When was the word enlightenment introduced into Theravada Buddhism? I feel the word enlightenment conveys the wrong meaning if used in context of nibbana. For example, Buddha says that nibbana is similar to a lighted lamp, having taken away the oil and the wick, will not light ("as though a lamp was extinguished" Rathana Sutta - Sutta Nipatha, Chulla Waggo, 2-1, 237). I'm interested in knowing how this word was associated with Theravada Buddhism if anyone knows early references of such usage. 

Thanks in advance.
One place where I know &quot;enlightenment&quot; is used is in this version (which was published in 1894):

A middle path, O bhikkhus avoiding the two extremes, has been discovered by the Tathagata-a path which opens the eyes, and bestows understanding, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirvana!

Wikipedia's Buddhism in the West suggests that's one of the early references (that there's nothing earlier than the 19th century).
It's word with a history of meaning in the West (see e.g. Age of Enlightenment).
Bhikkhu Bodhi uses the word &quot;enlightenment&quot; a lot, e.g. in his book In the Buddha's Words. He uses it to translate words like sambodhi:

sambodhi: [sam+bodhi] complete awakening, perfect knowledge, complete enlightenment. Designates the awakening of the Buddha and the arahants.

Some other translators choose variations on the word &quot;awake&quot; (e.g. &quot;self-awakened&quot;) instead of enlightened; which (awakened) is apparently a more literal translation.
According to Wikipedia (&quot;Enlightenment in Buddhism&quot;),

The English term enlightenment is the western translation of the term bodhi, &quot;awakening&quot;, which was popularised in the Western world through the 19th century translations of Max Müller. It has the western connotation of a sudden insight into a transcendental truth.
The term is also being used to translate several other Buddhist terms and concepts used to denote insight (prajna, kensho and satori);[1] knowledge (vidhya); the &quot;blowing out&quot; (Nirvana) of disturbing emotions and desires and the subsequent freedom or release (vimutti); and the attainment of Buddhahood, as exemplified by Gautama Buddha.

Very occasionally in Pali the Buddha is praised as ukkādhāraṃ translated &quot;torch-bearer&quot;.