in Buddhism, one who attains enlightenment through his own efforts, as distinct from one who reaches the goal by listening to the teachings of a buddha. The pratyeka-buddha is also distinguished from the “complete buddha” (sammāsam-buddha), for he is not omniscient and is not capable of enlightening others.

In early Buddhism, the various yānas, or ways of enlightenment, included the way of the disciple (śrāvakayāna) and the way of the self-enlightened buddha (pratyeka-buddhayāna). The latter concept was retained only in the Theravāda tradition. By contrast, Mahāyāna (Mahayana) Buddhists emphasize the ideal of the bodhisattva, who postpones his own final enlightenment while he works toward the salvation of others, and they consider both the pratyeka-buddha and the arhat (perfected master) to be too limited achievements.