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RE: The Early Schools of Indian Buddhism Series
In indian Buddhism "bodhisathwa" is a person who develop some skills (like generosity ) necessary to be a Buddha. It's a difficult practice that most people easily would give up. If someone wants to end the Samsaric journey (going life after life which has no end otherwise) they can still do it without becoming a Buddha. Anyone can attain The Nirvana or the enlightenment by following the way found by the Buddha. They are called an "Arahanth".
My Husband and I wrote several articles on the Bodhisattva Bhumis, and I can understand the practice up to the 6th or 7th level of attainments. I was lost by the 8th Bhumi; the Bodhisattva cannot regress after this Bhumi. Check the series out @hafez! I was given the Bodhisattva vow by my first teacher a Korean Monk years ago, and I still follow the paramitas as best I can. The Ten Perfections
The reason I started practice was that Buddha promised anyone could attain freedom from self-caused suffering. I found the practices I was given helped me let go of negative conditioning, I am happy with the results so far, but I cannot imagine becoming a Bodhisattva or Buddha, but I hold the ideal close to my heart @hafez.