Blackwell Reference Online

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[xi] The most usual title of Siddhattha Gotama, the historical founder of Buddhism. Often translated as ‘the enlightened one’, buddha means literally ‘one who has woken up’ – that is, from the sleep of the unenlightened mind, which is subject to the defilements of attachment, aversion and delusion – and gained knowledge of ‘the way things truly are’ (cf. Arahat, Dhamma, Ariya-sacca). According to early Buddhist tradition Gotama was only one in a long line of similar Buddhas extending indefinitely back in time (cf. Cakkavala) – the early texts mention seven by name, while later tradition names 25 and then 28 – who all awoke to and then taught the same essential and eternal truth. While the number of previous Buddhas is theoretically indefinite, the appearance of a Buddha in the world is yet a rare and momentous event, for a Buddha is the one who, when the teaching of the previous Buddha has disappeared from the world, once more brings it to light and teaches so that the path to the cessation of suffering can again be followed by others. While such ‘perfectly and fully awakened ones’ (Pali: sammasambuddha; Sanskrit: samyaksambuddha) are not conceived of as omnipotent creators of the universe they are nevertheless reckoned to be its highest beings, the attainment of Buddhahood being the culmination of innumerable lifetimes spent as a bodhisatta (Pali; Sanskrit: Bodhisattva) perfecting ... log in or subscribe to read full text