bodhisattva

Bodhisattva is a term used in Buddhism to describe an enlightened being who seeks awakening not only for oneself but for all beings. The word comes from Sanskrit: bodhi meaning awakening or enlightenment, sattva meaning being. In early Buddhist contexts, a bodhisattva is someone who has generated bodhicitta—the wish to become a buddha—and vows to attain buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings, postponing final nirvana until all beings are liberated. In Mahayana Buddhism, the term denotes a broad class of compassionate beings who pursue the Buddhist path to full Buddhahood and actively aid others. In Theravada, bodhisatta is used for a future Buddha, such as Siddhartha before enlightenment; the term does not routinely refer to the aspirant's role within the bodhisattva ideal as in Mahayana.

Bodhisattvas undertake vows and cultivate bodhicitta, the awakening mind. They practice the six paramitas or perfections—generosity, ethical discipline, patience, joyful effort, meditation, and wisdom—and cultivate compassion and skillful means. The path may involve stages of realization and is often illustrated through devotional practices, scriptural texts, and ethical disciplines.

Iconography commonly depicts eminent bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteshvara (compassion), Manjushri (wisdom), Samantabhadra, Kshitigarbha/Jizo (renunciation and vow). Tara appears as a female bodhisattva associated with action and protection; in East Asian forms she is Kannon or Guanyin. In Vajrayana Buddhism, bodhisattvas are also revered as meditational deities (yidam) and as emanations.

The bodhisattva ideal has shaped Buddhist ethics, ritual practice, and social engagement across Buddhist traditions. It is closely associated with sutras such as the Prajnaparamita and the Lotus Sutra, which emphasize universal liberation and the altruistic motivation to become a buddha for the sake of all beings.