Mushim Ikeda says it's not enough to help others. You have to take care of yourself too. At the end of January, one of my close spiritual friends died. A queer Black man, a Sufi imam “scholartivist” (scholar–artist–activist) and professor of ministry students, Baba Ibrahim Farajajé died of a massive heart attack. He was sixty-three, and I’m guessing he had been carrying [...]
How can a Buddhist strive to “save all beings” without inflating their ego?
Question: How can one “take on the suffering of the world” or practice “for the sake of all beings” without also inflating their own sense of self-importance? As profound as these practices are, they also seem like fodder for the ego. Rebecca Li: As an antidote to the pernicious arrogance that gives rise to thoughts like “I’m doing something so selfless—aren’t I great?” we [...]
You’re Ready Enough
Wherever you find yourself, says Pema Khandro, that’s the starting point of the bodhisattva path—all you need to do is take that first step. Once upon a time, many aeons before he took birth as a prince, Shakyamuni was an ordinary being born into a hot hell realm, where he was forced to pull a chariot through the fires. Distressed over the struggles of his feeble [...]
Making the Warrior Commitment
We've all got the potential to awaken and help others in meaningful ways, big and small. Pema Chödrön shows us how we can let go of self-centered worries and become a bodhisattva-warrior. It's the greatest happiness of all. Compassion is threatening to the ego. We might think of it as something warm and soothing, but actually it’s very raw. When we set out to support other [...]
Awakening the Bodhisattva
Venerable Pannavati, Anne Klein, and Ejo McMullen on the possibilities and challenges of the bodhisattva path. Introduction by Taigen Dan Leighton. Bodhisattvas are beings dedicated to helping relieve suffering for all, realizing universal awakening, and leading all beings to that same awakening. Such practice cannot be merely about self-help or personal salvation. [...]
How to Be a Bodhisattva
It may seem like an unattainable ideal, but you can start right now as a bodhisattva-in-training. All you need is the aspiration to put others first and some inspiration from helpful guides like the Buddhist teachers found here. Everyone Is Your Guest Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche on your life as a future bodhisattva Many Mahayana scriptures speak of inviting all sentient [...]
Sisyphus, the Bodhisattva
Following Albert Camus' lead, Radhule Weininger reconsiders the mythical sufferer as a joyful model for us all. In these unpredictable and possibly perilous times, many of us experience feelings of heightened anxiety, fear, and even dread. When I contemplate the committed people I know working for the well-being of the planet, for healthcare, the environment, and [...]
Pema Chödrön on Waking Up — and Benefiting Others
Pema Chödrön offers her unique perspective on The Way of the Bodhisattva, Shantideva’s classic description of the Mahayana path. Here she addresses one of the most important of all spiritual questions—how to free ourselves from the powerful spell of the emotional afflictions. Rousing the bodhi heart means connecting with our longing for enlightenment, with the clear desire [...]
Who are Kwan Yin, Avalokiteshvara, Kannon, and Quan Am?
The embodiment of compassion, Kwan Yin is known as “she who hears the cries of the world.” One of Buddhism’s most beloved bodhisattvas, she also holds a special place in the hearts of people of other faiths, including Daoists and Confucianists. Kwan Yin is the protector of women, children, sailors, fishermen, anyone in trouble, and the sick, disabled, and poor. Some Buddhist [...]
Between Arhat and Bodhisattva
Ajahn Amaro examines the arguments for and against the arhat and bodhisattva ideals that define and too often divide the Buddhist traditions. He suggests a way out of the polarizing debate. A student of Buddhism asked, “Which do you think is the best path: that of the arahant [arhat] or that of the bodhisattva?” “That kind of question is asked by people who understand [...]
