보리심을 처음으로 일으킴을 뜻함. 그러나 천태종에서는 십주위 (十住位)의 초위 (初位), 화엄종에서는 십신위( 十信位)의 마지막 자리를 말함. 그런가 하면 초발심이 곧 구경각 (究竟覺), 곧 위없는 깨침이라고도 말한다

Conception or initiation of the spirit of enlightenment, inception of enlightenment, incipient high resolve for attaining enlightenment, or initiation of the great resolution to attain enlightenment: However,in the Tientai Sect, it refers to the first ground or land of the Ten Abodes of Bodhisattvas, and in the Huayen School, it refers to the last stage of the Ten Kinds of Reliance, Cf. (Chobal Simsi Byeong Jeonggak) below.