The Buddha's Enlightenment & Brahma (God)
The Buddha's Enlightenment
[ There have been misconceptions by certain quarters that Buddhas were (and will be) 'sent by' or that a Buddha's Enlightenment was 'given' by Brahma (God) (as taught in some popular philosophies). This error in understanding the Dhamma-Vinaya is often the result of 'wanting to see a deity behind everything' resulting in 'cherry picking' (while ignoring the large body of teachings that provide the complete understanding of the subject), 'seeing things where there is nothing there' and 'blind to things which are in front of them' (quoted in their writings).
The following is a sampling from the Tipitaka and sharings from respected members of the Bhikkhu Saṅgha on the Buddha's Enlightenment & Brahma (God).
For self study, an excellent guide, 'Befriending the Suttas' by John Bullit, should help .. www.accesstoinsight.org/befriending.html
'Through many a birth in saṃsāra have I wandered in vain, seeking the builder of this house (of life). Repeated birth is indeed suffering!
O house-builder, you are seen! You will not build this house again. For your rafters are broken and your ridgepole shattered. My mind has reached the Unconditioned; I have attained the destruction of craving.'
- Dhammapada Verse 153 & 154
- Source : www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.11.budd.html
The First Sermon of the Buddha, where the Buddha affirms that 'vision, ..' arose from within him, and that this was not heard of before during the Buddha's time. Importantly, there was no revelation from Brahma (God) or another being.
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta:
Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion SN 56.11
www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html
The quest for Enlightenment, from renunciation, to seeking wise teachers, to ascetic self practices as no teachers could provide what he sort, to self-realising the three knowledges leading to his Enlightenment.
Mahā-Saccaka Sutta:
The Longer Discourse to Saccaka MN 36
www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html
The Buddha discusses with a young Brahmin, if amongst the long line of Vedic teachers, who had ever come face-to-face with Brahma (God), and as none have known or seen Brahma (God), then it was foolish talk.
Tevijja Sutta DN 13
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Tevijja_Sutta
The Buddha reveals a quest by a monk to ascertain answers to some questions and step by step brought the question to higher and higher planes of existence, ultimately to Brahma (God), who did not know the answer. Brahma then referred the monk to the Buddha.
Kevatta (Kevaḍḍha) Sutta : To Kevatta DN 11
www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html
The Sutta summarises the many groups of views held by beings including 'Partial-Eternalism (Ekaccasassatavāda)' which tells of a mis-understanding by the first beings reborn into the new phase of our cyclical universe and how later other beings mistook the first being as Brahma (God).
Brahmajāla Sutta : The All-embracing Net of Views DN 1
www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html
'Buddhism and the God-Idea'
by Ven. S. Dhammika
www.bhantedhammika.net/good-question-good-answer/3-buddhism-and-the-god-idea
'Buddhism and the God-idea'
by Ven. Nyanaponika Thera
www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/godidea.html or a hardcopy in PDF.
'What Does ‘I Am the Way …’ Mean?'
by Ajahn Amaro
www.amaravati.org/a-dhamma-article-by-ajahn-amaro-what-does-i-am-the-way-mean/
'The God Of Deathlessness'
by Ajahn Sumedho (Audio)
'Buddhism and Atheism'
by Ajahn Brahm (Video)
https://youtu.be/eRutmoPEWaQ
- Posted by CFFong
