What does the Bodhisattva vow mean to you?

[Tomás ESP]

When we recite the Four Great Bodhisattva Vows and read "To save all sentient beings, though beings numberless". How does that manifest in your life? When I see this in the "traditional sense", as a vow to stay in Samsara until the beings of all of existence are awakened, it generates a sense of fear. But when I switch it up and I simply see it as helping as many beings as possible in my life, in this moment, it does feel like a realistic goal.

Gassho, Tomás
Sat

[Geika]

I agree that it can be taken in both ways. It is also kind of like a koan: save all beings, yet there are infinite beings: an impossible task. By vowing to do this impossible task I take up great faith in the dharma and practice earnestly for the sake of all.

Gassho
Sat, lah

[Bion]

That is a lovely question.
I take my vows very seriously, or at least I think I do, the same way I hold myself to high standards when it come to the precepts I was entrusted with as a boddhisatva. They go together.
For me, “to save all beings” translates into the understanding that I am now in service of everyone else so it is not about “just myself”, since there is no such separation.

In a practical sense, to me, that meas that everyone’s wellbeing matters to me, and I cannot allow myself to judge and discriminate, to pick and choose who deserves compassion and who does not.

The idea of “remaining in Samsara”, even literally taken still just relates to where we are right now! Samsara is not somewhere else, so I take it to mean that my duty is to shine a light for everyone right here, in the middle of this messy world, to point the finger at the Buddha dharma and serve as an example of how living by IT is beneficial and wise. A Boddhisatva chooses to come back to suffering for the benefit of others continuously.

In a broader sense, I also take it to mean that the benefits of my continuous practice of the Buddha dharma extend universally to all, so it is my duty and responsibility to continue practicing it diligently.

Hope this is an acceptable answer for you! It is also, tremendously incomplete.

Sorry for length!!


[emoji1374] Sat Today

[aprapti]

It is also kind of like a koan: save all beings, yet there are infinite beings: an impossible task. By vowing to do this impossible task I take up great faith in the dharma and practice earnestly for the sake of all.

this is the way i see it too..

aprapti

sat

[bayamo]

Great track by the Beastie Boys and has a contemporary version of the lyrics we can all relate to
#sattoday

Sent from my SM-A325M using Tapatalk

[Doshin]

Tomas that is a good question that each of us should consider deeply. In my experience some who walk this path are more about their own saving which has turned me away in the past….but I am still here. I use the precepts to guide me each day. Also all sentient beings means all species to me since we are interdependent with the web of life. My take is that each of us should do what we can.

Doshin
St

[Prashanth]

Thank you, Tomas, for starting this thought among us.
I am no expert at linguistic exploration of these vows, but I do like to take a deductive approach. What is included and what is not included. To me, this vow is not about taking a missionary approach to "saving" others. It's also not a trick statement, otherwise why would it be a "vow" in the first place? It is also not a rule, as what's the consequence when the rule is broken?

In my simple mind, I see it as trying to "say something when I see something" going against basic human values, particularly elucidated by the path of dharma. If I can "do something" about it, that would be even good.

I may be wrong in this understanding, but then I rely on the Sangha to learn after all.

Gassho.

Sorry to run long.

Sat.

Sent from my Lenovo TB-7305F using Tapatalk

[Jundo]

There is a vital aspect to the Bodhisattva Vow which must be thoroughly understood:

We vow to save all sentient beings, yet there are no "sentient beings" to save!

Better said, sentient beings feeling as separate "selves" thus encounter all the dukkha (suffering) of birth and death, loss and gain and conflict. Only by experiencing the flowing Wholeness in which there are no separate "selves" to be born or die, rise or fall ... no two to conflict ... can one know liberation from suffering.

Thus, to save all sentient beings is to have the sentient beings experience that there are no sentient beings, never were, no death to fear, nothing ever to be lost (or possible to gain, for that matter) in such Wholeness.

Of course, in this relative world of Samsara, there are sentient beings, and so an aspect of this vow can include bringing them food, shelter, comfort and other worldly benefits too. We should. However, the ultimate meaning is that one must see through Samsara.

Beings are numberless, yet all are instantaneously saved immediately when one realizes liberation from all separate numbers and division.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Tairin]

Good question. I recite these vows daily at the end of my Zazen.

I like and agree with the answers so far (well I am not too sure about the Beastie Boys )

To answer in my own words…. For me “saving all sentient beings though beings are numberless” is a reminder to look beyond myself and my own well-being. It means to put my focus on living a good life that minimizes causing harm and try to do good things for others. It is also a reminder that this isn’t a task that will be completed but a commitment to carry on for the rest of my life.

Try to not cause harm
Try to do only good things
Do good things for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Live as best I can according to the Precepts.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[bayamo]

Well, I think the lyrics as a whole are great and a quick Google search will pull them up (there's even videos on YT with the music and lyrics) but this part I pretty much use daily, often three or four times:


If others disrespect me or give me flak
I'll stop and think before I react
Knowing that they're going through insecure stages
I'll take the opportunity to exercise patience
I'll see it as a chance to help the other person
Nip it in the bud before it can worsen

#sattoday

Sent from my SM-A325M using Tapatalk

[Dogukan]

It is really striking to see that I have no clear (or at least, nearly clear) answer to this question, though I repeat the vows. Sometimes I accept some of the very basic things as given, on the assumption that I should already have a certain familiarity with them. Therefore, it's always possible to neglect to reflect upon these vows personally. Thank you Tomás for triggering this awareness. And thank you all, for sharing your personal reflections and understandings.

And to this:

Thus, to save all sentient beings is to have the sentient beings experience that there are no sentient beings, never were, no death to fear, nothing ever to be lost (or possible to gain, for that matter) in such Wholeness.

Of course, in this relative world of Samsara, there are sentient beings, and so an aspect of this vow can include bringing them food, shelter, comfort and other worldly benefits too. We should. However, the ultimate meaning is that one must see through Samsara.

Beings are numberless, yet all are instantaneously saved immediately when one realizes liberation from all separate numbers and division.

Gassho,
Doğukan.
Sit.

[Prashanth]

There is a vital aspect to the Bodhisattva Vow which must be thoroughly understood:

We vow to save all sentient beings, yet there are no "sentient beings" to save!

Better said, sentient beings feeling as separate "selves" thus encounter all the dukkha (suffering) of birth and death, loss and gain and conflict. Only by experiencing the flowing Wholeness in which there are no separate "selves" to be born or die, rise or fall ... no two to conflict ... can one know liberation from suffering.

Thus, to save all sentient beings is to have the sentient beings experience that there are no sentient beings, never were, no death to fear, nothing ever to be lost (or possible to gain, for that matter) in such Wholeness.

Of course, in this relative world of Samsara, there are sentient beings, and so an aspect of this vow can include bringing them food, shelter, comfort and other worldly benefits too. We should. However, the ultimate meaning is that one must see through Samsara.

Beings are numberless, yet all are instantaneously saved immediately when one realizes liberation from all separate numbers and division.

Gassho, J

STLah

Why is it all so abstract, Jundo?
Whoever thought this level of abstraction would save any beings, sentient or not?

Gassho.

Sat

Sent from my Lenovo TB-7305F using Tapatalk

[Bion]

What does the Bodhisattva vow mean to you?

Why is it all so abstract, Jundo?
Whoever thought this level of abstraction would save any beings, sentient or not?

Gassho.

Sat

Sent from my Lenovo TB-7305F using Tapatalk

Haha well, it’s not like someone invented the true nature of things and decided to make it difficult [emoji23]
What other escape is there from suffering but to see through delusion?

[emoji1374] Sat Today

[Heiso]

I agree that it can be taken in both ways. It is also kind of like a koan: save all beings, yet there are infinite beings: an impossible task. By vowing to do this impossible task I take up great faith in the dharma and practice earnestly for the sake of all.

Gassho
Sat, lah

I really like this, especially when combined with Jundo's point that there are really no beings to save - so I think for me it is being constantly of service to all beings at all times (or at least try to) because to do so is to recognise that ultimately we are all beings and they are us. I'm also mindful of some of the discussions us Ecosattvas have had in the Ecodharma group and how all beings includes our environment

It is also a great Beastie Boys track.

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

[aprapti]

Beings are numberless, yet all are instantaneously saved immediately when one realizes liberation from all separate numbers and division.

It is also kind of like a koan: save all beings, yet there are infinite beings: an impossible task. By vowing to do this impossible task I take up great faith in the dharma and practice earnestly for the sake of all.

Winnie-the-Pooh roshi would say : it's the same..

aprapti

sat