- In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is any person who is on the path towards Buddhahood.
- In the Early Buddhist schoolsas well as modern Theravada Buddhism, a bodhisattva 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
- As a result, the universe is filled with a broad range of potential Buddhas; from those just setting out on the path of Buddhahood to those who have spent lifetimes in training and have thereby acquired supernatural powers. These “celestial” bodhisattvas are functionally equivalent to Buddhas in their wisdom, compassion, and powers
- Pan-Buddhist bodhisattvas include Maitreya, who will succeed Sakyamuni as the next Buddha in this world, and Avalokiteshvara, known in Tibet as Spyan ras gzigs(Chenrezi), in China as Guanyin(Kuan-yin), and in Japan as Kannon.
- Although all bodhisattvas act compassionately, Avalokiteshvara is considered the embodiment of the abstract principle of compassion. Bodhisattvas of more localized importance include Tārā in Tibet and Jizō in Japan.