You are viewing a single comment's thread from:
RE: The Early Schools of Indian Buddhism Series
In india Buddhism "bodhisathwa" is a person who develop some skills (like generosity ) necessary to be a Buddha. It's a difficult practice that most people easily would give up. If someone wants to end the Samsaric journey (going life after life which has no end otherwise) they can still do it without becoming a Buddha. Anyone can attain The Nirvana or the enlightenment by following the way found by the Buddha. They are called an "Arahanth".
I agree @moniristi, if one follows the teaching of Buddha they can break the chain of rebirths and find peace in this lifetime. But breaking one's conditioned reaction is very difficult, I've been practicing since 1993 and have let go of many conditioned reactions but they were easy to see like a bad temper, panic attacks, and night terrors. I left them behind at a ten-day vipassana retreat, but my conditioning has become subtle and sneaky now that the obvious reactions have been removed.
At this time in my practice, I can't imagine what it would be like to become an Arahant, Bodhisattva, or Buddha.