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Updated: June 4, 2025
Leaving the early Buddha legends and the solid ground of history, the makers of the newer Buddhist doctrines in Nepal occupied themselves with developing the theory of Buddhahood and of the Buddhas; for we must ever remember that Buddha is not a proper name, but a common adjective meaning enlightened, from the root to know, perceive, etc.
They refer incidentally to Gotama's previous births but their interest clearly centres in his last existence. They not infrequently use the word Bodhisattva to describe the youthful Gotama or some other Buddha before the attainment of Buddhahood, but in later literature it commonly designates a being now existing who will be a Buddha in the future.
The words placed in the mouth of the founder when he attained to Buddhahood tell their own tale. "Looking for the Maker of this tabernacle, I have to run through a course of many births so long as I do not find him; and painful is birth again and again. But now, Maker of the tabernacle, thou hast been seen; thou shalt not make up this tabernacle again.
In brief: the paroxysms of any form of intermittent fever are explained by the presence of the gaki, and the intervals between the paroxysms by its absence. Hotoke signifies a Buddha. Hotoke signifies also the Souls of the Dead since faith holds that these, after worthy life, either enter upon the way to Buddhahood, or become Buddhas.
The nun, who was standing by, immediately produced the madman's money, which on account of its minute value she had not taken the trouble to hand over. "There is one cash," she said, "and there is another. Certainly the offering of these must have been an act of the highest merit, and the giver must be a holy man who will some day attain Buddhahood."
They are superhuman in their origin as well as in their career, whereas Maitreya is simply a being who like Gotama has lived innumerable lives and ultimately made himself worthy of Buddhahood which he awaits in heaven.
The Mahâvagga states that after attaining Buddhahood he sat crosslegged at the foot of the tree for seven days uninterruptedly, enjoying the bliss of emancipation, and while there thought out the chain of causation which is only alluded to in the suttas quoted above. He also sat under three other trees, seven days under each.
Only he that seeketh refuge in the Eternal Father shall enter into Buddhahood as a pebble is transmuted into gold. Our faith that endureth as the diamond cometh from the mind of the Buddha that eternally endureth. Lacking the aid of the Divine Power, how should we attain unto the unchanging mind? In the great ocean of the Divine Promise Is there no ripple of illusion.
"And to draw it three steps shall be equal in merit to causing any dead relation father, mother, or husband to enter upon the way of Buddhahood." Thus very soon travelers who traveled that way took pity on the formless one: some drew the cart several miles, and, others were kind enough to draw it for many days together.
Meanwhile, although in the whirl of births he was on the upward grade, he yet had his ups and downs and there is no evidence that Indian or Far Eastern Buddhists arrogated to themselves special claims and powers on the ground that they were well advanced in the career of Buddhahood.
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