Ghandara

Bodhisattva One Who Practices Bodhicitta 1. 37 Practices of the Bodhisattva - from the Dali Lama 2. 16 Precepts of the Bodhisattva 3. Bodhisattva Practices 10 Paramitas (Bhumi) 4. Forty Six Way in Which a Bodhisattva Fails

The true Bodhisattva is not one who in any sense prevents his or her own Enlightenment in order to first Enlighten others. How can an un-Enlightened being Enlighten anyone else? Rather, the true Bodhisattva is either pursuing ultimate Enlightenment (and perhaps doing so in the context of service, or positive social and cultural relations with others) or else he or she is already fully established in the Awakened Wisdom of true Enlightenment while still alive. The Enlightened Bodhisattva is a true Buddha or Transcendental Siddha. And such an individual may intentionally remain in the phenomenal worlds through countless rebirths in order to Awaken others - but this does not involve the prevention of his or her own Enlightenment. The Buddha's or Enlightened Bodhisattvas or Awakened Siddhas that constantly or periodically reappear in the phenomenal worlds for the sake of Helping un-Enlightened beings always reassert their Enlightenment (as Sahaj Samadhi) in each lifetime. What they prevent (or have not yet permanently entered into) is not Enlightenment but the Hinayana form of Nirvana (which is the complete cessation of phenomenal existence, and which is basically equivalent to what I call "Bhava Samadhi" in contrast to "Sahaj Samadhi," or the Condition of Enlightenment while yet alive and active).

From Chogyam Trungpa:

The First (and Ultimate) Sign of the Bodhisattva is Generosity.

The Tibetan word for generosity, jinpa, means "giving", "opening," or "parting." The notion of generosity means not holding back (constricting).

Traditionally, there are three types of generosity.

The first one is ordinary generosity, giving material goods or providing comfortable situation for others.

The second is the gift of fearlessness. You reassure other and teach them that they don't have to feel completely tormented and freaked out about their existence.

The third type of generosity is the gift of the dharma. The Bodhisattva shows others that there is a path out of their small mindedness.