Pratyekabuddha' was translated as '縁覚' (which comprises 縁 [en]; pratyaya [indirect causes which assist direct causes] and 覚 ['kaku' or 'gaku' depending on a case]; to be awakened, to attain enlightenment]) in Buddhism because it is the one who perceives the principle of dependent origination through contemplation on juni-innen (十二因縁: the twelve-linked chain of causation [nidana] that lead from rebirth to death, seeing existence as an interrelated flux of transient events that occur in a series, one producing another), or who comes to attain enlightenment thanks to various ge-en (外縁: external and indirect causes which assist internal and direct causes).
仏教では、十二因縁を観じて理法をさとり、あるいはさまざまな外縁によってさとるゆえに縁覚という。