The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

uddh!na' Bhagavant!na' bodhiy! m(le . . . paññatti) Nd1 458 & Ps i.174. -- There are 2 sorts of B's, viz.
Pacceka -- buddhas or Buddhas who attain to complete enlightenment, but do not preach the way of
deliverance to the world, and Samm!sambuddhas, who are omniscient and endowed with the 10 powers
(see bala), and whose mission is to proclaim the saving truth to all beings (cp. Miln 106). In this function
the B's are Satth!ro or teachers, Masters. In his rôle of a preeminent man a Buddha is styled Bhagav! or
Lord: Buddho so Bhagav! M i.235; Pv ii.960=DhA iii.219. -- Besides the 18 dhamm! and the 10 bal!ni
they are gifted with the 4 ves!rajj!ni (A ii.9, cp. Miln 106). These teachers appear upon the earth from time
to time; the approach of the birth of a B. (buddh' -- upp!da) is hailed by the acclamation of the worlds, they
live the houseless life and found an Order (Buddha -- pamukha bhikkhu -- sangha Sn p. 111; Sn 81, 386;
Miln 212; DA i.242; PvA 19). The news that a B. has appeared upon earth is a cause of the greatest
rejoicing: opportunity to see him is eagerly sought (Vin ii.155; S i.210; DA i.248). The B. is always born in
a br!hma*a or khattiya family. It is impossible here to give all the references for the Buddhas or
Buddhahood in general; see e. g. Vin iii.24 sq.; Dh 182 sq., 194, 195 (=samm! sambuddh! DhA iii.252),
387; J i.51; iii.128; Vism 442 (pubba -- buddh!); PvA 20. -- The remembrance of former births a B. shares
with other classes of privileged beings, only in a different (higher) degree. This faculty (in an ascending
scale) is possessed by the foll. 6 classes: titthiy!, pakati -- s!vak!, mah! -- s!vaka, agga -- s!vak!, pacceka -
- buddh!, buddh! (see Vism 411). -- B. The word Buddha is specially applied to the Buddha of the present
world -- age, Gotama by family -- name. He is said to be the 25th of the series of former Buddhas (pubb!
buddh!) S i.109, 140; iv.52. -- Seven Buddhas are mentioned in the earlier texts & frequently referred to
(cp. the 7 Rishis of the Vedic period, see also under satta, No. 7). They are Vipass", Sikh", Vessabh(,
Kakusandha, Kon!gamana, Kassapa and Gotama (D ii.5 -- 7; S ii.5 -- 11; cp. Th 1, 491; J ii.147). They are
also mentioned in an old formula against snake -- bites (Vin ii.110). The (allegorical) names of the
predecessors of these in former ages are D"pankara, Kondañña, Mangala, Sumana, Revata, Sobhita,
Anomadass", Paduma, Narada, Padumuttara, Sumedha, Suj!ta, Piyadass", Atthadass", Dhammadass",
Siddhattha, Tissa, Phussa. -- The typical career of a Buddha is illustrated in the life of Gotama and the
legends connected with his birth, as they appear in later tradition. Before his last existence he practised the
10 perfections (p!ramit!, q. v.) for many ages, & finally descended from the Tusita Heaven (see
Buddhava'sa). He was born in a khattiya family and was distinguished by the 32 signs of a great man
(Mah!purisa -- lakkha*!ni see D ii.17 sq. and similar passages; cp. Ud 48). His mother M!y! bore him
painlessly and died seven days after his birth M iii.118 sq. -- The story of each of the 25 Buddhas is given
in the Buddhava'sa, quoted in the introductory chapters of the J!tak' a&&hakath!. -- Convinced that
asceticism was not the way to enlightenment, he renounced austerities. He became enlightened when seated
in meditation under an Assattha tree (Ficus religiosa, hence called Bodhi or Bo tree). At the supreme
moment he was tempted by M!ra, but vanquished the evil one. He was then ready to depart, but resolved to
remain in the world and preach the truth (M i.169; Vin i.6; a rather diff. account A ii.20). That day he knew
and proclaimed himself to be the Buddha and his career as a teacher began (M i.171; Vin i.9; Sn 558). --
Like all the other Samm! -- sambuddhas he founded an Order, converting and gladdening men by his
discourses. After a long life of teaching he attained Nibb!na (nibb!na' adhigacchi), and passed utterly
away: S i.210; D ii.156; Sn 83, 513, 1133 sq.; Miln 96. -- The Epithets attributed to all the Buddhas are
naturally assigned also to Gotama Buddha. Out of the almost endless series of these we only give a few. He
is adored as the highest and holiest of men (S i.47; iii.84; loke anuttaro, lokassa aggo; Miln 70). He is the
supremely wise, the conqueror of the powers of darkness, the teacher of gods (devas and yakkhas) and men
S i.50, 132, 206. 301; A i.142; ii.33; iii.65; Sn 157 sq. He is the !dicca -- bandhu kinsman of the sun S
i.186; and compared to a universal monarch (r!j! cakkavatt") A i.76; iii.150 and to the lion (s"ha), the king
of the animals A iii.122. He is buddha -- v"ra Th 1, 47; the refuge of all beings M ii.305; DA i.233; Miln
95; further appa&ipuggala S i.134; his teaching leads to enlightenment, to self -- conquest, to security &
deliverance M i.235; Sn 454, 993; DA i.230. He himself is not to be reborn (antima -- sar"ro with his last
body) S i.210; he is vimutto, freed & has come to the end of sorrow A iv.258; S iii.65; full of compassion
for all beings S i.25, 51; M ii.100; he is bhisakko the physician A iv.340; magga -- ññu, magga -- vid(,
maggakovido S iii.66. -- Under Buddh' anussati (Vism 198 sq.) we find the famous formula Bhagav!
Araha' Samm!sambuddho vijj! -- cara*a -- sampanno sugato lokavid( anuttaro purisa -- damma -- s!rathi
Satth! devamanuss!na' buddho Bhagav! (D i.49#), analysed & exegetically discussed. Here (p. 209)
"Buddha" is expld with the formula as found at Ps i.174; Nd1 457. More explicitly with var. epithets at the
latter passage. This formula is one of the highest & most comprehensive characterisations of a Buddha, &
occurs frequently in the Canon, e. g. M i.179; S ii.69; v.343. -- A khattiya by birth he is called a br!hma*a
because he carries on the sacred tradition, and because he excels in wisdom, self -- control and virtue Miln