What are the "Four Great Vows"?

What are the "Four Great Vows"?

The four vows often talked about in Buddhism are the four major vows made by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas when they practice according to the place. Every disciple of Buddhism should also think of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to study, often develop bodhicitta, and make four grand vows, which we will introduce in detail.

First, the boundless vows of sentient beings. What is the purpose of Shakyamuni Buddha appearing in the world and the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas appearing in the world? It is to help destined beings to escape suffering and gain happiness. Why do sentient beings suffer and have joy? The Buddha told us that suffering is because of confusion, confusion is confusion, and we cannot see the truth clearly, so who knows the truth? Only the Bodhisattva who understands the mind and sees the nature knows, and the Buddha knows. Why do you have to save sentient beings? Because all living beings have Buddha nature, Buddha nature is true as one, sentient beings and Buddha are one, everything is one, just like our left hand and right hand, if our left hand is injured, will the right hand still look at it?

Second, the troubles are boundless, and the vow is broken. The reason why we have suffering and happiness is because the habits and afflictions brought about since the beginningless period hinder the wisdom of our own nature. When the Buddha became enlightened under the Bodhi tree, he said: "All sentient beings have the wisdom and virtue of the Tathagata, but they cannot be realized by delusional attachment", delusion and attachment are afflictions, a thought of confusion is an ordinary person, and a thought of enlightenment becomes a Buddha, so we must first cut off these afflictions first, so that our self-nature wisdom can appear and play a role. If you cut off your thoughts and afflictions, you can attain the fruit of arhatship; If you cut off the dust and sand afflictions, you will attain the bodhisattva fruit; If you cut off the afflictions of ignorance again, you will attain Buddhahood.

Third, the Dharma is immeasurably vowed to learn. The Buddha said that there are 84,000 methods in Buddhism, have we learned so many methods? When will you be able to learn? That is, after the completion of the second vow, "Boundless Vows of Afflictions", you have seen your nature and become enlightened, and only then can you learn the infinite method. But for beginners, it is not possible, you must take the route of precepts, concentration, and wisdom, one discipline is deep, and you have practiced for a long time. Precepts are to make you abide by the rules, help you let go of your worries, and help you settle down. When you let go of your worries, you will get it, and when you get a certain degree of concentration, you will suddenly become enlightened, and then you can learn any method again.

Fourth, the supreme vow of Buddhism and Taoism has been fulfilled. This sentence says that the ultimate goal of learning Buddhism is to become a Buddha, not even a bodhisattva, and the goal of becoming a Buddha must be achieved. How to fulfill this wish? After the first three wishes were successfully completed, the last wish came naturally. So what do you do after becoming a Buddha? Therefore, the final result of the Bodhisattva's cultivation, learning, and verification is all for the benefit of all sentient beings and dedication to all sentient beings, which is the supreme bodhicitta of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.