Re: Meaning of "Buddha"?

 

Dear Dmytro and Others,

I agree completely with Dmytro about this. There has currently been a shift among translators and writers on the Dhamma away from "enlightenment" as a rendering of bodhi/sambodhi toward "awakening." This is, in my view, a mistake. It implies that our normal condition of life is a dream—something unreal and illusory—and that the aim of following the Dhamma is to emerge from this dream-like illusion into reality (often conceived as a nondual state). The Nikāyas, however, do not use this kind of language, nor do they suggest that ordinary life is analogous to a dream. A further drawback with "awakening" it that it suggests a superficial and *sudden* experience, like the sudden emergence from a dream. On the other hand "enlightenment" suggests to me a deep and thorough comprehension, one that might be reached by a long course of prior cultivation.

I have rarely if ever encountered in the suttas the metaphorical use of sleep and dreaming to characterize the condition of deluded sentient beings in samsara; thus "awakening," which represents sambodhi as the emergence from sleep or a dream, rarely if ever occurs in the suttas. The metaphor does occur very occasionally in the Aṭṭhakathā, in a stock commentarial passage on the bojjhangas. Such instances however are extremely rare. Normally, when sleep is used metaphorically, it signifies a condition of pamāda rather than of bodhi/sambodhi. Thus it indicates, not the opposite of bodhi/sambodhi, but the opposite of appamāda or jāgariya, "heedlessness" and "vigilence."  Thus a verse at SN 1:7 (I 3) says:

            ‘‘Pañca jāgarataṃ suttā, pañca suttesu jāgarā;

              Pañcabhi [pañcahi (sī.)] rajamādeti, pañcabhi [pañcahi (sī.)] parisujjhatī’’ti

And in Dhammapada 29 we read:

Appamatto pamattesu, suttesu bahujāgaro;

Abalassaṃva sīghasso, hitvā yāti sumedhaso.

And Dhammapada 47:

Pupphāni heva pacinantaṃ, byāsattamanasaṃ naraṃ;

Suttaṃ gāmaṃ mahoghova, maccu ādāya gacchati.

The word “enlightenment” seems to me preferable as a rendering over “awakening.” To my mind the word does not suggest the European Enlightenment, the triumph of reason and experience over blind faith and religious dogma. Also, it no longer carries the connotation of a "lighting up" of the mind, the root metaphor from which it was formed. Yet to the extent that it does stem from the word "light," it connects far more closely with the Buddha's sambodhi experience.

This is because the metaphor and imagery used with greatest frequency to describe the condition of samsaric existence is not dreaming but darkness (tamas, andhakāra, etc.). Thus the metaphor which, in contrast, describes the Buddha's experience of sammā sambodhi is the dispelling of darkness and the arising of light and vision. Thus in a frequent passage (as at MN 19; I 117):

Tassa me evaṃ jānato evaṃ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṃ vimuccittha, bhavāsavāpi cittaṃ vimuccittha, avijjāsavāpi cittaṃ vimuccittha, vimuttasmiṃ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṃ ahosi – ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṃ brahmacariyaṃ, kataṃ karaṇīyaṃ, nāparaṃ itthattāyā’ti abbhaññāsiṃ. Ayaṃ kho me, bhikkhave, rattiyā pacchime yāme tatiyā vijjā adhigatā; avijjā vihatā vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato āloko uppanno; yathā taṃ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato.

The refrain that occurs in the Dhammacakka Sutta (SN 56:11) and in a number of other suttas states:

Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṃ udapādi, ñāṇaṃ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādi.

"In regard to principles not passed down before, the eye arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, cognition arose, light arose."

 

And in the Dvayatānupassanā Sutta of the Suttanipāta:

 

762. ... Passa dhammaṃ durājānaṃ, sampamūḷh’ettha aviddasu

 763. *Nivutānaṃ tamo hoti, andhakāro apassataṃ.

Satañca vivaṭaṃ hoti, āloko passatāmiva;*

Santike na vijānanti, magā dhammass' akovidā.

"Behold a Dhamma hard to understand; here the ignorant are bewildered.
For those who are shrouded there is gloom,
darkness for those who do not see.
For the good it is opened up;
for those who see it is like light.

Though in its presence, they do not understand it--
those who are like animals, unskilled in the Dhamma."

 

And further, in his teaching mission, what the Buddha is consistently said to accomplish is not to "wake up" others. Though this metaphor may be used occasionally in the commentaries (we would have to investigate this point for references), in the suttas his impact is described rather as the shedding of light on the world. Those who hear his discourses describe the effect, not as if they had awakened from a dream, but as if a man had brought a lamp into a dark room so that those with good eyesight can see forms (andhakāre vā telapajjotaṃ dhāreyya, cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhanti).

See too Samyutta 56:37, Suriya Sutta:

‘‘Yāvakīvañca, bhikkhave, candimasūriyā loke nuppajjanti, neva tāva mahato ālokassa pātubhāvo hoti mahato obhāsassa. Andhatamaṃ tadā hoti andhakāratimisā. Neva tāva rattindivā [rattidivā (ka.)] paññāyanti, na māsaddhamāsā paññāyanti, na utusaṃvaccharā paññāyanti.

‘‘Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, candimasūriyā loke uppajjanti, atha mahato ālokassa pātubhāvo hoti mahato obhāsassa. Neva andhakāratamaṃ tadā hoti na andhakāratimisā. Atha rattindivā paññāyanti, māsaddhamāsā paññāyanti, utusaṃvaccharā paññāyanti.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yāvakīvañca tathāgato loke nuppajjati arahaṃ sammāsambuddho, neva tāva mahato ālokassa pātubhāvo hoti mahato obhāsassa. Andhatamaṃ tadā hoti andhakāratimisā. Neva tāva catunnaṃ ariyasaccānaṃ ācikkhaṇā hoti desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṃ.

‘‘Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṃ sammāsambuddho, atha mahato ālokassa pātubhāvo hoti mahato obhāsassa. N’eva andhatamaṃ tadā hoti na andhakāratimisā. Atha kho catunnaṃ ariyasaccānaṃ ācikkhaṇā hoti desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṃ. Katamesaṃ catunnaṃ? Dukkhassa ariyasaccassa…pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa.

“Bhikkhus, so long as the sun and moon have not arisen in the world, for just so long there is no manifestation of great light and radiance, but then blinding darkness prevails, a dense mass of darkness; for just so long day and night are not discerned, the month and fortnight are not discerned, the seasons and the year are not discerned.

“But, bhikkhus, when the sun and moon arise in the world, then there is the manifestation of great light and radiance; [443] then there is no blinding darkness, no dense mass of darkness; then day and night are discerned, the month and fortnight are discerned, the seasons and year are discerned.

“So too, bhikkhus, so long as a Tathāgata has not arisen in the world, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, for just so long there is no manifestation of great light and radiance, but then blinding darkness prevails, a dense mass of darkness; for just so long there is no explaining, teaching, proclaiming, establishing, disclosing, analysing, or elucidating of the Four Noble Truths.

“But, bhikkhus, when a Tathāgata arises in the world, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, then there is the manifestation of great light and radiance; then no blinding darkness prevails, no dense mass of darkness; then there is the explaining, teaching, proclaiming, establishing, disclosing, analysing, and elucidating of the Four Noble Truths. What four? The noble truth of suffering … the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering.

“Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’… An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’”

And Samyutta Nikaya 56:46 (V 455):

“Those ascetics and brahmins, bhikkhu, who do not understand as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the way to the cessation of suffering’, … they tumble into the darkness of birth, tumble into the darkness of aging, tumble into the darkness of death, tumble into the darkness of sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair…. But, bhikkhu, those ascetics and brahmins who understand as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering’, they do not tumble into the darkness of birth, nor tumble into the darkness of aging, nor tumble into the darkness of death, nor tumble into the darkness of sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.”

There are no doubt many other passages that can confirm my contention here, but these should suffice for now. If anyone can come forward with a canonical passage that uses the metaphor of dreaming to characterize existence in saṃsāra, that may compel me to reconsider my position and to see bodhi/sambodhi as signifying “awakening.”

Best,

Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi

On 12/1/2014 7:23 AM, Dmytro Ivakhnenko aavuso@... [palistudy] wrote:

 

Dear D.C.,

Nice to meet you!

 

I'm wondering about the meanings of Pali terms in Kyiv, Ukraine.

 

> I am interested in the topic of Buddha (the Buddha). Would you mind if I join in the discussion.

 

You are welcome! I would be especially grateful for Pali glosses that help to comprehend the meaning of this term.

Best wishes,

                       Dmytro

On Mon, Dec 1, 2014 at 12:21 PM, Dmytro Ivakhnenko aavuso@... [palistudy] <palistudy@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Dear Bryan,

 

Thank you for the introduction.

 

> “Buddha” is not a name, but a title; it means “he who has woken up”,derived from the past participle of the Indic verbal stem budh, “to wake, wake up, be awake”. 

 

May I ask, why do you think so?

 

As far as I can conclude from the Sutta, "Buddha" means "he who has comprehended":

 

From Pasadika sutta (DN 29):

Yañca kho, cunda, sadevakassa lokassa samārakassa sabrahmakassa sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya diṭṭhaṃ sutaṃ mutaṃ viññātaṃ pattaṃ pariyesitaṃ anuvicaritaṃ manasā, sabbaṃ tathāgatena abhisambuddhaṃ, tasmā ‘tathāgato’ti vuccati. Yañca, cunda, rattiṃ tathāgato anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambujjhati, yañca rattiṃ anupādisesāya nibbānadhātuyā parinibbāyati, yaṃ etasmiṃ antare bhāsati lapati niddisati.

'Cunda, whatever in this world with its devas and maras and Brahmas, with its ascetics and Brahmins, its princes and people, is seen by people, heard, sensed, cognized, whatever was ever achieved, sought after or mentally pondered upon -- all that has been fully comprehended [abhisambuddham] by the Tathagata. That is why he is called Tathagata. Between the night in which the Tathagata comprehends [abhisambujjhati] the unequalled Perfect Comprehension (samma-sambodhi), Cunda, and the night in which he goes out to the Nibbana-element without remainder, whatever he proclaims, says or explains is so and not otherwise.'


Though the verb 'bujjhati' has a meaning 'awakes', this meaning is mentioned only in few places in the Commentaries:

Bujjhatīti kilesasantānaniddāya uṭṭhahati, cattāri vā ariyasaccāni paṭivijjhati, nibbānameva vā sacchikaroti.

"Awakes - arises from the sleep of defilement-flow"

(Dhammasangani-Atthakatha)


In the suttas, Bodhi is precisely defined as the Comprehension, of the four Actualities for the Noble Ones (ariya-sacca).

Perfect Comprehension (samma-sambodhi) comprises a whole universe:

Comprehension of the Four Actualities for the Noble Ones (cattāro ariyasaccāni)

Yāvakīvañca me, bhikkhave, imesu catūsu ariyasaccesu evaṃ tiparivaṭṭaṃ dvādasākāraṃ yathābhūtaṃ ñāṇadassanaṃ na suvisuddhaṃ ahosi, neva tāvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya ‘anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddho’ti paccaññāsiṃ.

"And, monks, as long as this — my three-round, twelve-permutation knowledge & vision concerning these four noble truths as they have come to be — was not pure, I did not claim to have directly awakened to the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its deities, Maras, & Brahmas, with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & commonfolk. [But as soon as this — my three-round, twelve-permutation knowledge & vision concerning these four noble truths as they have come to be — was truly pure, then I did claim to have directly awakened to the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its deities, Maras & Brahmas, with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & commonfolk. Knowledge & vision arose in me: 'Unprovoked is my release. This is the last birth. There is now no further becoming.'"]

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html

 

Similarly regarding four elements (dhātū - paṭhavī, apo, tejo, vāyo - solid, liquid, fire, gas):

Yāvakīvañcāhaṃ, bhikkhave, imāsaṃ catunnaṃ dhātūnaṃ evaṃ assādañca assādato ādīnavañca ādīnavato nissaraṇañca nissaraṇato yathābhūtaṃ na abbhaññāsiṃ, neva tāvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddhoti paccaññāsiṃ.
(Pubbesambodha sutta).

Similarly regarding five appropriated aggregates (upādānakkhandhā - rūpa, vedanā, saññā, saṅkhārā, viññāṇa - body, feelings, recognitions, volitions, consciousness):

‘‘Yāvakīvañcāhaṃ, bhikkhave, imesaṃ pañcannaṃ upādānakkhandhānaṃ evaṃ assādañca assādato ādīnavañca ādīnavato nissaraṇañca nissaraṇato yathābhūtaṃ nābbhaññāsiṃ, neva tāvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddhoti paccaññāsiṃ.
(Assāda sutta).

Similarly regarding four "turns" of appropriated aggregates (Upādānaparipavattā - aggregate, its arising, its cessation, and the way to cessation):

Yāvakīvañcāhaṃ, bhikkhave, ime pañcupādānakkhandhe catuparivaṭṭaṃ yathābhūtaṃ nābbhaññāsiṃ, neva tāvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddhoti paccaññāsiṃ.
(Upādānaparipavattā sutta)

Similarly regarding six inner spheres of perception (ajjhattikā āyatanā - cakkhūṃ, sota, ghāna, jivhā, kāya, mano - sight, hearing, etc. ):

Yāvakīvañcāhaṃ, bhikkhave, imesaṃ channaṃ ajjhattikānaṃ āyatanānaṃ evaṃ assādañca assādato, ādīnavañca ādīnavato, nissaraṇañca nissaraṇato yathābhūtaṃ nābbhaññāsiṃ, neva tāvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya ‘anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddho’ti paccaññāsiṃ
(Paṭhama-pubbesambodha sutta)

Similarly regarding six outer spheres of perception (bāhirā āyatanā - visible forms, sounds, etc.)

Yāvakīvañcāhaṃ, bhikkhave, imesaṃ channaṃ bāhirānaṃ āyatanānaṃ evaṃ assādañca assādato, ādīnavañca ādīnavato, nissaraṇañca nissaraṇato yathābhūtaṃ nābbhaññāsiṃ, neva tāvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya ‘anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddho’ti paccaññāsiṃ.
(Dutiya-pubbesambodha sutta)

Similarly regarding five faculties (pañcā indriyāni - saddhindriyaṃ, vīriyindriyaṃ, satindriyaṃ, samādhindriyaṃ, paññindriyaṃ - faith, persistence, remembrance, composure, discernment):

Yāvakīvañcāhaṃ, bhikkhave, imesaṃ pañcannaṃ indriyānaṃ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṃ nābbhaññāsiṃ, neva tāvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya ‘anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddho’ti paccaññāsiṃ.
(Punabbhavasutta)

Similarly regarding six faculties (cha indriyāni - cakkhuṃ, sota, ghāna, jivhā, kāya, mano - sight, hearing, etc.)

Yāvakīvañcāhaṃ, bhikkhave, imesaṃ channaṃ indriyānaṃ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṃ nābbhaññāsiṃ, neva tāvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassa maṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya ‘anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddho’ti paccaññāsiṃ.
(Sambuddha sutta)

Similarly regarding the world (loka):

Yāvakīvañcāhaṃ, bhikkhave, evaṃ lokassa assādañca assādato ādīnavañca ādīnavato nissaraṇañca nissaraṇato yathābhūtaṃ nābbhaññāsiṃ, neva tāvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya ‘anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddho’ti paccaññāsiṃ.
(Pubbevasambodha sutta)

Similarly regarding bonds to another sex of to pleasurable rebirth (aññataraññataramethunasaṃyoga):

‘‘Yāvakīvañcāhaṃ, brāhmaṇa, imesaṃ sattannaṃ methunasaṃyogānaṃ aññataraññataramethunasaṃyogaṃ attani appahīnaṃ samanupassiṃ, neva tāvāhaṃ, brāhmaṇa, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddhoti paccaññāsiṃ.
(Methuna suttaṃ)

Similarly regarding the knowledge and vision of higher gods (adhidevañāṇadassana):

Yāvakīvañca me, bhikkhave, evaṃ aṭṭhaparivaṭṭaṃ adhidevañāṇadassanaṃ na suvisuddhaṃ ahosi, neva tāvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, ‘sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddho’ti paccaññāsiṃ.
(Gayāsīsa sutta)

Similarly regarding the nine consecutive attainments (anupubbavihārasamāpattiyā - cattāro rūpajjhānā, cattāro aruppajjhāna, saññāvedayitanirodha - four bodily jhanas, four non-bodily jhanas, cessation of recognition and feeling):

Yāvakīvañcāhaṃ, ānanda, imā nava anupubbavihārasamāpattiyo na evaṃ anulomapaṭilomaṃ samāpajjimpi vuṭṭhahimpi, neva tāvāhaṃ, ānanda, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya ‘anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddho’ti paccaññāsiṃ.
(Tapussasutta)

"Ananda, as long as I had not attained & emerged from these nine step-by-step dwelling-attainments in forward & backward order in this way, I did not claim to have directly awakened to the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its devas, Maras, & Brahmas, with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & common people. But as soon as I had attained & emerged from these nine step-by-step dwelling-attainments in forward & backward order in this way, then I did claim to have directly awakened to the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its devas, Maras, & Brahmas, with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & common people. Knowledge & vision arose in me: 'My release is unshakable. This is the last birth. There is now no further becoming.'"

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.041.than.html

 

 

http://www.freesangha.com/forums/pali/bodhi/

 

With best wishes,

                               Dmytro

 

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