Bodhisattva vs. Arhat

Bodhisattvanoun

(Buddhism) A 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.

Bodhisattvanoun

(Buddhism) An 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.

Bodhisattvanoun

Buddhist worthy of nirvana who postpones it to help others

Bodhisattva

In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( BOH-dee-SUT-və) is any person who is on the path towards Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools as well as modern Theravada Buddhism, a bodhisattva (Pali: bodhisatta) refers to anyone who has made a resolution to become a Buddha and has also received a confirmation or prediction from a living Buddha that this will be so.In Mahayana Buddhism, a bodhisattva refers to anyone who has generated bodhicitta, a spontaneous wish and compassionate mind to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.The elaborate concept refers to a sentient being or sattva that develops bodhi or enlightenment — thus possessing the boddhisattva's psyche; described as those who work to develop and exemplify the loving-kindness (metta), compassion (karuṇā), empathetic joy (mudita) and equanimity (upekkha).

Arhatnoun

(Buddhism) One who has attained enlightenment; a Buddhist saint.

Arhatnoun

(Jainism) One of the stages of the ascetic's spiritual evolution, when all passions (anger, ego, deception, greed, attachment, hatred and ignorance) are destroyed; arhanta.

Arhatnoun

a Buddhist who has attained nirvana.

Arhatnoun

a Buddhist who has attained nirvana

Arhat

In Buddhism, an arhat (Sanskrit) or arahant (Pali) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved nirvana. Mahayana Buddhist traditions have used the term for people far advanced along the path of Enlightenment, but who may not have reached full Buddhahood.The understanding of the concept has changed over the centuries, and varies between different schools of Buddhism and different regions.