The Bodhisattva Ideal
I am slowing working through Alan Watt’s “The Way of Zen”. A few days ago, I got the the section where he introduced Mahayana Buddhism and the Bodhisattva. He notes that the idea of personal enlightenment almost seems “selfish”. I loved that comment!
Self-centered Religions
As I have noted elsewhere, this was one of the aspects of Christianity that was most difficult for me, before I became an atheist at 25. Imagine saying something like, “I am going to be OK! It doesn’t really matter what happens to you, as long as I am alright!” I would argue that a person of higher moral strength and insight would say something like, “If these good people cannot come into your ‘heaven’ then I don’t want to go either!” This was (and is) one of the most unpleasant aspects of Christianity, for me.
The Saha Ideal
In the Saha Dukkha, we are all moving towards liberation together. There is no personal “salvation”. We develop together through Dependent Arising and we are liberated together. No one get left behind.
No one gets left behind!
May all beings be free from suffering!
Tūruapō
13 July 2026