Expert: Laurie McLauglin - 5/6/2011

Question
As you certainly already know, Mahayana Buddhists (including myself) believe that the ideal is for one to withhold Buddhahood until all other sentient beings are capable of attaining it as well. However, it is also believed that Buddha has already attained parinirvana. (1) Does this mean that Bodhisattvas are more selfless than Shakyamuni Buddha (which I'm hesitant to believe)? I'm aware that the purpose of the Boddhisattva ideal is to emulate Buddha, but I don't understand the reconciliation with the fact that he chose to pass on, even though there are still beings undergoing samsara. (2) Also, what are the distinctions between Buddha and a god? I'm aware he is not consider the creator, but, according to some Mahayana beliefs, he continues to influence this world (which I'm not totally sure about). By god, I'm referring to the Judeochristian sense, not the word as a translation of "deva." Would he still be a "god" in the sense that is thought to continue to influence us? Does that mean that he is also a bodhisattva? Sorry for all of these questions, I'm just a little confused. Thanks for the help!

Answer
Hello Tony -

Thank you for letting me answer your questions.

They are good questions.

Yes, the Buddha did pass into parinirvana.  But there are two things that most people do not think about when they hear that Buddha did that.

First off many believe that he manifested the appearance of passing into parinirvana but that does not mean that he is not still helping all sentient beings; he simply manifested the appearance of passing away.  Remember, Buddha went up into heaven at one point to teach his mother the dharma and came back again to teach here.  So just because he went up does not mean he cannot come down any time he wants.

Part of being a Buddha is being ominpresent so if the Buddha is in parinirvana, he (or his mind) is also eminating everywhere in all universese.

Secondly, it as we know Buddha taught that most everything is a product of dependent arising and will arise abide and fade away, so with the dharma, so with the Buddha.  So, it is said that the reason that Buddha left this plane is the karma for him to be here and teaach ran out.  So alhtough he is not physically here on this plane teaching where we can see him, that does not mean that he is not manifesting in many, many ways benefitting sentient beings everywhere even now.

God versus Buddha - Well both God and Buddha are said to be omniscent.  God is said to also be omnipotent, but Buddhas are not.  Buddha himself said "Buddhas do not wash away negativities with water, They do not clear away beings' suffering with their hands, They do not transfer their own knowledge to others; They liberate by teaching the truth of reality" So where God it is said can do all things, Buddhas can only help by teaching.  In this way Buddha influences the world.  By teaching the truth of how things exist in order to stop us from suffering.

I would think that most folks who believe in a Judeochristian God believe that God is fixed and unchangeable.  Buddhas are changing all the time.  Their mindstreams are always changing. Therefore as far as I understand, Buddha is dependently arising therefore always changing.

As we can also change, we have Buddha Nature and can also become Buddhas - every sentient being possesses Buddha Nature.  That is another difference.   Judeochristians don't believe we can become God but Buddhists believe we can all become Buddha.

As one decides to become a Buddha, one begins to progress on the path of the Bodhisattave.  On this path, there are 10 levels or bhumis. On the 10th bhumi, a Bodhisattva is still a Bodhisattva, as I understand it, until they remove the last little bit of misunderstanding of how the world truly works. They are still Bodhistavvas until such a time when every little residue of grasping, experiencing things as real instead of experiencing them with the direct view of emptiness are gone, then the Bodhistattva becomes Thus Gone; a Buddha.

So, no a Buddha cannot also be a Bodhistattva. A Buddha is a Buddha with a perefect and correct view of reality and no residual imprints of how we regular humans see reality.

I hope this begins to answer your questions.  Please feel free to ask any further questions or clarifications and I will answer them to the best of my knowledge and ability.

In the mean time, I wish you much happiness and peace -

Namaste - Laurie