Non Buddha Realms
Upvote:2
From a Theravada point of view, a Buddha is an enlightened human with perfected insight and wisdom who lives in a human realm until he passes away into parinibbΔna; at which point he would cease to exist. As an enlightened human with perfected insight and wisdom, it would not be possible to experience obstruction to awareness.
From some Mahayana points of view, we are all Buddhas already:
Another way of putting this is to say that Buddha Nature is "something" -- perhaps not the right word, but I don't think there is a right word -- that you are, together with all beings. And this "something" is already enlightened. Because beings cling to a false idea of a finite self, set apart from everything else, they do not experience themselves as Buddhas. But when beings clarify the nature of their existence they experience the Buddha Nature that was always there. Source: http://buddhism.about.com/od/mahayanabuddhism/a/Buddha-Nature.htm
(The above is a very basic reference to Buddha Nature, but I didn't want to get off topic with too much detail of something I am not well versed in.)
The concept of Buddha Nature also allows for non humans to be Buddhas:
The Lotus Sutra, written between 100 BCE and 200 CE, further developed and popularized the doctrine of the Buddha-nature. It influenced subsequent later sutras.[26] The tenth chapter emphasizes, in accordance with the Bodhisattva-ideal of the Mahayana teachings, that everyone can be liberated. All living beings can become a buddha, not only monks and nuns, but also laypeople, ΕrΔvakas, bodhisattvas, and non-human creatures.[26] It also details that all living beings can be a 'teacher of the Dharma'. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-nature
So from this point of view, with all beings as part of an enlightened "something" many of whom do not experience their enlightenment due to delusion of a separate self; it would be possible for a Buddha of any realm to not know they were a Buddha.
More post
- π What do Venerable Cha Mo's similes on the Flower's Scent and the Perfumed Rag mean with regard to satkΔyadαΉαΉ£αΉi?
- π Information on string ceremony
- π vΔyΔma vs virya?
- π "grasping a sign", "fixed view", and suffering
- π Do chanting mantras, devoting merit etc. to animals actually help & how do we know that?
- π Can a Buddhist own and run a billion dollar business?
- π Why is Nanavira considered controversial?
- π Vinaya non-offence complications?
- π Is dukkha conventional or ultimate? Is it different from the other two marks of existence?
- π Does kamma define the universal law of cause & effect?
- π Is the Eightfold Path exclusive to Buddhism?
- π Which is the easiest of the four paths for a novice lay practitioner?
- π Does meditation giving you 'joy' because there is lack of suffering, or does it give something positive?
- π Is Gautama Buddha the greatest Buddha who ever existed?
- π Goal of liberation in yoga/meditation - Isn't it Boring?
- π Mindful meditation, problems with anger. Where do I find other Buddhist for learning support?
- π How to disambiguate between various meditation practices?
- π What kind of meat Guan yin believer are allowed to eat?
- π Quantified Self and Meditation
- π Focus on the object or nimitta?
- π Basic abridged suttas in English and only English for chanting along with TTS
- π Are there any teachings about how we should censure happiness which arises without right view?
- π Drop your opinions at work?
- π What does samudaya mean?
- π Buddhism and racism
- π Meditate about friend's death
- π Was the influence of Taoism on Buddhism responsible for the development of Mahayana?
- π Why do I struggle to meditate daily or regularly?
- π The thorny issue of anatta
- π Wholesome Pleasures
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- π Non Buddha Realms
- π Does Vajrayana accept the idea that Buddha placed Lord Yama (a supposed Bodhisattva) in charge of the hell realms to ensure karmic retribution?
- π Non Buddhist can say Hello to Buddha or Monk?
- π Brahmas at formless realms are unable to hear the teachings of the Buddha
- π Can the Buddha ever be a woman?
- π Where is the Buddha quoted as saying do not believe anything I say until you can prove it by yourself?
- π Did Gautama Buddha exist?
- π How do you tell a 4-year-old who the Buddha was?
- π Was Vipassana discovered by the Buddha (Siddhartha)?
- π If Buddha stayed unanswered on this matter, why do his followers preach that soul doesn't exist?
- π Why did the Buddha suffer before he died?
- π Why does the Buddha call himself the TathΔgata?
- π How was the Buddha Jayanti edition of the Tripitaka derived?
- π Why is Buddha almost treated like a God in most Buddhist traditions?
- π Did the Buddha speak Pali? Are the suttas his word verbatim?
- π Attachment is a poison. Why is attachment to the Buddha and to Buddhist philosophy not a problem?
- π Was Buddha born of a Virgin?
- π What language did the Buddha speak?
- π Ignorant mind and Buddha nature
- π Did Gautama Buddha cease to exist after death?
- π Meditation technique proposed by the Buddha
- π Did Buddha practice group meditation with bhikkhus, bhikkhunis and laymen, just like in today's meditation center?
- π Was the Buddha harsh?
- π Why the Buddha didn't originally allow ordination of women
- π Words of the Buddha
- π Did the Buddha really say that "life is suffering"?
- π Did Gautama Buddha believe in God?
- π Why is the Buddha described as trackless?
- π Are there examples of the Buddha showing humour in the Pali Canon?
- π Why does the Buddha always answer a question if asked three times?