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bodhisattva Hear it!

bodhisattva definition

bo·dhi·sattva (bō′di sut′və, -sät′-)

noun

Buddhism a person who has achieved great moral and spiritual wisdom and is a potential Buddha, esp. such a person who rejects nirvana in order to assist suffering mankind

Etymology: Sans, lit., one enlightened in essence < bodhi, enlightenment (< IE base *bheudh-, to be alert, recognize > OE beodan, to command: see bid) + sattva, being, existence (< IE *sent-, part. stem of base *es-, be > is)

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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