noun
bodhisattva
bo-dih-SATVUH
noun
1
In Buddhism, someone far along the path to enlightenment who chooses to keep helping others reach it rather than leave the cycle of rebirth for themselves.
"Compassion for all beings is the defining quality of a bodhisattva."
"Many Buddhist traditions honor figures regarded as bodhisattvas alongside the Buddha himself."
How to Use Bodhisattva
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA being who has nearly reached enlightenment but stays to help others get there too.
Common pairings
bodhisattva vow
become a bodhisattva
Word Forms
bodhisattvas plural
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Etymology
From Sanskrit बोधिसत्त्व (bodhisattva), literally "enlightenment-being," from bodhi ("awakening") + sattva ("being").