The Bodhisattva Vow: Young Readers Edition

A Bodhisattva is a person filled with compassion for everybody. Bodhisattvas vow to embody love and to free all people from suffering. At the end of life, instead of entering heaven or nirvana (a Buddhist word for heaven), Bodhisattvas choose to reincarnate (live again) in another form. In each form and lifetime, they help free people from distress.

Bodhisattvas are people who walk among us. A Bodhisattva could be anyone - our neighbors, bankers, teachers, and bus drivers. They could also be our furry or feathery companions - a mangy dog or a parakeet.

In The Bodhisattva Vow, the central character forgets that he is a Bodhisattva. He also becomes furious with God for the suffering he sees in the world. He can hardly wait to see God and unleash all of his anger; however, instead of facing God when he dies, he is called to earth once again. In this lifetime, he must forgive God and, most importantly, remember who he is- a Bodhisattva! In his path back to recognize his true identity, he must grapple with age-old questions, namely, why is there suffering? Will suffering end? And ultimately, will everything be ok?

Through the unifying bond of love, The Bodhisattva Vow harmonizes Eastern and Western tradition. The story's narrative touches the depths of anguished humanity and carries ideas of embodied compassion, abiding patience, and enduring love. The Bodhisattva Vow principally suggests that love is knit within the fabric of the universe, love is what moves humanity, and finally, love is what calls all people home.