Bodhisattva

Fagen, an acute observer of people, wrote many songs or verses of songs looking at a situation from a specific perspective, and sometimes multiple perspectives. I think this is one of many songs he wrote about people (or himself) "making it" by Western standards of success, yet still feeling disillusioned and empty -- so they were still searching for answers. In this case, people are looking to a "new" religion (Buddhism is actually quite old but was just taking hold in certain areas of US) and to a different example on how to live ( "Bodhisattva" Which is like a saint, someone that lived as an example not just teaching things academically) and a new (simpler) lifestyle ( "I'm gonna sell my house in town" ). After "winning the game" in the Western world, the author of the song or the character in the song still feels empty, so he is going to look elsewhere, a different culture entirely for fulfillment ( To shine in your Japan To sparkle in your China Yes I'll be there ) Fagen rips on Western/American values in many of his songs.

I'm not sure if the author is making a specific judgment on the character in the song or not. I don't detect the person in the song being ridiculed for falling for the "grass is always greener" illusion. I also don't detect the opposite, the author promoting the idea that we should look to Buddhism, and to Chinese & Japanese culture instead of our own. It seems more like a neutral observation. The author is just saying, "This is what I am seeing". Or perhaps he is commenting on how we look to people that have "made it", either in positions of power, wealth or celebrity for answers and they have no more answers than we do; they too are looking for answers.