The way of Self-discipline and of Wisdom presuppose in a follower self-restraint, intelligence and concentration power - abilities which, in the experience of Buddhism, are possessed by only a small portion of mankind. For the many who are untalented in these ways, the Mahayana therefore teaches three more methods of liberation: The Bodhisattva Way, the Way of Faith, and the Cultic Way. Let us first observe the Bodhisattva Way.

On the Bodhisattva Way, the seeker relies of Great Compassion (tu*` bi) of the Bodhisattvas. To obtain Nirvana, the followers of the Bodhisattva way themselves take the vows of the Bodhisattva to practise self-lessness in helping others and seek for guidance from the Transcendental Bodhisattva to help remove unwholesome karmic seed and replace it with wholesome karmic merit assisting to speedier emancipation. There are ten stages of which the Earthly Bodhisattva follows to speed up his/her emancipation.

• The joyful (pramundita) - The believer takes the Bodhisattva vow to dedicate himself completely to the liberation of others and to postpone his own total extinction until all beings are free from suffering. Full of joy about his being on the way to help others, the young Bodhisattva cultivates in particular virtue-perfection of openhandedness. Without egoistic ulterior motives, he gives his possessions away to those in need.
• The Immanculate (vimala) - He perfects his self disciplines in the way the Buddha had taught.
• The Radiating (prabhakari) - The Bodhisattva gains insight into the transient nature of the world and develops the virtue of patience(ksanti). Patience here means willing endurance of adversities and perserverance in efforts for the deliverance of the world.
• The Blazing (arcismati) - As with flames, the Bodhisattva burns the remnant of false ideas. He cultivates will-power (virya) which he needs to be victorious in his struggle for the liberation of all beings.
• The Extremely Difficult to Conquer (sudurajya) - He perfects himself through meditation in order to grasp intuitively the true nature of existence.
• The Stage of Facing Wisdom (abhimukhi) -The Bodhisattva gains insights into Conditioned Origination which is the cause of sorrowful individual existance. His wisdom becomes perfect as he relies on the Emptiness of all beings and things and cognises it as the Absolute. On this stage he had realized Nirvana, but refuse to enter Static Nirvana in order to help those who still sees suffering as real.
• The Far-going (durangama) - The Bodhisattva changes over to a new mode of being, he becomes the Transcendent Bodhisattva, no longer tied to a physical body. He in his free will can assume any conceivable appearance for the deliverance of others.
• The Immovable (acala) - He gains the power to transfer his karmic merit to unliberated beings. Their well being in his vows.
• The Good Thought (sadhumati) - With strengh he devotes himself to the task of executing his vow to guide all beings to deliverance. The Bodhisattva on this ninth stage is the Avalokitesvara (Quan The^' A^m).
• The Clouds of Doctrine (Dharmamegha) - The Bodhisattva realizes his own knowledge. His body begins to radiate and to illuminate the universe. Amidst the Bodhisattvas of the ten direction, he sits on the lotus in the Tsusita (Tro*i Dao Lo*.i) heaven. One more chance of existence, and he will attain Buddhaship. Maitreya (Bo^` Ta't Di La(.c) is the Bodhisattva on this tenth floor of perfection.

Accompanying are the six virtues of the Bodhisattva which play a role in his career.

• Open-handedness (dana)
• Discipline ('sila)
• Patience (ksanti)
• Will-power (virya)
• Meditation (dyana)
• Wisdom (prajna)

These six perfections are said to be true friends of the Bodhisattva and the cause of his omniscience. The other four which determins his path are:

• Right Method (upaya)
• Vow (pranidhana)
• Strengh (bala)
• Knowledge (jnana)

The Bodhissattva Way is the most prominent teachings of Mahayana Buddhism that differs from the older Hinayana Buddhism Schools. Mahayana Buddhism regard the Hinayana Buddhism as only taking the Monks and Nuns to The Wisdom Stage, where Nirvana is realized. There the person would stay in the Static Nirvana and be contented with his/her own deliverance and not help others to attain it also. The Bodhisattva Way also allow not only the Monks and nuns to follow but also the laymen and women to follow as well. It is a way that increases the compassionate nature of the world and help to better it as one awaits salvation from rebirth though True Wisdom.

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The Fundamentals of Mahayana Buddhism

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