King, Boatman and Shepherd: Three Images of Bodhicitta

The king, boatman and shepherd describe styles of bodhicitta: the intention to attain awakening for beings' benefit. Read each image with its explanation.

What do the three images describe?

Gyana Vajra Rinpoche, the 43rd Sakya Trizin, presents these three images in a 2021 teaching published by The Sakya Tradition. [1]

• King: seeking Buddhahood first in order to guide beings toward liberation and enlightenment.
• Boatman: bringing everyone across to the other shore together, including oneself.
• Shepherd: expressing the wish that beings attain enlightenment before oneself.

These are the three images as explained in that teaching. Rinpoche says they are the same in terms of results. He places practice within the purpose of awakening, rather than treating proficiency in a ritual as its final purpose. [1]

Different English labels can describe the same images

Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey's Developing Bodhichitta calls the corresponding styles king, herdsman and oarsman. In that presentation, the order is king first, herdsman second and oarsman third. The herdsman lets others go first; the oarsman reaches Buddhahood together with them. [2]

When comparing translations, match the explanation to the image before comparing list numbers. Make a note such as “herdsman: others go first” beside the term in the text you are studying. That note is a reading aid, not a new translation of the Tibetan.

If a teacher uses another English word, ask which analogy it represents. You can then follow the discussion without assuming that every change of word introduces a fourth category.

How does the intention relate to the ability to help?

Dhargyey explains bodhicitta through the aim of attaining Buddhahood to benefit beings. He connects taking responsibility for others with recognizing one's present limitations and seeking the complete qualities of a Buddha. His discussion distinguishes aspiring bodhicitta from engaged bodhicitta, another classification alongside the three styles. [2]

Keep those classifications on separate lines in your study notes. “King, boatman, shepherd” identifies the images under discussion here. “Aspiring and engaged” identifies a different distinction. Ask how the commentary relates them rather than trying to fit every term into one numbered sequence.

A useful question for a teacher is: “How should I understand the shepherd's wish alongside the aim to develop the ability to help through awakening?” Bring the passage that prompted the question. The wording and surrounding explanation give the teacher something specific to address.

Read the comparison without declaring an attainment

You might find one image easier to remember than another. Record why it helps you understand the teaching, and what remains unclear. Choosing a memorable image does not establish that you have attained the intention it describes.

For an example supplied by this site, a reader might write: “The boat makes it easier for me to remember that the aim includes others, but I do not yet understand what reaching Buddhahood together means in this explanation.” That is a study question you can take to instruction.

For the earlier distinctions, read bodhicitta, aspiration and action. For the activities involved in learning, see hearing, reflection and meditation.

Sources and further reading

1. A Teaching on Renunciation, Bodhicitta, and the Pure Land of Amitabha. Gyana Vajra Rinpoche, the 43rd Sakya Trizin; teaching August 11, 2021, English transcript published by The Sakya Tradition, 2022; pages 7–8.
2. Developing Bodhichitta. Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey; revised chapter, 1983 oral translation by Sharpa Tulku, Alexander Berzin editing; re-edited 2013, prepared online 2026.

Sources checked October 30, 2026. Written with AI assistance and checked against the linked texts. The examples and brief review are supplied by this site; they do not replace instruction from a qualified teacher.