Within Mahāyāna Buddhism, the bodhisattva ideal functions as the central paradigm of spiritual life, reshaping both the goal and the method of the path. Rather than aspiring primarily to the personal liberation of an arhat, practitioners are encouraged to cultivate the resolve to attain complete Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings. This resolve, known as bodhicitta, is not merely a pious wish but a formal, enduring commitment to universal salvation grounded equally in wisdom (prajñā) and great compassion (mahākaruṇā). The bodhisattva is thus defined by the willingness to work for the liberation of beings who are said to be numberless, and to orient every aspect of practice toward their welfare.

This ideal gives Mahāyāna its distinctive ethical and devotional character. Bodhisattvas are portrayed as beings who, moved by compassion, willingly remain engaged in the world of samsara, taking rebirth and employing skillful means (upāya) to guide others according to their capacities. Their path is structured through the cultivation of the perfections (pāramitās)—generosity, ethical conduct, patience, energy, meditation, and wisdom (often expanded to ten)—which provide a comprehensive framework for transforming character and conduct. Over countless lifetimes, they advance through a graded series of stages (bhūmis), gradually purifying themselves while actively assisting others, and dedicating the merit of their practice to the benefit of all beings.

At the same time, the bodhisattva ideal has a powerful symbolic and devotional dimension. Great bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteśvara and Mañjuśrī serve as exemplars of compassion and wisdom, and as objects of refuge for practitioners seeking protection, guidance, and inspiration. Faith in these figures reinforces the conviction that Buddhahood is ultimately accessible to all, and that the universe is pervaded by compassionate activity. In this way, the bodhisattva ideal not only reorients the aim of practice from individual release to universal awakening, but also weaves together philosophy, ethics, and devotion into a single vision of a path walked for and with all sentient beings.