Bodhisattva Vows in Secular Buddhism

The term bodhisattva is comprised of two words, bodhi (Skt.)–meaning awakening, and sattva (Skt.)–meaning, essence, being, or spirit; together they can be translated as one who possesses the mind of awakening. The Mahayana tradition (often referred to as the Bodhisattva Vehicle) is founded upon the bodhisattva ideal. The bodhisattva is an advanced practitioner (monastic or lay) who possesses the altruistic aspiration and determination to awaken in order to free all beings from suffering.  
Venerable Tenzin Tharpa is an American Buddhist monk in the Tibetan Tradition. He is well known for his pragmatic, no-nonsense views, his ability to clarify complex philosophical points for all audiences, and his familiarity with all traditions of Buddhist thought and non-Buddhist traditions as well.   
SBT, the Secular Buddhist Tradition, is an international online Sangha established by Venerable Tenzin Tharpa as a spiritual community for like-minded friends. Friends dedicated to the study and practice of the timeless wisdom of the Buddha. A community committed to goodness and improvement, embracing skillful living and a holistic spiritual lifestyle. In our teachings, we present the Buddha’s dharma as neither a religion nor an exotic belief system. We share a practical presentation focused on the positive life-affirming message of the Buddha, while emphasizing those concepts that we deem most illuminating, plausible, and potentially fruitful. Our aim is to inform and guide without sharing presumptions regarding what to believe.   
For free Buddhist study material and to learn more about SBT visit our website at: http://SBTonline.org 
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