Where does “菩提” come from?
菩提 (Japanese) comes from Middle Chinese 菩提, from Sanskrit बोधि, from Proto-Indo-Aryan bawdʰíṣ, from Proto-Indo-Iranian bawdʰíš, from Proto-Indo-European bʰewdʰ- — to be awake, be aware.
菩提 (Japanese): bodhi
Definitions
- bodhi
Ancestry of “菩提”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Chinese | 菩提 | — |
| 2 | Sanskrit | बोधि | (also feminine gender) bodhi: perfect knowledge or wisdom (by which a man becomes a buddha or jina), the illuminated or enlightened intellect (of a Buddha or jina) |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | bawdʰíṣ | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | bawdʰíš | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰewdʰ- | to be awake, be aware |