satori

American  

[suh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] / səˈtɔr i, -ˈtoʊr i /

noun

Zen.

1. sudden enlightenment.

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satori British  

/ səˈtɔːrɪ /

noun

1. Zen Buddhism the state of sudden indescribable intuitive enlightenment

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Etymology

Origin of satori

First recorded in 1720–30; from Japanese: specific sense of noun satori “comprehension, understanding,” derivative of the verb satori “to awaken”

Example Sentences

Just kidding – but truly, Steve's display of satori verges on this level of supernatural.

From Salon

So when Alex stares into the camera and admits that she's looking inward and asking who she wants to be, it's hard to care about her illness-guided journey to satori.

From Salon

“They don’t know,” he said, shaking his head sadly at how far they were from Jamaican-chicken satori.

From New York Times

How would judges differentiate between mostly invisible forms of quietly crouching satori?

From The New Yorker

He calls today’s young men and women the satori sedai, or enlightened generation, meaning that Buddha-like, they eschew big aspirations and seek happiness in simple things.

From Economist