薩
salvation, Buddha
Readings
On'yomi
- サツ
- サチ
Kun'yomi
—
Nanori
- さっ
Meaning
薩 centers on the concept of salvation and the Buddha, primarily used in Buddhist contexts to refer to bodhisattvas or enlightened beings who guide others to salvation.
Most common words using 薩
20 of 38- 薩摩さつま
Satsuma (former province located in the west of present-day Kagoshima Prefecture)
- 菩薩ぼさつ
bodhisattva; one who has reached enlightenment but vows to save all beings before becoming a buddha
- 薩長さっちょう
Satsuma and Chōshū (clan alliance)
- 弥勒菩薩みろくぼさつ
Maitreya (Bodhisattva); Miroku
- 大菩薩峠だいぼさつとうげ
The Sword of Doom (1966 film)
- 観世音菩薩かんぜおんぼさつ
Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva); Avalokitesvara; Kannon; Kwannon; Guanyin; Buddhist deity of compassion
- 五大力菩薩ごだいりきぼさつ
The Five Great Bodhisattvas (who uphold the Three Treasures and protect the sovereign)
- 仏菩薩ぶつぼさつ
buddhas and bodhisattvas
- 八幡大菩薩はちまんだいぼさつ
Great Bodhisattva Hachiman (title of Hachiman due to Shinto-Buddhist syncretism)
- 勢至菩薩せいしぼさつ
Mahasthamaprapta (bodhisattva)
- 南無八幡大菩薩なむはちまんだいぼさつ
O Great God of Arms, I beseech your aid against my enemy!
- 地蔵菩薩じぞうぼさつ
Kshitigarbha (bodhisattva who looks over children, travellers and the underworld); Ksitigarbha; Jizō
- 地蔵菩薩本願経じぞうぼさつほんがんきょう
Sutra of the Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva
- 多羅菩薩たらぼさつ
Tara (female aspect of Avalokitesvara)
- 如菩薩にょぼさつ
Buddha-like compassion
- 妙見菩薩みょうけんぼさつ
Myōken (bodhisattva; deification of the North Star or the Big Dipper)
- 拉薩ラサ
Lhasa (China)
- 文殊菩薩もんじゅぼさつ
Manjusri (Bodhisattva); Monju; Monjushuri; Wenshu
- 日光菩薩にっこうぼさつ
Suryaprabha (bodhisattva)
- 普賢延命菩薩ふげんえんめいぼさつ
image of the Samantabhadra of long life (with either two or twenty arms, usu. on a white elephant)
Study
Etymology
薩 is a phono-semantic compound used to transliterate Sanskrit sounds in Buddhist terms. It combines the grass radical 艹 with 隡, which contributes the sound. The character was created specifically for Buddhist transcription and has no independent ancient pictographic origin.
Meaning mnemonic
The top grass radical 艹 suggests something growing or spreading, while the bottom 隡 looks like a complex structure. Imagine a bodhisattva's compassion spreading like grass, bringing salvation to all beings.
Reading mnemonic
For サツ, picture a bodhisattva sitting in meditation: the word 'sits' sounds like サツ, and the bodhisattva sits to attain enlightenment and bring salvation.