Bodhisattva vows

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In the Bodhisattva vows (sometimes called the Bodhisattva Precepts) of Mahayana Buddhism, the bodhisattvas take vows stating that they will not realize or attain Nirvana until all sentient beings have done so. This four-part vow is made out of compassion and the bodhisattva devotes his/her powers to helping others attain Nirvana.

Buddhist lay persons may take the bodhisattva vows in order to initiate their spiritual journey. The following table of the fourfold vow is as practices by the Chan and Zen tradition.

Sino-Japanese	English	Chinese (pinyin)	Chinese (hanzi)
Shi gu sei gan	The Four Great Vows	Sì hóng shì yuàn	四弘誓願
Shu jo mu hen sei gan do	I vow to liberate all beings, without number	Zhòng shēng wúbiān shì yuàn dù	眾生無邊誓願度
Bon no mu jin sei gan dan	I vow to uproot endless blind passions	Fánnǎo wújìn shì yuàn duàn	煩惱無盡誓願斷
Ho mon mu ryo sei gan gaku	I vow to penetrate dharma gates beyond measure	Fǎ mén wúliàng shì yuàn xué	法門無量誓願學
Butsu do mu jo sei gan jo	I vow to attain the way of the Buddha	Fó dào wúshàng shì yuàn chéng	佛道無上誓願成

1 Brahma Net Sutra
2 Asanga's Bodhisattvabhumi
3 The 22 Vows of Modern Indian Buddhist Revival
4 External links

[edit] Brahma Net Sutra

The Brahma Net Sutra translated by Kumarajiva (circa 400 CE) has a list of ten major and forty-eight minor Bodhisattva vows. The ten major vows are as follows:

Not to kill any living creature
Not to steal anything
Not to engage in any form of sexual misconduct
Not to lie or use false speech
Not to trade alcoholic beverages
Not to discuss the faults and misdeeds that occur by any Buddhist
Not to praise oneself or disparage others
Not to be stingy or abusive towards those in need
Not to harbor anger or resentment or encourage others to be angry
Not to criticise or slander the Three Jewels

[edit] Asanga's Bodhisattvabhumi

Asanga (circa 300 CE) delineated 18 major vows and forty-six minor vows. These Bodhisattva vows are still used by the Gelukpa and Kagyu traditions of indo-tibetan Buddhism. The eighteen major vows (as actions to be abandoned) are as follows:

Praising oneself or belittling others due to attachment to receiving material offerings, praise and respect.
Not giving material aid or (due to miserliness) not teaching the Dharma to those who are suffering and without a protector.
Not listening although another declares his/her offence or with anger blaming him/her and retaliating.
Abandoning the Mahayana by saying that Mahayana texts are not the words of Buddha or teaching what appears to be the Dharma but is not.
Taking things belonging to Buddha, Dharma or Sangha.
Abandoning the holy Dharma by saying that texts which teach the three vehicles are not the Buddha's word.
With anger depriving ordained ones or their robes, beating and imprisoning them or causing them to lose their ordination even if they have impure morality, for example, by saying that being ordained is useless.
Committing any of the five extremely negative actions: (1) killing one's mother, (2) killing one's father, (3) killing an arhat, (4) intentionally drawing blood from a Buddha or (5) causing schism in the Sangha community by supporting and spreading sectarian views.
Holding distorted views (which are contrary to the teaching of Buddha, such as denying the existence of the Three Jewels or the law of cause and effect etc.)
Destroying towns, villages, cities or large areas by means such as fire, bombs, pollution or black magic.
Teaching emptiness to those whose minds are unprepared.
Causing those who have entered the Mahayana to turn away from working for the full enlightenment of Buddhahood and encouraging them to work merely for their own liberation from suffering.
Causing others to abandon completely their vows of self liberation and embrace the Mahayana.
Holding and causing others to hold the view that the Sravaka vehicle does not abandon attachment and other delusions.
Falsely stating that oneself has realised profound emptiness and that if others meditate as one has, they will realize emptiness and become as great and as highly realized as oneself.
Taking gifts from others who were encouraged to give you things originally intended as offerings to the Three Jewels. Not giving things to the Three Jewels that others have given you to give to them, or accepting property stolen from the Three Jewels.
Causing those engaged in calm-abiding meditation to give it up by giving their belongings to those who are merely reciting texts or making bad disciplinary rules which cause a spiritual community not to be harmonious.
Abandoning the either of the two types of Bodhicitta (aspiring and engaging).

[edit] The 22 Vows of Modern Indian Buddhist Revival

After receiving ordination from Buddhist monk Bhadant U Chandramani, on 14th October 1956 at Nagpur, Bodhisattva Dr. B. R. Ambedkar the founder of modern India Buddhist Movement in 20th Century gave dhamma diksha to his followers. The ceremony included 22 vows given to all new converts after Three Jewels and Five Precepts. On 16th October 1956, Ambedkar performed another mass religious conversion ceremony at Chanda . These Bodhisattva vows is major force in Buddhist Revival and millions of people are converting to Buddhism in India. The twenty-two vows are as follows:

1) I shall have no faith in Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh nor shall I worship them.

2) I shall have no faith in Rama and Krishna who are believed to be incarnation of God nor shall I worship them.

3) I shall have no faith in ‘Gauri’, Ganapati and other gods and goddesses of Hindus nor shall I worship them.

4) I do not believe in the incarnation of God.

5) I do not and shall not believe that Lord Buddha was the incarnation of Vishnu. I believe this to be sheer madness and false propaganda.

6) I shall not perform ‘Shraddha’ nor shall I give ‘pind-dan’.

7) I shall not act in a manner violating the principles and teachings of the Buddha.

8) I shall not allow any ceremonies to be performed by Brahmins.

9) I shall believe in the equality of man.

10) I shall endeavor to establish equality.

11) I shall follow the ‘noble eightfold path’ of the Buddha.

12) I shall follow the ten ‘paramitas’ prescribed by the Buddha.

13) I shall have compassion and loving kindness for all living beings and protect them.

14) I shall not steal.

15) I shall not tell lies.

16) I shall not commit carnal sins.

17) I shall not take intoxicants like liquor, drugs etc.

18) I shall endeavor to follow the noble eightfold path and practice compassion and loving kindness in every day life.

19) I renounce Hinduism, which is harmful for humanity and impedes the advancement and development of humanity because it is based on inequality, and adopt Buddhism as my religion.

20) I firmly believe the Dhamma of the Buddha is the only true religion.

21) I believe that I am having a re-birth.

22) I solemnly declare and affirm that I shall hereafter lead my life according to the principles and teachings of the Buddha and his Dhamma.