The History of Buddhist Thought c21.33

c21.33

There is a bodhisattva doctrine also in Theravāda works. It first appears in the two latest books of the Canon, the *Buddhavamsa* and the *Cariyāpiṭaka*. The differences from the Sarvāstivāda doctrine are striking. It is never looked upon as an alternative to arhatship, but is applied only to Gotama Buddha. Yet it is explained in such a way as to make it appear as if it were a possible career for others. In a memorial verse eight conditions are stated as necessary in order that the wish to attain Buddhahood may be realized : the candidate must be (1) a human being, (2) a male, (3) he must have the capacity to attain arhatship, (4) he must have made his wish in the presence of living Buddhas, (5) he must have left the world and not be a householder when he makes the wish, (6) he must be in possession of the five higher knowledges (*abhiññā*) and the eight attainments, (7) he must have undertaken to sacrifice his life for the Buddhas, and (8) he must have great desire and strength and exertion for the purpose of the qualities that make a Buddha.¹ He is further credited not only with six perfections of virtue (*pāramitā, pāramī*), but four more are added, making a list of ten.