectly: “Don’t be an arhat, don’t be a bodhisattva, don’t be anything at all—if you are anything at all you will suffer.” Focus on yourself, and do the best you can to reach enlightenment on your own. When others ask for your help, help them. If you need help, ask. There’s no need for words or labels for this simple concept in my opinion.
I may be wrong, and I recognize that this post was very controversial. I would love to hear anyone’s insights so that I could have better understanding.