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Who can become a bodhisattva according to Mahayana Buddhism?

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Mahayana Guanyin and attendant bodhisattvas, detail of a painted cave mural, Kansu province, China, early 8th century.

In Mahayana Buddhism, the path of the bodhisattva is open to anyone. Unlike non-Mahayana traditions, which often limit the designation of a bodhisattva to the Buddha in his previous lives, Mahayana teaches that any individual can aspire to achieve awakening (bodhicittotpada).12

By making this aspiration—often through a formal vow in a communal ritual context—a person becomes a bodhisattva, committing themselves to the pursuit of buddhahood to work for the benefit of all beings. This inclusive approach reflects the Mahayana belief that because there is no permanent "self," there is no fundamental distinction between oneself and others; therefore, one's own liberation is inseparable from the liberation of all sentient beings.231

As a result, the Mahayana tradition views the universe as filled with a vast range of potential buddhas, from those just beginning their journey to those who have trained for countless lifetimes.2