Bodhisattva Talks

In Buddhism, a bodhisattva (English: BOH-dee-SUT-və; Sanskrit: बोधिसत्त्व, romanized: Bodhisattva) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood.

In the Early Buddhist schools, as well as modern Theravāda Buddhism, bodhisattva (Pāli: bodhisatta) refers to someone who has made a resolution to become a Buddha and has also received a confirmation or prediction from a living Buddha that this will be so.

In Mahāyāna Buddhism, a bodhisattva refers to anyone who has generated bodhicitta, a spontaneous wish and compassionate mind to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. Mahayana bodhisattvas are spiritually heroic persons that work to attain awakening and are driven by a great compassion (mahākaruṇā). These beings are exemplified by important spiritual qualities such as the "four divine abodes" (brahmavihāras) of loving-kindness (maitrī), compassion (karuṇā), empathetic joy (muditā) and equanimity (upekṣā), as well as the various bodhisattva "perfections" (pāramitās) which include prajñāpāramitā ("transcendent knowledge" or "perfection of wisdom") and skillful means (upāya).

In Theravāda Buddhism, the bodhisattva is mainly seen as an exceptional and rare individual. Only a few select individuals are ultimately able to become bodhisattvas, such as Maitreya. Mahāyāna Buddhism generally understands the bodhisattva path as being open to everyone, and Mahāyāna Buddhists encourage all individuals to become bodhisattvas. Spiritually advanced bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteshvara, Maitreya, and Manjushri are also widely venerated across the Mahāyāna Buddhist world and are believed to possess great magical power which they employ to help all living beings.

From Bodhisattva on Wikipedia

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Title Speaker

Bodhidharma Listening to the Cries of the World

Avalokiteshvara's eyes of compassion observing all sentient beings; Bodhidharma and Emperor Wu, facing the wall for nine years; the Sixth Ancestor's training;

Buddha Ancestors, Consciousness, Compassion, Bodhisattva, Bodhidharma, cognitive...
Mar 03 2018
AM
No Abode Hermitage

The Pivotal Activity of All the Buddhas

Compassion, Bodhisattva, Liberation,
Sep 17 2016
PM
No Abode Hermitage

Zen Meditation as the Bodhisattva Precepts

Bodhisattva, Karmic Consciousness, Generosity, Precepts, zen meditation, Karmic...
Oct 11 2014
AM
No Abode Hermitage

Sep 11, 2022

Serial: BZ-02204

Karma, Saturday Lecture

Responding vs. reacting, Owning our own dark side

 

Bodhisattva, Karma, American, Hate, Culture, War, Evil, Greed, Vows, Peace, causation...
Sep 10 2011
Berkeley Zen Center

We Are Not Perfect

Serial: SF-05080-A

Sesshin talk. At the beginning, Suzuki Roshi is drawing from Dogen's "Bodhisattva's Four Methods of Guidance." The methods are also in Shushogi.

Sesshin, Paramitas, Bodhisattva, Shushogi, Happiness, Enemies
Jul 23 1966
Sokoji

In Our Way of Zen, We Emphasize the Way-Seeking Mind

Serial: SF-05101B

Tape 2 Summer Sesshin 1965 Tuesday July 27 - transcribed August 1965 Tape 2 Side 2 Tuesday July 27 6pm lecture Reverend Suzuki [Case replaced 12/95. Original notes were...

Sesshin, Bodhisattva, Way-Seeking Mind, Observe, Interview, training, Faith
Jul 27 1965
6:00pm
Sokoji