bodhisattva

(noun)

In Buddhism, an enlightened being—existing beyond the Western scientific thought of physical reality—resembling the Western notion of angels but with a wealth of its own nuances and expectations.

Related Terms

Examples of bodhisattva in the following topics:

  • Buddhism

    • Another important Buddhist concept is Bodhisattva, a Sanskrit word for anyone who has been motivated by great compassion and a wish to attain buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings—those who have a conscious awareness of the self but are in contrast with buddhahood.
    • Bodhisattvas, therefore, are those who have set themselves on the path toward enlightenment and hope to benefit others through their journey.
    • Depictions of the bodhisattva path are a popular subject in Buddhist art.

  • Polytheism

    • Ceramic, h. of bodhisattva 17 cm; National Museum of Korea)

  • Buddhist Rock-Cut Architecture

    • Similar to the Barabar and Ajanta caves, the Ellora caves contain many frescoes, reliefs, and shrines, including carvings of the Buddha, bodhisattvas, and saints.
    • Similar to the Barabar and Ajanta caves, the Ellora caves contain many frescoes, reliefs, and shrines, including carvings of the Buddha, bodhisattvas, and saints.

  • Sacred Objects

    • Buddhist art is typically comprised of devotional works depicting mythology and narratives associated with the Buddha and bodhisattvas.

  • Painting in Southeast Asia

    • Buddhist art depicted images of the Buddha, the Bodhisattvas or enlightened beings, apsaras or celestial dancers, and tales and parables from Buddhist lore, including the Jataka tales—stories about the previous incarnations of the Buddha, both in human and in animal form.

  • The Todaiji

    • Clustered around the Daibutsuden on a gently sloping hillside are a number of secondary halls: the Hokke-dō (Lotus Sutra Hall), with its principal image; the Fukukenjaku Kannon (the most popular bodhisattva), crafted of dry lacquer (cloth dipped in lacquer and shaped over a wooden armature); the Kaidanin (Ordination Hall) with its magnificent clay statues of the Four Guardian Kings; and the storehouse, called the Shōsōin.

  • Art of Esoteric Buddhism

    • In the center sits the Vairocana Buddha within the lotus of compassion, surrounded by attendant Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

  • Thai Buddhist Sculpture

    • Dwaravati art came to represent the Mahayana pantheon, portraying multiple creations of Bodhisattvas, or enlightened beings.

  • Champa Art in Early Vietnam

    • The subject matter was mostly drawn from the legends and religious traditions of India, and the sculptures feature Hindu and Buddhist deities, such as Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti (the divine feminine creative power in Hinduism), and Avalokiteshwara (the bodhisattva of compassion).

  • Architecture and Art in the Unified Silla Period

    • The Gwaneumjeon (Avalokitesvara's Shrine) houses an image of the Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Perfect Compassion, and stands at the highest point of the complex.
    • The Buddha has a serene expression of meditation; it is surrounded by fifteen panels of bodhisattvas, arhats, and ancient Indian gods and is accompanied by ten statues in niches along the rotunda wall.