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Where does “bodhisattva” come from?

Bodhisattva derives from Sanskrit बोधिसत्त्व, combining बोधि (bodhi, awakening) from बोधि ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰewdʰ- and सत्त्व from सत् (being) from Proto-Indo-European h₁es-.

bodhisattva (English): A person who has taken specific lay or monastic...

Definitions

  1. A person who has taken specific lay or monastic...

Ancestry of “bodhisattva”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritबोधिसत्त्वbodhisattva; "one whose essence is perfect...
2Sanskritबोधिbodhi: perfect knowledge or wisdom , the...
3Proto-Indo-Aryanbawdʰíṣ—
4Proto-Indo-Iranianbawdʰíš—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰewdʰ-to be awake, be aware
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰewdʰ- →