ASIAN 230 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Bodhicitta, Mahayana, Lotus Sutra
Document Summary
Develop compassion by viewing every being as your mother. Def. p. 388: aspiration to achieve buddhahood for the liberation of all beings. Help self along path so in another life can become a bodhisattva. Conflicts with bodhicitta because difficult to view all beings as mother and have compassion required. Have family and deeper connections that get in way. Very difficult to attain without entering monastic code. Difference of idea of bodhisattva in mahayana and early tradition. 43: strict outline to become bodhisattva because rare. Mahayana: all can become bodhisattva, all will, read lotus sutra. In both, must be compassionate and want liberation for all beings. Call on past tradition to bring authority to mahayana. Goal of insight into the nature of reality. Important to buddhism but not unique to buddhist practices. Comes from long tradition of religious practices in india. Minimal level of concentration required for achievement of enlightenment.
