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What exactly is a Buddha?

lobsterlobster Veteran
edited March 2013 in Buddhism Today
Here is a fundamental question from another thread:
Don't you have to understand "what is Buddha?" first, before saying if you can become one or not? Can I become a Buddha? I don't know! What exactly is that, really?
The Buddha described himself as 'awake'.
So related questions are what is an awake person like? What qualities do they have/exhibit. Is an awake malaka, still a malaka?
Is a Buddha awake and virtuous? Or is virtue a direct consequence of awakening?

answers to the usual dreamlands . . .


Comments

  • MaryAnneMaryAnne Veteran
    edited March 2013

    Warning!! I have not had my morning coffee, yet!

    To me, "Buddha" is a (varied) length of time when a being is free from suffering; cravings, and attachments and therefore embodying pure Compassion and Kindness.
    To be purely In The Moment, in each moment - awake, aware, conscious - as it arrives; for however long that may be sustained. After all, aren't we always told the Buddha is inside us all?

    In our modern society, in this day and age, if one can manage to Be Buddha for even 3 minutes out of a 24 hour period, purely Buddha, and the other 23 hours and 57 minutes of the day spent living the precepts and the 4 and 8 to the very best of their abilities; Buddha.

    3 Minutes a day may lead to 8 minutes a day, which could lead to 15 minutes a day, which could lead to 30 minutes a day, to 45 minutes a day, to 65 minutes a day.... and so on. Or maybe not. But in the meantime, the being that you are, following the Buddhist path to the best of your abilities, ain't so bad, you know? ;)

    nenkohaiStraight_Man
  • ThailandTomThailandTom Veteran
    MaryAnne said:


    Warning!! I have not had my morning coffee, yet!

    To me, "Buddha" is a (varied) length of time when a being is free from suffering; cravings, and attachments and therefore embodying pure Compassion and Kindness.
    To be purely In The Moment, in each moment - awake, aware, conscious - as it arrives; for however long that may be sustained. After all, aren't we always told the Buddha is inside us all?

    In our modern society, in this day and age, if one can manage to Be Buddha for even 3 minutes out of a 24 hour period, purely Buddha, and the other 23 hours and 57 minutes of the day spent living the precepts and the 4 and 8 to the very best of their abilities; Buddha.

    3 Minutes a day may lead to 8 minutes a day, which could lead to 15 minutes a day, which could lead to 30 minutes a day, to 45 minutes a day, to 65 minutes a day.... and so on. Or maybe not. But in the meantime, the being that you are, following the Buddhist path to the best of your abilities, ain't so bad, you know? ;)

    I would suggest this may be simply exploring Buddha-nature and having insights into certain aspects of the dharma. When a Buddha is fully awoken, they are fully cleared of all delusion, ignorance and desire etc, this is a permanent state of consciousness as it has been said this puts and end to rebirth. However, people in this day and age often tend to speculate that putting and end to rebirth means being reborn from moment to moment rather than literal reincarnation.
  • poptartpoptart Veteran
    Here is an interesting talk by Bob Thurman on this.
    MaryAnne
  • ZenshinZenshin Veteran East Midlands UK Veteran
    For me someone who has gone beyond the conceptions and limits of Samsara. Even beyond the point of considering themselves a Buddha. To paraphrase something I believe Dogen said none of the Buddhas of the three worlds knows they are a Buddha but cats and oxen do.
    MaryAnne
  • MaryAnneMaryAnne Veteran
    Suggestion:
    Instead of critiquing other people's answers (however gently or not) why not just give us all your answer?

    Just sayin'....

  • nenkohainenkohai Veteran
    A Buddha is someone who doesn't care what I think a Buddha is; shows up, does his or her loving-kindness thing(s) and it does not even register with them how it appears to an observer. But then, there is still the rest of the universe inside of this person...

    At least, this is how I think about it.
    ZenshinNancyRoseStraight_Man
  • SilouanSilouan Veteran
    It cannot be communicated, because it is beyond names and forms. However, the ways or paths are communicable guides which is then taken by each in his or her own silent experience.

    The name Shakyamuni means sage or silent one. Be still and know.
    ZenshinriverflowInvincible_summer
  • ToshTosh Veteran
    edited March 2013
    Self moderated! :o
    lobster
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    Trying to be awake when you're asleep is like trying to be asleep when you're awake -- haven't you got something more productive to do with your time?
    lobster
  • karastikarasti Breathing Minnesota Moderator
    don't we all have something more productive to do with our time than sit on the computer? Probably! Yet here we all are.
    ThailandTomMaryAnnelobsternenkohai
  • lobsterlobster Veteran
    You ready to hear about the meat eating, liquor drinking Buddhas?
    . . . be careful now . . . MahaSiddhas rule . . . :clap:

    http://www.keithdowman.net/essays/siddhas.htm
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    One Zen master said it was someone who had ceased to make a nuissance of themselves!
    ZendoLord84lobster
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    Pema Chodron gave the definition that it as someone who had gone beyond fear.
    lobster
  • ZendoLord84ZendoLord84 Veteran
    buddha is dead guy who had some good ideas about how to live your life and how to look at life.
    lobster
  • ThailandTomThailandTom Veteran
    Before one formally becomes a Buddhist, one should see and know the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, got some work to do here guys :rolleyes:
    lobster
  • TakuanTakuan Veteran
    Buddha is one who understands ↑↑↓↓←→←→BA and can apply it in his everyday life.
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