Bodhisattva Vow

We take the bodhisattva vow when we become inspired by bodhicitta and feel compelled to dedicate our practice for the sake of all beings.

The Bodhisattva vow is a vow taken by some Mahāyāna Buddhists to achieve full buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings. One who has taken the vow is nominally known as a bodhisattva. This can be done by venerating all Buddhas and by cultivating supreme moral and spiritual perfection, to be placed in the service of others. In particular, bodhisattvas promise to practice the six perfections of giving, moral discipline, patience, effort, concentration and wisdom in order to fulfill their bodhicitta aim of attaining buddhahood for the sake of all beings.

This article discusses the Bodhisattva Vow, used in Mahayana Buddhism as practitioners enter the path of assisting all beings in pursuit of liberation.

The Great Vows, known as the Bodhisattva Vows, probably originated in China around the sixth century. Today the vows are recited at the end of services in most Mahayana centers.

Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche explains; those who take the bodhisattva vow make one simple commitment: to put others first, holding nothing back for themselves.