What Good Is Understanding If You Never Act? Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's Ten Great Vows and Living the Dharma Daily
The Four Great Bodhisattvas Series
How many articles are sitting in your "Saved" folder on your phone?
Articles with enticing titles: "50 Habits That Will Change Your Life," "10 Things Successful People Do," "Do This to Improve 1% Every Day."
When you saw them, you got excited. You thought: "Yes! I need to change!"
And then?
You saved them, and that was the end of it.
The articles are still in your saved folder. Your life is still the same.
What do you call this?
Buddhism has a term for it: "talking about food while counting jewels"—describing the taste of fine cuisine while counting someone else's treasures. No matter how much you talk, the food isn't yours, and neither is the money.
No matter how many principles you understand, if you don't act on them, those principles don't belong to you.
Among the Four Great Bodhisattvas, there's one who specifically addresses this issue. His name is Samantabhadra Bodhisattva.
If Mañjuśrī represents "wisdom," Samantabhadra represents "action."
He rides a six-tusked white elephant, symbolizing steadiness, determination, the ability to bear weight, and the endurance to go far.
His existence says: once you understand the principle, act on it.
Why Do We "Understand" But Fail to "Do"?
This is perhaps one of humanity's most universal struggles.
You know staying up late is bad for your health, but you still stay up late. You know exercise is important, but you still lie around. You know complaining is useless, but you still complain. You know anxiety doesn't help, but you're still anxious.
Why?
Because "knowing" is not the same as "truly understanding."
What is "truly understanding"?
Truly understanding is when your body understands, not just your brain.
You can tell a child "fire is hot," and they nod and say they know. But only when they actually get burned once do they "truly understand."
The Dharma is the same. Many principles sound reasonable when you hear them, but you forget them as soon as you've heard them. Only when you actually do them and experience them do those principles become part of your life.
This is why Samantabhadra emphasizes "practice": wisdom without action is not true wisdom.
The Ten Great Vows: They Sound Mystical But Are Actually Everyday
Samantabhadra is most famous for his "Ten Great Vows," from the Avatamsaka Sutra.
Many people hear "Ten Great Vows" and think they're unattainably lofty—something only monks need to do.
Not true. Each of these ten can be practiced in daily life.
Let me pick a few:
"Paying homage to all Buddhas"—this isn't just about bowing in a temple. When you genuinely respect the people around you, without looking down on them for their job, status, or appearance, that's paying homage. Buddhism says "all beings have Buddha-nature"—everyone has the potential to become a Buddha. Respecting every person is honoring a future Buddha.
"Rejoicing in others' merit"—this is the easiest and also the hardest. When you see someone get promoted, get married, buy a house, what's your first reaction? Genuine happiness for them, or a hint of sourness inside? "Rejoicing" means training yourself to be genuinely happy for others' good fortune—no jealousy, no envy. This isn't faked; it's practiced. When you can truly rejoice for others, your heart becomes vast.
"Repenting of karmic hindrances"—this isn't about kneeling before a Buddha crying "I was wrong." It's continuous self-reflection. Did I say something hurtful today? Did I do something selfish? Did I hurt someone with my emotions? Admitting mistakes isn't shameful—it's the beginning of growth.
"Constantly according with beings"—this doesn't mean doing whatever others do. It means learning to observe what someone truly needs and giving appropriate help. To those who are hungry, give food; to the confused, give direction; to the sad, give presence. Not imposing your ideas on others, but seeing what they need.
See? These are things you can start doing today.
You don't need to quit your job and become a monk. You don't need to go into the mountains to practice. In the office, at home, on the street, online—everywhere is a place to practice Samantabhadra's path.
"Vows" and "Wishes" Are Not the Same Thing
Samantabhadra's core is "vows."
Many people don't understand the difference between "vowing" and "wishing."
A "wish" is vague, passive, without responsibility. You wish for a raise—and then you forget about it; tomorrow comes and nothing changes.
A "vow" is firm, active, and must be fulfilled with your life. You vow to become a better person, so every choice you make, every action you take, moves in that direction.
A vow is a commitment to yourself and to the world.
Why is the power of vows so important?
Because life will throw many difficulties at you, many setbacks, many moments that make you want to give up. In those moments, what keeps you going?
Not a burst of enthusiasm—that cools quickly. Not others' encouragement—that's not always there.
It's the vow you made yourself.
In the quiet of night, exhausted and doubting everything, you remember why you started, you remember what you committed to—that is the power of a vow.
A life without vows is drifting. A life with vows is sailing.That White Elephant: Slow, Steady, But Always Moving
Samantabhadra's mount is a six-tusked white elephant.
Why not a lion? Not a dragon? Why an elephant?
Because the elephant's qualities represent the spirit of "practice":
Great strength—elephants can carry heavy loads. The path of practice has many difficulties; you need to bear pressure. The elephant represents this capacity.
Endurance—elephants aren't the fastest animals, but they can trek long distances without tiring. Practice isn't a sprint; it's a marathon. Speed isn't important—not stopping is what matters.
Stability—an elephant's steps are steady, unhurried. This symbolizes composure. Those who are hasty accomplish nothing. Only those who can stay calm can reach the end.
The six tusks represent the "Six Perfections"—generosity, ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom. These are the six methods of bodhisattva practice, each requiring continuous effort.
Samantabhadra rides this white elephant across all ten directions of the universe, liberating beings. He doesn't rush, but he never stops walking.
What does this teach us?
You don't need to be fast. You just need to not stop.A little progress every day adds up to enormous change.
Start Doing One Thing Today
After all this talk, the most important thing is: what are you going to do?
Not tomorrow. Not next week. Today.
It can be very small.
Today, when you see a colleague, sincerely ask "How's it going?" Today, when you see someone do something good, genuinely appreciate them in your heart. Today, if you made a mistake, don't make excuses—just honestly admit it. Today, when you get home, put down your phone and really have dinner with your family.
These things are small, but they are Samantabhadra's practice.
The greatness of the Dharma lies not in how profound its philosophy is, but in the fact that it can be lived.
When you turn the principles you've heard into practices you do, you stop being just a "knower" and become a "practitioner."
Samantabhadra never speaks empty words. Each of his ten vows is action.
Now, it's your turn.
All those principles sitting in your saved folder that you've never practiced—it's time to use them.
Don't just know a lot. Obsess less. Act more.That's what Samantabhadra really wants to tell us.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Samantabhadra's "Ten Great Vows"? Can ordinary people actually do them?
The Ten Great Vows are ten types of practice Samantabhadra Bodhisattva taught. They sound lofty, but every single one can be applied to daily life. For example, "paying homage to all Buddhas" isn't just about bowing before Buddha statues—respecting every person around you is already paying homage. "Rejoicing in others' merit" means when you see someone do something good, you genuinely feel happy for them without jealousy—that's rejoicing. The Dharma isn't meant to be placed on an altar. It's meant to be lived in life.
I understand the principles but just can't apply them. What should I do?
This is actually most people's situation, not just yours. Samantabhadra's answer is simple: start with the smallest thing. Don't try to do everything at once; don't set your goals too high. Today, if you can sincerely smile at one person, that's progress. Today, if you can hold back one unkind remark, that's practice. The point isn't doing something big—it's starting. Once you start, the next step will follow.
What's the point of making vows? Isn't it just wishful thinking?
"Wishing" and "vowing" are completely different things. A wish is vague and carries no responsibility—you wish for a million dollars, and that's the end of it. A vow is firm and must be fulfilled through action—you vow to help others, and every day your actions move in that direction. A vow gives you direction, motivation, and a reason to persist when things get hard. A life without vows is drifting. A life with vows is sailing.