Guide to the Bodhisattvas

Bodhisattvas, or 'Enlightenment Beings', are dedicated to one thing: helping ordinary people on the path towards Enlightenment. The bodhisattvas know that they are not alone; they are not apart from the rest of life. Seeking Enlightenment for themselves alone can never satisfy as they witness the suffering that is all around them. Their vision is to work endlessly in the service of living beings, helping them to achieve Enlightenment.

This Guide introduces a panoply of figures, superheroes all, brilliant and beautiful, from the vast array that exists in the Buddhist tradition. Meet Tara, the rescuer, Manjusri the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion, among others.

The Bodhisattvas are heirs to the great kingdoms of the five Buddhas. I hope that through meeting them we shall gain a feeling for the Bodhisattva ideal, the most sublime of all the goals to which a man or woman can aspire.