Bodhisattvas Are Never Apart from Sentient Beings

Bodhisattvas are divided into different levels. First, a bodhisattva who has not yet eradicated the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) cannot possibly leave sentient beings, even if he wishes to. Due to the binding of the three fetters, he cannot avoid the three evil destinies, and thus cannot separate from the beings of the three evil destinies; then, returning to the human and heavenly realms, he cannot separate from human and heavenly beings. After eradicating the view of self and the three fetters, a pre-bhūmi bodhisattva (pūrvabhūmika bodhisattva), no matter where he goes, is together with sentient beings and cannot leave them. Post-bhūmi bodhisattvas (bhūmika bodhisattva), because they have made the Ten Endless Vows, are constrained by the power of those vows and cannot enter Nirvāṇa without remainder (Anupadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa); therefore they must remain together with sentient beings.

The key point is which kinds of sentient beings a bodhisattva at each level should be together with—this question must be grasped well. When a bodhisattva makes a vow, he must consider clearly what kind of vow suits him, so as to avoid regret in the future.

Every bodhisattva's first and foremost task is to eradicate the three fetters, and to eradicate them truly, leaving no residual fetters. Only then can one speak of delivering sentient beings, relatively and in accordance with conditions selecting the sentient beings who correspond to oneself.

One may vow to deliver sentient beings in the Sahā world, to deliver sentient beings on Earth, never leaving the Earth or the Sahā world; yet if one's three fetters have not been eradicated, at the end of life one follows those fetters to the three evil destinies. Clearly one made a vow to deliver sentient beings, yet one could not even deliver oneself and still needs other bodhisattvas to deliver one—how can one speak of delivering sentient beings?

Whether it is studying Buddhism, doing good deeds, making vows, and so on, doing anything requires considerable wisdom. One must not act on a surge of hot-blooded impulse, doing whatever one suddenly feels like doing. Not considering the consequences will not do.