Buddhahood

• 1. Defining The Awakened State

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  In the Pali Canon, a Buddha is described as one who has reached awakening or enlightenment through their own efforts and insight. This state means they have found the path of cessation of suffering known as duhkha. They are no longer bound by the cycle of compulsory birth, death, and rebirth called samsara. A fully awakened being understands the true nature of all things or phenomena. This highest spiritual state is also termed sammā-sambodhi which translates to full complete awakening. It is interpreted in many different ways across schools of Buddhism. Some traditions view it as liberation from all causes of suffering while others see it as an eternal existence.

• 2. Historical Evolution Of Buddha

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  The earliest strata of Pali Buddhist texts mention only seven Buddhas named in the first four Nikayas. Four of these lived during the current kalpa called the good eon while three existed in past eons. Vipassī lived ninety-one kalpas ago and Sikhī lived thirty-one kalpas ago. Gautama is the fourth and present Buddha of the current eon. Later texts like the Buddhavamsa added twenty-one more names to this list. Emperor Ashoka visited Nigali Sagar in 249 BCE and erected a pillar dedicated to Koñāgamana Buddha. The inscription on this pillar records his visit and the enlargement of a stupa. By the time of Mahayana Buddhism the concept had evolved into transcendent cosmic entities with unlimited lifespans. The Lotus Sutra states that the Buddha actually achieved Buddhahood countless eons ago and has been teaching through numerous manifestations for eons.

• 3. Theravada Versus Mahayana Views

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  In Theravada Buddhism a Buddha is commonly understood as a being with the deepest spiritual wisdom about reality. He has transcended rebirth and all causes of suffering yet retains limitations of a physical body. A living Buddha will feel pain get old and eventually die like other sentient beings. In contrast Mahayana Buddhism considers any Buddha to be a transcendent being with extensive powers who is all-knowing. His wisdom light is said to pervade the cosmos and his great compassion is limitless. This transcendent being is not understood as having a normal physical human body. Instead Mahayana Buddhism defends a kind of docetism where Gautama Buddha's life on earth was a magical display which only appeared to have a human body. The real or ultimate Buddha is the Dharmakaya the body of ultimate reality while historical Buddhas are transformation bodies called Nirmānakaya.

• 4. Lists Of Past And Future Buddhas

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  The Seven Buddhas of Antiquity include Vipassī Sikhī Vessabhū Kakusandha Koñāgamana Kassapa and Gautama. Following these seven a Buddha named Maitreya is predicted to arise in the world according to the Chakkavatti-Sīhanāda Sutta. The Theravada tradition maintains that there can be up to five Buddhas in a kalpa or world age. The current kalpa has had four Buddhas with Gotama being the fourth and Metteyya the fifth and final. Some Sanskrit traditions however state a bhadrakalpa has up to 1,000 Buddhas. The Pali literature includes tales of twenty-eight previous Buddhas described in the Buddhavamsa text. Dīpankara is especially important as he gave prediction of future Buddhahood to the Brahmin youth who would become Gautama. In countries like Sri Lanka Cambodia Laos Myanmar and Thailand it is customary for Buddhists to hold elaborate festivals paying homage to the last 28 Buddhas during fair weather seasons.

• 5. Tantric Deities And Forms

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  In Tantric Buddhism one finds some of the same Mahayana Buddhas along with other strictly tantric figures unique to Vajrayana. Five primary Buddhas known as the Five Tathagathas include Mahāvairocana Aksobhya Ratnasambhava Amitābha and Amoghasiddhi. Each is associated with a different consort direction aggregate emotion element color symbol and mount. There are also fierce deities which are tantric forms of the Buddhas such as Yamāntaka Cakrasaņvara Hevajra Mahākāla and Vajrakīlaya. Dakini are their feminine counterparts sometimes depicted with a heruka or as independent deities. Buddhist Tantra also includes several female Buddhas such as Tara the most popular female Buddha in Tibetan Buddhism. The Adi-Buddha concept refers to the first Buddha to attain Buddhahood variously named as Vajradhara Samantabhadra and Mahāvairocana. These figures are often depicted in union yab-yum with supreme female Buddhas like Prajñaparamita or Vajrayogini.

• 6. Artistic Depictions And Symbols

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  Buddhas are frequently represented in the form of statues and paintings showing common postures like seated standing reclining walking or emaciated forms. In Theravada Buddhism the Buddha is always depicted as a monastic shown with hair wearing simple monk's robes called kasaya. Mahayana depictions often show Buddhas with princely or kingly attire including crowns and jewels. Most depictions contain certain marks known as lakshana considered signs of nobility and enlightenment. The list of thirty-two physical characteristics includes the usnisa protuberance on top of head symbolizing superb wisdom and the urna spiral tuft between eyebrows. Dharma wheels appear on soles of feet and hands while other auspicious symbols include lotuses swastikas and endless knots. Long earlobes denote superb perception and unnaturally long arms indicate spiritual power. Hand gestures known as mudras carry significant meaning such as Varada Wish-Granting and Abhaya Fearlessness and Protection. The Vajra mudra is popular in Japan and Korea but rarely seen in India.