"Kinsman of the Sun"?
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 5:08 am
What's the significance of this label for the Buddha?
I googled and found this:
http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-con ... ddha-1.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Throughout all religions, we equate goodness and heavenliness with light, even in Buddhism. In other religions, there's lots and lots of sun worship. Even the Abrahamic monotheistic God is speculated to have originated with Amun-Ra, which makes sense, considering they came from Egypt.
I noticed I am particularly mindful and happy on warm, sunny days.
I googled and found this:
http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-con ... ddha-1.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It also mentions the fact that the sun is the source of all energy on earth. So, whatever deva governs the sun must be noble, huh?An often used epithet of the Buddha is that of dicca,bandhu, “kinsman of the sun” (D 3:197; Sn
1128; Tha 26, 158, 417). In the Sayutta, the Buddha speaks of the sun as paja mama (my child) (S
1:51; S:B 388 nn158-159), which Buddhaghosa explains as meaning “disciple and spiritual son” (SA
1:86). The Vimna,vatthu Commentary says that the sun (dicca) belonged to the Gautama clan
(gotama,gotta), as did the Buddha; hence his epithet (VvA 116)
Throughout all religions, we equate goodness and heavenliness with light, even in Buddhism. In other religions, there's lots and lots of sun worship. Even the Abrahamic monotheistic God is speculated to have originated with Amun-Ra, which makes sense, considering they came from Egypt.
I noticed I am particularly mindful and happy on warm, sunny days.