Expert: Justin Choo - 5/4/2009

Question
QUESTION: there are 3 kinds of buddhas a samma pacceka and sravaka
are sravaka and pacceka also referred as bodhisattas?

are their enligtenment and nirvana almost the same?

is arahant a lower rank than bodhisatta or buddha because some say it is lower and some say bodhisattas are arahants such as the buddha?

ANSWER: Hi Jaya,

There are 2 types of Buddhas.  Sammasambuddha, the fully enlightened Buddha who can preach to the world.  And the Pacceka Buddha or "silent Buddha" who does not preach.

"Savaka Bodhi" means "the enlightenment of the disciple" (of the Buddha)

"Enlightenment" means "reaching" Nibbana.  The fruit (or result) of enlightenment is Nibbana.

In Theravada tradition, Bodhisatta is "Buddha-to-be", and "Arahat" can be said to be an enlightened disciple of the Buddha.

Justin Choo.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: is bodhisatta term applies to paccekas also or just to sammasambuddha

there are a lot of theravada books that teach they dont agree to mahayana notion of delaying enligtenment forever and pure land? so it means mahayana teachings are later inventions and not the original?

so arahant are not bodhisatta how about the buddha is said to be an arahant

Answer
Hi Jaya,

"so it means mahayana teachings are later inventions and not the original?"

You can decide for yourself.

"so arahant are not bodhisatta how about the buddha is said to be an arahant"

There are 4 Noble Individuals (Ariya-puggala). The advances of the 4 stages of "Arahathood" or "sainthood" are as follows:
Stage 1 : "Stream-winner" or Sotapanna
Stage 2 : Once-returner or Sakadagami
Stage 3 : Non-returner or Anagami
Stage 4 : Holiness or "Saint" or Arahat     

When a person progresses through these 4 stages, he is called an  "Arahat" when he reached stage 4.

The Buddha is different. He did not pass through stages like this.  He was the Samma sambuddha the perfectly enlightenment one, and also an Arahat, the Worthy One.

You can refer to the sites below for more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arahant_(Buddhism)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arahat