List of bodhisattvas
Encyclopedia
In Mahayana
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 beings with a high degree of enlightenment. Bodhisattva literally means an "enlightenment (bodhi
) being (sattva)" in Sanskrit.
The following is a partial list of bodhisattvas, respected in Indian, Mongolian, Tibetan, Japanese and Chinese traditions.
(Ch. 虛空藏 , Xu Kong Zang, Kr. Huh Gong Zang, Jp. Kokuzo) - The Bodhisattva of infinite happiness generated by helping countless numbers of sentient beings.
(Ch. 觀音 , Guan Yin, Kr. Guan Um, Jp. Kannon, Tib. Chenrezig, Viet. Quán Thế Âm) - The bodhisattva of compassion, the listener of the world's cries who uses skillful means to come to their aid; the most universally acknowledged Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. Known as Guan Yin in East Asia, Chenrezig in Tibet, and Migjid Janraisig in Mongolia
.
(Ch. 地藏 , Di Zang, Kr. Ji Zang, Jp. Jizo, Tib. Sai Nyingpo, Viet. Địa Tạng). The bodhisattva of the beings suffering in hellish realms, or the bodhisattva of great vows.
(Ch. 大勢至, Da Shì Zhì, Kr. Dae Sae Zhi, Jp. Seishi, Viet. Đại Thế Chí) - Represents the power of wisdom, seen on the left of Amitabha in Pure Land Buddhism
.
(Ch. 彌勒 , Mi Le, Kr. Mi Ruk, Jp. Miroku, Viet. Di Lạc) - The bodhisattva to be reborn and to become enlightened, thus succeeding Gautama Buddha in the future. Known for his or her benevolence.
(Ch. 文殊 , Wen Shu, Kr. Moon Soo, Jp. Monju, Tib. Jampal Yang, Viet. Văn Thù) - Bodhisattva of keen awareness and wisdom.
(Ch. 龍樹, Long Shu, Viet. Long Thọ) - The founder of the Madhyamaka
(Middle Path) school of Mahāyāna Buddhism.
Two strong 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.
(Ch. 蓮華生上師, Lianhuasheng Shang Shi, Tib. Padma Jungne or Guru Rinpoche) - Most associated with Tibetan Buddhism
and Bhutan
ese Buddhism. The Nyingma
school regards Padmasambhava as a second Buddha.
(Ch. 普賢 , Pu Xian, Kr. Bo Hyun, Jp. Fugen, Tib. Kuntu Zangpo, Viet. Phổ Hiền) - Represents the practice and meditation of all Buddhas.
(Ch. 伽藍, Qie Lan, Viet. Già Lam) - Only revered in Chinese Buddhism-Taoism, Sangharama refer 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.
8th century scholar, wrote about Bodhisattva
s.
The goddess of the White Parasol and protector against supernatural danger.
(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.
Mentioned in Shantideva's A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way Of Life
(Ch: 日光, Ri Guang, Kr. Il Guang, Jp: Nikkō) - One of two attendants of Bhaisajyaguru
Buddha.
(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.
(Ch. 金剛手, Jin Gang Shou, Kr. Kum Kang Soo, Jp.Shukongojin, Tib. Channa Dorje) - An early bodhisattva in Mahayana
.
Bodhisattva of abundance and fertility. Popular in Nepal
.
Mahayana
Mahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
Buddhist thought, a Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
(Ch.: 菩薩 pú sà, Jp.: bosatsu) is a being who is dedicated to achieving complete Buddhahood
Buddhahood
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
. That is their reason for "being" or raison d'être. Conventionally, the term is applied to beings with a high degree of enlightenment. Bodhisattva literally means an "enlightenment (bodhi
Bodhi
Bodhi is both a Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English with the word "enlightenment", but which means awakened. In Buddhism it is the knowledge possessed by a Buddha into the nature of things...
) being (sattva)" in Sanskrit.
The following is a partial list of bodhisattvas, respected in Indian, Mongolian, Tibetan, Japanese and Chinese traditions.
List of bodhisattvas
- AkasagarbhaAkasagarbhaĀkāśagarbha Bodhisattva is one of the eight great bodhisattvas. His name can be translated as "boundless space treasury" or "void store" as his wisdom is said to be boundless as space itself...
(Ch. 虛空藏 , Xu Kong Zang, Kr. Huh Gong Zang, Jp. Kokuzo) - The Bodhisattva of infinite happiness generated by helping countless numbers of sentient beings.
- AvalokitesvaraAvalokitesvaraAvalokiteśvara is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He is one of the more widely revered bodhisattvas in mainstream Mahayana Buddhism....
(Ch. 觀音 , Guan Yin, Kr. Guan Um, Jp. Kannon, Tib. Chenrezig, Viet. Quán Thế Âm) - The bodhisattva of compassion, the listener of the world's cries who uses skillful means to come to their aid; the most universally acknowledged Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. Known as Guan Yin in East Asia, Chenrezig in Tibet, and Migjid Janraisig in Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
.
- KsitigarbhaKsitigarbhaKsitigarbha is a bodhisattva primarily revered in East Asian Buddhism, usually depicted as a Buddhist monk in the Orient. The name may be translated as "Earth Treasury", "Earth Store", "Earth Matrix", or "Earth Womb"...
(Ch. 地藏 , Di Zang, Kr. Ji Zang, Jp. Jizo, Tib. Sai Nyingpo, Viet. Địa Tạng). The bodhisattva of the beings suffering in hellish realms, or the bodhisattva of great vows.
(Ch. 大勢至, Da Shì Zhì, Kr. Dae Sae Zhi, Jp. Seishi, Viet. Đại Thế Chí) - Represents the power of wisdom, seen on the left of Amitabha in Pure Land Buddhism
Pure Land Buddhism
Pure Land Buddhism , also referred to as Amidism in English, is a broad branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism and currently one of the most popular traditions of Buddhism in East Asia. Pure Land is a branch of Buddhism focused on Amitābha Buddha...
.
- MaitreyaMaitreyaMaitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
(Ch. 彌勒 , Mi Le, Kr. Mi Ruk, Jp. Miroku, Viet. Di Lạc) - The bodhisattva to be reborn and to become enlightened, thus succeeding Gautama Buddha in the future. Known for his or her benevolence.
- ManjusriManjusriMañjuśrī is a bodhisattva associated with transcendent wisdom in Mahāyāna Buddhism. In Esoteric Buddhism he is also taken as a meditational deity. The Sanskrit name Mañjuśrī can be translated as "Gentle Glory"...
(Ch. 文殊 , Wen Shu, Kr. Moon Soo, Jp. Monju, Tib. Jampal Yang, Viet. Văn Thù) - Bodhisattva of keen awareness and wisdom.
- NagarjunaNagarjunaNāgārjuna was an important Buddhist teacher and philosopher. Along with his disciple Āryadeva, he is credited with founding the Mādhyamaka school of Mahāyāna Buddhism...
(Ch. 龍樹, Long Shu, Viet. Long Thọ) - The founder of the Madhyamaka
Madhyamaka
Madhyamaka refers primarily to a Mahāyāna Buddhist school of Buddhist philosophy systematized by Nāgārjuna. Nāgārjuna may have arrived at his positions from a desire to achieve a consistent exegesis of the Buddha's doctrine as recorded in the āgamas...
(Middle Path) school of Mahāyāna Buddhism.
- NiōNioKongōrikishi or Niō are two wrath-filled and muscular guardians of the Buddha, standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples in China, Japan and Korea in the form of frightening wrestler-like statues. They are manifestations of the Bodhisattva ' protector deity and are part of the...
Two strong guardians of the Buddha, standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
under the appearance of frightening wrestler-like statues. They are manifestations of the Bodhisattva Vajrapani.
- PadmasambhavaPadmasambhavaPadmasambhava ; Mongolian ловон Бадмажунай, lovon Badmajunai, , Means The Lotus-Born, was a sage guru from Oddiyāna who is said to have transmitted Vajrayana Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet and neighbouring countries in the 8th century...
(Ch. 蓮華生上師, Lianhuasheng Shang Shi, Tib. Padma Jungne or Guru Rinpoche) - Most associated with Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
and Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
ese Buddhism. The Nyingma
Nyingma
The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism . "Nyingma" literally means "ancient," and is often referred to as Nga'gyur or the "old school" because it is founded on the first translations of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Tibetan, in the eighth century...
school regards Padmasambhava as a second Buddha.
- SamantabhadraSamantabhadraSamantabhadra , is a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism associated with Buddhist practice and meditation. Together with Shakyamuni Buddha and fellow bodhisattva Manjusri he forms the Shakyamuni trinity in Buddhism...
(Ch. 普賢 , Pu Xian, Kr. Bo Hyun, Jp. Fugen, Tib. Kuntu Zangpo, Viet. Phổ Hiền) - Represents the practice and meditation of all Buddhas.
- SangharamaGuan YuGuan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
(Ch. 伽藍, Qie Lan, Viet. Già Lam) - Only revered in Chinese Buddhism-Taoism, Sangharama refer 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
Guan Yu
Guan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
, who became a Dharmapala
Dharmapala
In Vajrayana Buddhism, a dharmapāla is a type of wrathful deity. The name means "Dharma-defender" in Sanskrit, and the dharmapālas are also known as the Defenders of the Law , or the Protectors of the Law, in English....
through becoming a Buddhist and making vows.
- ShantidevaShantidevaShantideva was an 8th-century Indian Buddhist scholar at Nalanda University and an adherent of the Madhyamaka philosophy of Nagarjuna....
8th century scholar, wrote about Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
s.
- SitatapatraSitatapatraSitātapatrā is the 'Goddess of the White Parasol' - protector against supernatural danger. She manifests as the wrathful form of Avalokiteshvara-Names:...
The goddess of the White Parasol and protector against supernatural danger.
- SkandaSkanda (Buddhism)Skanda is a Mahayana bodhisattva regarded as a devoted guardian of Buddhist monasteries who guards the Buddhist teachings...
(Ch. 韋馱, Wei Tuo) - A Dharmapala
Dharmapala
In Vajrayana Buddhism, a dharmapāla is a type of wrathful deity. The name means "Dharma-defender" in Sanskrit, and the dharmapālas are also known as the Defenders of the Law , or the Protectors of the Law, in English....
who guards the Dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
, with links to Vajrapani and is somewhat the direct forbear to Murugan
Murugan
Murugan also called Kartikeya, Skanda and Subrahmanya, is a popular Hindu deity especially among Tamil Hindus, worshipped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the...
, a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
deity. Primarily worshipped in Chinese Buddhism.
- SupushpachandraSupushpachandraSupushpachandra is the name of a Buddhist figure, a bodhisattva who was commanded by the king's law to abstain from teaching dharma. Supushpachandra ignored the statute, and was executed by King Shuradatta. An account of his tale can be found in the Samadhiraja sutra...
Mentioned in Shantideva's A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way Of Life
A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way Of Life
The Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra or Bodhicaryāvatāra, sometimes translated into English as A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, is a famous Mahāyāna Buddhist text written c. 700 AD in Sanskrit verse by Shantideva , a Buddhist monk at Nālandā Monastic University in India...
- SuryavairocanaNikko bosatsuSuryaprabha Bodhisattva, or Nikkō Bosatsu in Japanese, is a bodhisattva whose specialty is sunlight and good health. Nikkō is often seen with Gakkō Bosatsu , as the two siblings serve Yakushi or the Medicine Buddha...
(Ch: 日光, Ri Guang, Kr. Il Guang, Jp: Nikkō) - One of two attendants of Bhaisajyaguru
Bhaisajyaguru
Bhaiṣajyaguru , formally Bhaiṣajyaguruvaidūryaprabharāja , is the buddha of healing and medicine in Mahāyāna Buddhism. Commonly referred to as the "Medicine Buddha", he is described as a doctor who cures suffering using the medicine of his teachings.-Origin:...
Buddha.
- TaraTara (Buddhism)Tara or Ārya Tārā, also known as Jetsun Dolma in Tibetan Buddhism, is a female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism who appears as a female Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. She is known as the "mother of liberation", and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements...
(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.
- VajrapaniVajrapani' is one of the earliest bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism. He is the protector and guide of the Buddha, and rose to symbolize the Buddha's power. Vajrapani was used extensively in Buddhist iconography as one of the three protective deities surrounding the Buddha...
(Ch. 金剛手, Jin Gang Shou, Kr. Kum Kang Soo, Jp.Shukongojin, Tib. Channa Dorje) - An early bodhisattva in Mahayana
Mahayana
Mahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
.
- VasudharaVasudharaVasudhārā whose name means 'stream of gems' in Sanskrit, is the Buddhist bodhisattva of wealth, prosperity, and abundance. She is popular in many Buddhist countries and is a subject in Buddhist legends and art. Originally an Indian bodhisattva, her popularity has spread to southern Buddhist countries...
Bodhisattva of abundance and fertility. Popular in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
.