Bodhicitta

Bodhicitta is the aspiration to attain complete awakening for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is the defining motivation of the bodhisattva path in Mahayana Buddhism.

Bodhisattva: A being who seeks awakening and cultivates it for the liberation of sentient beings. Bodhicitta is the aspiration that defines the bodhisattva path.
Two types of bodhicitta: The distinction between aspirational bodhicitta and engaged bodhicitta in Tibetan Buddhist presentations. This framework separates wishing for awakening from undertaking its path.
Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra: An early Mahayana wisdom scripture focused on the perfection of wisdom and the bodhisattva path. It is among the early scriptures to elaborate the bodhisattva ideal.
Arhat: A Buddhist practitioner who has attained liberation from the cycle of rebirth. The contrast highlights bodhicitta’s commitment to awakening for all beings.
Buddhahood: The complete awakening and perfected capacities of a buddha. Bodhicitta aims at this awakening, not merely personal release.
Bodhicitta vow: A commitment to attain awakening for the sake of all sentient beings. The vow turns the aspiration into an explicit commitment.
Bodhicaryāvatāra: Śāntideva’s Sanskrit guide to the bodhisattva path, composed in verse. Its chapters on generating and preserving bodhicitta became especially influential.
Śrāvakayāna: A Buddhist path oriented toward liberation through hearing and practicing the Buddha’s teaching. Mahayana presentations distinguish bodhicitta’s universal aim from this path’s framing.
Mahayana: A major Buddhist tradition centered on the bodhisattva path and universal liberation. Bodhicitta is a defining ideal across Mahayana traditions.
Six perfections: The Mahayana practices of generosity, ethics, patience, effort, meditation, and wisdom. These practices give bodhicitta a disciplined course of action.

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