Bodhicitta, 14 Definition(s)

The spirit of Enlightenment, the aspiration to achieve it, the Mind set on Enlightenment. It involves two parallel aspects: i) the determination to achieve Buddhahood and ii) the aspiration to rescue all sentient beings.

"thought of enlightenment". An important concept in Mahayana Buddhism. In a personal sense, it signifies the spontaneous resolve to strive for enlightenment. In a cosmic sense, it is reality itself, which makes enlightenment possible. In Tantric Buddhism, it is the fusion of wisdom with compassion in the bliss of perfect enlightenment.

The mind of enlightenment. It is with this initiative that a Buddhist begins his path to complete, perfect enlightenment.

The will to enlightenment

Wisdom heart or the awakened heart/mind; the aspiration for supreme enlightenment so that all sentient beings may be free from suffering

BODHICITTA (Skt., = Tib. changch ub sem). Central motivational state believed by the Mahayana to be essential for the attainment of Buddhahood, and defined as the desire to attain Buddhahood from compassion for the sufferings of other beings, and in order to acquire the ability to liberate them from their sufferings.

Bodhichitta means "awakened heart mind." It is the compassionate wish to realize enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.

Sanskrit term for "mind of enlightenment". `Bodhi" means "enlightenment", and "chitta" means "mind". There are two types of bodhichitta; conventional bodhichitta and ultimate bodhichitta. Generally speaking, the term "bodhichitta" refers to conventional bodhichitta, which is a primary mind motivated by great compassion that spontaneously seeks enlightenment to benefit all living beings.

There are two types of conventional bodhichitta; aspiring bodhichitta and engaging bodhichitta. Aspiring bodhichitta is a bodhichitta that is a mere wish to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings. Engaging bodhichitta is a bodhichitta held by The Bodhisattva Vow. Ultimate bodhichitta is a wisdom motivated by conventional bodhichitta that directly realizes emptiness, the ultimate nature of phenomena. See also Aspiring bodhichitta and Engaging bodhichitta. See Joyful Path of Good Fortune and Meaningful to Behold.

noble or awakened heart, present in all beings; the aspiration to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings (Sanskrit)

In Buddhism, bodhicitta (Jp:. bodaishin, Tibetan: jang chub sem) is the wish to attain complete enlightenment (that is, Buddhahood) in order to be of benefit to all sentient beings - beings trapped in cyclic existence (samsara) and have not yet reached Buddhahood. One who has bodhicitta as the primary motivation for all of his or her activities is called a bodhisattva.

Sanskrit word for "mind of enlightenment". "Bodhi" means "enlightenment" and "chitta" means "mind". There are two types of bodhichitta: conventional bodhichitta and ultimate bodhichitta. Generally speaking, the term "bodhichitta" refers to conventional bodhichitta, which is the mind that spontaneously wishes to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings. Ultimate bodhichitta is a wisdom motivated by conventional bodhichitta that directly realizes emptiness, the ultimate nature of phenomena.

A Mahayana technical term meaning "thought of enlightenment". Bodhicatta is believed to be the prerequisite to actual entry onto bodhisattva path.

Bodhichitta Skt., lit., “awakened mind”; the mind of enlightenment, one of the central no­tions of Mahāyāna Buddhism. In the Tibetan tradition it is seen as having two aspects, rela­tive and absolute. The relative mind of enlight­enment is divided again into two phases

1. the intention and wish, nurtured by limitless com­passion, to attain liberation (nirvāna) for the sake of the welfare of all beings and
2. actual entry into meditation, the purpose of which is the acquisition of the appropriate means to ac­tualize this wish.

The absolute mind of enlightenment is viewed as the vision of the true nature of phenomena. The various methods for arousing the mind of enlightenment stem primarily from Atīsha and entered into all schools of Tibetan Bud­dhism through him.

Bodhichitta is the compassionate wish to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.

Buddhist scholars have debated whether bodhichitta is to be categorized as the 'main mind' or a 'mental state'. Asanga and Vasubandhu were among those claiming it is a mental state, while Arya Vimuktasena and Haribhadra believe that it is the main mind. In his Light on the 25,000 Verses, Arya Vimuktasena specifies that it is the mental consciousness.

Bodhichitta (Skt. bodhicitta; Tib. བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་སེམས་, chang chub kyi sem; Wyl. byang chub kyi sems)