List of bodhisattvas


In Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist thought, a bodhisattva is a being who is dedicated to achieving complete Buddhahood. Conventionally, the term is applied to beings with a high degree of enlightenment. Bodhisattva literally means a "bodhi being" in Sanskrit. Mahayana practitioners have historically lived in many other countries that are now predominantly Hindu, Muslim or Theravada Buddhist; remnants of reverence for bodhisattvas has continued in some of these regions.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of bodhisattvas primarily respected in Indian, Tibetan Buddhism and East Asian Buddhism.

Primary Bodhisattvas

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The bodhisattva of compassion, the listener of the world's cries who uses skillful means to come to their aid; the most universally acknowledged bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism and appears unofficially in Theravada Buddhism in Cambodia under the name Lokeśvara. This bodhisattva gradually became identified predominantly as female in East Asian Buddhism and its name may originally have been Avalokitāśvara.
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Kṣitigarbha is a bodhisattva primarily revered in East Asian Buddhism and usually depicted as a Buddhist monk. His name may be translated as "Earth Treasury", "Earth Store", "Earth Matrix", or "Earth Womb". Kṣitigarbha is known for his vow to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the six worlds between the death of Gautama Buddha and the rise of Maitreya, as well as his vow not to achieve Buddhahood until all hells are emptied. He is therefore often regarded as the bodhisattva of hell-beings, as well as the guardian of children and patron deity of deceased children and aborted fetuses in Japanese culture.
Mahāsthāmaprāpta is a mahāsattva representing the power of wisdom, often depicted in a trinity with Amitābha and Avalokiteśvara, especially in Pure Land Buddhism. His name literally means "arrival of the great strength".
In some Buddhist texts such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he is referred to as Ajita.
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According to both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism, Maitreya is regarded as the future buddha. Buddhist tradition, Maitreya is a bodhisattva who will appear on Earth in the future, achieve complete enlightenment, and teach the pure dharma. According to scriptures, Maitreya will be a successor to the present Buddha, Gautama Buddha. The prophecy of the arrival of Maitreya refers to a time in the future when the dharma will have been forgotten by most on the terrestrial world. This prophecy is found in the canonical literature of all major schools of Buddhism. Maitreya has also been adopted for his millenarian role by many non-Buddhist religions in the past such as the White Lotus as well as by modern new religious movements such as Yiguandao.
Mañjuśrī is a bodhisattva associated with prajñā in Mahayana Buddhism. In Tibetan Buddhism, he is also a yidam. His name means "Gentle Glory". Mañjuśrī is also known by the fuller Sanskrit name of Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta, literally "Mañjuśrī, Still a Youth" or, less literally, "Prince Mañjuśrī".
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Classification

Four Great Bodhisattvas

There are several lists of four Bodhisattvas according to scripture and local tradition.
Popular Chinese Buddhism generally lists the following, as they are associated with the Four Sacred Mountains:
The Womb Realm Mandala of Esoteric Buddhism provides another enumeration. These bodhisattvas are featured in the Eight Petal Hall in the center of the mandala. They are as follows:
The Avataṃsaka Sūtra mentions four bodhisattvas, each of whom expounds a portion of the Fifty-two Stages of Bodhisattva Practice.
The Lotus Sutra provides a list of bodhisattvas that are the leaders of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth.
Chapter 7 of the Humane King Sutra provides an enumeration of five bodhisattvas, known as the "Five Bodhisattvas of Great Power." There are two Chinese translations of this text, each providing an entirely different name to these figures. Their association with the cardinal directions also differs between versions. They are as follows:
Old translation DirectionNew translation Direction
無量力吼WestVajrapāramitā Central
雷電吼NorthVajrayakṣa North
無畏方吼EastVajratīkṣṇa West
龍王吼SouthVajraratna South
金剛吼CentralVajrapāṇi East

Sixteen Bodhisattvas

The Niṣpannayogāvalī provides a list of bodhisattvas known as the "Sixteen Honored Ones of the Auspicious Aeon." They also appear in a Sutra with the same title. They are as follows, along with their respective associated directions:
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  • Maitreya
  • Amoghadarśana
  • Sarvāpāyajaha
  • Sarvaśokatamonirghātana
  • Gandhahastin
  • Śauraya
  • Gaganagañja
  • Jñānaketu
  • Amitaprabha
  • Bhadrapāla
  • Jālinīprabha
  • Candraprabha
  • Akṣayamati
  • Pratibhānakūṭa
  • Vajragarbha
  • Samantabhadra
    • Another set of sixteen are known as the "Sixteen Great Bodhisattvas" and make up a portion of the Diamond Realm Mandala. They are associated with the Buddhas of the cardinal directions.
    Akṣobhya
    		Ratnasaṃbhava
    		Amitābha
    		Amoghasiddhi

    • Vajrasattva
    • Vajrarāga
    • Vajrarāja
    • Vajrasādhu
  • Vajraratna
  • Vajraketu
  • Vajrateja
  • Vajrahāsa
  • Vajradharma
  • Vajrahetu
  • Vajratīkṣṇa
  • Vajrabhāṣa
  • Vajrakarma
  • Vajrayakṣa
  • Vajrarakṣa
  • Vajrasaṃdhi

    • Twenty-five Bodhisattvas

    According to the Sūtra on Ten Methods of Rebirth in Amitābha Buddha's Land, those people who are devoted to attaining rebirth in the Western Pure Land are protected by a great number of bodhisattvas. Twenty-five of them are given by name:
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    Padmasambhāva "Lotus-Born", also known as Guru Rinpoche, is a literary character of terma, an emanation of Amitābha that is said to appear to tertöns in visionary encounters and a focus of Tibetan Buddhist practice, particularly in the Nyingma school.
    Only revered in Chinese Buddhism and Taoism, Sangharama refer to a group of devas who guard viharas and the faith, but the title is usually referring to the legendary Chinese military general Guan Yu, who became a dharmapala through becoming a Buddhist and making vows.
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    Sitātapatrā "the White Parasol" is a protector against supernatural danger. She is venerated in both Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions. She is also known as Uṣṇīṣa Sitatapatra. Sitātapatrā is a powerful independent deity as she was emanated by Gautama Buddha from his uṣṇīṣa. Whoever practices her mantra will be reborn in Amitābha's pure land as well as gaining protection against supernatural danger and black magic.
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    Skanda is regarded as a devoted guardian of viharas and the Buddhist teachings. He is the leader of the twenty-four celestial guardian deities mentioned in the Golden Light Sutra. In Chinese temples, Skanda faces the statue of the Buddha in the main shrine. In others, he is on the far right of the main shrine, whereas on the left is his counterpart, Sangharama, personified as the historical general Guan Yu. In Chinese sutras, his image is found at the end of the sutra, a reminder of his vow to protect and preserve the teachings.
    Mentioned in Shantideva's Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra.
    One of two attendants of Bhaisajyaguru, together with Candraprabha.
    One of two attendants of Bhaisajyaguru, together with Sūryaprabha.
    Female bodhisattva, or set of bodhisattvas, in Tibetan Buddhism. She represents the virtues of success in work and achievements. Also a manifestation of Avalokiteśvara.
    Vasudhārā whose name means "stream of gems" in Sanskrit, is the bodhisattva of wealth, prosperity, and abundance. She is popular in many Buddhist countries and is a subject in Buddhist legends and art. Originally an Indian bodhisattva, her popularity has spread to Theravadin countries. Her popularity, however, peaks in Nepal, where she has a strong following among the Buddhist Newars of the Kathmandu Valley and is thus a central figure in Newar Buddhism. She is named Shiskar Apa in Lahul and Spiti.