The highest ideal in Mahayana Buddhism. A Bodhisattva vows, like the Captain of a sinking ship, to be the last being to enter into Nirvana.

A Bodhisattva differs from an Arhat in that the Arhat, according to th Mahayana school, enters into Nirvana although other beings have not.

A Bodhisattva takes re-birth in the human dharma realm to teach humans but can also take re-birth in other dharma realms for teaching purposes as well.