Shakyamuni

[Kare]

As you know, the historical Buddha is usually called Shakyamuni in the Mahayana Sutras and by Mahayana practitioners.

In the old Pali Dictionary Abhidhanappadipika we can find 39 names and titles of the Buddha. Sakyamuni is one of those. These 39 names and titles occur in the Pali texts - some of them are common, as Bhagava, Buddha, Gotama, Sugata and a few others, others (as for instance Sakyamuni) occur only in a few cases.

This is not at all meant as a criticism of the Mahayana. I am just curious: Does anyone know why just the title Shakyamuni gained so much terrain in the Mahayana?

[cooran]

Hello all,

Does anyone know why

with metta
Chris

[Kyosan]

As you know, the historical Buddha is usually called Shakyamuni in the Mahayana Sutras and by Mahayana practitioners.

In the old Pali Dictionary Abhidhanappadipika we can find 39 names and titles of the Buddha. Sakyamuni is one of those. These 39 names and titles occur in the Pali texts - some of them are common, as Bhagava, Buddha, Gotama, Sugata and a few others, others (as for instance Sakyamuni) occur only in a few cases.

This is not at all meant as a criticism of the Mahayana. I am just curious: Does anyone know why just the title Shakyamuni gained so much terrain in the Mahayana?

In the the Mahayana sutras he is often called:

the Tathagata
the World-Honored One
the Buddha

Any of these titles can apply to any Buddha but they most often refer to Sakyamuni Buddha.

[Fu Ri Shin]

I have to wonder if it doesn't have something to do with the way he is mentioned along with the other Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas. Of course it can't as simple as that, but it may be related. My take is:

When listed with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the title "Buddha" is used to be specific. That then begs the question, "Why not Gautama Buddha?" I've noticed that people have occasionally referred to him as "the Shakyamuni", which points out that "Shakyamuni" can serve as an honorific and attainment-based title while "Gautama" cannot. "Shakyamuni", however, still remains specific to an individual. "The Bhagavan" does not say which bhagavan and "Gautama" is referring to an entire family. Shakyamuni is the best of both worlds.

This thinking is quite a bit on the fly, so I hope it proves helpful.

[Kare]

Someone at the Dhamma Wheel gave this reference,

http://books.google.com/books?id=phk-1k ... &q&f=false

It points to an interesting possibility.