Bodhisattva Path of Theravada

A forum for beginners and members of other Buddhist traditions to ask questions about Theravāda (The Way of the Elders). Responses require moderator approval before they are visible in order to double-check alignment to Theravāda orthodoxy.
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Dhammarakkhito
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Re: Bodhisattva Path of Theravada

Post by Dhammarakkhito »

LG2V wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:17 pm I do wonder if the rate of Buddhas arising is increasing or decreasing, or has remained generally the same. It seems like somewhat of an inconjecturable, though.
in this aeon alone, there have been 4 sammāsambuddhas, including gotama.
‘It is now ninety-one aeons ago, brethren, since Vipassī, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It is now thirty-one aeons ago, brethren, since Sikhī, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in that same thirty-first aeon, brethren, that Vessabhū, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in this present auspicious aeon, brethren, that Kakusandha, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in this auspicious aeon, brethren, that Koṇāgamana, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in this auspicious aeon, brethren, that Kassapa, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It is in this auspicious aeon, brethren, that now I, an Arahant, Buddha Supreme, have arisen in the world.’
https://suttacentral.net/en/dn14

as you see, this is a dramatic difference. not only is it uncommon to have a ssbuddha in your present aeon, but it is exceedingly rare to have 4. metteyya is the upcoming ssbuddha, and from what i understand he is coming in this aeon, albeit many, many years from now.
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Met ... imet04.htm
https://suttacentral.net/en/dn26
"Just as the ocean has a single taste — that of salt — in the same way, this Dhamma-Vinaya has a single taste: that of release."
— Ud 5.5

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Dhammarakkhito
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Re: Bodhisattva Path of Theravada

Post by Dhammarakkhito »

“So too, bhikkhus, it is by chance that one obtains the human state; by chance that a Tathagata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One arises in the world; by chance that the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata shines in the world.
https://suttacentral.net/en/sn56.48


the sammāsambuddha is worthy of utmost reverence, but this doesn't mean we should try to become sammāsambuddhas
there can only be one ssbuddha in any one world system at a given time www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/ar ... ments.html
the ssbuddha discovers the path to nibbāna and teaches it, and then others become arahants (sāvakabuddhas) after hearing the dhamma
but the utter and complete destruction of suffering is the same for an arahant or a (ss)buddha. foregoing your own enlightenment to help another is repeatedly condemned in the suttas. for example, “Cunda, that one who is himself sinking in the mud should pull out another who is sinking in the mud is impossible; that one who is not himself sinking in the mud should pull out another who is sinking in the mud is possible. That one who is himself untamed, undisciplined, [with defilements] unextinguished, should tame another, discipline him, and help extinguish [his defilements] is impossible; that one who is himself tamed, disciplined, [with defilements] extinguished, should tame another, discipline him, and help extinguish [his defilements] is possible." http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/middle-l ... ekha-sutta
more on why a ssbuddha is revered here https://suttacentral.net/en/mn77
it is impossible to become a buddha until after the current buddha's dhamma wanes. furthermore, metteyya has already been predicted to be the next ssbuddha, but it would be possible to be a paccekabuddha, one who has all the attainments of the ssbuddha but either lacks the miracle of teaching or for whatever reason doesn't teach.
"Just as the ocean has a single taste — that of salt — in the same way, this Dhamma-Vinaya has a single taste: that of release."
— Ud 5.5

https://www.facebook.com/noblebuddhadha ... 34/?type=3

http://seeingthroughthenet.net/
https://sites.google.com/site/santipada ... allytaught
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LG2V
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Re: Bodhisattva Path of Theravada

Post by LG2V »

Dhammarakkhito wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:32 am
LG2V wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:17 pm I do wonder if the rate of Buddhas arising is increasing or decreasing, or has remained generally the same. It seems like somewhat of an inconjecturable, though.
in this aeon alone, there have been 4 sammāsambuddhas, including gotama.
‘It is now ninety-one aeons ago, brethren, since Vipassī, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It is now thirty-one aeons ago, brethren, since Sikhī, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in that same thirty-first aeon, brethren, that Vessabhū, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in this present auspicious aeon, brethren, that Kakusandha, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in this auspicious aeon, brethren, that Koṇāgamana, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It was in this auspicious aeon, brethren, that Kassapa, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, arose in the world. It is in this auspicious aeon, brethren, that now I, an Arahant, Buddha Supreme, have arisen in the world.’
https://suttacentral.net/en/dn14

as you see, this is a dramatic difference. not only is it uncommon to have a ssbuddha in your present aeon, but it is exceedingly rare to have 4. metteyya is the upcoming ssbuddha, and from what i understand he is coming in this aeon, albeit many, many years from now.
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Met ... imet04.htm
https://suttacentral.net/en/dn26
:anjali:
Here are some excellent sites for giving free Dana (Click-Based Donation):
http://freerice.comhttp://greatergood.com/www.ripple.orgwww.thenonprofits.com
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