Bodhisattva

American  

[boh-duh-suht-vuh] / ˌboʊ dəˈsʌt və /

noun

Buddhism.

1. a person who has attained prajna, or Enlightenment, but who postpones Nirvana in order to help others to attain Enlightenment: individual Bodhisattvas are the subjects of devotion in certain sects and are often represented in painting and sculpture.

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Bodhisattva British  

/ ˌbɒd-, ˌbəʊdɪˈsætvə, ˌbəʊdiːˈsʌtvə, -wə /

noun

1. (in Mahayana Buddhism) a divine being worthy of nirvana who remains on the human plane to help men to salvation Compare arhat

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Etymology

Origin of Bodhisattva

1820–30; < Pali, Sanskrit

Compare meaning

How does bodhisattva compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Bodhisattva vs. Buddha

Example Sentences

Pieces being returned include a bronze sculpture called The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Seated in Royal Ease, made sometime between the late 10th century and early 11th century.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 15, 2023

According to auction house Bonhams, the piece is a very rare wood figure, a religious work depicting the Buddhist Bodhisattva Guanyin made in the 12th-13th century under the Jin dynasty.

From Reuters • Jun. 10, 2023

This Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Seated in Royal Ease dates from the 10th or 11th centuries during the Angkor period.

From New York Times • Aug. 18, 2022

Among the 15 were a painting of a grain stack by Claude Monet and a 13th-century sculpture, “Sho Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Compassion” from Japan.

From Washington Post • Apr. 13, 2020

Turn karuna ke saagar Turn palankarta bail Mary full of grace Ajahn Chan Bodhisattva, release me from suffering...

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi