Buddhas

Buddhas A buddha is literally a person who has been enlightened or awakened to ultimate reality (see Arhat). The Sanskrit/Pāli (see Sanskrit, Pāli) term buddhi, which is related to the term buddha, conveys the sense of special intelligence or knowledge (see Buddhism). The term “the Buddha” usually refers to Gautama Buddha (see Gautama Buddha, Bodhisattva). But there are other Buddhas. The Jains (see Jainism) would consider their founder Mahāvīra (see Mahāvīra) a buddha and the Pure Land Buddhists (see Pure Land Buddhism) in Japan have their Amida Buddha (see Amida Buddha).