"The Blessed One", is it bad translation?
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The Chinese name for "Buddha" is ”世尊", which means “The Respected One”。 “One” is with relation to the "法界"， or "The Dharma Realm" in English or scientifically speaking， “The Universe”
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Yeah; in the original text of The Bible (when Jesus is giving The Beatitudes, saying "Blessed are the 'this' & Blessed are the 'that"), the word they translated "Blessed" actually means something more like 'deliriously, abundantly joyfully-happy.'
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A couple of dictionary translations:
Bhagavā: venerable, fortunate, blessed, sublime. Generally designates the Buddha.
Bhagavant (adj. n.) [cp. Vedic bhagavant, fr. bhaga] fortunate, illustrious, sublime, as Ep. and title "Lord." Thus applied to the Buddha (amhākaŋ Bh.) and his predecessors. Occurs with extreme frequency; of fanciful exegetic explns of the term & its meaning we mention e. g. those at Nd1 142=Nd2 466; Vism 210 sq.; DA i.33 sq. Usual trs. Blessed One, Exalted One.
Also, perhaps as an etymology:
Bhaga [Vedic bhaga, bhaj, see bhagavant etc.] luck, lot, fortune, only in cpd. dub˚ (adj.) unhappy, unpleasant, uncomfortable It 90; DA i.96 (˚karaṇa). -- bhaga (in verse "bhagehi ca vibhattavā" in exegesis of word "Bhagava") at DA i.34 read bhava, as read at id. p. Vism 210.
Here are some definitions of "blessed" from an American dictionary (perhaps Protestant culture):
Simple Definition of blessed
: having a sacred nature : connected with God
: very welcome, pleasant, or appreciatedFull Definition of blessed
- a : held in reverence : venerated
b : honored in worship : hallowed
c : beatific- : of or enjoying happiness; specifically : enjoying the bliss of heaven —used as a title for a beatified person
- : bringing pleasure, contentment, or good fortune
I think you might see that many of these definitions are suitable.
You're right that it's probably not blessed in a Catholic sense, i.e. sanctified via the agency of a priest.
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