Bodhicitta is a core concept in Mahayana Buddhism. Bodhicitta derives from the Sanskrit words bodhi, which means “awakening” or “enlightenment,” and citta, which means heart, mind, or “that which is conscious.” Bodhicitta is the wish to awaken in order to help others awaken as well. It is the noble motivation of the Bodhisattva path, which is emphasized in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.
It is considered the single most important practice in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions. Bodhicitta encompasses more than ordinary loving-kindness and compassion, as it is infused with the wisdom understanding of emptiness.
There are two aspects of bodhicitta: aspiring bodhicitta (pranidhi-bodhicitta) and engaging bodhicitta (prasthana-bodhicitta). Aspiring bodhicitta is the heartfelt wish to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, while engaging bodhicitta involves actually practicing the six paramitas and taking concrete steps on the bodhisattva path.
Bodhicitta is also understood in terms of relative and ultimate dimensions. Relative bodhicitta works with conventional compassion and the aspiration to help beings escape suffering, while ultimate bodhicitta is the direct realization of the empty nature of self and phenomena, understanding that there is ultimately no separate self to be enlightened and no separate beings to save.
The cultivation of bodhicitta traditionally begins with the four immeasurables—loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity—which gradually expand one’s circle of care from loved ones to neutral people to difficult people and finally to all sentient beings everywhere.
In Mahayana Buddhism, practitioners often take the bodhisattva vow, formally committing to the bodhisattva path. This includes promises to refrain from certain harmful actions and to cultivate positive qualities. The bodhisattva vow is considered renewable and can be taken multiple times throughout one’s practice.

The motivation to benefit others, reduce their suffering, and help them achieve true happiness has real, experiential benefits for both oneself and others. Altruism is the fundamental motivation of Buddhism.

Reflect on their motivations in everyday activities, comparing how it feels to be motivated by altruism and selfishness. Reflect on what it would feel like to have the heart/mind be “awake” and what the impact would be on others. Experience the presence of a person who has qualities of an awakened being, someone on the Bodhisattva path (or an advanced practitioner of the dharma).

• Where is your heart?
• Where is your mind?
• What drives us to want to help others?
• How does it feel to be of help/benefit to others?

Define relative and absolute bodhicitta., Evaluate personal motivations underlying daily decisions, and implement practices that can transform ordinary activities into expressions of altruistic intent for the benefit of all sentient beings.