The first vow of the Bodhisattva is “Sentient beings are numberless; I vow to save them.” Just what does that mean to us as westerners mostly unaccustomed to thinking in such terms? First and foremost just what is a sentient being? Secondly how can we save that something or someone that is uncountable?
The definition of a sentient being is 1. having the power of perception by the senses; conscious. 2. characterized by sensation and consciousness. Now it is quite obvious that this covers a lot of ground. So here we are not just talking about humans but all beings. Nobody can say with this first vow that Buddhist don’t set the bar high. Buddhist thought and philosophy endeavors to shake us free of our small minded preconceived notions of reality.
Herein is the concept of unity. We save all sentient beings by first saving ourselves. As when we learn to grow a garden properly or how to hunt for food it takes practice before we can be proficient. After we reach a certain level we start naturally to share our knowledge in these matters.
So to it is with awakening. We need to practice our chosen method and when we become proficient then we will naturally want to share it with others. The Bodhisattva is not a person it is a realization that comes into you when you turn to another with true compassion in a time of need. When you meet a person who has just lost a loved one and you share their pain, not superficially, but in a real sense, you are the Bodhisattva. We all can save beings one at a time by being awake to situations that arise all around us and acting out of our compassionate nature.
To act out of our compassionate nature we need to develop it with our practice. When we start we are lost as to what to do or how to act. As we progress our compassionate nature becomes awakened within us and we act accordingly in each situation as it arises. Like a fire we can light the path for others to awaken and thus save ouselves and them.
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