A Bodhisattva Must Save Sentient Beings Unconditionally in Order to Attain Buddhahood

A bodhisattva is an awakened sentient being who benefits both self and others; if one does not deliver sentient beings, one is an arhat, not a bodhisattva.

Through delivering sentient beings, a bodhisattva, on the one hand, cultivates one's own merit, and on the other hand, increases wisdom. Most importantly, in the process of accomplishing the Buddha path, a bodhisattva must continually form karmic connections with more and more sentient beings, so as to have immeasurable and boundless disciples at all levels, and only in the future can one establish a Buddha land.

For a bodhisattva to attain buddhahood and establish a Buddha land, there must be countless disciples at all levels to support and cooperate, so that one can broadly deliver immeasurable sentient beings. Without disciples, one is all alone and cannot establish a Buddha land. Moreover, the advancement of one's own path also depends on the disciples. It is like a pyramid: if you are the tip of the tower, without the base, how can there be a tip? This means that delivering sentient beings is delivering oneself; a bodhisattva must deliver sentient beings unconditionally in order to attain buddhahood. Conversely, the advancement of one's own path is inseparable from the guidance and help of good spiritual teachers and all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, so forming connections with true good spiritual teachers is also very important.