Angels-BODHISATTVA

Buddhism, one of the major eastern religions, teaches that the ultimate
goal of the religious life is to escape the cycle of death and
rebirth (samsara) and achieve nirvana, an ineffable state of supreme
enlightenment and bliss. The founder of Buddhism, Gautama Buddha
(ca. 600 B.C.), was a former ascetic who became a highly practical spiritual
teacher. The Buddha taught that human beings must depend on
their own efforts to escape the cycle of death and rebirth. His early
teachings did not include angels or angelic beings, but consisted of a
three-fold path of morality, meditation, and wisdom.
While the Buddha himself was profoundly antispeculative and
antimetaphysical, many of his later followers were not. Particularly
after Buddhism split into Theravada (the Teachings of the Elders,
found today in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia) and Mahayana (the
Greater Vehicle, found today in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan), metaphysical
speculation flowered in Mahayana Buddhism and resulted in the
introduction of angel-like helper beings. Mahayana Buddhists differentiated
themselves from the Theravada Buddhists primarily through the
introduction of the bodhisattva concept. The bodhisattva (Being of
Wisdom), is a being who has reached the final stage on the path to nirvana,
but having incredible compassion for the suffering masses of humanity, chooses to postpone entry into the
final blissful state and remain on earth to help
others achieve salvation. The bodhisattva
inhabits a self-created realm existing somewhere
between the earthly and the purely spiritual, no
longer subject to the limitations of materiality.
He or she could help others less spiritually
advanced by bringing them into this realm by
means of his or her personal spiritual power.
According to the religious writings of the
Mahayana Buddhists, each bodhisattva resolves
to assist all beings in every way:
Whatever all beings should obtain, I will
help them to obtain . . . The virtue of generosity
is not my helper—I am the helper of
generosity. Nor do the virtues of morality,
patience, courage, meditation and wisdom
help me—it is I who help them. The perfections
of the bodhisattva do not support
me—it is I who support them. . . .
The ten paramitas (“perfections”) of the
bodhisattva include the six mentioned in the
passage above, plus an additional four mentioned
in other sources. These further perfections
are: skill in knowing the right means to take in leading individuals
to salvation according to their diverse personalities and life
situations, determination, strength and knowledge.
In addition to the ten perfections, the following virtues are attributed
to the bodhisattva. Most of these are analogous to those traditionally
attributed to Western angels.
There are ten (sic) ways by which a bodhisattva gains . . .
strength: . . .
He will give up his body and his life . . . but he will not give
up the Law of Righteousness.
He bows humbly in pride to all beings, and does not increase
in pride.
He has compassion on the weak and does not dislike them.
He gives the best food to those who are hungry.
He protects those who are afraid.
He strives for the healing of those who are sick.
He delights the poor with his riches.He repairs the shrines of the Buddha with plaster.
He speaks to all beings pleasingly.
He shares his riches with those afflicted by poverty.
He bears the burdens of those who are tired and weary.
Similar to angels, bodhisattvas were many in number and each
was known by his or her own name, i.e., Avalokiteshwara (He Who
Looks Down in Mercy), Amitabha (Boundless Light), and Manjushri
(Beautiful Lord). Devotion to a particular bodhisattva was believed to
be a path to salvation for the lay Buddhists.