The Bodhisattva Vow
The commitment to liberate all sentient beings from suffering.
Taking the bodhisattva vow marks one's formal entry onto the Mahayana path. The practitioner commits to placing others' welfare above their own and working tirelessly for universal liberation.
May I be a protector to those without protection, a leader for those who journey, and a boat, a bridge, a passage for those desiring the further shore.
The vow is renewed daily to strengthen the bodhisattva intention.
Bodhicaryavatara
Written about in
- What Tibetan Buddhism says about service
The commitment that starts the Mahayana path: to work for the freedom of all beings, placing their welfare before your own.