Dear Frank,
Sammaa: thoroughly, rightly, perfectly. Sambuddha: who has thoroughly
understood (PED). You could translate as perfectly enlightened One, a
Universal Buddha, to be distinguished from Pacceka Buddha, Silent or
Solitary Buddha, who became enlightened by himself, without a teacher, but
who has accumulated the perfections not to the same extent as the
Sammasambuddha. He does not teach the world.
If you find the superlatives too much well, you should pay respect in the
way you feel confortable with, it depends on the kusala citta at that
moment.
Sammaadi.t.thi, right understanding: it is the right cause that brings its
appropriate result. In contrast to miccha: wrong, the wrong factors.
May we all take what is samma for samma and not take miccha for samma,
Nina.


op 19-02-2003 17:38 schreef Frank Kuan op fcckuan@...:

>
> Further comments and thoughts:
> 1) isn't samma sambuddha (thoroughly completely
> awakened being) rendundant, like atm machine
> (automated teller machine machine)? Isn't sambuddha
> sufficient? Does anyone else find it troubling that
> "completely" isn't complete enough, and one needs to
> qualify that with "thoroughly"?
> if samma does literally mean "thorough", and not

"right" as in "right view, right action...", it adds
interesting and pleasing connotations to the 8fold
path. "Right" can imply some divine creator decrees
some whimsical "right" rules, thorough implies a
complete penetration of reality, with wisdom selecting
the correct perception.