# बुद्धि (buddhi)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/buddhi

बुद्धि (buddhi) is a Sanskrit word meaning perception, comprehension and understanding, knowledge of oneself or psychology, presence of mind and ready wit, an opinion, view, notion, idea, or conjecture, thought or meditation. Its 31 recorded definitions are grouped into 9 contexts, among them Core Mental Faculty (Intellect, Understanding, Mind, Reason), Personified Deity or Mythological Figure, Opinion, View, Belief, Notion.

- **Roots:** कृ (kṛ), बुध् (budh)
- **Etymology:** E. बुध to know, aff. क्तिन् — E. budha to know, aff. ktin
- **SLP1:** `budDi`  **IAST:** buddhi  **Devanagari:** बुद्धि
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhi
- **Declensions:** 72 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/buddhi/declensions.md

## Meanings by context

### Core Mental Faculty (Intellect, Understanding, Mind, Reason) (11 definitions)
- Intelligence, reason, intellect, mind, discernment, and judgment.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 733,3] बुद्धि (buddhi) f. the power of forming and retaining conceptions and general notions, intelligence, reason, intellect, mind, discernment, judgement, Mn.; MBh. &c. [ ID=145643 ]
- 1. Intelligence, understanding, reason, intellect, or mind. 2. Discernment or judgment. 3. Presence of mind or ready wit. 4. Perception or comprehension. 5. Opinion, view, belief, or conviction. 6. Intention or purpose.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > बुद्धि (buddhi) [Printed book page 196-3 ] बुद्धि (buddhi) bud-dhi, f. intelligence, understanding, reason, intellect, mind; discernment, judgement; presence of mind, ready wit; perception; comprehension; opinion, view; Page197-1 belief, conviction; supposition; thought, about ( lc. ); feelings of ( —°, e. g. pity ); correct or reasonable view; reflection or meditation on ( lc. ); intention, purpose ( in. with a view to, from, through: —° ); —°, impression, belief, notion (of, e. g. a wall = that something is a wall ): in. under the impression, in the belief of ( e. g. a tiger = that it was a tiger; obtainment = that something has been obtained ); -ṃ kṛ, make up oneʼs mind, form a resolution, to ( inf., lc., lc., or prati with ac. of vbl. ɴ. ); -ṃ pra-kṛ, set a purpose one, make up oneʼs mind, decide. [ ID=12888 ]
- Understanding, intellect  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > बुद्धि (buddhi) [Printed book page 605 ] बुद्धि (buddhi) f. ( - द्धिः (-ddhiḥ) ) Understanding, intellect. E. बुध (budha) to know, aff. क्तिन् (ktin). [ ID=27921 ]
- Understanding, intellect, perception  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > बुद्धि (buddhi) [Printed book page 543-a ] बुद्धि (buddhi) ( द्धिः ) ((ddhiḥ)) 2. f. Understanding, intellect, perception. [ ID=27429 ]
- Rational  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > बुद्धि, (buddhi,) जीविन् ( वी - विनी - वि ) (jīvin (vī-vinī-vi)) a. Rational. [ ID=27430 ]
- 1. Perception. 2. Intelligence, understanding, or discernment. 3. Knowledge. 4. Presence of mind. 5. An impression, idea, notion, or feeling. 6. Mind. 7. A purpose, plan, or design. 8. Intellect considered as the second of the twenty-five principles of creation in Sankhya philosophy.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > बुद्धि (buddhi) [Printed book page 510-17 ] बुद्धि (buddhi) f. 1. Perception; 2. intelligence, understanding, intellect, discernment, शास्त्रेष्वकुंठिता बुद्धि (buddhi) ः (śāstreṣvakuṃṭhitā buddhiḥ) R. i.19, मूढः परप्रत्ययनेयबुद्धि (buddhi) ः (mūḍhaḥ parapratyayaneyabuddhiḥ) Mal. i., M. i.97, 106; 3. knowledge, e.g. बुद्धि (buddhi) र्यस्य बलं तस्य निर्बुद्धेस्तु कुतो बलम् (buddhiryasya balaṃ tasya nirbuddhestu kuto balam) (Cf. ‘knowledge is power’); 4. presence of mind; 5. impression, idea, notion, feeling, सौहार्दाद्वा विधुर इति वा मय्यनुक्रोशबुद्ध्या (buddhyā) (sauhārdādvā vidhura iti vā mayyanukrośabuddhyā) Megh. ii.52; 7. mind (as in कृपणबुद्धि (buddhi) (kṛpaṇabuddhi) q.v.); 8. purpose, plan, design; ( बुद्ध्या (buddhyā) ‘deliberately, purposely’); 9. intellect considered as the second of the twenty-five principles of creation (in Sānkhya phil.). [ ID=26656 ]
- Understanding, intellect  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > बुद्धि (buddhi) [Printed book page 519-a ] बुद्धि (buddhi) f. ( - द्धिः (-ddhiḥ) ) Understanding, intellect. E. बुध् (budh) to know, aff. क्तिन् । (ktin.) [ ID=28786 ]
- 1. Understanding. 2. Reflection. 3. Intellect. 4. Mind. 5. Thought or intention. 6. Knowledge. 7. Opinion. 8. Presence of mind.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > बुद्धि (buddhi) [Printed book page 0633-b ] बुद्धि (buddhi) buddhi, i. e. budh + ti, f. 1. Un- derstanding, Bhā-hāp. 50; Vedāntas. in Chr. 206, 24; Pañc. 81, 5. 2. Re- flexion, Rām. 3, 48, 14. 3. Intellect, Pañc. i. d. 219. 4. Mind, Pañc. i. d. 87; Chr. 5, 8. 5. Thought, Rām. 3, 48, 14; intention, Pañc. v. d. 83. 6. Knowledge, Bhāṣāp. 165. 7. Opinion, Hit. 81, 14 ( vyāghra-, mistaking him for a tiger). 8. Presence of mind, Pañc. ii. d. 6. — Comp. A-, I. f. foolish- ness, Rām. 4, 1, 23. II. adj. foolish, Man. 3, 104. Ati-manuṣya-, adj. having a more than human intellect, Johns. Sel. 54, 139. Apekṣā-, f. that operation of the mind by which we count things one by one, which produces dvitva, etc., Bhāṣāp. 106. See Ku. Kṛta-, adj. 1. one who knows his duty, Man. 1, 97. 2. re- solved, Vikr. 86, 19. Kṣudra-, m. a proper name. Durb° i. e. dus-, I. f. foolishness, MBh. 5. 4890. II. adj. per- verse, foolish MBh. 4, 416; Hiḍ. 1, 45. Duṣṭa- ( vb. duṣ ), adj. ill-minded, Pañc. 22, 11. Droha-, I. adj. treach- erous, Pañc. 58, 8. II. f. treachery, 58, 21. Dharma-, I. adj. virtuous. II. m. a proper name. Nirb°, i. e. nis-, adj. deprived of reason, Hit. i. d. 133, M.M. Pāpa-, 1. adj. evil-minded. 2. m. a pro- per name. Bheda-, f. distinction, Page0634-a+ 45 Bhāg. P. 3, 16, 10. Manda-, adj. stupid. Su -manda-, adj. very disheartened, Chr. 41, 8. Mahā-, adj. endowed with much intellect, Pañc. 4, 22; very sensible (ironically, Chr. 6, 7). Vikṛta-, adj. ill-minded, Hit. 73, 18. Vita-viruddha-, i. e. vi-ita-vi-ruddha- ( vb. rudh ), adj. peaceable. Su-, adj. intelligent, wise. — Cf. πύστις. [ ID=10328 ]
- 1. Intellect, reason, mind, judgment, or comprehension. 2. An opinion, notion, or idea. 3. An intention or purpose.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > बुद्धि (buddhi) [Printed book page 365 ] बुद्धि (buddhi) f. insight, intellect, reason, mind, judgment; perception, comprehension, knowledge; opinion, persuasion, supposition, notion, idea, conjecture, the taking for (—°); design, intention, purpose; instr. for the sake, on account, or because of (—°). [ ID=22163 ]
- 1. Intellect, understanding, or insight. 2. Opinion or belief. 3. Purpose or resolve.  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > बुद्धि (buddhi) [Printed book page 201-a ] buddhi, f. —1. insight, understanding, intellect; mind, 13 13; wit, wits; —2. mind in the sense of opinion ( as in Eng. ); belief; at end of cpds : vyāghra-buddhyā, with tiger-belief, (mistakenly) thinking that it was a tiger, 34 15; —3. mind in the sense of purpose, resolve ( as in Eng. ); buddhiṃ kṛ, make up one's mind, 58 12; buddhim pra-kṛ, mid., put a plan before one's self, decide, 9 11. [ √budh, 1157 : for budh-ti (160), the formal equivalent of πύστις, *πυθ-τι-ς, ‘an inquiring.’] [ ID=2904 ]
- 1. Perception, observation, intelligence, understanding, intellect, mind, wisdom, judgment, discernment, and comprehension. 2. The power of forming and retaining conceptions and general notions. 3. Intellect as a fundamental principle in the Sankhya philosophy. 4. Presence of mind, knowledge, an opinion, view, notion, idea, or impression. 5. Intention, purpose, plan, or design. 6. Intelligence personified as a daughter of Daksha and wife of Dharma.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > बुद्धि (buddhi) [Printed book page 0685-c ] Buddhi, is, f. perception, (of which five kinds are enumerated, or with manas six; cf. indriya, bud- dhīndriya ); observation, intelligence, understand- ing, intellect, mind, wisdom, judgment, discernment; the power of forming and retaining conceptions and general notions; (in the Sāṅkhya phil.) Intellect ( = adhy-avasāya, ascertainment) as the second Tattva coming next to and proceeding from Mūla- prakṛti or A-vyakta [cf. buddhi-tattva ]; compre- hension, knowledge; presence of mind; an opinion, view, notion, idea, impression (e. g. etayā buddhyā, under this idea or impression); regarding, deeming; intention, purpose, plan, design (e. g. buddhyā, with a purpose, deliberately, purposely; a-buddhyā, unintentionally, undesignedly; anartha-buddhi, hav- ing evil designs, ill-intentioned; cf. hita-b° ); Intelli- gence personified as a daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Dharma and mother of Bodha; a kind of metre, the first line of which is ˘¯˘¯¯˘˘¯˘¯¯, and Page0686-a+ 81 the second, third, and fourth ¯¯˘ &c. buddhiṃ kṛ, to turn the attention to, fix the mind upon (with loc.); to form a purpose or design, resolve to do any- thing (with inf. or with dat. or loc. or with prati and acc.; cf. rt. 1. kṛ, p. 246, col. 1, kṛta-b° ). —Buddhi-kāmā, f., N. of one of the Mātṛs attending on Skanda. —Buddhi-kārī, f., N. of a princess. —Buddhi-gamya or buddhi-grāhya, as, ā, am, to be apprehended by the intellect, attainable by the reason or understanding, intelligible. —Bud- dhi-cintaka, as, ā, am, thinking intelligently; [cf. cintayantī buddhyā, Nala V. 12.] —Buddhi- cchāyā, f. reflex action of the understanding on the soul. —Buddhi-cyuta, as, ā, am, one who has lost his intellect. —Buddhi-jīvin, ī, inī, i, subsisting by intelligence, employing the reason, possessed of life and intelligence, rational, intelli- gent (Manu I. 96). —Buddhi-tattva, am, n. the Tattva of intellect, the second Tattva or prin- ciple of the Sāṅkhya phil., (it is the second of the eight Prakṛtayaḥ or ‘producers,’ coming next to and proceeding from Mūla-prakṛti or A-vyakta; it is described in the Siddhānta-śiromaṇi as proceeding from both Puruṣa and Prakṛti, q. q. v. v.) —Bud- dhi-tas, ind. from the mind or understanding, by the mind. —Buddhi-pura, am, n. the city of the intellect. —Buddhi-puraḥsara = buddhi-pūrva below. —Buddhipura-māhātmya, am, n., N. of a section of the Brahmāṇḍa-Purāṇa. —Buddhi-pūrva, as, ā, am, preceded by design, intentional, designed, purposed; ( am ), ind. intentionally, designedly, pur- posely. —Buddhi-pūrvaka, as, ā, am, preceded by design; ( am ), ind. intentionally, designedly, pur- posely. —Buddhipūrvaka-tva, am, n. the being preceded by design, being intentional or designed. —Buddhi-prabha, as, m., N. of a king. —Bud- dhi-bhṛt, t, t, t, possessing intelligence or under- standing, wise, intelligent. —Buddhi-bhrama, as, m. aberration of the mind or intellect. —Buddhi- mat, ān, atī, at, endowed with understanding, in- telligent, rational; wise, learned; sharp, acute, shrewd, sensible; humble, docile; famed, known ?; ( ān ), m. a rational being, man (?). —Buddhima- tikā, f., N. of a woman. —Buddhimat-tara, as, ā, am, more intelligent, wiser; very intelligent, very wise. —Buddhimat-tā, f. or buddhimat-tva, am, n. the possession of intelligence or understand- ing, wisdom, sagacity. —Buddhi-maya, as, ī, am, consisting in intellect. —Buddhi-yukta, as, ā, am, endowed with intelligence or understanding, intelli- gent. —Buddhi-yoga, as, m. devotion of the intel- lect, intellectual union with the Supreme Spirit. —Buddhi-vara, as, m., N. of a minister of Vikra- māditya. —Buddhi-vināśa, as, m. loss of under- standing, deficiency of intellect. —Buddhi-vilāsa, as, m. play of the mind, sporting of the fancy. —Bud- dhi-vilāsinī, f., N. of a commentary on the Līlā- vatī. —Buddhi-vivardhana, as, ī, am, increasing the understanding. —Buddhi-viṣaya, as, m. a matter apprehensible by the understanding. —Bud- dhi-vṛddhi, is, f. growth of the understanding, increase of intellect; ( is ), m., N. of a pupil of Śaṅkara. —Buddhivṛddhi-kara, as, ī, am, caus- ing increase of intellect, giving increase of wisdom. —Buddhi-vaibhava, am, n. strength or force of understanding. —Buddhi-śakti, is, f. an intellectual faculty. —Buddhi-śarīra, as, m., N. of a man. —Buddhi-śastra, as, ā, am, having intelligence for a weapon, armed with understanding. —Buddhi- śālin, ī, inī, i, possessed of intelligence, intelligent. —Buddhi-śuddha, as, ā, am, pure in intention, honest in purpose or design. —Buddhi-śrī-garbha, as, m., N. of a Bodhi-sattva. —Buddhi-sampanna, as, ā, am, endowed with understanding, intelligent, rational. —Buddhi-sahāya, as, m. a counsellor, a minister; [cf. dhī-sakha, dhī-saciva, prajñā-sa- hāya. ] —Buddhi-sāgara, as, m. ‘ocean of wis- dom,’ an epithet given to any very wise man; N. of a lexicographer. —Buddhi-stha, as, ā, am, fixed in the mind, present to the mind. —Buddhi-hīna, as, ā, am, destitute of intelligence, void of understand- Page0686-b+ 80 ing, ignorant, silly, foolish. —Buddhihīna-tva, am, n. want of understanding, ignorance, folly. —Bud- dhīndriya (°dhi-in°), am, n. an organ of percep- tion, a perceptive organ of sense, (of which five are enumerated, viz. eye, ear, nose, tongue, and skin, or the organs of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling; opposed to the karmendriyāṇi or organs of action, q. v.; manas, ‘the mind,’ being both an organ of perception and of action, cf. indriya. ) —Buddhy-atīta, as, ā, am, beyond the reach of the understanding. —Buddhy-avajñāna, am, n. dis- regard for or contempt of any one's understanding. [ ID=34785 ]

### Personified Deity or Mythological Figure (7 definitions)
- Intelligence personified  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > Intelligence personified (as a daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Dharma and mother of Bodha), MBh.; Pur. [ ID=145655 ]
- Name of a woman  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a woman, HPariś. [ ID=145656 ]
- 1. The daughter of Daksha and wife of Dharma. 2. A goddess. 3. An epithet of Hiranyagarbha.  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > बुद्धि (buddhi) [Printed book page 169-2 ] Buddhi. § 115 (Aṃśāvat.): I, 66, 2579 (daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Dharma).—§ 637 (Rājadh.): XII, 45, 1549 ( devī ).—§ 705 (Mokṣadh.): XII, 303, 11231 (= Hiraṇyagarbha).—§ 707 (do.): XII, 314, 11618. [ ID=1879 ]
- A daughter of Daksha, wife of Dharma, and mother of Artha, Budha, and Apramada.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > बुद्धि (buddhi) [Printed book page 2-487 ] Buddhi (I) — a daughter of Dakṣa and a wife of Dharma; gave birth to Artha; 1 mother of Budha (Bodha- Vi. P. ) and Apramāda. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. IV. 1. 50-51. Br. II. 9. 50 and 60; Vā. 10. 25.] [ Footnote: 2) Ib. 10. 36; Vi. I. 7. 23 and 30.] [ ID=9084 ]
- a Tushita god  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Buddhi (II) — a Tuṣita god. Br. III. 3. 19; Vā. 66. 18. [ ID=9085 ]
- a son of Shatarupa  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Buddhi (III) — a son of Śatarūpā. M. 4. 25. [ ID=9086 ]
- a deity attendant on Vinayaka  
  *The Purana Index*
  > [Printed book page 2-488 ] Buddhi (IV) — a deity, attendant on Vināyaka. M. 260. 55. [ ID=9087 ]

### Opinion, View, Belief, Notion (3 definitions)
- An opinion, view, notion, idea, or conjecture.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > an opinion, view, notion, idea, conjecture, MBh.; Kāv. &c. [ ID=145649 ]
- impression, belief, or notion  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > impression, belief, notion (often ifc. = considering as, taking for), Kāv.; Kathās.; Pur.; Hit. [ ID=145651 ]
- a correct or reasonable view  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > right opinion, correct or reasonable view, R.; Ragh. [ ID=145652 ]

### Intellect in Sāṃkhya Philosophy (Tattva, Mahat) (2 definitions)
- Intellect or the faculty of mental perception in Samkhya philosophy  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (in Sāṃkhya phil. ) Intellect (= अध्य् - अवसाय (adhy-avasāya), the intellectual faculty or faculty of mental perception, the second of the 25 Tattvas; cf. बुद्धि - तत्त्व (buddhi-tattva) ), Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 80 &c. [ ID=145647 ]
- a term for mahat  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Buddhi (VI) — a term for mahat. Vā. 102. 21. [ ID=9089 ]

### Perception, Comprehension, Knowledge Acquisition (2 definitions)
- perception  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > perception (of which 5 kinds are enumerated, or with मनस् (manas) 6; cf. इन्द्रिय (ndriya) (indriya), बुद्धी (buddhī) न्द्रिय (ndriya) ) [ ID=145644 ]
- comprehension and understanding  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > comprehension, apprehension, understanding, Sāh. [ ID=145645 ]

### Specific Mental Qualities (e.g., Wit, Self-Knowledge) (2 definitions)
- knowledge of oneself or psychology  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (with आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ), or बुद्धिर् ब्राह्मी (buddhir brāhmī) ) knowledge of one's self, psychology, Car. [ ID=145646 ]
- presence of mind and ready wit  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > presence of mind, ready wit, Pañcat.; Hit. [ ID=145648 ]

### Technical Term (Metre, Astrology) (2 definitions)
- a kind of meter  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a kind of metre, L. [ ID=145653 ]
- the fifth astrological mansion  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of the 5th astrol. mansion, VarBṛS., Sch. [ ID=145654 ]

### Four-Fold Nature of Buddhi (jñāna, vairāgya, etc.) (1 definition)
- consisting of four aspects: knowledge, detachment, divine power, and righteousness  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Buddhi (V) — is four-fold; jñānam, vairāgyam, aiś- varyam and dharma. Vā. 4. 34; 59. 74. [ ID=9088 ]

### Intention, Purpose, Resolve, Deliberation (1 definition)
- 1. Thought or meditation. 2. Intention, purpose, or design.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > thought about or meditation on ( loc. or comp. ), intention, purpose, design, ib. ( बुद्ध्या (buddhyā), with the intention of, designedly, deliberately; अनुग्रह - ब् (anugraha-b) ° (°), with a view to i.e. in order to show favour; बुद्धिं - (buddhiṃ-) √ कृ (√kṛ) or प्र - (pra-) √ कृ (√kṛ), to make up one's mind, resolve, decide, with loc. dat. acc. with प्रति (prati), or inf. ) [ ID=145650 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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