Relief image of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara from Mt. Jiuhua in China's Anhui province

In Buddhist thought, a Bodhisattva (Ch.: 菩薩 pú sà, Jp.: bosatsu) is a being who is dedicated to achieving complete Buddhahood. That is their reason for "being" or raison d'être. Conventionally, the term is applied to hypothetical beings with a high degree of enlightenment. Bodhisattva literally means an "enlightenment (bodhi) being (sattva)" in Sanskrit. Download high resolution version (489x744, 159 KB)Image of a bodhisattva, relief, from Jiuhuashan in Chinas Anhui province. ... Download high resolution version (489x744, 159 KB)Image of a bodhisattva, relief, from Jiuhuashan in Chinas Anhui province. ... Avalokitesvara with a 1,000 arms, part of the Dazu Stone Carvings at Mount Baoding, Dazu County, Chongqing, China. ... Jiuhuashan is one amongst the four holiest mountains of China associated with Buddha. ... Anhui (Chinese: 安徽; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: An-hui; Postal System Pinyin: Ngan-hui, Anhwei or An-hwei) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Bodhi (Pali and Sanskrit. ... Bodhi, the Pāli and Sanskrit word for awakening or enlightenment, is an abstract noun formed from the verbal root budh (awake, become aware, notice, know or understand), corresponding to the verbs bujjhati (Pāli) and bodhati or budhyate (Sanskrit). ...

The following is a partial list of bodhisattvas, respected in Mongolian, Tibetan, Japanese and Chinese traditions.

List of bodhisattvas

• Akasagarbha

(Ch. 虛空藏 , Xu Kong Zang, Jp. Kokuzo) - The Bodhisattva of infinite happiness generated by helping countless numbers of sentient beings. Akasagarbha Bodhisattva (Chinese: 虛空藏菩薩) is one of the eight great bodhisattvas. ...

• Avalokitesvara

(Ch. 觀音 , Guan Yin, Jp. Kannon, Tib. Chenrezig) - The bodhisattva of compassion, the listener of the world's cries; the most universally acknowledged Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. Known as Guan Yin in East Asia, Chenrezig in Tibet, and Migjid Janraisig in Mongolia. Avalokitesvara with a 1,000 arms, part of the Dazu Stone Carvings at Mount Baoding, Dazu County, Chongqing, China. ... For the Chen Dynasty empress whose Buddhist nun name was Guanyin, see Empress Shen Wuhua. ... Migjid Janraisig is a Buddhist deity revered among Mongolian Buddhists. ...

• Ksitigarbha

(Ch. 地藏 , Di Zang, Jp. Jizo, Tib. Sai Nyingpo) - The bodhisattva of the Hell beings, or the bodhisattva of great vows. Bodhisattva (地藏菩薩), often known by the Japanese name Jizō (地蔵) or the Chinese name Dizang (地藏 Dìzàng), is a popular Mahayana Buddhist Bodhisattva, usually depicted as a monk. ...

• Mahasthamaprapta

(Ch. 大勢至, Da Shì Zhì, Jp. Seishi) - Represents the power of wisdom, seen on the left of Amitabha in Pure Land Buddhism. This altar display at a temple in Taiwan shows Amitabha in the center, flanked by Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva on the viewers right and Avalokitesvara on the right. ... The Buddha Amitabha, 13th century, Kamakura, Japan. ...

• Maitreya

(Ch. 彌勒 , Mi Le Jp. Miroku) - The bodhisattva to be reborn and to become enlightened, thus succeeding Gautama Buddha in the future. Known for his benevolence. Maitreya Bodhisattva (Sanskrit) or Metteyya Bodhisatta (Pāli) is the future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. ...

• Manjusri

(Ch. 文殊 , Wen Shu, Jp. Monju, Tib. Jampal Yang) - Bodhisattva of keen awareness and wisdom. Statue of Manjusri (Monju) at Senkoji in Onomichi, Japan MañjuÅ›rÄ« (Ch: 文殊 Wenshu or 文殊師利 Wenshushili; Jp: Monju; Tib: Jampelyang), also written Manjushri, is the bodhisattva of keen awareness in Buddhism. ...

• Nagarjuna

(Ch. 龍樹, Long Shu) - The founder of the Madhyamaka (Middle Path) school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. A statue depicting Nagarjuna at the Samye Ling Monastery, Dumfriesshire, Scotland Nāgārjuna (నాగార్జున in Telugu, 龍樹 in Chinese) (c. ... Madhyamaka (Also known as Åšunyavada) is a Buddhist Mahayāna tradition popularized by Nāgārjuna and AÅ›vaghoá¹£a. ...

• Niō

Two wrath-filled and muscular guardians of the Buddha, standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples in Japan and Korea under the appearance of frightening wrestler-like statues. They are manifestations of the Bodhisattva Vajrapani. This wooden Kongōrikishi statue originally guarded the gate to Ebaradera, a temple in Sakai, Osaka. ... Korea (Korean: 한국 or 조선, see below) is a geographic area, civilization, and former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. ...

• Padmasambhava

(Ch. 蓮華生上師, Lianhuasheng Shang Shi, Tib. Padma Jungne or Guru Rinpoche) - Most associated with Tibetan Buddhism and Bhutanese Buddhism. The Nyingma school regards Padmasambhava as a second Buddha. Guru Rinpoche - Padmasambhava statue - near Kullu, India Padmasambhava (also Padmakara or Padma Raja) (Ch: 蓮華生上師, Pinyin: Lian Hua Sheng Shang Shi; Tib: Pema Jungne, Wylie: padma byung gnas), in Sanskrit meaning lotus-born, is said to have brought Tantric Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century. ... Tibetan Buddhism (Simplified Chinese: 藏传佛教) is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, the Himalayan region (including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikkim and Ladakh), Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia (Russia), and northeastern China (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). ... The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism (the other three being the Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug). ...

• Samantabhadra

(Ch. 普賢 , Pu Xian, Jp. Fugen, Tib. Kuntu Zangpo) - Represents the practice and meditation of all Buddhas. Samantabhadra (also Viśvabhadra, 普賢 Chinese: Pǔxián; Japanese: Fugen) is the Lord of the Truth (理) in Buddhism, who represents the practice and meditation of all Buddhas. ...

• Sangharama

(Ch. 伽藍, Qie Lan) - Only worshipped in Chinese Buddhism-Taoism, Sangharama refers to a group of devas who guard Buddhist monasteries and the faith, but the title is usually referring to the legendary Chinese military general Guan Yu, who became a Dharmapala through becoming a Buddhist and making vows. This is a Chinese name; the family name is Guan (é—œ) Guan Yu (關羽) (160–219) was a Chinese military general under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Guan (é—œ) Guan Yu (關羽) (160–219) was a Chinese military general under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. ... In Vajrayana Buddhism, a dharmapāla (Tibetan drag-gshed) is a type of wrathful deity. ...

• Shantideva

8th century scholar, wrote about Bodhisattvas. Shantideva (sometimes Śantideva, Zh: 寂天) was an 8th-century Indian Buddhist scholar at Nalanda University and an adherent of the Prasangika Madhyamaka philosophy. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

• Sitatapatra

The goddess of the White Parasol and protector against supernatural danger. Sitatapatra, Tibet, mid-18th century, Gilt bronze inset with turquoise and coral, H102cm (40in. ...

• Skanda

(Ch. 韋馱, Wei Tuo) - A Dharmapala who guards the Dharma, with links to Vajrapani and is somewhat the direct forbear to Murugan, a Hindu deity. Primarily worshipped in Chinese Buddhism. Skanda (Wei Tuo) Bodhisattva Skanda Bodhisattva (Ch. ... In Vajrayana Buddhism, a dharmapāla (Tibetan drag-gshed) is a type of wrathful deity. ...   (Sanskrit) (Devnagari: धर्म) or Dhamma (Pali) is the underlying order in nature and human life and behaviour considered to be in accord with that order. ... Muruga (also Murugan) (Tamil: ) is perhaps the most popular Hindu deity amongst Tamils of Tamil Nadu state in India, Sri Lanka and in the Tamil diaspora. ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ...

• Supushpachandra

Mentioned in Shantideva's A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way Of Life Supushpachandra is the name of a Buddhist deity, a bodhisattva who was commanded by the kings law to abstain from teaching dharma. ... The Bodhicaryavatara, sometimes glossed as A Guide of to the Bodhisattvas Way of Life, is a famous Buddhist text written by Shantideva, around year 700. ...

• Suryavairocana

(Ch: 日光, Ri Guang, Jp: Nikkō) - One of two attendants of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha. Nikkō Bosatsu or Suryavairocana Bodhisattva (Japanese: 日光菩薩, Chinese: Ri Guang Pu Sa) is a bodhisattva whose specialty is sunlight and good health. ... Bhaisajyaguru (藥師佛／薬師 Ch. ...

• Tara

(Ch. 度母, Du Mu) - Female bodhisattva, or set of bodhisattvas, in Tibetan Buddhism. She represents the virtues of success in work and achievements. Also a manifestation of Avalokitesvara. White Tara Tara or Arya Tara, also known as Jetsun Dolma in Tibetan, is a female Buddha typically associated with Buddhist tantra practice as preserved in Tibetan Buddhism. ...

• Vajrapani

(Ch. 金剛手, Jin Gang Shou, Jp.Shukongojin, Tib. Channa Dorje) - An early bodhisattva in Mahayana. Mahachakra Vajrapani . Vajrapāṇi (from Sanskrit vajra, thunderbolt or diamond and pāṇi, lit. ... Relief image of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin from Mt. ...

• Vasudhara

Bodhisattva of abundance and fertility. Popular in Nepal. Vasudhara is a name for the Buddhist bodhisattva of abundance and fertility. ...