Buddha

A stone image of the Buddha.

In Buddhism, a Buddha (Sanskrit, Pāli) is any being who has become fully awakened or Bodhi (enlightened), has permanently overcome anger, greed, and ignorance, and has achieved complete liberation from suffering, better known as Nirvana. It is commonly used to refer to Siddhartha Gautama, the historical founder of Buddhism. Buddha literally means "awakened" or "that which has become aware". It is the past participle of the Sanskrit root budh, i.e. "to awaken", "to know", or "to become aware". The word Buddha is simply a title that means 'The Awakened One'.

While Buddhists believe that there have been other Buddhas (28 are referred to in the Pali canon), the term 'The Buddha' most commonly refers to Sidhartha Gautama, who is the Buddha for this age. He is often referred to as the 'historical Buddha'. Those who follow the dharma , or teaching in this age can be considered as disciples of Sidhartha. When Buddhist take the three refuges, they take 'refuge' in the Buddha of this age, who is Sidhartha. A new Buddha will arise for the next age, whom many Buddhist beleive will be called Maitreya Buddha.

In the Pali Canon (the scriptures of the School of the Elders, or Therevada Buddhists) Buddha refers to anyone who has become Enlightened (i.e. having awakened to the truth, or Dharma) on their own, without a teacher to point out the Dharma, in a time when the teachings do not exist in the world. One who achieves enlightenemt by following the teaching of a Buddha becomes an Arhat or Arahant, not a Buddha.

Buddhism teaches that anyone can become awakened and experience Nirvana. The Buddhah taught non-violence, respect for all life, the merit of giving generously and of a simple life-style, serving for many people as a model of the highest standards of humane behavior. The historical Buddha's contribution to humanity in terms of ethical conduct, peace and reverence for life is considered by many to rank as one of the most positive legacies of any individual. Buddhism spread far and wide and although Buddhists have departed from his teaching and have sometimes waged war, Buddhist majority states have been characteristically peaceful and less interested in territorial acquisition and imperial expansion than other nations.

The Historical Buddha

Sources for his Life

The collection of texts of the Buddha's teachings, the Tripitaka (Basket of Three Scriptures) known in English as the Pali Canon contain, although not in a chronological or systematic way, a lot of information about his life. In the second century CE, several birth to death narratives were written, such as the Buddhacarita (“Acts of the Buddha”) by Ashvaghosa. In the fourth or fifth centuries CE, the Mulasarvastivada was compiled. Accounts of the historical Buddhas' life follow a stylized format and also contain stories of miraculous events, which secular historians think were added by his followers in order to emphasize his status. Miraculous stories surrounding his birth are similar to those associated with other significant religious teachers. Buddhists believe that before he 'awoke', or achieved Enlightenemt, Siddhartha had lived 549 previous 'existences', each time moving a step closer to 'awakening' by performing a virtuous deed. These stories are told in the Jataka, one of the texts of the Pali Canon.

Biography

Siddhartha was born in the Himalayan city of Lumbini in modern Nepal. His father, Shuddodana was the local king although his clan, the Sakya, prided themselves on a sense of equality. Technically Kshatriyas (the second highest class of warriors) they did not regard Brahmins (or Brahmans), the higest (priestly) class as in any way superior. Perhaps they leaned towards a more democratic type of religion, in which religious obligations could be fulfilled by anyone regardless of their class. Stories surrounding Siddhartha's birth include his mother, Maya, conceiving himm after being touched by a white elephant. At his borth, a tree bent to lend her support and she experienced no birth pains. Sidhartha could walk and talk at birth. Stories in some of the non-canonical gospels have Jesus of Nazareth talking at birth, as he also does in the Quran (3: 46). When Siddhartha's father presented him to the people, an old sage, Asita appeared who predicted that he would either conquer the world, or become a great spiritual teaching. Again, this type of 'recognition' story features in that of Jesus (see Luke 1: 30) and of Muhamamd, of whom Nestorian monks said that he was the expected or awaited one predicted in their scriptures. Determined that his son would fulfil the first, not the second prediction, Shuddodana protected him from anything ugly, or unhealthy by building for him a series of beautiful palaces which he peoples with young, healthy, handsome women and men. Anyone who ceased to fit this description was removed. The idea was that Sidhartha would be so content that he would not ask such questions as 'why do people suffer?', 'why do people die?' or 'what is the purpose of life?'. He married Yashodhara when they were both 16. Later, they had a son. Yet curiosity about the kingdom he was one day to rule outside the walls of the palace-complex led him to ask Shuddodana if he could visit the city. He was 29. Shuddodana agreed but first tried to sanatize the city by removing the old, the infirm and the ugly. The palace gates were thrown open, and Siddhartha, driven by a charioteer, emerged to the sight of beautiful people shouting greeting to their prince. However, Siddhartha ended up going off track, and saw what became known as 'the four signs'.

The Four Signs

The four signs were an old man, a sick man, a dead man and a Sadhu, or mendicant religious ascetic. Asking his charioteer the meaning of each sign, he was informed that sickmess, age age and death are universal and that even he might sicken but that certainly he would grow old and die. The mendicant, Siddhartha learned, was dedicating his life to find answers to such questions as 'what is the point of life if it end in death?'.

The Great Renunciation=

There and them, Siddhartha knew that he must renounce his life of ease and privilege to discover what causes such suffering as he had witnessed, and how suffering could be overcome. Some accounts have him seeking his father's permission to leave the palace, most depict him leaving at the dead of night when a miraculous sleep overcame all the residents and the palace doors opened up to allow his departure. Swappping his clothes for those of a beggar, he began his quest. His quest led him to examine existing religions and philosophies in which he failed to find any answers. He then turned to an extreme asceticism, attracting disciples. He maintained this practice for six years then realized that by weakening the body he lacked the strength to obtain spiritual or intellectual insight. Suddenly, he stopped starving himself and ate. Disgusted, his disciples deserted him. Resolving not to move from that spot, under a Bodhi Tree at what is now called Bodh Gaya, he went into a deep meditation. Knowing that he was about to 'awaken', the devil tempted him and tried to prevent his enlightenment. The devil did not succeed. Siddhartha 'woke up'

Types of Buddhas

In the Pali Canon, there are considered to be two types of Buddhas: Samyaksambuddha (Sammasambuddha) and Pratyeka Buddha (Paccekabuddha).

1. Samyaksambuddhas (Pali: Sammasambuddha) attains Buddhahood and decides to teach others the truth that he has discovered. They lead others to awakening by teaching the Dharma in a time or world where it has been forgotten or has not been taught before. The Historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, is considered a Samyak-sambuddha.

2. Pratyekabuddhas (Pali: Paccekabuddha), sometimes called Silent Buddhas) are similar to Samyaksambuddhas in that they attain Nirvana and acquire the same powers as a Sammasambuddha does, but they choose not to teach what they have discovered.

They are second to the Buddhas in their spiritual development. They do ordain others; their admonition is only in reference to good and proper conduct (abhisamācārikasikkhā).

In some texts, he is described as one who understands the Dharma by his own efforts, but does not obtain omniscience nor mastery over the Fruits (phalesu vasībhāvam).[1]

3. Shravakabuddhas, (Pali:Savakbuddha or Anubuddha), Disciples of a Sammasambuddha are called Savakas (hearers or followers) or Arahants (Noble One). These terms have slightly varied meanings but can all be used to describe the enlightened disciple. Anubuddha is a rarely used term, but was used by the Buddha in the Khuddakapatha as to those who become Buddha's after being given instruction. Enlightened disciples attain Nirvana as the two types of Buddhas do. The most generally used term for them is Arahant.

Some Mahayana scriptures (and one 12th century Theravadin commentary) use the term Shravakabuddha to describe the enlightened disciple. According to these scriptures there are 3 types of Buddhas. In this case, however, the common definition of the meaning of the word Buddha (as one who discovers the Dhamma without a teacher) does not apply any more.

Characteristics of a Buddha

Nine characteristics

Buddhists meditate on (or contemplate) the Buddha as having nine characteristics:

"The Blessed One is:

1. a worthy one
2. perfectly self enlightened
3. stays in perfect knowledge
4. well gone
5. unsurpassed knower of the world
6. unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed
7. teacher of the Divine Gods and humans
8. the Enlightened One
9. the Blessed One or fortunate one."

These 9 characteristics are frequently mentioned in the Pali Canon, and are chanted daily in many Buddhist monasteries.

Spiritual realizations

All traditions hold that a Buddha has completely purified his mind of greed, aversion and ignorance, and that he has put an end to samsara. A Buddha is fully awakened and has realized the ultimate truth of life (Dharma), and thus ended (for himself) the suffering which unawakened people experience in life. Also, a Buddha is complete in all spiritual powers that a human being can develop, and posesses them in the highest degree possible.

The Nature of Buddha

The various buddhist schools hold some varying interpretations on the nature of Buddha.

Pali Canon: Buddha was human

From the Pali Canon emerges the view that Buddha was human, endowed with the greatest psychic powers (Kevatta Sutta). 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 Dharma, which is an eternal principle and an unconditioned and timeless phenomenon. This view is common in the Theravada school, and the other early Buddhist schools.

Eternal Buddha in Mahayana Buddhism

Some schools of Mahayana Buddhism believe that the Buddha is no longer essentially a human being but has become a being of a different order altogether and that the Buddha, in his ultimate transcendental "body/mind" mode as Dharmakaya, has an eternal and infinite life (see eternal Buddha). 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 Sutra and the Tathagatagarbha sutras. According to the Tathagatagarbha sutras, failure to recognise the Buddha's eternity and - even worse - outright denial of that eternity is deemed a major obstacle to the attainment of complete Awakening (bodhi).

Depictions of the Buddha in art

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Buddha statues at Shwedagon Paya

Jade Buddha statue at Shwedagon Paya

Buddhas are frequently represented in the form of statues and paintings. Commonly seen designs include:

• Seated Buddha
• Reclining Buddha
• Standing Buddha
• Hotei, the obese, Laughing Buddha, usually seen in China. This figure is believed to be a representation of a medieval Chinese monk who is associated with Maitreya, the future Buddha, and it is therefore not technically a Buddha image.
• The 'Emaciated Buddha', which shows Siddartha Gautama during his extreme ascetic practice of starvation.

The Buddha statue shown calling for rain is a pose common in Laos.

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 accuity)
• Long earlobes (denoting superb perception, and the fact that he may have worn heavy earrings)

In the Pali Canon 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 asanas and mudras, are significant to their overall meaning. The popularity of any particular mudra or asana tends to be region-specific, such as the Vajra (or Chi Ken-in) mudra, which is popular in Japan and Korea but rarely seen in India. Others are more universally 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.

Sources

• Rāhula, Walpola. What the Buddha Taught. New York : Grove Press : distributed by Random House, 1974 ISBN 0802100562 With a foreword by Paul Demiéville and a collection of illustrative texts translated from the original Pali.

• Swe, Khin Myint Myint. Buddha - The Compassionate Teacher. Seattle, Wash. : May-Su-Thin-Mu and Brothers Maw, c2002 ISBN 0972600906

External links

• About Buddha - Excerpts about the life of Buddha from Introduction to Buddhism
• Very extensive database of sutras and other Buddhist articles
• Information on Buddha's lists
• Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery - Sri Lanka
• Free dhamma talks and articles
• The Buddha and His Dhamma
• Hundreds of free buddhist talks and a huge forum.
• Buddhist Studies
• E-Sangha Buddhism Portal
• About Buddha - the Founder of Buddhism
• The Life of the Buddha in 80 Scenes from the Ananda Temple,Bagan,Myanmar
• Songs and Meditations of the Tibetan Dhyani Buddhas
• The Complete Text of the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, on the eternal nature of the Buddha
• Gotama the Buddha - Info from the website of the vipassana meditation technique as taught by S. N. Goenka.
• Friends of the Western Buddhist Order- Worldwide Non-Sectarian Buddhist Community.
• Images of Buddha - worldwide submitted photos

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