Lord Buddha's name

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shanyin
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Lord Buddha's name

Post by shanyin »

Is this the case? True?

Shakyamuni Buddha is a name given to the historical Buddha, especially in Mahayana Buddhism. So it's nearly always the case that when someone is talking about Shakyamuni, he or she is speaking of the historical figure who was born Siddhartha Gautama but then became known as Shakyamuni only after he became the Buddha.

In other schools is the the case too? The book "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse can make Buddha's name unclear, of course it is fiction; I have read it.

I kinda thought this was the other way around. Sakyamuni was the name of His tribe and was given at birth or something like that. :buddha1:
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Ayu
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Re: Lord Buddha's name

Post by Ayu »

Don't bother Herman Hesse, otherwise it's puzzling.
shanyin
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Re: Lord Buddha's name

Post by shanyin »

I forgot quotation marks and to say that I googled Siddhartha Gautama vs Shakyamuni and that's what I received as an answer.
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PadmaVonSamba
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Re: Lord Buddha's name

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

shanyin wrote: Tue Nov 23, 2021 8:07 pm Is this the case? True?

Shakyamuni Buddha is a name given to the historical Buddha, especially in Mahayana Buddhism. So it's nearly always the case that when someone is talking about Shakyamuni, he or she is speaking of the historical figure who was born Siddhartha Gautama but then became known as Shakyamuni only after he became the Buddha.

In other schools is the the case too? The book "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse can make Buddha's name unclear, of course it is fiction; I have read it.

I kinda thought this was the other way around. Sakyamuni was the name of His tribe and was given at birth or something like that. :buddha1:
His given name at birth was Siddhartha.
His family was part of the Shakya tribe, or clan, whatever you want to call it.
“Shakyamuni” means “Sage of the Shakyas” (more or less).
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Aemilius
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Re: Lord Buddha's name

Post by Aemilius »

He is called by many names in the sutras, like:
Aditya-bandu, 'Relative of the Sun'
Tathagata
Sugata
Mahabhaishajya, 'Great Physician'
Bhagavan; 'Lord', 'Blessed one'
Jina, 'Victor'
Arhat
Lokavidya, 'Knower of Worlds'
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
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Aemilius
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Re: Lord Buddha's name

Post by Aemilius »

Lankavatara sutra, chapter XII

"Then said Mahamati to the Blessed One: It has been taught in the canonical books that the Buddhas are subject to neither birth nor destruction, and you have said that "the Un-born" is one of the names of the Tathagatas; does that mean that the Tathagata is a non-entity?

"The Blessed One replied: The Tathagata is not a non-entity nor is he to be conceived as other things are as neither born nor disappearing, nor is he subject to causation, not is he without significance; yet I refer to him as "The Un-born." There is yet another name for the Tathagata. "The Mind-appearing One" (Manomayakaya) which his Essence-body assumes at will in the transformations incident to his work of emancipation. This is beyond the understanding of common disciples and masters and even beyond the full comprehension of those Bodhisattvas who remain in the seventh stage. Yes, Mahamati, "The Un-born" is synonymous with Tathagata.

"Then Mahamati said: If the Tathagatas are un-born, there does not seem to be anything to take hold of – no entity – or is there something that bears another name than entity? And what can that "something" be?

"The Blessed One replied: Objects are frequently known by different names according to different aspects that they present, -- the god Indra is sometimes known as Shakra, and sometimes as Purandara. These different names are sometimes used interchangeably and sometimes they are discriminated, but different objects are not to be imagined because of the different names, nor are they without individuation. The same can be said of myself as I appear in this world of patience before ignorant people and where I am known by uncounted trillions of names. They address me by different names not realizing that they are all names of the one Tathagata. Some recognize me as Sun, as Moon; some as a reincarnation of the ancient sages; some as one of "ten powers"; some as Rama, some as Indra, and some as Varuna. Still there are others who speak of me as The Un-born, as Emptiness, as "Suchness," as Truth, as Reality, as Ultimate Principle; still there are others who see me as Dharmakaya, as Nirvana, as the Eternal; some speak of me as sameness, as non-duality, as un-dying, as formless; some think of me as the doctrine of Buddha-causation, or of Emancipation, or of the Noble Path; and some think of me as Divine Mind and Noble Wisdom. Thus in this world and in other worlds am I known by these uncounted names, but they all see me as the moon is seen in the water. Though they all honor, praise and esteem me, they do not fully understand the meaning and significance of the words they use; not having their own self-realization of Truth they cling to the words of their canonical books, or to what has been told to them, or to what they have imagined, and fail to see that the name they are using is only one of the many names of the Tathagata. In their studies they follow the mere words of the text vainly trying to gain the true meaning, instead of having confidence in the one "text" where self-confirming Truth is revealed, that is, having confidence in the self-realization of noble Wisdom."
Last edited by Aemilius on Wed Dec 15, 2021 10:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
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cky
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Re: Lord Buddha's name

Post by cky »

PadmaVonSamba wrote: Tue Nov 23, 2021 11:34 pm His family was part of the Shakya tribe, or clan, whatever you want to call it.
“Shakyamuni” means “Sage of the Shakyas” (more or less).
I like "Lion of the Shakya clan"
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