The Altruistic Intention: What People Get Wrong About Buddhism, Enlightenment, and Bodhisattvas.

Dispelling a very common myth about the Altruistic Intention and the Mahayana Bodhisattva Path; and how it applies to your practice and attaining enlightenment.

In this article we will (1) learn about the Buddhist Altruistic Intention: what it is, what it isn't, and how it applies to Bodhisattvas and to your practice.  We will also briefly (2) review what Buddhist enlightenment is and what it means to be "enlightened."

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Before we start, let's knock down some misbeliefs right now.

Mahayana Bodhisattvas and Nirvana: What People Get Wrong

Three Common Misbeliefs I Hear About Mahayana Bodhisattvas and/or the Mahayana Dharma:

1. Belief #1: Bodhisattvas vow not to enter into nirvana until they have helped all beings to liberation.  This is not true.
2. Belief #2: Mahayana Buddhists must not directly pursue stream-entry or enlightenment.  This is not true.
3. Belief #3: Being motivated to attain enlightenment-in-this-life is both selfish and Hinayana.  This is not true.

These are remarkably common misunderstandings of the Mahayana Bodhisattava Path and the Altruistic Intention to guide others, and spending some time to understand the root texts and commentaries can help us to better understand the intent and esoteric meanings of the teachings on this concept that hold us back from true progress along the Path.

But short of doing that—and before we jump into the concept of the Altruistic Intention—it's helpful to understand at a very high-level what enlightenment is to a Buddhist practitioner and what the implications are of attaining it, even partially.

So let's jump right in and begin!

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