Buddha facts for kids
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A Buddha is the holiest type of being in Buddhism, a teacher of God's and humans. The word Buddha means "enlightened one" in Sanskrit or Fully Awakened One in Pāli.
It is also a title for Siddhartha Gautama. He was the man who started Buddhism. Sometimes people call him "the Buddha" or the "Shakyamuni Buddha". Other times, people call any person a Buddha if they have found enlightenment. If a person has not found enlightenment yet, but is very close to reaching it, then he is called bodhisattva.
Contents
Summary
Buddhists believe that there are many Buddhas. The most recent one was Gautama Buddha. People who will become Buddhas someday are called "bodhisattvas."
Buddhists believe that the Buddha was enlightened, which means that he knew all about how to live a peaceful life and how to avoid suffering. He is said to have never argued with other people, but only said what was true and useful, out of compassion for others.
Some Buddhists pray to Buddhas, but Buddhas are not gods. Buddhas are teachers who help the people who will listen. A Buddha is a human being who has woken up and can see the true way the world works. This knowledge totally changes the person so that they can have a better life in the present and the future. A Buddha can also help a person achieve enlightenment.
There are ideas which are said to lead someone to enlightenment. They are called the Dharma (Sanskrit) or "Dhamma" (Pāli), meaning "the way" or "the truth." Anyone can become a Buddha, but it is very difficult. He became Buddha under the peepal or "bodhi" tree at Bodhgaya in Bihar in what is now India.
Types of Buddhas
There is a special type of Buddha called a pratyekabuddha or "silent Buddhas". These Buddhas reached enlightenment on their own, but they did not teach others.
Another type of Buddha is a samyaksambuddha. This is the best kind of Buddha because he is able to teach all living beings.
Seven Buddhas of the past
Buddhists believe that there have been many Buddhas in the past. There will also be many Buddhas in the future. Traditionally, seven Buddhas are given names.
- Vipashyin Buddha
- Shikhin Buddha
- Vishvabhu Buddha
- Krakucchanda Buddha
- Kanakamuni Buddha
- Kashyapa Buddha
- Shakyamuni Buddha
Maitreya will be the next Buddha.
32 Signs of a Great Man
A Buddha is a person who has reached perfection. Some believe that there are 32 physical features of a Buddha; these are the 32 marks of a Great Man from Vedic brahmin folklore, but are mentioned in the Pāli canon. Some of these features are represented in art and sculpture. These are listed below.
- Flat feet
- Thousand-spoked wheel symbol on feet
- Long, slender fingers
- Flexible hands and feet
- Webbed fingers and toes
- Full-sized heels
- Arched insteps
- Thighs like a royal stag
- Hands that reach below the knees
- Sheathed male organ
- Equal height and stretch of arms
- Dark-colored hair
- Graceful and curly body hair
- Golden-hued body
- Ten-foot halo around his body
- Soft, smooth skin
- Soles, palms, shoulders, and crown of head well-rounded
- Area below armpits filled out
- Lion-shaped body
- Erect and upright body
- Full, round shoulders
- Forty teeth
- White, even, and close teeth
- Four pure white canine teeth
- Jaw like a lion
- Saliva that improves the taste of all food
- Long and broad tongue
- Deep and resonant voice
- Deep blue eyes
- Eyelashes like a royal bull
- White curl of hair (ūrṇā) that emits light between eyebrows
- Bump on the crown of the head
Related pages
Images for kids
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Seated Buddha from Tapa Shotor monastery in Hadda, Afghanistan, 2nd century CE
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Ancient kingdoms and cities of India during the time of the Buddha (c. 500 BCE)
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Inscription "The illumination of the Blessed Sakamuni" (Brahmi script: 𑀪𑀕𑀯𑀢𑁄 𑀲𑀓𑀫𑀼𑀦𑀺𑀦𑁄 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑁄, Bhagavato Sakamunino Bodho) on a relief showing the "empty" Illumination Throne of the Buddha in the early Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya. Bharhut, c. 100 BCE.
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One of the earliest anthropomorphic representations of the Buddha, here surrounded by Brahma (left) and Śakra (right). Bimaran Casket, mid-1st century CE, British Museum.
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The legendary Jataka collections depict the Buddha-to-be in a previous life prostrating before the past Buddha Dipankara, making a resolve to be a Buddha, and receiving a prediction of future Buddhahood.
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The Lumbini pillar contains an inscription stating that this is the Buddha's birthplace
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The "Great Departure" of Siddhartha Gautama, surrounded by a halo, he is accompanied by numerous guards and devata who have come to pay homage; Gandhara, Kushan period
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Prince Siddhartha shaves his hair and becomes a śramaṇa. Borobudur, 8th century
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The gilded "Emaciated Buddha statue" in Wat Suthat in Bangkok representing the stage of his asceticism
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The Mahabodhi Tree at the Sri Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya
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The Enlightenment Throne of the Buddha at Bodh Gaya, as recreated by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE.
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Miracle of the Buddha walking on the River Nairañjanā. The Buddha is not visible (aniconism), only represented by a path on the water, and his empty throne bottom right. Sanchi.
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Dhamek Stupa in Sarnath, India, site of the first teaching of the Buddha in which he taught the Four Noble Truths to his first five disciples
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The chief disciples of the Buddha, Mogallana (chief in psychic power) and Sariputta (chief in wisdom).
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The remains of a section of Jetavana Monastery, just outside of ancient Savatthi, in Uttar Pradesh.
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Mahāprajāpatī, the first bhikkuni and Buddha's stepmother, ordains
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Ajatashatru worships the Buddha, relief from the Bharhut Stupa at the Indian Museum, Kolkata
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This East Javanese relief depicts the Buddha in his final days, and Ānanda, his chief attendant.
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Mahaparinirvana, Gandhara, 3rd or 4th century CE, gray schist
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Mahaparinibbana scene, from the Ajanta caves
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Buddha's cremation stupa, Kushinagar (Kushinara).
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Piprahwa vase with relics of the Buddha. The inscription reads: ...salilanidhane Budhasa Bhagavate... (Brahmi script: ...𑀲𑀮𑀺𑀮𑀦𑀺𑀥𑀸𑀦𑁂 𑀩𑀼𑀥𑀲 𑀪𑀕𑀯𑀢𑁂...) "Relics of the Buddha Lord".
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The Bodhisattva meets with Alara Kalama, Borobudur relief.
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Gandharan Buddhist birchbark scroll fragments
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Buddha meets a Brahmin, at the Indian Museum, Kolkata
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Schist Buddha statue with the famed Ye Dharma Hetu dhāraṇī around the head, which was used as a common summary of Dependent Origination. It states: "Of those experiences that arise from a cause, The Tathāgata has said: 'this is their cause, And this is their cessation': This is what the Great Śramaṇa teaches."
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Gandharan sculpture depicting the Buddha in the full lotus seated meditation posture, 2nd-3rd century CE
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Buddha Statues from Gal Vihara. The Early Buddhist texts also mention meditation practice while standing and lying down.
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The Buddha on a coin of Kushan ruler Kanishka I, c. 130 CE.
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Buddhist monks from Nepal. According to the earliest sources, the Buddha looked like a typical shaved man from northeast India.
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Christ and Buddha by Paul Ranson, 1880
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A Royal Couple Visits the Buddha, from railing of the Bharhut Stupa, Shunga dynasty, early 2nd century BC.
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Adoration of the Diamond Throne and the Bodhi Tree, Bharhut.
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Descent of the Buddha from the Trayastrimsa Heaven, Sanchi Stupa No. 1.
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The Buddha's Miracle at Kapilavastu, Sanchi Stupa 1.
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Bimbisara visiting the Buddha (represented as empty throne) at the Bamboo garden in Rajagriha
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The great departure with riderless horse, Amaravati, 2nd century CE.
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The Assault of Mara, Amaravati, 2nd century CE.
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Isapur Buddha, one of the earliest physical depictions of the Buddha, c. 15 CE. Art of Mathura
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The Buddha attended by Indra at Indrasala Cave, Mathura 50-100 CE.
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Buddha Preaching in Tushita Heaven. Amaravati, Satavahana period, 2d century CE. Indian Museum, Calcutta.
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Standing Buddha from Gandhara.
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Kushan period Buddha Triad.
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Buddha statue from Sanchi.
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Birth of the Buddha, Kushan dynasty, late 2nd to early 3rd century CE.
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The Infant Buddha Taking A Bath, Gandhara 2nd century CE.
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6th century Gandharan Buddha.
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Buddha at Cave No. 6, Ajanta Caves.
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Standing Buddha, c. 5th Century CE.
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Sarnath standing Buddha, 5th century CE.
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Seated Buddha, Gupta period.
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Seated Buddha at Gal Vihara, Sri Lanka.
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Chinese Stele with Sakyamuni and Bodhisattvas, Wei period, 536 CE.
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The Shakyamuni Daibutsu Bronze, c. 609, Nara, Japan.
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Amaravati style Buddha of Srivijaya period, Palembang, Indonesia, 7th century.
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Korean Seokguram Cave Buddha, c. 774 CE.
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Seated Buddha Vairocana flanked by Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani of Mendut temple, Central Java, Indonesia, early 9th century.
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Buddha in the exposed stupa of Borobudur mandala, Central Java, Indonesia, c. 825.
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Vairocana Buddha of Srivijaya style, Southern Thailand, 9th century.
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Seated Buddha, Japan, Heian period, 9th－10th century.
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15th century Sukhothai Buddha.
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15th century Sukhothai Walking Buddha.
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Sakyamuni, Lao Tzu, and Confucius, c. from 1368 until 1644.
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Chinese depiction of Shakyamuni, 1600.
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Shakyamuni Buddha with Avadana Legend Scenes, Tibetan, 19th century
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Golden Thai Buddha statue, Bodh Gaya.
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Gautama statue, Shanyuan Temple, Liaoning Province, China.
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Burmese style Buddha, Shwedagon pagoda, Yangon.
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Large Gautama Buddha statue in Buddha Park of Ravangla.
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