Samantabhadra

Samantabhadra is a name used in several Buddhist traditions to refer to two related but distinct figures. In Mahayana Buddhism, Samantabhadra is a bodhisattva of practice and virtue who embodies the universal readiness to act for the benefit of all beings. He is especially associated with the Avataṃsaka Sūtra (Flower Garland Sutra), where he is depicted as a principal figure in the bodhisattva path and is described as making the ten great vows that express the all-pervasive compassion and wisdom of enlightenment. In East Asian Buddhism, he is venerated as a model of diligent spiritual discipline and universal benevolence, and his vows are studied as a guide to ethical and contemplative conduct.

In Tibetan Buddhism, Samantabhadra is the primordial Buddha, known in Tibetan as Kuntuzangpo. In this tradition he represents the Dharmakaya—the ultimate, unconditioned nature of mind—from which all Buddhas arise. Samantabhadra is usually depicted in solitary meditation or with his consort, Samantabhadri, and is central to the Dzogchen view of intrinsic purity and spontaneity. The figure is used to symbolize the primordial state of enlightenment beyond conceptual elaboration. Across traditions, the name Samantabhadra thus points to a principle of universal virtue and ultimate awakened nature that can appear in multiple forms.