e remained attached to an illusory, sinful world and to his ownselfish desires. The only way he could escape was to listen to the Buddhist message, entera monastery, and once there learn to rid himself of any sense of attachment. To this stockof basic ideas the Mahayana Buddhists added some equally important dogmas of theirown.One of these was the bodhisattva ideal. Bodhisattvas were a class of exceptionalbeings who had acquired sufficient merit to enter nirvana, but had given up this reward inthe interests of help9ing others along the path to enlightenment. The role of bodhisattvasin Mahayana Buddhism is similar to that of saints in Christianity. It was believed that abodhisattva would increase the spiritual purity and welfare of those who prayed to him. This idea is known technically as the doctrine of the transfer of merit, and was quitecontrary to the strict Hinayana insistence on the monk? achieving nirvana through his owndetermination and without any outside help. As a religious ideal, the bodhisattva stood forcompassion and service to others rather than for self.Tendai Buddhism incorporated this theory of bodhisattvas in its generalphilosophical system. Illustrious figures like Saicho came to be regarded as bodhisattvasafter their deaths, and the sect? emphasis on ecclesiastical participation through personaldiscipline. For Tendai Buddhism's philosophy, there are ten major realms (or destinies):.Buddhas (Buddha-like).Bodhisattvas (bodhisattva-like).Private Buddhas (pratyekabuddha-like).Direct disciples of the Buddha (sravaka-like).Heavenly beings (divine) 6.Fighting demons (combative) 7. Human beings (human) 8. Hungry ghosts (to be full of insatiable appetite) 9. Beasts (brutish) 10. Beings in hell (hellish)Each of these ten realms shares in the characteristics of the others, which makes100 realms.Then there are ten such-likenesses:.Such-like character....
