Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

thought, a

bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools ...

(

Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...

Devanagari Devanagari ( ; , , Sanskrit pronunciation: ), also called Nagari (),Kathleen Kuiper (2010), The Culture of India, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, , page 83 is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental writing system), based on the ...

: बोधिसत्व; Burmese: ဗောဓိသတ်;Sinhalese:බෝධිසත්ව ; ; Khmer:ពោធិសត្វ; Thai: โพธิสัตว์; ; Vietnamese: Bồ Tát) is a being who is dedicated to achieving complete

Buddhahood In Buddhism, Buddha (; Pali, Sanskrit: 𑀩𑀼𑀤𑁆𑀥, बुद्ध), "awakened one", is a title for those who are awake, and have attained nirvana and Buddhahood through their own efforts and insight, without a teacher to point o ...

. Conventionally, the term is applied to beings with a high degree of enlightenment. Bodhisattva literally means a "

bodhi The English term enlightenment is the Western translation of various Buddhist terms, most notably bodhi and vimutti. The abstract noun ''bodhi'' (; Sanskrit: बोधि; Pali: ''bodhi''), means the knowledge or wisdom, or awakened intellec ...

(enlightenment) being" in

Pali Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or '' Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of '' Theravāda'' Buddh ...

and

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...

. Mahayana practitioners have historically lived in many other countries that are now predominantly Hindu or Muslim; remnants of reverence for bodhisattvas has continued in some of these regions. The following is a non-exhaustive list of bodhisattvas primarily respected in Buddhism.

Primary Bodhisattvas

Ākāśagarbha Ākāśagarbha (, Standard Tibetan ''Namkha'i Nyingpo'', Vietnamese ''Hư Không Tạng Bồ Tát'') is a bodhisattva in Chinese, Japanese and Korean Buddhism who is associated with the great element (''mahābhūta'') of space ( ''ākāśa''). ...

, Khmer: អាកាសគភ៌; Thai: พระอากาศครรภโพธิสัตว์; sinhalese:ආකාශගර්භ ;) is a

who is associated with the great element (''

mahābhūta ''Mahābhūta'' is Sanskrit and Pāli for "great element". However, very few scholars define the four mahābhūtas in a broader sense as the four fundamental aspects of physical reality. Hinduism In Hinduism's sacred literature, the "great" ...

'') of space (''ākāśa''). *

Avalokiteśvara In Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर, IPA: ) is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He has 108 avatars, one notable avatar being Padmapāṇi (lotus bearer). He is variably depicted, ...

(Padmapani) (Burmese: လောကနတ်; , Khmer:អវលោកិតេស្វរៈ , អវលោកេស្វរៈ , លោកេស្វរៈ; sinhalese:අවලෝකිතේශ්වර Thai: พระอวโลกิเตศวรโพธิสัตว์; Sinhalese: Natha Deviyo; ) The bodhisattva of compassion, the listener of the world's cries who uses skillful means to come to their aid; the most universally acknowledged bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism, also appears in Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhism. This bodhisattva gradually became identified predominantly as female in

East Asian Buddhism East Asian Buddhism or East Asian Mahayana is a collective term for the schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism that developed across East Asia which follow the Chinese Buddhist canon. These include the various forms of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, an ...

and its name may originally have been Avalokitāśvara. *

Kṣitigarbha Kṣitigarbha ( sa, क्षितिगर्भ, , bo, ས་ཡི་སྙིང་པོ་ Wylie: ''sa yi snying po'') is a bodhisattva primarily revered in East Asian Buddhism and usually depicted as a Buddhist monk. His name may be t ...

(, Khmer: ក្សិតិគភ៌; Mongolian: Сайенинбу; sinhalese:කශිතිගර්භ ;Thai: พระกษิติครรภโพธิสัตว์; ). Kṣitigarbha is a bodhisattva primarily revered in East Asian Buddhism and usually depicted as a Buddhist monk. His name may be translated as "Earth Treasury", "Earth Store", "Earth Matrix", or "Earth Womb". Kṣitigarbha is known for his vow to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the six worlds between the death of

Gautama Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...

and the rise of

Maitreya Maitreya (Sanskrit: ) or Metteyya (Pali: ), also Maitreya Buddha or Metteyya Buddha, is regarded as the future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. As the 5th and final Buddha of the current kalpa, Maitreya's teachings will be aimed a ...

, as well as his vow not to achieve

until all

hell In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hell ...

s are emptied. He is therefore often regarded as the bodhisattva of hell-beings, as well as the guardian of children and patron deity of deceased children in Japanese culture. *

Mahāsthāmaprāpta Mahāsthāmaprāpta is a bodhisattva mahāsattva who represents the power of wisdom. His name literally means "arrival of the great strength". Mahāsthāmaprāpta is one of the Eight Great Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism, along with Mañjuś ...

(; Khmer: មហាស្ថាមប្រាប្ត; sinhalese:මහාස්තාමප්‍රාප්ත ; Thai: พระมหาสถามปราปต์โพธิสัตว์; Tibetan: མཐུ་ཆེན་ཐོབ) Mahāsthāmaprāpta (Korean: Daeseji) is a

mahāsattva A mahāsattva () is a great ''bodhisattva'' who has practiced Buddhism for a long time and reached a very high level on the path to awakening (''bodhi''). Generally refers to bodhisattvas who have reached at least the seventh of the ten '' bhumis''. ...

representing the power of wisdom, often depicted in a trinity with

Amitābha Amitābha ( sa, अमिताभ, IPA: ), also known as Amitāyus, is the primary Buddha of Pure Land Buddhism. In Vajrayana Buddhism, he is known for his longevity, discernment, pure perception, purification of aggregates, and deep awaren ...

and Avalokiteśvara, especially in

Pure Land Buddhism Pure Land Buddhism (; ja, 浄土仏教, translit=Jōdo bukkyō; , also referred to as Amidism in English,) is a broad branch of Mahayana Buddhism focused on achieving rebirth in a Buddha's Buddha-field or Pure Land. It is one of the most wid ...

. His name literally means "arrival of the great strength". *

, (

: Metteyya) In some

Buddhist texts Buddhist texts are those religious texts which belong to the Buddhist tradition. The earliest Buddhist texts were not committed to writing until some centuries after the death of Gautama Buddha. The oldest surviving Buddhist manuscripts ...

such as the '' Amitabha Sutra'' and the ''

Lotus Sutra The ''Lotus Sūtra'' ( zh, 妙法蓮華經; sa, सद्धर्मपुण्डरीकसूत्रम्, translit=Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtram, lit=Sūtra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma, italic=) is one of the most influ ...

'', he is referred to as Ajita. Burmese: အရိမေတ္တယျ; , Khmer: សិអារ្យមេត្រី, អរិយមេត្តយ្យ; Mongolian: Майдар, Асралт; Sinhalese: මෛත්‍රී බුදුන්; Thai: พระศรีอริยเมตไตรย; ). According to Buddhism, Maitreya is regarded as the future buddha. Buddhist tradition, Maitreya is a bodhisattva who will appear on Earth in the future, achieve complete enlightenment, and teach the pure ''

dharma Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...

''. According to scriptures, Maitreya will be a successor to the present Buddha,

. Horner (1975), ''The minor anthologies of the Pali canon'', p. 97. Regarding Metteyya, Bv XXVII, 19: "I autama Buddhaat the present time am the Self-Awakened One, and there will be Metteyya...." The prophecy of the arrival of Maitreya refers to a time in the future when the dharma will have been forgotten by most on the terrestrial world. This prophecy is found in the canonical literature of all major

schools of Buddhism The schools of Buddhism are the various institutional and doctrinal divisions of Buddhism that have existed from ancient times up to the present. The classification and nature of various doctrinal, philosophical or cultural facets of the schoo ...

. Maitreya has also been adopted for his millenarian role by many non-Buddhist religions in the past such as the

White Lotus The White Lotus () is a syncretic religious and political movement which forecasts the imminent advent of the "King of Light" (), i.e., the future Buddha Maitreya. As White Lotus sects developed, they appealed to many Han Chinese who found sol ...

as well as by modern

new religious movement A new religious movement (NRM), also known as alternative spirituality or a new religion, is a religious or Spirituality, spiritual group that has modern origins and is peripheral to its society's dominant religious culture. NRMs can be novel in ...

s such as

Yiguandao Yiguandao / I-Kuan Tao (),; ko, 일관도, Ilgwando; th, อนุตตรธรรม, . meaning the Consistent Way or Persistent Way, is a Chinese salvationist religious sect that emerged in the late 19th century, in Shandong, to become C ...

. *

Mañjuśrī Mañjuśrī ( Sanskrit: मञ्जुश्री) is a ''bodhisattva'' associated with '' prajñā'' (wisdom) in Mahāyāna Buddhism. His name means "Gentle Glory" in Sanskrit. Mañjuśrī is also known by the fuller name of Mañjuśrīkumār ...

(, Khmer: មញ្ចុស្រី; Mongolian: Зөөлөн эгшигт;sinhalese:මංජුශ්‍රී ; Thai: พระมัญชุศรีโพธิสัตว์; ) Mañjuśrī is a bodhisattva associated with prajñā (transcendent wisdom) in Mahayana Buddhism. In Tibetan Buddhism, he is also a

yidam ''Yidam'' is a type of deity associated with tantric or Vajrayana Buddhism said to be manifestations of Buddhahood or enlightened mind. During personal meditation (''sādhana'') practice, the yogi identifies their own form, attributes and mi ...

. His name means "Gentle Glory". Mañjuśrī is also known by the fuller Sanskrit name of Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta,Keown, Damien (editor) with Hodge, Stephen; Jones, Charles; Tinti, Paola (2003). ''A Dictionary of Buddhism.'' Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. p.172. literally "Mañjuśrī, Still a Youth" or, less literally, "Prince Mañjuśrī". * Samantabhadra ,Khmer: សមន្តភទ្រ; mn, Хамгаар Сайн; Sinhalese: සමන්තභද්‍ර ; , Thai: พระสมันตภัทรโพธิสัตว์} Samantabhadra ''Universal Worthy'' is associated with practice and meditation. Together with the Buddha and Mañjuśrī, he forms the ''Shakyamuni trinity'' in

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

. He is the patron of the ''

'' and, according to the ''

Avatamsaka Sutra The ' (IAST, sa, 𑀅𑀯𑀢𑀁𑀲𑀓 𑀲𑀽𑀢𑁆𑀭) or ''Buddhāvataṃsaka-nāma-mahāvaipulya-sūtra (The Mahāvaipulya Sūtra named “Buddhāvataṃsaka”)'' is one of the most influential Mahāyāna sutras of East Asian Bu ...

'', made the ten great vows which are the basis of a bodhisattva. In

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...

, Samantabhadra is associated with action, whereas Mañjuśrī is associated with prajñā. In Japan, Samantabharda is often venerated by the

Tendai , also known as the Tendai Lotus School (天台法華宗 ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just "''hokke shū''") is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition (with significant esoteric elements) officially established in Japan in 806 by the Japanese m ...

and in

Shingon Buddhism Shingon monks at Mount Koya is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, originally spread from India to China through traveling monks such as Vajrabodhi and Amoghavajra. Kn ...

, and as the protector of the ''Lotus Sutra'' by

Nichiren Buddhism Nichiren Buddhism ( ja, 日蓮仏教), also known as Hokkeshū ( ja, 法華宗, meaning ''Lotus Sect'') is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese Buddhist priest Nichiren (1222–1282) and is one ...

. *

Vajrapāṇi (Sanskrit; Pali: Vajirapāṇi, meaning, "Vajra in ishand") is one of the earliest-appearing bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism. He is the protector and guide of Gautama Buddha and rose to symbolize the Buddha's power. Vajrapāni is also c ...

, (Pali: Vajirapāṇi) (, Khmer: វជ្របាណិ; sinhalese: වජ්‍රපානි ;Thai: พระวัชรปาณีโพธิสัตว์; ) (

, "

Vajra The Vajra () is a legendary and ritual weapon, symbolising the properties of a diamond (indestructibility) and a thunderbolt (irresistible force). The vajra is a type of club with a ribbed spherical head. The ribs may meet in a ball-shap ...

in ishand") is one of the earliest-appearing bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism. He is the protector and guide of Gautama Buddha and rose to symbolize the Buddha's power. Vajrapāṇi is extensively represented in Buddhist iconography as one of the three protective deities surrounding the Buddha. Each of them symbolizes one of the Buddha's virtues:

manifests all the Buddhas' wisdom,

manifests all the Buddhas' compassion and Vajrapāṇi manifests all the Buddhas' power as well as the power of all five

tathāgata Tathāgata () is a Pali word; Gautama Buddha uses it when referring to himself or other Buddhas in the Pāli Canon. The term is often thought to mean either "one who has thus gone" (''tathā-gata''), "one who has thus come" (''tathā-āgata''), ...

s. Vajrapāṇi is one of the earliest

dharmapala A ''dharmapāla'' (, , ja, 達磨波羅, 護法善神, 護法神, 諸天善神, 諸天鬼神, 諸天善神諸大眷屬) is a type of wrathful god in Buddhism. The name means "'' dharma'' protector" in Sanskrit, and the ''dharmapālas'' are a ...

s mentioned in the

Pāli Canon The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the most complete extant early Buddhist canon. It derives mainly from the Tamrashatiya school. During ...

as well as be worshiped in the Shaolin Monastery, in Tibetan Buddhism and in Pure Land Buddhism, where he is known as Mahasthamaprapta and forms a triad with Amitābha and Avalokiteśvara. Manifestations of Vajrapāṇi can also be found in many Buddhist temples in China, Korea and Japan as dharma protectors called the or "Benevolent Kings". They are two wrathful and muscular guardians of the Buddha standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples in

and are said to be dharmapala manifestations of Vajrapāṇi. They are also seen as a manifestations of Mahasthamaprapta in Pure Land Buddhism and as

Vajrasattva Vajrasattva ( sa, वज्रसत्त्व, Tibetan: རྡོ་རྗེ་སེམས་དཔའ། ''Dorje Sempa'', short form is རྡོར་སེམས། ''Dorsem'', Монгол: Доржсэмбэ) is a bodhisattva in the Maha ...

in Tibetan Buddhism. In some texts, he is also described as the manifestation of Sakka, the ruler of Tavatimsa Devas. According to Japanese tradition, they traveled with Gautama Buddha to protect him, reminiscent of Vajrapāṇi's role in the ''Ambaṭṭha Sutta'' of the

Pali Canon The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the most complete extant early Buddhist canon. It derives mainly from the Tamrashatiya school. During ...

. Within the generally pacifist tradition of Buddhism, stories of dharmapalas justified the use of physical force to protect cherished values and beliefs against evil. Vajrapāṇi is also associated with

Acala or Achala ( sa, अचल, "The Immovable", ), also known as (, "Immovable Lord") or (, "Noble Immovable Lord"), is a wrathful deity and ''dharmapala'' (protector of the Dharma) prominent in Vajrayana Buddhism and East Asian Buddhism., Jp. r ...

, who is venerated as ''Fudō-Myō'' in Japan, where he is serenaded as the holder of the

vajra The Vajra () is a legendary and ritual weapon, symbolising the properties of a diamond (indestructibility) and a thunderbolt (irresistible force). The vajra is a type of club with a ribbed spherical head. The ribs may meet in a ball-shap ...

Classification

Four Great Bodhisattvas

There are several lists of four Bodhisattvas according to scripture and local tradition. Popular Chinese Buddhism generally lists the following, as they are associated with the Four Sacred Mountains: *

* Samantabhadra The

Womb Realm In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Womb Realm ( sa, garbhakoṣadhātu, Traditional Chinese: 胎蔵界; Pinyin: ''Tāizāngjiè''; Romanji: ''taizōkai'') is the metaphysical space inhabited by the Five Compassion Buddhas. The Womb Realm is based on the ...

Mandala of

Esoteric Buddhism Vajrayāna ( sa, वज्रयान, "thunderbolt vehicle", "diamond vehicle", or "indestructible vehicle"), along with Mantrayāna, Guhyamantrayāna, Tantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, are names referring t ...

provides another enumeration. These bodhisattvas are featured in the Eight Petal Hall in the center of the mandala. They are as follows: * Samantabhadra *

The Avataṃsaka Sūtra mentions four bodhisattvas, each of whom expounds a portion of the Fifty-two Stages of Bodhisattva Practice. * Dharmaprajñā * Guṇavana * Vajraketu * Vajragarbha The

provides a list of bodhisattvas that are the leaders of the

Bodhisattvas of the Earth Bodhisattvas of the Earth ( Chinese: 地涌菩薩; Japanese: 地涌の菩薩, 地湧の菩薩, 上行菩薩), also sometimes referred to as "Bodhisattvas from the Underground," "Bodhisattvas Taught by the Original Buddha," or "earth bodhisattvas," ...

. *

Viśiṣṭacāritra Viśiṣṭacāritra ( sa, विशिष्टचारित्र; also known as Superior Practice) is a bodhisattva mentioned in the 15th, 21st, and 22nd chapters of the ''Lotus Sutra''. He is one of the four great perfected bodhisattvas w ...

* Anantacāritra * Viśuddhacāritra * Supratiṣṭhitacāritra

Five Great Bodhisattvas

Chapter 7 of the

Humane King Sutra The Humane King Sutra () is found in Taisho No. 245 and 246. Many scholars have suspected this sutra to be composed in China but not all scholars agree with this viewpoint.Yang 2016 There are two versions: the first is called the ''Humane King Pe ...

provides an enumeration of five bodhisattvas, known as the "Five Bodhisattvas of Great Power (五大力菩薩)." There are two Chinese translations of this text, each providing an entirely different name to these figures. Their association with the cardinal directions also differs between versions. They are as follows:

Ten Bodhisattvas

Ten Bodhisattas refer to ten future Buddhas as successors of Shakyamuni (Gautama) Buddha, in the following order.They are introduced as:

"Metteyyo Uttamo Rāmo, Paseno Kosalobibū, Dīghasoṇīca Caṅkīca, Subo, Todeyya Brahmano. Nāḷāgirī Pālileyyo, Bhodhisatthā imedasa anukkamena sabhodiṁ, pāpuṇissanti nāgate". * The noble
Maitreya Buddha Maitreya ( Sanskrit: ) or Metteyya (Pali: ), also Maitreya Buddha or Metteyya Buddha, is regarded as the future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. As the 5th and final Buddha of the current kalpa, Maitreya's teachings will be aimed a ...
* King Uttararama * King
Pasenadi Pasenadi ( pi, पसेनदि ; sa, प्रसेनजित् ; c. 6th century BCE) was an ruler of Kosala. Sāvatthī was his capital. He succeeded after . He was a prominent (lay follower) of Gautama Buddha, and built many Buddh ...
of Kosala * Abhibhū * Dīghasoṇī * Caṅkī (Candanī) * Subha * A
Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers ( ...
named, Todeyya * An
elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantida ...
named, Nāḷāgirī * The king of elephants, named Pālileyya

Sixteen Bodhisattvas

The '' Niṣpannayogāvalī'' provides a list of bodhisattvas known as the "Sixteen Honored Ones of the Auspicious Aeon." They also appear in a Sutra with the same title (賢劫十六尊). They are as follows, along with their respective associated directions: Another set of sixteen are known as the "Sixteen Great Bodhisattvas" and make up a portion of the

Diamond Realm In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Diamond Realm (Skt. वज्रधातु ''vajradhātu'', Traditional Chinese: 金剛界; Pinyin: ''Jīngāngjiè''; Romaji: ''Kongōkai'') is a metaphysical space inhabited by the Five Tathagatas. The Diamond Real ...

Mandala. They are associated with the Buddhas of the cardinal directions.

Twenty-five Bodhisattvas

According to the ''Sūtra on Ten Methods of Rebirth in Amitābha Buddha's Land'' (十往生阿彌陀佛國經), those people who are devoted to attaining rebirth in the Western Pure Land are protected by a great number of bodhisattvas. Twenty-five of them are given by name: *

Bhaiṣajyarāja Bhaiṣajyarāja ( Skt: भैषज्यराज; Traditional Chinese: 藥王; Simplified Chinese: 药王; pinyin: ''yào wáng''; Japanese: 薬王 ''Yakuō''; Vietnamese: ''Dược Vương Bồ Tát''), or Medicine King, is a bodhisattva ...

* Bhaiṣajyasamudgata * Samantabhadra * Dharmeśvara * Siṃhanāda *

Dhāraṇī Dharanis ( IAST: ), also known as ''Parittas'', are Buddhist chants, mnemonic codes, incantations, or recitations, usually the mantras consisting of Sanskrit or Pali phrases. Believed to be protective and with powers to generate merit for the ...

* Guṇagarbha * Ratnagarbha * Vajragarbha *

* Girisāgaramati * Raśmiprabharāja * Avataṃsakarāja * Gaṇaratnarāja * Candraprabharāja * Divākararāja * Samādhirāja * Samādhīśvararāja * Maheśvararāja * Śuklahastarāja * Mahātejarāja * Anantakāya

Misc

Padmasambhāva Padmasambhava ("Born from a Lotus"), also known as Guru Rinpoche (Precious Guru) and the Lotus from Oḍḍiyāna, was a tantric Buddhist Vajra master from India who may have taught Vajrayana in Tibet (circa 8th – 9th centuries)... According ...

, mn, ловон Бадмажунай, Padmasambhāva "Lotus-Born", also known as Guru Rinpoche, is a literary character of terma, an emanation of Amitābha that is said to appear to

tertön Tertön () is a term within Tibetan Buddhism meaning a person who is a discoverer of ancient hidden texts or '' terma''. Many tertöns are considered to be incarnations of the twenty five main disciples of Padmasambhava ( Guru Rinpoche), who fores ...

s in visionary encounters and a focus of Tibetan Buddhist practice, particularly in the

Nyingma Nyingma (literally 'old school') is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It is also often referred to as ''Ngangyur'' (, ), "order of the ancient translations". The Nyingma school is founded on the first lineages and trans ...

school. *

Sangharama Sangharama (Sanskrit: संघराम ''Saṃgharāma'') refers to a "temple" or "monastery." It is the place, including its garden or grove, where the Sangha, the Buddhist monastic community dwells. A famous sangharāma was that of Kukkutara ...

() Only revered in

Chinese Buddhism Chinese Buddhism or Han Buddhism ( zh, s=汉传佛教, t=漢傳佛教, p=Hànchuán Fójiào) is a Chinese form of Mahayana Buddhism which has shaped Chinese culture in a wide variety of areas including art, politics, literature, philosophy, ...

and

Taoism Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the '' Ta ...

, Sangharama refer to a group of devas who guard viharas and the faith, but the title is usually referring to the legendary Chinese military general

Guan Yu Guan Yu (; ), courtesy name Yunchang, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Along with Zhang Fei, he shared a brotherly relationship with Liu Bei and accompanied him on ...

, who became a dharmapala through becoming a Buddhist and making vows. * Sitātapatrā (), , mn, Цагаан шүхэрт) Sitātapatrā "the White Parasol" is a protector against supernatural danger. She is venerated in both Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions. She is also known as ''Uṣṇīṣa Sitatapatra''. Sitātapatrā is a powerful independent deity as she was emanated by Gautama Buddha from his uṣṇīṣa. Whoever practices her mantra will be reborn in Amitābha's

pure land A pure land is the celestial realm of a buddha or bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. The term "pure land" is particular to East Asian Buddhism () and related traditions; in Sanskrit the equivalent concept is called a buddha-field (Sanskrit ). The ...

as well as gaining protection against supernatural danger and black magic. * Skanda , , mn, Арван Хоёр Нууд) Skanda is regarded as a devoted guardian of viharas and the Buddhist teachings. He is the leader of the twenty-four celestial guardian deities mentioned in the ''

Golden Light Sutra The Golden Light Sutra or ( sa, IAST: Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtrendrarājaḥ), also known by the Old Uygur title Altun Yaruq, is a Buddhist text of the Mahayana branch of Buddhism. In Sanskrit, the full title is ''The Sovereign King of Sut ...

''. In Chinese temples, Skanda faces the statue of the Buddha in the main shrine. In others, he is on the far right of the main shrine, whereas on the left is his counterpart, Sangharama, personified as the historical general Guan Yu. In Chinese sutras, his image is found at the end of the sutra, a reminder of his vow to protect and preserve the teachings. * Supuṣpacandra Mentioned in Shantideva's ''

Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra The ''Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra'' or ''Bodhicaryāvatāra'' ( sa, बोधिसत्त्वाचर्यावतार; Tibetan: བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའི་སྤྱོད་པ་ལ་འཇུག་པ་ ''b ...

''. * Sūryaprabha (Ch: 日光, ''Rìguāng'', Kr. ''Ilgwang'', Jp: ''Nikkō'') One of two attendants of

Bhaisajyaguru Bhaiṣajyaguru ( sa, भैषज्यगुरु, zh, t= , ja, 薬師仏, ko, 약사불, bo, སངས་རྒྱས་སྨན་བླ), or ''Bhaishajyaguru'', formally Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja ("Medicine Master ...

, together with

Candraprabha Candraprabha (lit. 'Moonlight', Chinese: 月光菩薩; pinyin: ''Yuèguāng Púsà''; Romanji: ''Gakkō or Gekkō Bosatsu'') is a bodhisattva often seen with Sūryaprabha, as the two siblings serve Bhaiṣajyaguru. Statues of Candraprabha ...

. *

(Ch: 月光, ''Yuèguāng'', Kr. ''Wolgwang'', Jp: ''Gakkō'') One of two attendants of

, together with Sūryaprabha. * Tara (Ch. 多羅, ''Duō luó'') Female bodhisattva, or set of bodhisattvas, in Tibetan Buddhism. She represents the virtues of success in work and achievements. Also a manifestation of

. * Vasudhārā Vasudhārā whose name means "stream of gems" in Sanskrit, is the bodhisattva of wealth, prosperity, and abundance. She is popular in many Buddhist countries and is a subject in Buddhist legends and art. Originally an Indian bodhisattva, her popularity has spread to Theravadin countries. Her popularity, however, peaks in

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is ma ...

, where she has a strong following among the Buddhist

Newars Newar (; new, नेवार, endonym: Newa; new, नेवा, Pracalit script:) or Nepami, are the historical inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley and its surrounding areas in Nepal and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisat ...

of the

Kathmandu Valley The Kathmandu Valley ( ne, काठमाडौं उपत्यका; also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley ( ne, नेपाः उपत्यका, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः)), ...

and is thus a central figure in

Newar Buddhism Newar Buddhism is the form of Vajrayana Buddhism practiced by the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. It has developed unique socio-religious elements, which include a non-monastic Buddhist society based on the Newar caste system and ...

.Pratapaditya, Pal. (1985) Art of Nepal. p. 32 She is named Shiskar Apa in Lahul and Spiti. * Agnidatta * Ākāṅkṣitamukha * Amoghadarśin * Anantamati * Anantapratibhāna * Anantavikrāmin * Anārambaṇadhyāyin * Anikṣiptadhura * Aniñjya * Anupalipta * Anupamamati * Aśokadatta, bodhisattva of the south * Āśvāsahasta * Bhadrapāla * Bhadraśrī * Brahmajāla * Bhaiṣajyasena *

Buddhaghoṣa Buddhaghosa was a 5th-century Indian Theravada Buddhist commentator, translator and philosopher. He worked in the Great Monastery (''Mahāvihāra'') at Anurādhapura, Sri Lanka and saw himself as being part of the Vibhajjavāda school and in t ...

* Buddhiśrī * Candrabhānu * Candraśrī * Candrasūryatrailokyadhārin * Caryamati, bodhisattva of the west * Daśaśataraśmihutārci (or Daśaśataraśmikṛtārci) * Devarāja * Dhācaṅiṁdhara * Dhanaśrī * Dharaṇīdhara * Dharaṇīṃdhara * Dharaṇīśvararāja * Dharmadhara * Dharmaketu * Dharmakṣema * Dharmamati * Dharmavyūha * Dharmeśvara * Dhṛtiparipūrna * Dundubhisvara * Gadgadasvara * Gajagandhahastin * Gambhīraghoṣasvaranādita * Gandhahastin * Guhyagupta * Harisiṃha * Indrajāla * Jālinīprabha * Jayadatta, bodhisattva of the north * Jayamati * Jñānadarśana *

Jñānagarbha Jñānagarbha (Sanskrit: ज्ञानगर्भ, Tibetan: ཡེ་ཤེས་སྙིང་པོ་, Wyl. ye shes snying po) was an 8th-century Buddhist philosopher from Nalanda who wrote on Madhyamaka and Yogacara and is considered part o ...

* Jñānākara * Jñānamati * Jñānaprabha * Jñānaśrī * Jyotirasa * Kṣetralaṃkṛta * Lakṣaṇakūṭasamatikrānta * Lakṣaṇasamalaṁkṛta * Mahābrahmāśaṅku * Mahāghoṣasvararāja * Mahākaruṇācandrin * Mahāmati * Mahāmeru * Mahāpratibhāna * Mahāvikrāmin * Mahāvyūha * Maṇicūḍa * Maṇiratnacchattra * Mārajit * Mārapramardin * Megharāja *

Meru Meru may refer to: Geography Kenya * Meru, Kenya, a city in Meru County, Kenya ** Meru County, created by the merger of *** Meru Central District *** Meru North District *** Meru South District * Meru National Park, a Kenyan wildlife park Tanz ...

* Merudhvaja * Merukūṭa * Merupradīparāja * Merurāja * Meruśikharadhara * Meruśikharasaṁghaṭṭanarāja * Merusvara * Nakṣatrarāja * Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña * Nārāyaṇa * Nityaprahasitapramuditendriya * Nityodyukta * Nityotkaṇṭhita * Nityotkṣiptahasta * Nityotpalakṛtahasta * Pradānaśūra * Padmagarbha * Padmanetra * Padmapāṇi, bodhisattva of the southeast * Padmaśrī * Padmaśrīgarbha * Padmavyūha * Padmottara, bodhisattva of the nadir * Prabhāketu * Prabhāvyūha * Prabhūtaratna * Prajdākūṭa * Prajñākūta * Pralānaśūra * Prāmodyarāja * Praṇidhiprayātaprāpta * Praśāntacāritramati * Pratibhānakūṭa * Pratisaṃvitpraṇādaprāpta * Pratisaṃvitprāpta * Pṛthivīvaralocana * Pūrṇacandra * Ratiṁkara * Ratnacandra * Ratnacūḍa * Ratnadhvaja * Ratnadvīpa * Ratnagarbha * Ratnajaha * Ratnajāli * Ratnākara * Ratnaketu * Ratnakūṭa * Ratnamudrāhasta * Ratnamukuṭa * Ratnananda * Ratnapāṇi * Ratnaprabha * Ratnaprabhāsa * Ratnasaṁbhava * Ratnaśikhara * Ratnaśrī * Ratnayaṣṭi * Ratnavara, bodhisattva of the northwest * Ratnavīra * Ratnavyūha * Ratnayaṣṭin * Ratnolkādhārin * Sadāparibhūta, one of Śākyamuni's past lives * Sāgaramati * Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin * Śailaśikharasaṃghaṭṭanarāja * Samadarśin * Samādhigarbha * Samādhivikurvaṇarāja * Samantacandra * Samantacāritramati * Samantanetra * Samantaprabha, bodhisattva of the east * Samantaprāsādika * Samanteryapatha * Samatāvihārin * Samaviṣamadarśin * Sarvabhayahara * Sarvamalāpagata * Sarvamaṅgaladhārin * Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin * Sarvapuṇyalakṣaṇadhārin * Sarvārthanāman * Sarvasattvapriyadarśana * Sarvaśūra * Sarvatīrthamaṅgaladhārin * Satatamabhayaṁdad (or Satatamabhayaṁdadāna) * Satatasamitābhiyukta * Satatodyukta *

Siṃha Siṃha is one of the twelve months in the Indian solar calendar. Simha corresponds to the zodiacal sign of Leo, and overlaps with about the second half of August and about the first half of September in the Gregorian calendar. In Vedic texts, t ...

* Siṃhaketu * Siṃhaghoṣābhigarjitaśvara * Siṃhamati * Siṁhanādanādin * Siṁhavikrīḍita * Siddhārthamati * Śrīgarbha * Śubhagarbha * Śubhakanakaviśuddhiprabha * Śubhavimalagarbha * Sujāta * Sumati *

Sumeru Mount Meru (Sanskrit/Pali: मेरु), also known as Sumeru, Sineru or Mahāmeru, is the sacred five-peaked mountain of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist cosmology and is considered to be the centre of all the physical, metaphysical and spiritu ...

* Supratiṣṭhitabuddhi * Sūryagarbha * Sūryaprabha, bodhisattva of the southwest * Suvarnacūḍa * Suvarṇagarbha * Suvikrāntamati * Svaraviśuddhiprabha * Svaravyūha *

Tathāgatagarbha Buddha-nature refers to several related Mahayana Buddhist terms, including '' tathata'' ("suchness") but most notably ''tathāgatagarbha'' and ''buddhadhātu''. ''Tathāgatagarbha'' means "the womb" or "embryo" (''garbha'') of the "thus-gone ...

* Trailokyarikrāmin * Uṣṇīṣavijayā * Uttaramati *

Vairocana Vairocana (also Mahāvairocana, sa, वैरोचन) is a cosmic buddha from Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Vairocana is often interpreted, in texts like the ''Avatamsaka Sutra'', as the dharmakāya of the historical Gautama Buddha. In East ...

* Vairocanarāśmipratimaṅḍitadhvajarājan * Vajragarbha * Vajramati * Vajrasena * Vardamānamati * Varuṇa * Vidyuddeva * Vidyutdeva * Vijayavikrāmin, bodhisattva of the northeast * Vikurvaṇarāja * Vimalagarbha * Vimalanetra * Vimukticandra * Viśālanetra * Viśeṣamati * Vyūharāja

References

{{Saints by country * Newar

Bodhisattvas In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools ...