Rishi

Rishi (Skt. ṛṣi; Tib. དྲང་སྲོང་, Wyl. drang srong) — great sages of Indian mythology, endowed with exceptional longevity and magical powers, who were instrumental in the creation, or reception, of the Vedas.

In the Buddhist context, this word is usually translated as sage, hermit, or saint. The Buddha is sometimes referred to as the 'Great Rishi' (Skt. mahāṛṣi).

Chögyam Trungpa writes: "Rishi [...] refers to the person who constantly leads a straightforward life. The Tibetan word for "rishi" is trangsong. Trang means "direct," song means "upright." The term refers to one who leads a direct and upright life."

References

• Padmakara Translation Group glossaries
• Matthieu Ricard, The Life of Shabkar, page 270.
• Chögyam Trungpa, The Myth of Freedom, in Collected Works, Vol. 3, page 250.