bodhisattva

plural bodhisattvas · alternative boddhisatva · alternative bodhisvatta

1. BuddhismA person who has taken specific lay or monastic vows and who is on the road to perfect knowledge; specifically, one who foregoes personal nirvana in order to help others achieve enlightenment.

   Kimi was a true bodhisattva, and her English skills were excellent.

   2021, Ruth Ozeki, The Book of Form and Emptiness, Canongate Books (2022), page 414

2. BuddhismAn enlightened being existing in a form of existence beyond the ordinary forms of physical reality understood and acknowledged by scientific thought, resembling the Western notion of angels, but with a wealth of its own nuances and expectations. These include the compassionate working for enlightenment of all sentient beings.