Was the Buddha a bodhisattva (for the benefit of all) before his awakening?

Was the Buddha a bodhisattva before his awakening? Are there references from the suttas which point to when (possibly in past lives)? > Bodhisattva is the Sanskrit term for anyone who has generated > Bodhicitta, a spontaneous wish and compassionate mind to attain > Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. The following appears to suggest that the *four immeasurables* may have been present in the Buddha's past lives: > The early Buddhist texts assert that pre-Buddha ancient Indian sages > who taught these [four immeasurables ] were earlier > incarnations of the Buddha. > I apologize if the answer is obvious, but I haven't found a direct answer from the suttas.