Tenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

The Buddhist figure of the bodhisattva cuts an appealing profile in the minds of many. Focused on awakening, always aiding sentient beings, selflessly moving in and through all circumstances no matter how painful or distasteful, the bodhisattva serves as a prototype of compassionate action in the world. As with any prototype, however, one needs to know how to “read” the figure of the bodhisattva, lest one miss its meaning. Nonabiding nirvāṇa (apratiṣṭhita nirvāṇa) is a description of the way a bodhisattva moves in the world. It has been described as a state “restricted neither by the uncontrolled suffering of saṃsāra nor by a quiescent state of liberation that would have [one] powerless to help beings in saṃsāra” (Makransky, 1997). This means that a bodhisattva is aware of circumstances, but is not swayed by their pleasantness or unpleasantness they way most are. Further, because she is able to view beings as the merely the products of conditions, she shows no preferential option for any one (class) of them. Finally, because all conditions are equally empty, the bodhisattva strives neither to ameliorate social conditions nor hide from their effects. The bodhisattva is thus an unavailable ally, but a fierce friend. Attempts to develop a “Buddhist social theory” often rely on the figure of the bodhisattva to ground transformative social action. I show not only why that is a misuse of the bodhisattva’s character, but also why one would not want to use the figure of the bodhisattva to that end.