Buddhi
(बुद्धि)Literal Meaning
Intellect; discerning wisdom
Etymology & Sanskrit Root
From Sanskrit 'budh' (to know, awaken); in Samkhya and Vedanta, the higher discriminating faculty of the mind that judges, decides, and distinguishes real from unreal — positioned above manas (the sensory mind) in the inner instrument.
Spiritual Insight & Context
The Bhagavad Gita urges the seeker to anchor their buddhi in steady wisdom (buddhi-yoga) rather than being tossed about by fluctuating emotions and sensory impulses.