Could You Recognise a Buddha?
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The word Buddha is derived from the Pali word ‘budh’ meaning to wake up, perceive, become aware. The Buddha is one who has transcended attachment, ill will, and ignorance (sometimes referred to as greed, hatred and delusion), who has perceived impermanence, dukkha, and selflessness, and attained Enlightenment and realized Nibbana (Nirvana). It is a state of consciousness when the individual is aware of absolute reality. It is a generic name and applies to all persons who have reached this stage.
The Buddhist society web site.
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It is common in religious literature and scientific history to deify the famous protagonists. A hagiography is written and their wonderous deeds are spoken of with bated breath. They are put upon pedestals and their miracles are celebrated with ceremony and with pomp. An element of superstition arises about them, there may be special signs, bodily marks or an early precociousness. They may be able to turn Perrier into New Zealand Cloudy Bay. They might predict an occult particle which needs a vast ceremonial electric ring constructed under holy mountains to reveal. They may tame a wild raging elephant. What they don’t do is work in a library or with Rachel from accounts. Somehow a phenomenon must be associated with them.
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The particular power of Buddha is that while his holy mind sees fully and concentrates on the emptiness of all existence, at the same time his holy mind sees the conventional truth of all other existence. Buddha sees the all-obscuring truth and all other existence at the same time. While Buddha’s holy mind is concentrating on emptiness only, like putting water into water, the holy mind simultaneously sees all existence which is not emptiness. He sees the all-obscuring truth very clearly without the slightest mistake. That is a particular power of Buddha’s holy mind. Sentient beings and even the higher bodhisattvas cannot do this at the same time.
By Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Kopan Monastery, Nepal, 1981 (Archive #119)
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Rarely are the protagonists bog standard, ordinary geezers or women. For whatever reason they must have an aura of special. They may be depicted with a radioactive halo or a shed load of complex mathematical equations. They may become more famous and recognisable than Marilyn Monroe and star post mortem in CGI advertising. They may have buildings and churches built in their honour. If they are really lucky they might get an equation named for them. Their statues may be sold in garden centres all around the world. People may make pilgrimages to Bletchley Park or Lourdes.
There is an expectation of the extraordinary, the non-mundane. There is an idealistic projection about what such a creature might look like. They are less likely to be found institutionalised and more likely not to fit. Life might have friction for them.
Might they have a badge or a 666 mark hidden underneath their hair like Damian in the Omen? Would there be a label of some kind? Would they be a model pupil at school and a compliant good citizen?
In our world of metrics and criteria, what tick list items might a Buddha need to check in order to fit the requirements preconceived?
Would you be able to recognise a Buddha?
What criteria would you use?
What would proof look like to you?
