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Bodhicitta

World Religion
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The “mind of awakening” in Mahayana Buddhism—the altruistic intention to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.

Detailed Definition
Bodhicitta is the heart of the bodhisattva path. In poetry, it blazes like a thousand suns—compassion fused with wisdom. Poets describe it as a vow whispered to the universe, a seed planted in tears, or a flame that consumes self-cherishing to light the way for others.
Example
Example in poetry:
A Mahāyāna poem: “Bodhicitta is the wish to carry all beings across—even if the boat is your own bones”; A climate elegy: “Bodhicitta is the firefighter who runs toward the blaze”; A modern definition: “Love with a spine—compassion that acts”; A contemplative note: “Not a feeling—it’s a vow written in action.”
Additional Notes
Bodhicitta is the defining motivation of Mahayana Buddhism: the resolve to attain enlightenment not for oneself alone but for all sentient beings. It has two aspects—aspiration (wanting to help) and application (engaging in practices to do so). Shantideva’s Bodhicaryavatara is a classic guide. In poetry, bodhicitta appears as boundless empathy—Chögyam Trungpa called it “soft spot” in the heart. For literary scholars, it transforms heroism from individual triumph to collective care, influencing narratives of sacrifice, service, and interconnectedness in Buddhist-inspired literature.
Also Known As
Mind of Enlightenment Awakening Mind
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