Bodhisattva

== Etymology ==
The etymology of the Indic terms bodhisattva and bodhisatta is not fully understood. The term [[Enlightenment in Buddhism|bodhi]] is uncontroversial and means "awakening" or "enlightenment" (from the root ''budh-'').<ref>Williams, Paul (2008). ''Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations'', pp. 286-287. Routledge.</ref><ref>Dayal, Har (1970). ''The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature'', p. 4. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.</ref> The second part of the compound has many possible meanings or derivations, including:<ref>Dayal, Har (1970). ''The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature'', pp. 4-7. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.</ref>

* Sattva and satta commonly means "living being", "sentient being" or "person" and many modern scholars adopt an interpretation based on this etymology. Examples include: "a sentient or reasonable being, possessing bodhi" (H. Kern), "a bodhi-being, i.e. a being destined to attain fullest Enlightenment" (T. W. Rhys Davids and W. Stede), "A being seeking for bodhi" (M. Anesaki), "Erleuchtungswesen" (Enlightenment Being) (M. Winternitz), "Weisheitswesen" ("Wisdom Being") (M. Walleser).<ref name="auto">Dayal, Har (1970). ''The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature'', pp. 4-5. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.</ref> This etymology is also supported by the Mahayana [[Samadhiraja Sutra|''Samādhirāja Sūtra'']], which, however, explains the meaning of the term bodhisattva as "one who admonishes or exhorts all beings."<ref name=":02">Dayal, Har (1970). ''The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature'', p. 6. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.</ref>
* According to Har Dayal, the term ''bodhi-satta'' may correspond with the Sanskrit ''bodhi-sakta'' which means "one who is devoted to [[Enlightenment in Buddhism|bodhi]]" or "attached to bodhi". Later, the term may have been wrongly [[Sanskritisation|sanskritized]] to ''bodhi-satva''.<ref name=":12">Dayal, Har (1970). ''The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature'', p. 7. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.</ref> Hayal notes that the Sanskrit term ''sakta'' (from ''sañj'') means "clung, stuck or attached to, joined or connected with, addicted or devoted to, fond of, intent on".<ref name=":12" /> This etymology for ''satta'' is supported by some passages in the Early Buddhist Texts (such as at SN 23.2, parallel at SĀ 122). The etymology is also supported by the Pāli commentaries, Jain sources and other modern scholars like Tillman Vetter and Neumann.<ref>Bhikkhu Analayo; Zimmermann, Michael (2010). ''The Genesis of the Bodhisattva Ideal'', p. 19, Hamburg Buddhist Studies (Hamburg University Press).</ref> Another related possibility pointed out by [[K. R. Norman|K.R. Norman]] and others is that satta carries the meaning of ''śakta'', and so bodhisatta means "capable of enlightenment."<ref>Norman K.R. (1990/1993) ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20210224193018/http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/Articles/Pali%20Philology%20and%20the%20Study%20of%20Buddhism_Norman_1990.pdf "Pāli Philology and the Study of Buddhism"]'', in Collected Papers, Volume IV, K.R. Norman (ed.), Oxford: The Pali Text Society, 80‒91.</ref>
* The Sanskrit term sattva may mean "strength, energy, vigour, power, courage" and therefore, bodhisattva could also mean "one whose energy and power is directed towards bodhi".<ref>Dayal, Har (1970). ''The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature'', pp. 7-8. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.</ref> This reading of sattva is found in Ksemendra's ''AvadanakalpaIata.'' Har Dayal supports this reading, noting that the term sattva is "almost certainly related to the Vedic word ''satvan'', which means 'a strong or valiant man, hero, warrior{{'"}} and thus, the term bodhisatta should be interpreted as "heroic being, spiritual warrior."<ref>Dayal, Har (1970). ''The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature'', p. 9. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.</ref>
* Sattva may also mean [[Spirit (animating force)|spirit]], [[mind]], sense, [[consciousness]], or [[geist]]. Various Indian commentators like Prajñakaramati interpret the term as a synonym for citta (mind, thought) or vyavasāya (decision, determination).<ref name=":02" /> Thus, the term bodhisattva could also mean: "one whose mind, intentions, thoughts or wishes are fixed on bodhi".<ref name=":02" /> In this sense, this meaning of ''sattva'' is similar to the meaning it has in the ''[[Yoga Sutras of Patanjali|Yoga-sutras]]'', where it means mind.<ref name=":02" />
* Tibetan lexicographers translate bodhisattva as ''byang chub'' (bodhi) ''sems dpa'' (sattva). In this compound, ''sems'' means mind, while ''dpa'' means "hero, strong man" (Skt. ''vīra''). Thus, this translation combines two possible etymologies of sattva explained above: as "mind" and as "courageous, hero".<ref>Dayal, Har (1970). ''The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature'', p. 8. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.</ref>
* Chinese Buddhists generally use the term ''pusa'' (菩薩), a phonetic transcription of the Sanskrit term. However, early Chinese translators sometimes used a meaning translation of the term bodhisattva, which they rendered as ''mingshi'' (明士)'','' which means "a person who understands", reading ''sattva'' as "man" or "person" (''shi'', 士).<ref>Zürcher, Erik (2013). ''Buddhism in China: Collected Papers of Erik Zürcher,'' p. 431. BRILL.</ref><ref>Pu, Chengzhong. [https://journals.equinoxpub.com/BSR/article/viewFile/4667/3090 ''Notes on the Chengju guangming jing, 'Sūtra of Achieving the Bright Light Concentration'.'' Buddhist Studies Review 25(1) 2008, 27–53. ISSN (online): 1747-9681.]

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* In Sanskrit, ''sattva'' can mean "essence, nature, true essence", and the Pali ''satta'' can mean "substance". Some modern scholars interpret bodhisattva in this light, such as [[Monier Monier-Williams|Monier-Williams]], who translates the term as "one who has bodhi or perfect wisdom as his essence."<ref name="auto"/>