Bodhisattva
[ boh-duh-suht-vuh ]
/ ˌboʊ dəˈsʌt və /
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noun Buddhism.
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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Origin of Bodhisattva
1820–30; <Pali, Sanskrit
Words nearby Bodhisattva
bodgie, Bodgo Gegen, Bodh Gaya, bodhi, Bodhidharma, Bodhisattva, Bodhi Tree, bodhran, bodice, bodice ripper, Bo Diddley beat
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for Bodhisattva
British Dictionary definitions for Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva
/ (ˌbəʊdɪˈsætvə, -wə, ˌbɒd-, ˌbəʊdiːˈsʌtvə) /
noun
(in Mahayana Buddhism) a divine being worthy of nirvana who remains on the human plane to help men to salvationCompare arhat
Word Origin for Bodhisattva
Sanskrit, literally: one whose essence is enlightenment, from bodhi enlightenment + sattva essence
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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