菩薩

• 読み: ぼさつ
• ローマ字: bosatsu
• 漢字の分解: 菩 (bo) — transliteration of Sanskrit bodhi | 薩 (satsu) — transliteration of Sanskrit sattva, being
• 発音: /bo.sa.tsɯ/

意味

Bodhisattva; an enlightened being who delays nirvana out of compassion to guide others toward salvation.

In Mahayana Buddhism, a 菩薩 is a being who has attained enlightenment but chooses to remain in the cycle of existence to save all sentient beings. Famous bodhisattvas venerated in Japan include 観音菩薩 (Kannon/Guanyin, goddess of mercy) and 地蔵菩薩 (Jizō, protector of children and travellers). The term is also used colloquially to describe someone of saintly patience and kindness.

例文

1. 観音菩薩は慈悲の象徴として、古くから日本人に深く信仰されてきた。
2. あの人はどんな無理難題にも怒らない。まるで菩薩のような人だ。
3. お寺の境内に安置された菩薩像は、長年にわたり参拝者を見守ってきた。

使い方ガイド

場面: Buddhism, religion, colloquial praise

トーン: reverent

起源と歴史

From Sanskrit bodhisattva, transliterated into Chinese as 菩提薩埵 (bodhi = enlightenment, sattva = being), then abbreviated to 菩薩. Entered Japanese via Chinese Buddhist texts from the 6th century onward.

文化的背景

時代: Asuka–Present

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal