enlightment

in mahāyāna buddhism it is said that enlightment should be reached for the benefit of all sentient beings. someone who seeks enlightment for the benefit of all sentient beings is called bodhisattva.

(this is possibly a difference with theravāda)

my question is: how can the enlightment of a single person bring benefit to all sentient being?

:: bodhicitta ::

if a person were enlightened, all other sentient beings may still be un-enlightened.

an enlightened person cannot simply induce enlightened in other people through proximity, osmosis, or else.

how can those un-enlightened people benefit from that single person?

in mahāyāna buddhism there is a distinction between

• arhat: seeks enlightment to be liberated from the cycle of death/rebirth (saṃsāra)
• bodhisattva: vows that, once they reach enlightment, they would use that insight to help other beings reach enlightment. that intention is called bodhicitta.

so, although there may be ways for unenlightened people to benefit from an enlightened person, bodhicitta is a purposeful intention to do so.

:: who/what gets enlightened? ::

buddhism states that no one has an autonomous, independent existance. that’s to say, we don’t exist as separate entities: we exist as inter-dependent entities (this theory is called śūnyatā).

being enlightened implies recognising that there isn’t an “I” who gets enlightened, and a bunch of “they” who don’t. the very idea of “I” (ego) is an illusion created in the mind.

so, pursuing enlightment as something that benefits my self is a wrong view: there is no-one/nothing that gets enlightened. being inter-dependent ultimately means that the effect of enlightment would affect that inter-dependence.

:: ways to benefit ::

having realised the true nature, i.e. having reached enlightment, a bodhisattva can:

-> teach other people

the historical buddha is the primal example of this.

an enlightened person:

• understands the nature of dhukka (suffering, unsatisfactory feelings)
• understands the origin of dhukka
• understands the cessation of dhukka
• can keep teaching the path to the cessation of dhukka

those are the Four Noble Truths + Eightfold Path.

-> use their behaviour as an example

an enlightened person would have mastered greed, anger, delusion and fostered generosity, loving kindness, wisdom.

by interacting with people, their example may inspire others.

-> apply loving kindness

mahāyāna describes wisdom (prajñā) and compassion (karuṇā) as inseparable.

the more a person understands the inter-dependence of all beings (wisdom), the more they will be compassionate toward others (compassion).

:: my understanding ::

an enlightened person:

• realises that there is no “I” vs “others”: we are inder-dependent
• that wisdom fosters compassion toward other beings
• that compassion can be put to use through teaching, example, kindness and other beings may benefit from it.