Bodhisattva Path of Theravada

A forum for beginners and members of other Buddhist traditions to ask questions about Theravāda (The Way of the Elders). Responses require moderator approval before they are visible in order to double-check alignment to Theravāda orthodoxy.
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Dharmasherab
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Re: Bodhisattva Path of Theravada

Post by Dharmasherab »

Here are some useful things which I found some of which I am about to read.

The Ten Perfections: A Study Guide by Bhikkhu Thanissaro
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/stu ... tions.html

The Theravada section within the Bodhisattva article in Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisatt ... a_Buddhism

The Bodhisattva Ideal in Theory and Practice by Jeffrey Samuels
https://info-buddhism.com/Bodhisattva-I ... muels.html

I am also considering reading on an article on the Bodhisattva ideal within Theravada which was published in The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies.
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samsarictravelling
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Re: Bodhisattva Path of Theravada

Post by samsarictravelling »

Dharmasherab wrote: Sun Nov 19, 2017 4:10 pm I am aware that the Theravada has 10 Perfections (Dasa Paramita). I hear conflicting views where some say Theravada has its Bodhisattva path whiles others say that it doesnt. So my question is -

Does the Theravada have its own Bodhisattva path leading to Supreme Buddhahood as an alternative to the paths of the Sravaka and Pacceka Buddha?
Yes, it does. And I think you should use the word 'bodhisatta' instead (leave out the 'v').

The 10 perfections (paramis) of the Theravada tradition's bodhisatta path are:

1. generosity (dana)
2. morality (sila)
3. patience ("ksanti" or spelt something like that)
4. vigor ("virya" or spelt something like that)
5. renunciation (nekkhamma)
6. truthfulness (sacca)
7. determination ("adhitthana" or spelt something like that)
8. lovingkindness (metta)
9. equanimity (uppekha)
10. wisdom (panna)

The Mahayana bodhisattva's (with a 'v') 10 perfections are:

1. generosity (dana)
2. morality (sila)
3. patience ("kshanti" or spelt something like that)
4. vigor ("viriya" or spelt something like that)
5. meditation (samadhi)
6. wisdom (prajna)
7. skill-in-means ("upaya kausalya" or spelt something like that)
8. vows (?)
9. power ('bala'?)
10. knowledge (?)

I read somewhere something like this: that the path the Buddha taught lead to Arahantship, so there must be a different path that lead to full Buddhahood.
A fool from HK
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Re: Bodhisattva Path of Theravada

Post by A fool from HK »

The Bodhisatta Path sounds very strange to me. It just like a self-taught pianist teaches people to become another self-taught pianist.
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unveiledartist
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Re: Bodhisattva Path of Theravada

Post by unveiledartist »

DooDoot wrote: Mon Nov 20, 2017 4:31 am
Dharmasherab wrote: Sun Nov 19, 2017 4:10 pm I hear conflicting views where some say Theravada has its Bodhisattva path
In Theravada, the term "Bodhisatta" refers to an unenligthened puthujjana. This is why there is no Bodhisatta path in Theravada but only a path to Nibbana.
Bhikkhus, before my enlightenment, while I was still only an unenlightened Bodhisatta, it occurred to me: ‘Suppose that I divide my thoughts into two classes. Then I set on one side thoughts of sensual desire, thoughts of ill will, and thoughts of cruelty, and I set on the other side thoughts of renunciation, thoughts of non-ill will, and thoughts of non-cruelty....

https://suttacentral.net/en/mn19
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LG2V
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Re: Bodhisattva Path of Theravada

Post by LG2V »

I do wonder if the rate of Buddhas arising is increasing or decreasing, or has remained generally the same. It seems like somewhat of an inconjecturable, though.
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Dhammarakkhito
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Re: Bodhisattva Path of Theravada

Post by Dhammarakkhito »

LG2V wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:17 pm I do wonder if the rate of Buddhas arising is increasing or decreasing, or has remained generally the same. It seems like somewhat of an inconjecturable, though.
in this aeon alone, there have been 4 sammāsambuddhas, including gotama.
‘It is now ninety-one aeons ago, brethren, since Vipassī, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It is now thirty-one aeons ago, brethren, since Sikhī, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in that same thirty-first aeon, brethren, that Vessabhū, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in this present auspicious aeon, brethren, that Kakusandha, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in this auspicious aeon, brethren, that Koṇāgamana, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in this auspicious aeon, brethren, that Kassapa, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It is in this auspicious aeon, brethren, that now I, an Arahant, Buddha Supreme, have arisen in the world.’
https://suttacentral.net/en/dn14

as you see, this is a dramatic difference. not only is it uncommon to have a ssbuddha in your present aeon, but it is exceedingly rare to have 4. metteyya is the upcoming ssbuddha, and from what i understand he is coming in this aeon, albeit many, many years from now.
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Met ... imet04.htm
https://suttacentral.net/en/dn26
"Just as the ocean has a single taste — that of salt — in the same way, this Dhamma-Vinaya has a single taste: that of release."
— Ud 5.5

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Dhammarakkhito
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Re: Bodhisattva Path of Theravada

Post by Dhammarakkhito »

“So too, bhikkhus, it is by chance that one obtains the human state; by chance that a Tathagata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One arises in the world; by chance that the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata shines in the world.
https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.48


the sammāsambuddha is worthy of utmost reverence, but this doesn't mean we should try to become sammāsambuddhas
there can only be one ssbuddha in any one world system at a given time www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/ar ... ments.html
the ssbuddha discovers the path to nibbāna and teaches it, and then others become arahants (sāvakabuddhas) after hearing the dhamma
but the utter and complete destruction of suffering is the same for an arahant or a (ss)buddha. foregoing your own enlightenment to help another is repeatedly condemned in the suttas. for example, “Cunda, that one who is himself sinking in the mud should pull out another who is sinking in the mud is impossible; that one who is not himself sinking in the mud should pull out another who is sinking in the mud is possible. That one who is himself untamed, undisciplined, [with defilements] unextinguished, should tame another, discipline him, and help extinguish [his defilements] is impossible; that one who is himself tamed, disciplined, [with defilements] extinguished, should tame another, discipline him, and help extinguish [his defilements] is possible." http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/middle-l ... ekha-sutta
more on why a ssbuddha is revered here https://suttacentral.net/en/mn77
it is impossible to become a buddha until after the current buddha's dhamma wanes. furthermore, metteyya has already been predicted to be the next ssbuddha, but it would be possible to be a paccekabuddha, one who has all the attainments of the ssbuddha but either lacks the miracle of teaching or for whatever reason doesn't teach.
"Just as the ocean has a single taste — that of salt — in the same way, this Dhamma-Vinaya has a single taste: that of release."
— Ud 5.5

https://www.facebook.com/noblebuddhadha ... 34/?type=3

http://seeingthroughthenet.net/
https://sites.google.com/site/santipada ... allytaught
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LG2V
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Re: Bodhisattva Path of Theravada

Post by LG2V »

Dhammarakkhito wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:32 am
LG2V wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:17 pm I do wonder if the rate of Buddhas arising is increasing or decreasing, or has remained generally the same. It seems like somewhat of an inconjecturable, though.
in this aeon alone, there have been 4 sammāsambuddhas, including gotama.
‘It is now ninety-one aeons ago, brethren, since Vipassī, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It is now thirty-one aeons ago, brethren, since Sikhī, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in that same thirty-first aeon, brethren, that Vessabhū, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in this present auspicious aeon, brethren, that Kakusandha, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in this auspicious aeon, brethren, that Koṇāgamana, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in this auspicious aeon, brethren, that Kassapa, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It is in this auspicious aeon, brethren, that now I, an Arahant, Buddha Supreme, have arisen in the world.’
https://suttacentral.net/en/dn14

as you see, this is a dramatic difference. not only is it uncommon to have a ssbuddha in your present aeon, but it is exceedingly rare to have 4. metteyya is the upcoming ssbuddha, and from what i understand he is coming in this aeon, albeit many, many years from now.
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Met ... imet04.htm
https://suttacentral.net/en/dn26
:anjali:
Here are some excellent sites for giving free Dana (Click-Based Donation):
http://freerice.comhttp://greatergood.com/www.ripple.orgwww.thenonprofits.com
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