Which term best describes a Buddhist figure who seeks to help others achieve enlightenment?

Which term best describes a Buddhist figure who seeks to help others achieve enlightenment?

• A. Guru
• B. Prophet
• C. Avatar
• D. Bodhisattva

Answer: (D)

A bodhisattva is someone who dedicates themselves to helping all beings attain awakening. In Mahayana Buddhism, this figure makes a vow to postpone final nirvana until everyone has been liberated, using compassion and wisdom to guide others on the path. That explicit focus on alleviating others’ suffering and guiding them toward enlightenment is what sets a bodhisattva apart. A guru is simply a spiritual teacher or guide; while a guru can help people on the Buddhist path, the term doesn’t specifically denote the universal, selfless aim to help all beings achieve enlightenment. A prophet is a messenger or revealer of divine will in certain religious traditions and isn’t used to describe a Buddhist figure. An avatar refers to a divine incarnation in other traditions and isn’t the term used for a Buddhist figure whose defining trait is the vow to aid others toward enlightenment.

A bodhisattva is someone who dedicates themselves to helping all beings attain awakening. In Mahayana Buddhism, this figure makes a vow to postpone final nirvana until everyone has been liberated, using compassion and wisdom to guide others on the path. That explicit focus on alleviating others’ suffering and guiding them toward enlightenment is what sets a bodhisattva apart.

A guru is simply a spiritual teacher or guide; while a guru can help people on the Buddhist path, the term doesn’t specifically denote the universal, selfless aim to help all beings achieve enlightenment. A prophet is a messenger or revealer of divine will in certain religious traditions and isn’t used to describe a Buddhist figure. An avatar refers to a divine incarnation in other traditions and isn’t the term used for a Buddhist figure whose defining trait is the vow to aid others toward enlightenment.