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Bodhicitta
Bodhicitta (Skt., ‘thought of enlightenment’). An important concept in Mahāyāna Buddhism, having both a personal and a cosmic aspect. In the personal sense it denotes the spontaneous generation of the resolve to strive for enlightenment. The cosmic aspect of the doctrine locates the seed or first stirrings of this impulse in a transpersonal matrix or resource along absolutistic lines. Here it is reality itself, under its various denominations such as the ‘Body of Truth’ (dharmakāya), the ‘Womb of Tathāgatas’ (tathāgatagarbha), or ‘True Suchness’ (bhūtatathatā), which engenders the possibility of enlightenment.
In Tantric Buddhist symbology bodhicitta is identified with the seed or semen which is produced through the union of male and female, representing the fusion of wisdom (prajña) with compassion (karuṇā) in the bliss of perfect enlightenment. |
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JOHN BOWKER. "Bodhicitta." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN BOWKER. "Bodhicitta." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Bodhicitta.html JOHN BOWKER. "Bodhicitta." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Bodhicitta.html |
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bodhicitta
bodhicitta (Skt., thought of awakening). A key term in Mahāyāna Buddhism denoting the state of mind of a Boddhisattva. Two aspects are recognized: the relative aspect (see saṃvṛti-satya), or the mind (citta) of a Bodhisattva directed towards enlightenment (bodhi); and the absolute aspect (see paramārtha-satya) or the mind whose intrinsic nature is enlightenment. The former relative aspect is also said to be twofold: the bodhicitta of aspiration (praṇidhāna), when one announces one's intention to pursue the Bodhisattva Path, and the bodhicitta of application, by which one engages in the path.
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Cite this article
DAMIEN KEOWN. "bodhicitta." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. DAMIEN KEOWN. "bodhicitta." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-bodhicitta.html DAMIEN KEOWN. "bodhicitta." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-bodhicitta.html |
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