The Path of Light

In the Mahayana tradition, the highest goal is Buddhahood, in which there is no abiding in Nirvana. Buddha helps liberate beings from samara by teaching the Buddhist path. In order to reach Nirvana, Mahayana Buddhists believe that one should imitate the life of the Buddha, and in turn, attempt to become a bodhisattva, or one who is in the process of attaining enlightenment as the Buddha did during his lifetime.