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{{About||the Linux distribution|Bodhi Linux|the tree|Bodhi Tree loved to drink mountain dew}}
{{See also|Enlightenment in Buddhism}}
{{Buddhism}}
] meditating under the ] ]]


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'''''Bodhi''''' (Sanskrit: ]; and ]) in Buddhism is the understanding possessed by a Buddha regarding ]. It is traditionally translated into English with the word ], although its literal meaning is closer to "awakening". The verbal root "budh" means '''to awaken'''.
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Bodhi is presented in the Nikayas as knowledge of ] by which beings ] into material form and experience ]. Although its most common usage is in the context of ], the term '']'' is also used in other Indian philosophies and traditions.


==Etymology==
''Bodhi'' is an ] formed from the verbal root ''*budh-'' (Sanksrit: ] (to awake, become aware, notice, know or understand) corresponding to the verbs ''bujjhati'' (Pāli) and ''bodhati'' or ''budhyate'' (Sanskrit).

The feminine Sanskrit noun of ''*budh-'' is '']''.

==Soteriological meaning==
The soteriological goal of Indian religions is liberation or '']'' (also called ''mukti''). Liberation is simultaneously freedom from ] and the endless round of ]. Within the ] traditions one who has attained liberation is called an '']'' (Sanskrit; Pali: ''arahant''), an honorific term meaning "worthy" acknowledging the skill and effort required to overcome the obstacles to the goal of '']''.

According to the Buddha{{Citation needed|reason=Which?|date=March 2014}} the path to liberation is one of progressively coming out of delusion (Pali: ''Moha''). This path is therefore regarded as a path of awakening. Progressing along the path towards ] one gains insight into the true nature of ]. A Buddha is one who has attained ] and an understanding of the causal mechanism by means of which sentient beings come into existence. This mechanism is called ''pratitya samutpada'' or ]. The knowledge or understanding of this is called ''bodhi''.

==Buddha's awakening==
In the ], the Buddhist canon as preserved in the ], a number of texts can be found in which Gautama Buddha tells about his own awakening.{{sfn|Warder|2000|p=45-50}}{{sfn|Faure|1991}}

In the ''Vanapattha Sutta'' (Majjhima, chapter 17){{sfn|Bhikkhu Nanamoli|1995}} the Buddha describes life in the jungle, and the attainment of awakening. After destroying the ], and perfecting ], he attained three knowledges (vidhya):{{sfn|Warder|2000|pp=47–48}}{{sfn|Snelling|1987|p=27}}
# Insight into his past lives
# Insight into the workings of ] and ]
# Insight into the ]

Insight into the ] is here called awakening.{{sfn|Warder|2000|p=47-48}} The monk ('']'') has {{quote|...attained the unattained supreme security from bondage.{{sfn|Bhikkhu Nanamoli|1996|p=199}}}}

Awakening is also described as synonymous with ], the extinction of the passions whereby suffering is ended and no more rebirths take place.{{sfn|Warder|2000|p=49}} The insight arises that this liberation is certain:

{{quote|Knowledge arose in me, and insight: my freedom is certain, this is my last birth, now there is no rebirth.{{sfn|Warder|2000|p=49}}}}

So awakening is insight into karma and rebirth, insight into the Four Noble Truths, the extinction of the passions whereby Nirvana is reached, and the certainty that liberation has been reached.{{sfn|Warder|2000|p=49}}

==The Buddhist Path==
{{Main|Buddhist Paths to liberation}}

The Buddhist tradition gives a wide variety of descriptions of the Buddhist Path (''magga'') to ].{{sfn|Buswell|1994|p=1-36}} Tradition describes the Buddha's awakening,{{sfn|Harvey|1995|p=21-25}} and the descriptions of the path given in the ].<ref group=web></ref><ref group=web></ref> By following this path ] can be attained. Following this path dissolves the ]{{sfn|Walsh (translator)|1995|p=25-27}} and terminates ] that bind a human being to the ].

The Theravada-tradition follows the ] described by ] in his ]. It features ] culminating in full ]. The four stages are ], ], ] and ].{{sfn|Walsh (translator)|1995|p=25-27}}{{sfn|Harvey|1995|p=71-72}}<ref group=web></ref>

] are recognized:{{sfn|Snelling|1987|p=81}}
* ] (]: ''arahant''), those who reach Nirvana by following the teachings of the Buddha.{{sfn|Snelling|1987|p=81}} Sometimes the term ] (Pali: ''sāvakabuddha'') is used to designate this kind of awakened person{{citation needed|date=December 2011}};
* ]s (Pali: ''paccekabuddha''), those who reach Nirvana through self-realisation, without the aid of spiritual guides and teachers, but don't teach the ];{{sfn|Snelling|1987|p=81}}
* Samyaksambuddha (Pali: ''samma sambuddha''), often simply referred to as ''Buddha'', one who has reached Nirvana by his own efforts and wisdom and teaches it skillfully to others.{{sfn|Snelling|1987|p=81}}

==Development of the concept==
The term bodhi acquired a variety of meanings and connotations during the development of Buddhist thoughts in the various schools.

===Early Buddhism===
{{Main|Early Buddhism}}

In early Buddhism, ''bodhi'' carried a meaning synonymous to '']'', using only some different metaphors to describe the insight, which implied the extinction of '']'' (greed), '']'' (hate) and '']'' (delusion). In ], bodhi and nirvana carry the same meaning, that of being freed from greed, hate and delusion.

===Mahayana===
{{Main|Mahayana}}

In Mahayana-thought, bodhi is the realisation of the inseparability of ] and ],{{sfn|Fischer-Schreiber|2008|p=51}} and the unity of subject and object.{{sfn|Fischer-Schreiber|2008|p=51}} It is similar to ], to ], realizing ] and realizing ].{{sfn|Fischer-Schreiber|2008|p=51}}

Mahayana discerns three forms of bodhi:{{sfn|Schreiber|2008|p=51}}
# ] – Liberation for oneself;{{refn|group=lower-alpha|This also includes ], but is not being mentioned by Fischer-Schreiber et al.}}
# ] – Liberation for living beings;
# ].

Within the various Mahayana-schools exist various further explanations and interpretations.{{sfn|Fischer-Schreiber|2008|p=51}}

====Buddha-nature====
In the ] and ] doctrines bodhi becomes equivalent to the universal, natural and pure state of the mind:
{{quote|''Bodhi'' is the final goal of a Bodhisattva's career ''Bodhi'' is pure universal and immediate knowledge, which extends over all time, all universes, all beings and elements, conditioned and unconditioned. It is absolute and identical with Reality and thus it is ]. ''Bodhi'' is immaculate and non-conceptual, and it, being not an outer object, cannot be understood by discursive thought. It has neither beginning, nor middle nor end and it is indivisible. It is non-dual (''advayam'') The only possible way to comprehend it is through ] by the yogin.{{sfn|Sebastian|2005|p=274}}}}

According to these doctrines bodhi is always there within one's mind, but requires the defilements to be removed. This vision is expounded in texts such as the ] and the ].

In ] Buddhism, the state of Bodhi is also seen as naturally inherent in the mind. It is the mind's natural and pure state, where no distinction is being made between a perceiving subject and perceived objects. This is also the understanding of Bodhi found in ] Buddhism.

To achieve this vision of non-duality, it is necessary to recognise one's own mind:
{{quote|... it means that you are to know the inherent natural state of the mind by eliminating the split into a perceiving subject and perceived objects which normally occurs in the world and is wrongly thought to be real. This also corresponds to the Yogacara definition&nbsp;... that emptiness (''sunyata'') is the absence of this imaginary split{{sfn|Hodge|2003|p=31-32}}}}

====Harmonisation of the various terms and meanings====
During the development of Mahayana Buddhism the various strands of thought on Bodhi were continuously being elaborated. Attempts were made to harmonize the various terms. The Buddhist commentator ] treats various terms as synonyms:
{{quote|For example, he defines emptiness (''sunyata'') as suchness (''tathata'') and says that suchness is the intrinsic nature (''svabhava'') of the mind which is Enlightenment ('']''). Moreover, he frequently uses the terms suchness (''tathata'') and Suchness-Awareness (''tathata-jnana'') interchangeably. But since Awareness (''jnana'') is non-dual, Suchness-Awareness is not so much the Awareness of Suchness, but the Awareness which ''is'' Suchness. In other words, the term Suchness-Awareness is functionally equivalent to Enlightenment. Finally, it must not be forgotten that this Suchness-Awareness or Perfect Enlightenment ''is'' Mahavairocana . In other words, the mind in its intrinsic nature is Mahavairocana, whom one "becomes" (or vice versa) when one is perfectly enlightened.{{sfn|Hodge|2003|p=31-32}}}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Buddhism}}
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha|2}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Web references==
{{reflist|group=web}}

==Sources==
{{refbegin}}
* {{Citation | last1 =Bhikkhu Nanamoli | last2 =Bhikkhu Bodhi | year =1995 | title =The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha. A New Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya| place =Boston| publisher =Wisdom Publ.}}
* {{Citation | last1 =Buswell | first1 =Robert E. JR | last2 =Gimello | first2 =Robert M. (editors) | year =1994 | title =Paths to Liberation. The Marga and its Transformations in Buddhist Thought | place =Delhi | publisher =Motilal Banarsidass Publishers}}
* {{Citation | last =Faure | first =Bernard | year =1991 | title =The Rhetoric of Immediacy. A Cultural Critique of Chan/Zen Buddhism | place =Princeton, New Jersey | publisher =Princeton University Press | isbn = 0-691-02963-6}}
* {{Citation | last =Gombrich | first=Richard F. | year =1997 | title =How Buddhism Began | publisher =Munshiram Manoharlal}}
* Peter N. Gregory (1991), Sudden and Gradual (Approaches to Enlightenment in Chinese Thought), Motilal Banarsidass. {{ISBN|8120808193}}
* {{Citation | last =Harvey | first =Peter | year =1995 | title =An introduction to Buddhism. Teachings, history and practices | publisher =Cambridge University Press}}
* {{Citation | last =Hodge | first =Stephen | year =2003 | title =The Maha-Vairocana-Abhisambodhi Tantra, With Buddhaguya's Commentary | location =London | publisher =RoutledgeCurzon}}
* {{Citation | last1 =Fischer-Schreiber | first1 =Ingrid | last2 =Ehrhard | first2 =Franz-Karl | last3 =diener | first3 =Michael S. | year =2008 | title =Lexicon Boeddhisme. Wijsbegeerte, religie, psychologie, mystiek, cultuur an literatuur | publisher =Asoka}}
* {{Citation | last =Sebastian | first =C.D. | year =2005 | title =Metaphysics and Mysticism in Mahayana Buddhism | place =Delhi | publisher =Sri Satguru Publications}}
* {{Citation | last =Snelling | first =John | year =1987 | title =The Buddhist handbook. A Complete Guide to Buddhist Teaching and Practice | place =London | publisher =Century Paperbacks}}
* {{Citation | last =Walsh (translator)| first =Maurice | year =1995 | title =The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A translation of the Digha Nikaya | place =Boston | publisher =Wisdom publications}}
* {{Citation | last =Warder | first =Anthony Kennedy | year =2000 | title =Indian Buddhism | place =Delhi | publisher =Motilal Banarsidass Publishers}}
{{refend}}

== Further reading ==
* A. Charles Muller (translator) (1999), ''The Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment''. State University Press of New York
* Lu K'uan Yu (translator) (1978), ''The Surangama Sutra''. Bombay: B.I. Publications
* Kenneth R. White (editor) (2005), ''The Role of Bodhicitta in Buddhist Enlightenment Including a Translation into English of the Bodhicitta-Sastra, Benkenmitsu-nikyoron, and Sammaya-kaijo''. New York: The Edwin Mellen Press.

{{Buddhism topics}}
{{Authority control}} {{Authority control}}


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