living Buddha; saintly monk
Refers to a Buddhist monk or person regarded as a living embodiment of the Buddha, exceptionally virtuous or compassionate.
That monk is as compassionate as a living Buddha.
living person; someone still alive
Colloquial use, often in contrast to the dead; can carry a nuance of 'a person who is still breathing' or 'a living soul'.
See also: 仏
Don't treat a living person like they're dead.
Compound of 生き (iki, 'living') and 仏 (hotoke, 'Buddha'). The literal meaning is 'living Buddha'.