The Encyclopedia of World Religions

Bon S 57

ment arises in the mind. This thought involves a desire for wisdom; it also involves compassion for others. The thought of enlightenment leads per sons to make a series of vows. These vows in turn determine their future efforts. Some Mahayana texts describe the bodhisat tva path in terms of six perfections. Other texts add four more. The ten perfections are: giving, moral ity, patience, valiant effort, concentration, wis dom, skill in means, the vows of the bodhisattva, power, and knowledge. To cultivate these perfec tions takes not years or centuries but lifetimes and eons. The more time spent as a bodhisattva, the more time there is in which to act out of compas sion for the benefit of other beings. So the longer the time spent as a bodhisattva, the better. Mahayana Buddhism tells many myths about bodhisattvas. It also has many cults dedicated to those bodhisattvas who have reached the highest levels of perfection. Such bodhisattvas are so great that they reside not on Earth but in HEAVEN . From heaven they act out of compassion for those who are suffering here on Earth and in other worlds. In Mahayana Buddhism three celestial bodhi sattvas are most important. One of them is Mai treya, whom Theravada Buddhists also recognize. Mahayana says that Maitreya is a figure of light who inspires Buddhist teachers and guides per sons after death. Because he is coming to usher in a golden age, his worship has given rise to mes sianic societies that have fostered political unrest and revolution ( see MESSIAH ). Another important bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism is Manjusri. He is said to be an eternal youth. Images show him wearing a five-pointed crown, holding a book and a sword, and accompa nied by a lion. According to Mahayana teachings, Manjusri could become a Buddha immediately, but he refuses to enter the ultimate enlightenment so long as a single other being remains in SAMSARA . The bodhisattva A VALOKITESVARA is renowned for compassion. Known in Chinese as Kuan yin and Japanese as Kannon, he has often been envisioned in female form in China and Japan. A helper in every need, he—or she—is a protector of women, especially women in labor.

Bon A religion in Tibet. It dates to the period before the coming of B UDDHISM in the eighth cen tury ( see T IBETAN RELIGION ). Practitioners of Bon are known as Bon-pos.

A bodhisattva is a follower of the Buddha who renounces the path to nirvana in order to help others seek enlightenment. This wooden image of a bodhisattva is from Japan’s Heian period (794–1185). (Art Resource, N.Y.)