四弘誓願
the Four Encompassing Vows

The Bodhisattva vow is the vow taken by Mahayana Buddhists to liberate all sentient beings.

One who has taken the vow is nominally known as बोधिसत्त्व  a Bodhisattva, “enlightened existence”. This can be done by venerating all Buddhas and by cultivating supreme moral and spiritual perfection, to be placed in the service of others. In particular, Bodhisattvas promise to practice the six perfections of giving, moral discipline, patience, effort, concentration and wisdom in order to fulfil their bodhicitta aim of attaining enlightenment for the sake of all beings.

Whereas the प्रातिमोक्ष  (prātimokṣa a list of rules contained within विनय, the Vinaya, governing the behaviour of Buddhist monastics [monks or bhikṣus & nuns or bhikṣuṇīs] wherein Prati means "towards" and mokṣa means "liberation" from cyclic existence संसार saṃsāra) the Prātimokṣa's vows cease at death, the Bodhisattva vow extends into future lives.

Amitabha Pure Land of Bliss

"Keep the heart singing.

Be JOYFUL in service.

Be happy in well-doing."

Edgar Cayce reading 281-50

「四弘誓願文：しぐせいがんもん 」

衆生無辺誓願度：しゅじょうむへんせいがんどー

煩悩無尽誓願断：ぼんのうむじんせいがんだん

法門無量誓願学：ほうもんむりょうせいがんがく

仏道無上誓願成：ぶつどうむじょうせいがんじょ う

I vow to liberate all ordinary-beings from my mind

I vow to eliminate all defilements from my mind

I vow to embrace every teaching of my self-nature

I vow to achieve the way of enlightenment from my self-nature

*

Though the myriad beings are numberless, I vow to save them;

Though defilements rise endlessly, I vow to end them;

Though Dharma gates are innumerable, I vow to study them;

Though Buddha's way is unsurpassed, I vow to embody it.

*

Beings are numberless; I vow to awaken with them.

Delusions are inexhaustible; I vow to end them.

Dharma gates are boundless; I vow to enter them.

Buddha’s Way is unsurpassable; I vow to become it.

A Bodhisattva vow is found at the end of आवतंसक सूत्र the Avatamsaka Sutra or महावैपुल्य बुद्धावतंसक सूत्र the Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra, in which समन्तभद्र Samantabhadra (lit. "Universal Worthy"觀普賢菩薩) a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism associated with practise and meditation makes ten vows to become a Bodhisattva. In the बोधिचर्यावतार, Bodhicaryāvatāra or Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra "A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life" or "Entering the Path of Enlightenment.", शान्तिदेव Shantideva explains that the Bodhisattva vow is taken with the following famous two verses from that sutra:

Just as all the previous Sugatas, the Buddhas

Generated the mind of enlightenment

And accomplished all the stages

Of the Bodhisattva training,

So will I, too, for the sake of all beings,

Generate the mind of enlightenment

And accomplish all the stages

Of the Bodhisattva training.