Bodhisattva

Are you a Bodhisattva for anyone? You are probably familiar with the term, but I would like to share formal definitions and what it means to me. In Wikipedia the definition of Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism is "a person who uses skillful means to lead others to see the benefits of virtue and cultivation of wisdom." A Mahayana Buddhist would take a vow to be one. Another definition is "...A person with considerable degree of enlightenment and seeks to use their wisdom to help other human beings to become liberated themselves."

My understanding (or feeling) over the years is that there is no intent on the Bodhisattva's part, he/she is just being. This is unlike Christianity's idea of a guardian angel who is SENT to help another. I believe that if we live authentic lives, we are Bodhisattvas to one another. The important word is "authentic". We do not say or do anything because we want to be recognized or rewarded for our actions, we just are.

Friendship requires a spontaneous experience with another. If one stops to think about what affect one's thought will have on another, we've lost the moment. I don't mean a license to hurt another or to think that "MY Truth" is "The Truth". This is why one's intention is all there is.