In
BuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
,
buddhahood ( ; or ) is the state of perfect
enlightenmentBodhi is both a Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English with the word "enlightenment", but which means awakened. In Buddhism it is the knowledge possessed by a Buddha into the nature of things...
( ; ) attained by a buddha (ˈbuːdə or /ˈbʊdə/; ˈbud̪d̪ʱə; Pali/
SanskritSanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
for "awakened one").
In
BuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, the term
buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened (i.e., awakened to the truth, or
DharmaDharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
). The level to which this manifestation requires abstraction from ordinary life (ascetic practices) varies from none at all to an absolute requirement, dependent on doctrine.
In Theravada Buddhist traditions, it is held that the person attains this state on their own, without a teacher to point out the Dharma, in a time when the teachings on the
Four Noble TruthsThe Four Noble Truths are an important principle in Buddhism, classically taught by the Buddha in the Dharmacakra Pravartana Sūtra....
or the Eightfold Path do not exist in the world, and teaches it to others. In contrast, certain Mahayana Buddhist traditions (particularly those that consider the teachings of the
Lotus SutraThe Lotus Sūtra is one of the most popular and influential Mahāyāna sūtras, and the basis on which the Tiantai and Nichiren sects of Buddhism were established.-Title:...
to be paramount, which contains this concept) Buddhahood is considered to be a universal and innate property of absolute wisdom that is revealed in a person's current lifetime through Buddhist practice, without any specific relinquishment of pleasures or "earthly desires". Thus, there is an extremely broad spectrum of opinion on the universality and method of attainment of Buddhahood which is correlated to which of Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings that a school of Buddhism follows.
More broadly, it is occasionally used to refer to all who attain
nirvanaNirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
. In this broader sense it is equivalent to
ArahantArhat , in Buddhism, signifies a spiritual practitioner who has realized certain high stages of attainment. The implications of the term vary based on the respective schools and traditions.-Etymology:...
. According to Theravada Buddhism, all Arahants (or Buddhas in the broader sense) are the same in the most fundamental aspects of Liberation (
NirvanaNirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
), but differ in their practice of perfections paramis. Mahayana Buddhism, however, considers there is a fundamental difference between Buddhas and ordinary arhants, on the way to becoming a Buddha, a Buddhist proceeds through
bodhisattvaIn Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
stages. Buddhists do not consider Siddhartha Gautama to have been the only Buddha. The
Pali CanonThe Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the only completely surviving early Buddhist canon, and one of the first to be written down...
refers to many previous ones (see
List of the 28 Buddhas), while the
MahayanaMahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
tradition additionally has many Buddhas of celestial, rather than historical, origin (see
AmitabhaAmitābha is a celestial buddha described in the scriptures of the Mahāyāna school of Buddhism...
or
VairocanaVairocana is a celestial Buddha who is often interpreted as the Bliss Body of the historical Gautama Buddha; he can also be referred to as the dharmakaya Buddha and the great solar Buddha. In Sino-Japanese Buddhism, Vairocana is also seen as the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of shunyata or...
as examples, for lists of many thousands Buddha names see
Taishō Shinshū DaizōkyōThe Taishō Tripiṭaka is a definitive edition of the Chinese Buddhist canon and its Japanese commentaries used by scholars in the 20th century. It was edited by Takakusu Junjiro and others....
numbers 439–448). A common Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist belief is that the next Buddha will be one named
MaitreyaMaitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
(Pali: Metteyya).
Types of Buddhahood
In
BuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, three types of Buddha are recognized.
- Samyaksambuddha (Pali: sammasambuddha), often simply referred to as Buddha, one who has attained samyaksambodhi.
- Pratyekabuddha
A Pratyekabuddha or Paccekabuddha , literally "a lone buddha" , "a buddha on their own" or "a private buddha", is one of three types of enlightened beings according to some schools of Buddhism. The other two types are the Śrāvakabuddhas and Samyaksambuddhas...
s (Pali: paccekabuddha)
- Śrāvakabuddha
Sāvakabuddha is a term used rarely in Theravada Buddhism to refer to an enlightened disciple of a Buddha. Such disciples are enlightened individuals who gain by hearing the Dhamma as initially taught by a Sammasambuddha...
(Pali: sāvakabuddha)
The first two types of Buddha both achieve
NirvanaNirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
through their own efforts, without a teacher to point out the
DharmaDharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
. The term Savakabuddha does not occur in the Theravadin
Pali CanonThe Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the only completely surviving early Buddhist canon, and one of the first to be written down...
, but is mentioned in three Theravadin commentarial works, and refers to an
enlightenedBodhi is both a Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English with the word "enlightenment", but which means awakened. In Buddhism it is the knowledge possessed by a Buddha into the nature of things...
discipleShravaka or Śrāvaka or Sāvaka means "hearer" or, more generally, "disciple".This term is used by both Buddhists and Jains. In Jainism, a shravaka is any lay Jain...
of the Buddha.
Samyaksambuddha
Samyaksambuddhas (
Pali
:
sammasambuddha) gain
NirvanaNirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
by their own efforts, and discover the Dhamma without having a teacher to point it out. They then lead others to enlightenment by teaching the Dhamma in a time or world where it has been forgotten or has not been taught before, because a Samyaksambuddha does not depend upon a tradition that stretches back to a previous Samyaksambuddha, but instead discovers the path anew. The historical Buddha,
Gautama BuddhaSiddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
, is considered a Samyaksambuddha. See also the
list of 28 sammasambuddhas.
Three variations can be distinguished in the way of achieving Samyaksambuddha-hood. With more wisdom (
prajñādhika), with more effort (
vīryādhika) or with more faith (
śraddhādhika). Śākyamuni was a Prajñādhika (through more wisdom) Buddha. The next Buddha of this world,
MaitreyaMaitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
(Pāli: Metteyya) will be a Vīryādhika (through more effort) Buddha.
Pratyekabuddha
Pratyekabuddhas (
Pali
:
paccekabuddha) are similar to Samyaksambuddhas in that they attain without having a teacher. Unlike the Samyaksambuddha however, they do not teach the Dhamma that they have discovered. Thus, they also do not form a
{{Other uses|Buddha (disambiguation)}}
{{for|the historical founder of Buddhism|Gautama Buddha}}
{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes|expiry=February 16, 2009}}
{{IndicText}}
{{Buddhism}}
In BuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
,
buddhahood ({{lang-sa|बुद्धत्व}} {{transl|sa|IAST|
buddhatva}}; {{lang-pi|बुद्धत्त}} {{transl|pi|IAST|
buddhatta}} or {{lang|pi|बुद्धभाव}} {{transl|pi|IAST|
buddhabhāva}}) is the state of perfect
enlightenmentBodhi is both a Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English with the word "enlightenment", but which means awakened. In Buddhism it is the knowledge possessed by a Buddha into the nature of things...
({{lang-sa|सम्यक्सम्बोधि}} {{transl|sa|IAST|
samyaksambodhi}}; {{lang-pi|सम्मासम्बोधि}} {{transl|pi|IAST|
sammāsambodhi}}) attained by a buddha (ˈbuːdə or /ˈbʊdə/; ˈbud̪d̪ʱə; Pali/
SanskritSanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
for "awakened one").
In
BuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, the term
buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened (i.e., awakened to the truth, or
DharmaDharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
). The level to which this manifestation requires abstraction from ordinary life (ascetic practices) varies from none at all to an absolute requirement, dependent on doctrine.
In Theravada Buddhist traditions, it is held that the person attains this state on their own, without a teacher to point out the Dharma, in a time when the teachings on the
Four Noble TruthsThe Four Noble Truths are an important principle in Buddhism, classically taught by the Buddha in the Dharmacakra Pravartana Sūtra....
or the Eightfold Path do not exist in the world, and teaches it to others. In contrast, certain Mahayana Buddhist traditions (particularly those that consider the teachings of the
Lotus SutraThe Lotus Sūtra is one of the most popular and influential Mahāyāna sūtras, and the basis on which the Tiantai and Nichiren sects of Buddhism were established.-Title:...
to be paramount, which contains this concept) Buddhahood is considered to be a universal and innate property of absolute wisdom that is revealed in a person's current lifetime through Buddhist practice, without any specific relinquishment of pleasures or "earthly desires". Thus, there is an extremely broad spectrum of opinion on the universality and method of attainment of Buddhahood which is correlated to which of Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings that a school of Buddhism follows.
More broadly, it is occasionally used to refer to all who attain
nirvanaNirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
. In this broader sense it is equivalent to
ArahantArhat , in Buddhism, signifies a spiritual practitioner who has realized certain high stages of attainment. The implications of the term vary based on the respective schools and traditions.-Etymology:...
. According to Theravada Buddhism, all Arahants (or Buddhas in the broader sense) are the same in the most fundamental aspects of Liberation (
NirvanaNirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
), but differ in their practice of perfections paramis. Mahayana Buddhism, however, considers there is a fundamental difference between Buddhas and ordinary arhants, on the way to becoming a Buddha, a Buddhist proceeds through
bodhisattvaIn Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
stages. Buddhists do not consider Siddhartha Gautama to have been the only Buddha. The
Pali CanonThe Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the only completely surviving early Buddhist canon, and one of the first to be written down...
refers to many previous ones (see
List of the 28 Buddhas), while the
MahayanaMahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
tradition additionally has many Buddhas of celestial, rather than historical, origin (see
AmitabhaAmitābha is a celestial buddha described in the scriptures of the Mahāyāna school of Buddhism...
or
VairocanaVairocana is a celestial Buddha who is often interpreted as the Bliss Body of the historical Gautama Buddha; he can also be referred to as the dharmakaya Buddha and the great solar Buddha. In Sino-Japanese Buddhism, Vairocana is also seen as the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of shunyata or...
as examples, for lists of many thousands Buddha names see
Taishō Shinshū DaizōkyōThe Taishō Tripiṭaka is a definitive edition of the Chinese Buddhist canon and its Japanese commentaries used by scholars in the 20th century. It was edited by Takakusu Junjiro and others....
numbers 439–448). A common Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist belief is that the next Buddha will be one named
MaitreyaMaitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
(Pali: Metteyya).
Types of Buddhahood
In
BuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, three types of Buddha are recognized.
- Samyaksambuddha (Pali: sammasambuddha), often simply referred to as Buddha, one who has attained samyaksambodhi.
- Pratyekabuddha
A Pratyekabuddha or Paccekabuddha , literally "a lone buddha" , "a buddha on their own" or "a private buddha", is one of three types of enlightened beings according to some schools of Buddhism. The other two types are the Śrāvakabuddhas and Samyaksambuddhas...
s (Pali: paccekabuddha)
- Śrāvakabuddha
Sāvakabuddha is a term used rarely in Theravada Buddhism to refer to an enlightened disciple of a Buddha. Such disciples are enlightened individuals who gain by hearing the Dhamma as initially taught by a Sammasambuddha...
(Pali: sāvakabuddha)
The first two types of Buddha both achieve
NirvanaNirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
through their own efforts, without a teacher to point out the
DharmaDharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
. The term Savakabuddha does not occur in the Theravadin
Pali CanonThe Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the only completely surviving early Buddhist canon, and one of the first to be written down...
, but is mentioned in three Theravadin commentarial works{{Dubious|date=November 2008}}, and refers to an
enlightenedBodhi is both a Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English with the word "enlightenment", but which means awakened. In Buddhism it is the knowledge possessed by a Buddha into the nature of things...
discipleShravaka or Śrāvaka or Sāvaka means "hearer" or, more generally, "disciple".This term is used by both Buddhists and Jains. In Jainism, a shravaka is any lay Jain...
of the Buddha.
Samyaksambuddha
Samyaksambuddhas (
Pali
:
sammasambuddha) gain
NirvanaNirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
by their own efforts, and discover the Dhamma without having a teacher to point it out. They then lead others to enlightenment by teaching the Dhamma in a time or world where it has been forgotten or has not been taught before, because a Samyaksambuddha does not depend upon a tradition that stretches back to a previous Samyaksambuddha, but instead discovers the path anew. The historical Buddha,
Gautama BuddhaSiddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
, is considered a Samyaksambuddha. See also the
list of 28 sammasambuddhas.
Three variations can be distinguished in the way of achieving Samyaksambuddha-hood. With more wisdom (
prajñādhika), with more effort (
vīryādhika) or with more faith (
śraddhādhika). Śākyamuni was a Prajñādhika (through more wisdom) Buddha. The next Buddha of this world,
MaitreyaMaitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
(Pāli: Metteyya) will be a Vīryādhika (through more effort) Buddha.
Pratyekabuddha
Pratyekabuddhas (
Pali
:
paccekabuddha) are similar to Samyaksambuddhas in that they attain {{IAST|Nirvāṇa}} without having a teacher. Unlike the Samyaksambuddha however, they do not teach the Dhamma that they have discovered. Thus, they also do not form a
{{Other uses|Buddha (disambiguation)}}
{{for|the historical founder of Buddhism|Gautama Buddha}}
{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes|expiry=February 16, 2009}}
{{IndicText}}
{{Buddhism}}
In BuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
,
buddhahood ({{lang-sa|बुद्धत्व}} {{transl|sa|IAST|
buddhatva}}; {{lang-pi|बुद्धत्त}} {{transl|pi|IAST|
buddhatta}} or {{lang|pi|बुद्धभाव}} {{transl|pi|IAST|
buddhabhāva}}) is the state of perfect
enlightenmentBodhi is both a Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English with the word "enlightenment", but which means awakened. In Buddhism it is the knowledge possessed by a Buddha into the nature of things...
({{lang-sa|सम्यक्सम्बोधि}} {{transl|sa|IAST|
samyaksambodhi}}; {{lang-pi|सम्मासम्बोधि}} {{transl|pi|IAST|
sammāsambodhi}}) attained by a buddha (ˈbuːdə or /ˈbʊdə/; ˈbud̪d̪ʱə; Pali/
SanskritSanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
for "awakened one").
In
BuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, the term
buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened (i.e., awakened to the truth, or
DharmaDharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
). The level to which this manifestation requires abstraction from ordinary life (ascetic practices) varies from none at all to an absolute requirement, dependent on doctrine.
In Theravada Buddhist traditions, it is held that the person attains this state on their own, without a teacher to point out the Dharma, in a time when the teachings on the
Four Noble TruthsThe Four Noble Truths are an important principle in Buddhism, classically taught by the Buddha in the Dharmacakra Pravartana Sūtra....
or the Eightfold Path do not exist in the world, and teaches it to others. In contrast, certain Mahayana Buddhist traditions (particularly those that consider the teachings of the
Lotus SutraThe Lotus Sūtra is one of the most popular and influential Mahāyāna sūtras, and the basis on which the Tiantai and Nichiren sects of Buddhism were established.-Title:...
to be paramount, which contains this concept) Buddhahood is considered to be a universal and innate property of absolute wisdom that is revealed in a person's current lifetime through Buddhist practice, without any specific relinquishment of pleasures or "earthly desires". Thus, there is an extremely broad spectrum of opinion on the universality and method of attainment of Buddhahood which is correlated to which of Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings that a school of Buddhism follows.
More broadly, it is occasionally used to refer to all who attain
nirvanaNirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
. In this broader sense it is equivalent to
ArahantArhat , in Buddhism, signifies a spiritual practitioner who has realized certain high stages of attainment. The implications of the term vary based on the respective schools and traditions.-Etymology:...
. According to Theravada Buddhism, all Arahants (or Buddhas in the broader sense) are the same in the most fundamental aspects of Liberation (
NirvanaNirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
), but differ in their practice of perfections paramis. Mahayana Buddhism, however, considers there is a fundamental difference between Buddhas and ordinary arhants, on the way to becoming a Buddha, a Buddhist proceeds through
bodhisattvaIn Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
stages. Buddhists do not consider Siddhartha Gautama to have been the only Buddha. The
Pali CanonThe Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the only completely surviving early Buddhist canon, and one of the first to be written down...
refers to many previous ones (see
List of the 28 Buddhas), while the
MahayanaMahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
tradition additionally has many Buddhas of celestial, rather than historical, origin (see
AmitabhaAmitābha is a celestial buddha described in the scriptures of the Mahāyāna school of Buddhism...
or
VairocanaVairocana is a celestial Buddha who is often interpreted as the Bliss Body of the historical Gautama Buddha; he can also be referred to as the dharmakaya Buddha and the great solar Buddha. In Sino-Japanese Buddhism, Vairocana is also seen as the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of shunyata or...
as examples, for lists of many thousands Buddha names see
Taishō Shinshū DaizōkyōThe Taishō Tripiṭaka is a definitive edition of the Chinese Buddhist canon and its Japanese commentaries used by scholars in the 20th century. It was edited by Takakusu Junjiro and others....
numbers 439–448). A common Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist belief is that the next Buddha will be one named
MaitreyaMaitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
(Pali: Metteyya).
Types of Buddhahood
In
BuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, three types of Buddha are recognized.
- Samyaksambuddha (Pali: sammasambuddha), often simply referred to as Buddha, one who has attained samyaksambodhi.
- Pratyekabuddha
A Pratyekabuddha or Paccekabuddha , literally "a lone buddha" , "a buddha on their own" or "a private buddha", is one of three types of enlightened beings according to some schools of Buddhism. The other two types are the Śrāvakabuddhas and Samyaksambuddhas...
s (Pali: paccekabuddha)
- Śrāvakabuddha
Sāvakabuddha is a term used rarely in Theravada Buddhism to refer to an enlightened disciple of a Buddha. Such disciples are enlightened individuals who gain by hearing the Dhamma as initially taught by a Sammasambuddha...
(Pali: sāvakabuddha)
The first two types of Buddha both achieve
NirvanaNirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
through their own efforts, without a teacher to point out the
DharmaDharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
. The term Savakabuddha does not occur in the Theravadin
Pali CanonThe Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the only completely surviving early Buddhist canon, and one of the first to be written down...
, but is mentioned in three Theravadin commentarial works{{Dubious|date=November 2008}}, and refers to an
enlightenedBodhi is both a Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English with the word "enlightenment", but which means awakened. In Buddhism it is the knowledge possessed by a Buddha into the nature of things...
discipleShravaka or Śrāvaka or Sāvaka means "hearer" or, more generally, "disciple".This term is used by both Buddhists and Jains. In Jainism, a shravaka is any lay Jain...
of the Buddha.
Samyaksambuddha
Samyaksambuddhas (
Pali
:
sammasambuddha) gain
NirvanaNirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
by their own efforts, and discover the Dhamma without having a teacher to point it out. They then lead others to enlightenment by teaching the Dhamma in a time or world where it has been forgotten or has not been taught before, because a Samyaksambuddha does not depend upon a tradition that stretches back to a previous Samyaksambuddha, but instead discovers the path anew. The historical Buddha,
Gautama BuddhaSiddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
, is considered a Samyaksambuddha. See also the
list of 28 sammasambuddhas.
Three variations can be distinguished in the way of achieving Samyaksambuddha-hood. With more wisdom (
prajñādhika), with more effort (
vīryādhika) or with more faith (
śraddhādhika). Śākyamuni was a Prajñādhika (through more wisdom) Buddha. The next Buddha of this world,
MaitreyaMaitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
(Pāli: Metteyya) will be a Vīryādhika (through more effort) Buddha.
Pratyekabuddha
Pratyekabuddhas (
Pali
:
paccekabuddha) are similar to Samyaksambuddhas in that they attain {{IAST|Nirvāṇa}} without having a teacher. Unlike the Samyaksambuddha however, they do not teach the Dhamma that they have discovered. Thus, they also do not form a
{{IASTSangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as "association" or "assembly," "company" or "community" with common goal, vision or purpose...
of disciples to carry on the teaching, since they do not teach in the first place.
In some works they are referred to as "silent Buddhas". Several comparatively new Buddhist scriptures (of later origin; after the Buddha's demise, like the
JātakasThe Jātakas refer to a voluminous body of literature native to India concerning the previous births of the Buddha....
), show Pratyekabuddhas giving teachings. A Paccekabuddha can sometimes teach and admonish people, but these admonitions are only in reference to good and proper conduct (Pali:
abhisamācārikasikkhā), not concerning Nirvana.
In some texts, they are described as 'one who understands the Dharma by his own efforts, but does not obtain omniscience nor mastery over the Fruits' (phalesu vasībhāvam).
Śrāvakabuddha
{{IASTShravaka or Śrāvaka or Sāvaka means "hearer" or, more generally, "disciple".This term is used by both Buddhists and Jains. In Jainism, a shravaka is any lay Jain...
(
Skt.Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
;
Pali
:
sāvaka; means "hearer" or "follower") is a disciple of a Samyaksambuddha. An
enlightened disciple is generally called an arahant (Noble One) or
ariya-sāvaka (Noble Disciple). (These terms have slightly varied meanings but can both be used to describe the enlightened disciple.) The
TheravadinTheravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...
commentary to the
UdanaThe Udana is a Buddhist scripture, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. It is included there in the Sutta Pitaka's Khuddaka Nikaya. The title might be translated "inspired utterances"...
uses the term
sāvaka-buddha (Pali; Skt.
śrāvakabuddha) to describe the enlightened disciple
Enlightened disciples attain Nirvana as do the two aforementioned types of Buddhas. After attaining enlightenment, disciples may also lead others to enlightenment. One can not become a disciple of a Buddha in a time or world where the teaching of the Buddha has been forgotten or has not been taught before, because this type of enlightenment is dependent on a tradition that stretches back to a Samyaksambuddha.
A rarely used word,
anubuddha, was a term used by the Buddha in the
KhuddakapathaThe Khuddakapatha is a Buddhist scripture, the first collection of discourses in the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism...
for those who become buddhas after being given instruction.
In the
Pali CanonThe Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the only completely surviving early Buddhist canon, and one of the first to be written down...
itself, the first two are mentioned by the above names, while numerous examples of the third type occur, without that name. There is no mention of types of buddhas, though the word buddha does sometimes appear to be used in a broad sense covering all the above.
Ten Epithets
Some Buddhists meditate on (or contemplate) the Buddha as having ten characteristics (Ch./Jp. 十號):
- thus gone, thus come
Tathāgata in Pali and Sanskrit) is the name the Buddha of the scriptures uses when referring to himself. The term means, paradoxically, both one who has thus gone and one who has thus come . Hence, the Tathagata is beyond all coming and going – beyond all transitory phenomena...
(Skt: {{IAST|tathāgata}})
- worthy one (Skt: arhat)
- perfectly self-enlightened (Skt: {{IAST|samyak-saṃbuddha}})
- perfected in knowledge and conduct (Skt: {{IAST|vidyā-caraṇa-saṃpanna}} )
- well gone (Skt: sugata)
- unsurpassed (Skt: anuttara)
- knower of the world (Skt: loka-vid)
- leader of persons to be tamed (Skt: {{IAST|puruṣa-damya-sārathi}})
- teacher of the gods and humans (Skt: {{IAST|śāsta deva-manuṣyāṇaṃ}})
- the Blessed One or fortunate one (Skt: bhagavat)
These characteristics are frequently mentioned in the
Pali CanonThe Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the only completely surviving early Buddhist canon, and one of the first to be written down...
as well as
MahayanaMahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
teachings, and are chanted daily in many Buddhist monasteries.
Most schools of Buddhism have also held that the Buddha was
omniscientOmniscience omniscient point-of-view in writing) is the capacity to know everything infinitely, or at least everything that can be known about a character including thoughts, feelings, life and the universe, etc. In Latin, omnis means "all" and sciens means "knowing"...
. However, the early texts contain explicit repudiations of making this claim of the Buddha.
The tenth epithet is sometimes listed as "The World Honored Enlightened One" (Skt.
Buddha-Lokanatha) or "The Blessed Enlightened One" (Skt.
Buddha-Bhagavan).
In his commentary to the Surangama Sutra, Venerable Master
Hsuan HuaHsuan Hua , also known as An Tzu and Tu Lun, was a Chan Buddhist monk and a contributing figure in bringing Chinese Buddhism to the United States in the 20th century....
tells the following humorous fable.
- Originally every Buddha had ten thousand names. In time these ten thousand names were reduced to one thousand because people got confused trying to remember them all. For a while every Buddha had a thousand names, but people still couldn’t remember so many, so they were again reduced to one hundred names. Every Buddha had a hundred different names and living beings had a hard time remembering them, so they were shortened again to ten.
Mahayana names
Ashvaghosha in his "Acts of the Buddha" states,
{{quote|"A narrator could spend a kalpa [eon] but the virtues of the Buddha would not come to an end…":
"He makes wise all the ignorant ["illuminates those in the dark"] that's why he is called "Buddha." (Also,) this knowledge of the laws of reality has been ascertained by me and from myself distinct from all teaching by any other person, and therefore is he called "Self-existent." And, having all laws [dharmas] under his control, he is called "Lord of Law" (Dharmaraja.)
"He knows what is right (naya) and wrong (anaya) with regard to laws, therefore he is called "Nayaka," teaching innumerable beings as they become fit to be taught.
(Because) he has reached the furthest limit of instruction, therefore is he called "Vinayaka," from his pointing out the best route to beings who have lost their way.
"He has reached the furthest extent of good teaching; he is the guide to all Dharma, attracting all beings by his knowledge of all the means of conciliation (his ability to synthesize—to formulate.)
"He has passed through the forest of mundane existence, so he is called Caravan Leader; and as absolute ruler over all law he is the Jina, Victorious One.
"From his setting in motion this Wheel of Law he is the lord of all (other) sovereigns of Law (law-givers); the Master-giver of Dharma, The Teacher, Master of the Dharma—the Lord of the World.
"He who has offered the sacrifice, accomplished his end, fulfilled his hope, achieved his success, the consoler, the loving-regarder [cf. Avalokiteshvara,] the Hero, the champion, the victorious one in conflict.
(As) he has emerged from all conflict, released himself and the releaser of all, he is become Light of the World, Illuminator of the Knowledge of True Wisdom:
"The dispeller of the darkness of ignorance, Illuminator of the Great Torch; Great Physician, Great Seer—the Healer of all evils who is the extractor of the barb of evil from all those wounded by evil.
He is possessed of all distinctive marks and adorned with all signs. With his body and limbs in every way perfect, of pure conduct and perfectly clear mind, possessed of the ten powers, having great fortitude, learned in all learning,
"Endowed with all independent states:" Attainer of the Great Vehicle (Mahayana;) "Lord of all Dharma:" the Ruler, Monarch of All Worlds, the Sovereign;
"Lord of all wisdom:" the wise, the destroyer of the pride of all disputers, the omniscient, the Arhat, Possessor of Perfect Knowledge, the Great Buddha, Lord of Saints;
"The Victorious:" triumphant over-thrower of the insolence and pride of the evil Mara, the Perfect Buddha, Sugata, the wise one who fulfills the wishes of all beings,
"Ever cognizant of past acts, never speaking falsely, a mine of perfect excellence and of all good qualities; destroyer of all evil ways and guide to all right ways,
"The ruler of the world, bearer of the world, master of the world, sovereign of the world, teacher of the world, preceptor of the world (since) he brings to the world the Law, virtue and its reward (true end.)
The Fount of Nectar that quenches the scorching flame of all pain, and the powerful luminary [the sun] which dries up the great ocean of all suffering.
Bringer of all virtue and all real wealth; possessor of perfect excellence and all good qualities; the guide on the road of wisdom who shows the way to Nirvana.
"Tathagata without stain, without attachment, without uncertainty. That is the compendious [signature to this] declaration of the Turning of the Wheel of Law.}}
Spiritual realizations
All Buddhist traditions hold that a Buddha has completely purified his mind of desire, aversion and ignorance, and that he is no longer bound by
Samsarathumb|right|200px|Traditional Tibetan painting or [[Thanka]] showing the [[wheel of life]] and realms of saṃsāraSaṅsāra or Saṃsāra , , literally meaning "continuous flow", is the cycle of birth, life, death, rebirth or reincarnation within Hinduism, Buddhism, Bön, Jainism, Sikhism, and other...
. A Buddha is fully awakened and has realized the ultimate truth, the non-dualistic nature of life, and thus ended (for himself) the
sufferingSuffering, or pain in a broad sense, is an individual's basic affective experience of unpleasantness and aversion associated with harm or threat of harm. Suffering may be qualified as physical or mental. It may come in all degrees of intensity, from mild to intolerable. Factors of duration and...
which unawakened people experience in life.
Nature of the Buddha
{{see|Buddhology}}
The various Buddhist schools hold some varying interpretations on the nature of Buddha (see below).
Buddha as a supreme human
Different schools view Buddha differently, with
TheravadaTheravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...
Buddhism emerges the view that the Buddha was human, endowed with the greatest psychic powers (
Kevatta SuttaThe Kevatta Sutta is a Buddhist scripture, one of the texts in the Digha Nikaya of the Pali Canon. The scripture takes its name from the householder Kevatta, who invites the Buddha to display various miraculous powers in order to show his spiritual superiority...
). The body and mind (the five khandhas) of a Buddha are impermanent and changing, just like the body and mind of ordinary people. However, a Buddha recognizes the unchanging nature of the
DharmaDhamma or Dharma in Buddhism can have the following meanings:* The state of Nature as it is * The Laws of Nature considered collectively....
, which is an eternal principle and an unconditioned and timeless phenomenon. This view is common in the Theravada school, and the other
early Buddhist schoolsThe early Buddhist schools are those schools into which, according to most scholars, the Buddhist monastic saṅgha initially split, due originally to differences in vinaya, and later also due to doctrinal differences and geographical separation of groups of monks.The original saṅgha split into the...
.
Statements from modern Theravadins that the Buddha was "just a human" are often intended to contrast their view of him with that of the Mahayana, and with Christian views of Jesus. According to the Canon, Gotama was
born as a human, albeit highly spiritually developed as a result of the previous lives in the career of the bodhisatta. With his enlightenment, however, he perfected and transcended his human condition. When asked whether he was a
devaA deva in Buddhism is one of many different types of non-human beings who share the characteristics of being more powerful, longer-lived, and, in general, living more contentedly than the average human being....
or a human, he replied that he had eliminated the deep-rooted unconscious traits that would make him either one, and should instead be called a Buddha; one who had grown up in the world but had now gone beyond it, as a lotus grows from the water but blossoms above it, unsoiled.
Although the Theravada school does not emphasize the more supernatural and divine aspects of the Buddha that are available in the Pali Canon, elements of Buddha as the supreme person are found throughout this canon.
In
MN 18 Madhupindika Sutta, Buddha is described in powerful terms as the Lord of the Dhamma (Pali: Dhammasami, skt.: Dharma Swami) and the bestower of immortality (Pali: Amatassadata).
Similarly, in the
Anuradha Sutta (SN 44.2) Buddha is described as "the Tathagata—the supreme man, the superlative man, attainer of the superlative attainment". Buddha is asked about what happens to the Tathagatha after death of the physical body.
Buddha replies, "And so, Anuradha—when you can't pin down the Tathagata as a truth or reality even in the present life—is it proper for you to declare, 'Friends, the Tathagata—the supreme man, the superlative man, attainer of the superlative attainment—being described, is described otherwise than with these four positions: The Tathagata exists after death, does not exist after death, both does & does not exist after death, neither exists nor does not exist after death'?"
In the Vakkali Sutta Buddha identifies himself with the Dhamma:
- O Vakkali, whoever sees the Dhamma, sees me [the Buddha]
Another reference from the Agganna Sutta of the
Digha NikayaThe Digha Nikaya is a Buddhist scripture, the first of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that compose the Pali Tipitaka of Theravada Buddhism...
, says to his disciple Vasettha:
- O Vasettha! The Word of Dhammakaya is indeed the name of the Tathagata
In the
Pali CanonThe Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the only completely surviving early Buddhist canon, and one of the first to be written down...
s Gautama Buddha is known as being a "teacher of the gods and humans", superior to both the gods and humans in the sense of having
nirvanaNirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
or the greatest bliss (whereas the
devasA deva in Buddhism is one of many different types of non-human beings who share the characteristics of being more powerful, longer-lived, and, in general, living more contentedly than the average human being....
or gods of are still subject to anger, fear, sorrow, etc.).
Eternal Buddha in Mahayana Buddhism
{{main|Eternal Buddha}}
In some sutras found in
MahayanaMahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
Buddhism, the Buddha teaches that the Buddha is no longer essentially a human being but has become a being of a different order altogether and that, in his ultimate transcendental "body/mind" mode as
DharmakayaThe Dharmakāya is a central idea in Mahayana Buddhism forming part of the Trikaya doctrine that was possibly first expounded in the Aṣṭasāhasrikā prajñā-pāramitā , composed in the 1st century BCE...
, he has eternal and infinite life, is present in all things (i.e., is "the boundless
dharmadhatuDharmadhatu may be defined as the 'dimension', 'realm' or 'sphere' of Dharma and denotes the collective 'one-taste' dimension of Dharmata.-Nomenclature, orthography and etymology:...
", according to the Nirvana Sutra), and is possessed of great and immeasurable qualities. In the Mahaparinirvana Sutra the Buddha declares: "Nirvana is stated to be eternally abiding. The Tathagata [Buddha] is also thus, eternally abiding, without change." This is a particularly important metaphysical and soteriological doctrine in the
Lotus SutraThe Lotus Sūtra is one of the most popular and influential Mahāyāna sūtras, and the basis on which the Tiantai and Nichiren sects of Buddhism were established.-Title:...
and the Tathagatagarbha sutras. According to the Tathagatagarbha sutras, failure to recognize the Buddha's eternity and, even worse, outright denial of that eternity, is deemed a major obstacle to the attainment of complete awakening (
bodhiBodhi is both a Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English with the word "enlightenment", but which means awakened. In Buddhism it is the knowledge possessed by a Buddha into the nature of things...
).
For the Tibetan Buddhist master, Dolpopa, and his Jonangpa School, the Buddha is to be understood as the wondrous and holy wish-fulfilling Essence of all things, beyond comprehension:
"Buddha—an essence of immeasurable, incomprehensible, unfathomable, excellent exalted body, wisdom, qualities, and activities extremely wondrous and fantastic—is vast like space and the holy source, giving rise to all that is wished by sentient beings like a wish-granting jewel, a wish-granting tree …" (Dolpopa,
Mountain Doctrine, tr. by Jeffrey Hopkins, Snow Lion Publications, 2006, p. 424).
The Buddha as compared to God
{{main|God in Buddhism}}
A common misconception among non-Buddhists is that the Buddha is the Buddhist counterpart to "
GodGod is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
". Buddhism however, is in general non-theistic, in the sense of not teaching the existence of a supreme creator god (see
God in BuddhismThe refutation of the notion of a supreme God or a prime mover is seen by many as a key distinction between Buddhism and other religions. In Buddhism the sole aim of spiritual practice is the complete alleviation of stress in samsara, called nirvana...
) or depending on any supreme being for enlightenment. The Buddha is a guide and teacher who points the way to enlightenment, however the struggle for enlightenment is one's own. The commonly accepted definition of the term "God" is of a being who rules and created the universe (see creation myth). The Buddha of the early texts gives arguments refuting the existence of such a being.
However, certain Mahayana sutras (such as the Nirvana Sutra and the
Lotus SutraThe Lotus Sūtra is one of the most popular and influential Mahāyāna sūtras, and the basis on which the Tiantai and Nichiren sects of Buddhism were established.-Title:...
) and especially such tantras as the
Kunjed Gyalpo TantraThe Kulayarāja Tantra is a Buddhist Tantra extant in Tibetan which centers upon the direct teachings of the primordial, ultimate Buddha , Samantabhadra...
give expression to a vision of the Buddha as the omnipresent, all-knowing, liberative essence and deathless Reality of all things, and thus, to some extent, this conception of the Buddha draws close to pantheistic conceptions of godhead, yet it differs in that in the Mahayana tradition, anyone can become a Buddha, as compared to general theistic religions in which it is generally considered impossible to become a god or God. Also, Indonesian Buddhism declares its belief in God, in accordance with the Indonesian constitution.
Depictions of the Buddha in art
{{main|Buddharupa}}
Buddhas are frequently represented in the form of statues and paintings. Commonly seen designs include:
- the Seated Buddha
- the Reclining Buddha
- the Standing Buddha
- Hotei or Budai
Budăi may refer to places in Romania:* Budăi, a village administered by Podu Iloaiei town, Iaşi County* Budăi, hill in the proximity of Călugăreni in Botoşani Countyand to several in Moldova:* Budăi, Taraclia, a commune in Taraclia district...
, the obese Laughing Buddha, usually seen in ChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
(This figure is believed to be a representation of a medieval Chinese monk who is associated with MaitreyaMaitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
, the future Buddha, and is therefore technically not a Buddha image.)
- the Emaciated Buddha, which shows Siddhartha Gautama during his extreme ascetic practice of starvation.
The Buddha statue shown calling for rain is a pose common in
Laos-Overview:Lao artisans have, throughout the past, used a variety of media in their sculptural creations. Of the metals, bronze is probably the most common, but gold and silver images also exist...
.
Markings
Most depictions of Buddha contain a certain number of
markings, which are considered the signs of his enlightenment. These signs vary regionally, but two are common:
- a protuberance on the top of the head (denoting superb mental acuity)
- long earlobes (denoting superb perception)
In the
Pali CanonThe Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the only completely surviving early Buddhist canon, and one of the first to be written down...
there is frequent mention of a list of 32 physical marks of Buddha.
Hand-gestures
The poses and hand-gestures of these statues, known respectively as
asanaAsana is a body position, typically associated with the practice of Yoga, originally identified as a mastery of sitting still, with the spine as a conduit of biodynamic union...
s and
mudraA mudrā is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism. While some mudrās involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers...
s, are significant to their overall meaning. The popularity of any particular mudra or asana tends to be region-specific, such as the
VajraVajra is a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond...
(or
Chi Ken-in) mudra, which is popular in
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and
KoreaKorean Buddhist sculpture is one of the major areas of Korean art. Some of the finest and most technically accomplished Buddhist sculpture in East Asia and World were produced in Korea....
but rarely seen in
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Others are more common; for example, the
Varada (Wish Granting) mudra is common among standing statues of the Buddha, particularly when coupled with the
Abhaya (Fearlessness and Protection) mudra.
See also
{{refbegin|3}}
- Amitabha Buddha
Amitābha is a celestial buddha described in the scriptures of the Mahāyāna school of Buddhism...
- Buddha-nature
Buddha-nature, Buddha-dhatu or Buddha Principle , is taught differently in various Mahayana Buddhism traditions. Broadly speaking Buddha-nature is concerned with ascertaining what allows sentient beings to become Buddhas...
- Dona-sutta
The Dona-sutta is a short Buddhist discourse between a brahmin and the Buddha concerning his nature or identity. It is preserved in five versions: one in Pali , one in the Gandharan Buddhist Texts and three in Chinese parallel translations .According to the Dona-sutta, the Buddha was once...
- Eternal Buddha
The idea of an eternal Buddha is a notion popularly associated with the Mahayana scripture, the Lotus Sutra, and is also found in other Mahayana sutras.- The Eternal Buddha in the Lotus Sutra and Other Mahayana Sutras :...
- Five Dhyani Buddhas
In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Five Dhyani Buddhas , also known as the Five Wisdom Tathāgatas, the Five Great Buddhas and the Five Jinas , are representations of the five qualities of the Buddha...
- Fourteen unanswerable questions
The phrase fourteen unanswerable questions , in Buddhism, refers to fourteen common philosophical questions that Buddha refused to answer, according to Buddhist Sanskrit texts...
- Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
- Indonesian Buddhism
- List of Buddha claimants
- List of the 28 Buddhas
- Mahaparinirvana Sutra
- Maitreya Buddha
Maitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
- Mankiala Stupa
- Thirty-two marks of the Buddha
- Vairocana Buddha
Vairocana is a celestial Buddha who is often interpreted as the Bliss Body of the historical Gautama Buddha; he can also be referred to as the dharmakaya Buddha and the great solar Buddha. In Sino-Japanese Buddhism, Vairocana is also seen as the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of shunyata or...
{{refend}}
External links
{{sisterlinks|Buddha}}
{{Buddhism topics}}