The Lion's Roar: Shattering the Fog Surrounding the "Many Buddhas" Concept

 THE LION'S ROAR: Shattering the Fog of the "Many Buddhas" Concept in Later Traditions

(Distinguishing a Perfectly Self-Awakened Buddha and a Paccekabuddha — An Exceptionally Rare Event in the Universe)

PUTTING AN END TO THE "OVERUSE" OF THE TITLE "BUDDHA"

In this vast universe, the appearance of a Buddha is not an ordinary occurrence, nor is it something as common as falling autumn leaves, as later traditions sometimes portray. The arising of a Buddha is a world-shaking event—an exceedingly rare phenomenon, comparable to the legendary blooming of the Udumbara flower, said to appear only after an immeasurably long time.

The Pāli Canon clearly distinguishes three kinds of Enlightened Ones (Bodhi):

Sammāsambuddha (a Perfectly Self-Awakened Buddha).
Paccekabuddha (a Solitary Buddha).
Sāvakabuddha (a Disciple Buddha—an Arahant who attains awakening through the teaching of a Sammāsambuddha).

This study focuses on examining the profound difference between the first two categories, so that it becomes clear that becoming a Sammāsambuddha is an inconceivably great achievement—not a mythical status that anyone can simply choose to become.

I. THE PRECISE DEFINITIONS FROM THE PĀLI CANON

1. What Is a Sammāsambuddha (Perfectly Self-Awakened Buddha)?

In the Puggalapaññatti (Designation of Individuals) of the Abhidhamma Piṭaka, a Sammāsambuddha is defined as:

"One who, by oneself, realizes truths that have never been heard before; attains Sabbaññutañāṇa (Omniscient Knowledge) regarding those truths; and gains complete mastery over the powers (the Ten Powers of the Tathāgata). Such a one is called a Sammāsambuddha."

Analysis:

Self-awakened: In the final life, there is no teacher to reveal the path.
Sabbaññutañāṇa (Omniscient Knowledge): This is the essential distinction. A Sammāsambuddha not only realizes the path to liberation—the Four Noble Truths—but also fully comprehends the complete range of natural laws, the workings of the world, the minds of beings, and the realities of the past and the future.
Capable of Turning the Wheel of Dhamma: A Sammāsambuddha possesses the wisdom, skillful means, and ability to clearly teach the Dhamma so that others can understand it, practice it, and attain liberation.

2. What Is a Paccekabuddha (Solitary Buddha)?

The Puggalapaññatti also defines a Paccekabuddha as:

"One who, by oneself, realizes truths that have never been heard before, but does not attain Sabbaññutañāṇa regarding those truths, and does not gain complete mastery over those powers."

Analysis:

Similarity: A Paccekabuddha also awakens independently, without a teacher, during a period when no Sammāsambuddha has appeared in the world. Such a being completely eradicates greed, hatred, and delusion, and is liberated from the cycle of rebirth.
Difference: A Paccekabuddha fully realizes the Dhamma for personal liberation, but does not possess the all-encompassing wisdom of Sabbaññutañāṇa. Most importantly, a Paccekabuddha does not possess the ability to establish and teach the Dhamma in a way that leads others to attain the Path and Fruition.

II. WHY IS THERE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN WISDOM?

(The Matter of Pāramī — Spiritual Perfections)

Why is it that both are called Buddhas (Awakened Ones), yet one becomes the Supreme Teacher of gods and humans while the other lives quietly, like the solitary rhinoceros described in the Pāli Canon?

The answer lies in the length of time spent cultivating Pāramī (Perfections).

1. The Measure of Time (Asaṅkheyya — Incalculable Aeons)

To become an ordinary Arahant (a Disciple Awakened One), one must cultivate the necessary perfections over approximately 100,000 great aeons (kappa).

But becoming a Buddha requires an incomparably greater accumulation of Pāramī:

Paccekabuddha (Solitary Buddha): cultivates Pāramī for 2 asaṅkheyyas and 100,000 great aeons.
Sammāsambuddha (Perfectly Self-Awakened Buddha) of the wisdom-dominant type: cultivates Pāramī for 4 asaṅkheyyas and 100,000 great aeons. (For the energy-dominant type, 8 asaṅkheyyas; for the faith-dominant type, 16 asaṅkheyyas.)
Comparing Their Wisdom

Imagine that a Paccekabuddha is like someone who fills a vast lake with water.

A Sammāsambuddha, by comparison, is like someone who fills the entire ocean.

This immense difference in the duration of cultivating Pāramī—twice as long, or even four, eight, or sixteen times longer—results in a profound difference in both the depth and the breadth of wisdom.

A Paccekabuddha possesses sufficient spiritual perfections to discover the path and walk it alone.
A Sammāsambuddha possesses sufficient spiritual perfections not only to discover and walk the path, but also to map it clearly, establish it, and make it accessible so that countless beings can follow it to liberation.

III. WHY CAN'T A PACCEKABUDDHA TEACH THE DHAMMA?

This is a point that is often misunderstood or left unclear by misguided teachers.

In the Khaggavisāṇa Sutta (The Rhinoceros Horn Sutta) of the Sutta Nipāta, Paccekabuddhas are portrayed as solitary sages who live in seclusion, avoiding crowds.

Why do they not teach the Dhamma?

It is not because they lack compassion or are unwilling to help others.

The Pāli commentaries illustrate this with a classic analogy:

"It is like a person who experiences an extraordinarily beautiful dream. Upon awakening, he knows how wonderful the dream was—but he is mute. Though he struggles to speak, he cannot find the words to describe the dream so that others may understand it."

A Paccekabuddha
Clearly realizes Nibbāna (like directly experiencing that beautiful dream).
But lacks the analytical mastery required to formulate and systematically express the Dhamma through conceptual designations (paññatti). A Paccekabuddha fully understands Dependent Origination (Paṭiccasamuppāda), yet cannot present it in a structured framework—such as the Five Aggregates, Twelve Sense Bases, or the Noble Eightfold Path—in a way that enables others to practice and attain liberation.
The influence of a Paccekabuddha is expressed primarily through personal virtue, serene conduct, and, where applicable, extraordinary spiritual abilities. These qualities may inspire faith and generosity in others, allowing them to accumulate merit, but they do not establish a complete dispensation of the Dhamma through which others can realize the Noble Path and Fruition.
A Sammāsambuddha
Clearly realizes Nibbāna.
Possesses the four Paṭisambhidā-ñāṇas (Analytical Knowledges) in their highest perfection. Because of this, a Sammāsambuddha can express what is ultimately beyond ordinary description, using language that humans, devas, and Brahmās can understand. Knowing the spiritual faculties and dispositions of each individual, the Buddha teaches exactly the Dhamma most suitable for that person—like a skilled physician prescribing the right medicine for each patient.

## IV. THE CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO BECOME A BUDDHA: NOT SOMETHING EVERYONE CAN ATTAIN

Some later teachings claim that "all beings will eventually become Buddhas." According to the Theravāda Pāli Canon and its classical commentarial tradition, this is not the standard teaching regarding the aspiration to Buddhahood.

According to the Theravāda tradition, to receive a prediction (vyākaraṇa) of future Buddhahood as a Sammāsambuddha, a Bodhisatta (such as the ascetic Sumedha, a former life of Gotama Buddha) must fulfill Eight Strict Conditions (Aṭṭha Dhamma Samodhāna):

1. Must be a human being (manussatta).A prediction cannot be received while existing as a deva, an animal, or any other non-human being.
2. Must be male (liṅgasampatti).According to the Theravāda commentarial tradition, the Bodhisatta who receives the prediction of future Sammāsambuddhahood must be born as a man.
3. Must possess the capacity to attain Arahantship (hetu).This means the individual already has the spiritual maturity to attain Arahantship in that very life, yet voluntarily renounces immediate liberation to continue cultivating the Perfections (Pāramī) through countless aeons for the welfare of future beings. This is the crucial point: a Bodhisatta is not an ordinary worldling pursuing an impossible dream, but one already capable of liberation who deliberately postpones it in aspiration for Perfect Buddhahood.
4. Must encounter a living Sammāsambuddha (satthu-dassana).The prediction can only be received directly from a living Perfectly Self-Awakened Buddha.
5. Must have gone forth into the homeless life (pabbajjā).The aspirant must be a renunciant, such as an ascetic or a bhikkhu.
6. Must possess exceptional qualities of faith and meditative attainment (guṇasampatti).The aspirant has already attained the meditative absorptions (jhāna) and the five higher knowledges (abhiññā).
7. Must demonstrate supreme self-sacrifice (adhikāra).The aspirant must be willing to give even his own life for a Buddha, as exemplified by the ascetic Sumedha, who lay down in the mud so Dīpaṅkara Buddha could walk across without soiling His feet.
8. Must possess an unwavering aspiration (chandatā). The resolve to attain Perfect Buddhahood must be firm, irreversible, and never abandoned.

Conclusion

These conditions are so extraordinarily demanding that the number of Sammāsambuddhas (Perfectly Self-Awakened Buddhas) arising throughout the universe over immeasurable aeons is exceedingly rare—not an endless multitude as portrayed in later depictions of countless Buddhas presiding over imagined Pure Lands.

From this discussion, we have established the unique position of Gotama Buddha as a Sammāsambuddha.

A Paccekabuddha (Solitary Buddha) is indeed far more exalted than a disciple who attains awakening through the Buddha's teaching, yet in comparison with a Sammāsambuddha, the difference is like that between the light of the stars and the brilliance of the sun.
The distinction lies in the vastly greater cultivation of Pāramī (Perfections) over four asaṅkheyyas and one hundred thousand great aeons, resulting in unsurpassed wisdom and the unique ability to establish and proclaim the Dhamma for the liberation of countless beings.

Yet the most important question still remains:

Why can there never be two Sammāsambuddhas appearing simultaneously within the same world-system? (This question directly challenges the later belief that multiple fully enlightened Buddhas, such as Amitābha and Gotama Buddha, can exist at the same time, each establishing a teaching for the world.)
What aspects of the Buddha's wisdom extend so deeply into reality that even modern science continues to discover principles already encompassed within His understanding?

So far, we have clearly distinguished the two highest kinds of awakened beings in terms of their spiritual capacities and the immeasurable duration of their cultivation.

But the decisive question—the one that directly confronts the later concept of multiple supreme Buddhas existing simultaneously—is this:

Why can a universe no more contain two Sammāsambuddhas at the same time than the sky can contain two suns? Why is it impossible for one Perfectly Self-Awakened Buddha to be teaching in one place while another is simultaneously establishing a separate Dispensation elsewhere within the same world-system?

The next section draws upon the profound reasoning found in the Milindapañha (The Questions of King Milinda) and the Bahudhātuka Sutta (The Discourse on the Many Elements) to examine this question in detail and dispel these misconceptions.

The Universal Law of Uniqueness & the Impossibility of "Multiple Sammāsambuddhas"

I. THE LAW OF "ONE THRONE": THERE CANNOT BE TWO KINGS

In the Bahudhātuka Sutta (The Discourse on the Many Elements, Majjhima Nikāya 115), the Buddha declared an unalterable natural law (niyāma):

"It is impossible, Ānanda, it cannot happen, that in one world-system (lokadhātu) two Arahants, Perfectly Self-Awakened Buddhas (Sammāsambuddhas), should arise at the same time, neither earlier nor later. Such a thing cannot occur."

Why is this so?

It is not because Buddhas oppose one another or compete for influence. The reason lies in the natural structure and lawful order of the Dhamma.

1. The Profound Reasoning in the Milindapañha

King Milinda posed precisely this question to Venerable Nāgasena:

"Venerable Sir, if all Buddhas teach the same truth, why should not two or three appear at the same time, so that more beings may be taught more quickly?"

Venerable Nāgasena answered with a series of powerful analogies, demonstrating why the simultaneous appearance of two Sammāsambuddhas is impossible.

Reason 1: The World Cannot Bear the Spiritual Greatness of Two Sammāsambuddhas

"Great King, this earth can support the virtue and spiritual greatness of only one Buddha. If two Buddhas were to stand upon it at the same time, the earth would tremble, split apart, shatter, and sink beneath the waters. It is like a small boat built to carry only one person—if a second person climbs aboard, the boat will sink."

Meaning: The spiritual greatness of a Sammāsambuddha reaches the highest possible perfection. The natural order of the universe allows for only one such unsurpassed Fully Awakened One to arise within the same world-system at any given time.

Reason 2: To Prevent Division Within the Saṅgha

"Great King, if there were two Buddhas, their followers would inevitably say, 'This is my Buddha; that is your Buddha.' The Saṅgha would become divided into opposing groups. It would be like a kingdom ruled simultaneously by two kings—disorder would surely follow."

Meaning: Truth is one. The Supreme Teacher who establishes the Dispensation is one. Unity is an essential condition for the preservation of the True Dhamma.

Reason 3: The Natural Principle of Supreme Uniqueness

Venerable Nāgasena pointed to examples from the natural order to illustrate that whatever is supreme in its domain is singular:

There is only one Mount Sineru (Mount Meru) at the center of a world-system.
There is only one sun that illuminates the world.
The great ocean has only one supreme Nāga King.
The human world has only one Universal Monarch (Cakkavatti) at a time.
Likewise, within a single world-system, there can be only one Sammāsambuddha who fully discovers, establishes, and proclaims the Dhamma.

2. Examining the Later Concept of Multiple Buddhas

Based on the reasoning presented above, this perspective concludes that later texts depicting scenes such as Gotama Buddha teaching in the human world (Sahā-loka), Amitābha Buddha teaching in the Western Pure Land, and Bhaiṣajyaguru (Medicine Buddha) teaching in the Eastern realm are inconsistent with the principles established in the Theravāda Pāli Canon.

From the standpoint of the Pāli Canon, if Gotama Buddha is a Sammāsambuddha (Perfectly Self-Awakened Buddha), then His wisdom fully encompasses reality, and He possesses the complete ability to establish and proclaim the Dhamma for all beings who have the supporting conditions to realize it.

If another Buddha were required to complete the work of liberating beings, this line of reasoning would imply that the mission of Gotama Buddha as a Sammāsambuddha was somehow incomplete.
If Gotama Buddha already possesses the complete qualities of a Sammāsambuddha, then introducing additional contemporaneous Buddhas performing the same role within the same world-system would be unnecessary according to this interpretation.

Conclusion:

From the perspective of the Theravāda Pāli Canon as presented in this study, the concept of multiple contemporaneous Sammāsambuddhas is regarded as incompatible with the natural law described in the Canon. Accordingly, this interpretation views the later model of multiple Buddhas simultaneously presiding over different realms as a later doctrinal development rather than a teaching found in the Pāli Canon, and as differing fundamentally from the canonical principle that only one Sammāsambuddha arises within a single world-system at a given time.

II. THE ABSOLUTE DIFFERENCE IN WISDOM (Sabbaññutañāṇa)

Why is a Paccekabuddha (Solitary Buddha) unable to establish the Dhamma and lead others to attain enlightenment?

Many people assume, "If one has realized the Four Noble Truths, surely one can teach others." From the perspective of the Theravāda tradition, this is not the case.

To guide an ordinary person all the way to liberation requires an extraordinary range of wisdom that, according to the Pāli Canon and the Theravāda commentarial tradition, belongs uniquely to a Sammāsambuddha (Perfectly Self-Awakened Buddha). This includes the Ten Powers (Dasa Bala) and the Four Analytical Knowledges (Paṭisambhidā-ñāṇa).

1. Knowing the Spiritual Faculties of Beings

A Paccekabuddha knows the path to liberation, but does not possess the unique ability to discern, in full detail, the spiritual disposition and readiness of each individual for teaching.

For example, when meeting a butcher, a Paccekabuddha would not establish a complete teaching specifically tailored to lead that person to the Noble Path.

A Sammāsambuddha, however, with the Buddha-eye (Buddha-cakkhu), fully understands that person's spiritual history, accumulated tendencies, and present capacity. The Buddha knows precisely which teaching should be given, how it should be expressed, and at what time it should be delivered so that the listener has the greatest opportunity to understand and practice the Dhamma.

This is the Buddha's unsurpassed mastery in teaching—a quality not attributed to a Paccekabuddha.

2. Perfect Knowledge of the Diversity of Kamma and Its Results (Kammavipāka-ñāṇa)

A Sammāsambuddha sees with complete clarity the intricate network of kamma and its results extending across immeasurable lifetimes. He knows exactly which causes have produced a being's present condition and which obstacles must be removed for progress toward liberation.

A Paccekabuddha, although fully liberated, does not possess this same comprehensive and all-encompassing knowledge.

It is like comparing a physician who understands illness in general with the world's foremost specialist capable of diagnosing and treating the most subtle conditions with perfect precision.

3. The Ability to Formulate Conceptual Designations (Paññatti)

This is perhaps the most crucial distinction.

Ultimate reality (paramattha) is beyond language.

A Paccekabuddha directly realizes that ultimate truth but does not establish a complete system of concepts and terminology through which others can systematically learn, practice, and realize it.
A Sammāsambuddha possesses the unique ability to formulate and organize the Dhamma into conceptual designations (paññatti). He establishes teachings such as the Five Aggregates (Khandha), the Twelve Sense Bases (Āyatana), Dependent Origination (Paṭiccasamuppāda), the Noble Eightfold Path, and many other doctrinal frameworks, providing a coherent path by which countless beings can understand the Dhamma and practice toward liberation.

Without the appearance of a Sammāsambuddha, these systematic formulations of the Dhamma would not become known in the world.

III. THE TIME OF A BUDDHA'S APPEARANCE: WHEN DOES A BUDDHA ARISE?

A Buddha does not appear randomly. According to the Theravāda tradition, the arising of a Buddha follows a definite order governed by conditions and the proper time (kāla).

1. The Era Without a Buddha (Buddha-suñña)

This is the long and dark period in which the Dispensation (Sāsana) of the previous Sammāsambuddha has completely disappeared, while the next Sammāsambuddha has not yet arisen.

During this age of spiritual darkness, beings remain deeply immersed in suffering.

It is during such periods that Paccekabuddhas (Solitary Buddhas) may occasionally arise. They are like small flames shining in the night—awakening through their own efforts, living lives of purity, and serving as fields of merit for the world. Yet they do not establish a Dispensation capable of dispelling the darkness of ignorance for countless beings.

2. The Era of a Buddha (Buddha-uppāda)

When the lifespan of human beings and the moral condition of the world reach suitable circumstances—not excessively short, not excessively long, and with sufficient suffering for beings to seek liberation—a Bodhisatta who has completed the cultivation of the Perfections over four asaṅkheyyas and one hundred thousand great aeons will take birth and attain Perfect Enlightenment as a Sammāsambuddha.

Such a Buddha is like the rising of the sun.

Once the sun has risen, small flames are no longer needed. In the same way, when a Sammāsambuddha appears and establishes the Dhamma, the appearance of Paccekabuddhas comes to an end. The light of the Buddha's Dispensation illuminates the entire world.

The Principle
A Paccekabuddha does not arise while the Dispensation of a Sammāsambuddha is still present in the world. When the true Dhamma is available, those capable of liberation attain awakening by hearing and practicing that teaching, becoming Sāvakas (Disciple Arahants) rather than Paccekabuddhas.
Paccekabuddhas arise only during the intervals between the Dispensations of two Sammāsambuddhas.
Summary

From this discussion, several important distinctions become clear:

Regarding space: Within a single world-system (lokadhātu), only one Sammāsambuddha can arise at any given time. According to the Theravāda interpretation of the Pāli Canon, theories proposing multiple contemporaneous Sammāsambuddhas within the same world-system are inconsistent with this natural principle.
Regarding wisdom: Only a Sammāsambuddha possesses the unsurpassed wisdom, analytical knowledge, and teaching ability required to establish the Dhamma and guide others to liberation. A Paccekabuddha is a fully liberated Noble One but does not found a Dispensation or teach the path in that way.
Regarding appearance: The arising of a Sammāsambuddha is an extraordinarily rare event, occurring only when the necessary causes and conditions have matured over immeasurable periods of cultivation.

For followers of the Theravāda tradition, reverence for Gotama Buddha, the Supreme Teacher (Satthā Devamanussānaṃ) of our era, is therefore unique. He is the Fully Awakened One who rediscovered the Dhamma and established the path by which countless beings may attain liberation.

The next question naturally follows:

Can a practitioner living today become a Buddha?

And equally important:

What is the difference between a Sammāsambuddha and an Arahant (Disciple Awakened One)?

Many people mistakenly assume that an Arahant is spiritually inferior in terms of liberation. The next section will examine this question according to the Theravāda Pāli Canon and clarify the distinction.

(Topic: Is an Arahant a Buddha? & the Illusion of "Becoming a Bodhisatta" During the Present Dispensation)

I. IS AN ARAHANT (SĀVAKA ARAHANT) INFERIOR TO A BUDDHA?

Some later traditions portray an Arahant as being only partially awakened, while a Buddha is said to possess a "higher" or "more complete" enlightenment.

However, in the Saṃyutta Nikāya, the Buddha affirms the complete equality in liberation between Himself and the Arahants.

1. Equality in the Ending of Suffering

The Buddha taught:

"Bhikkhus, the Tathāgata is an Arahant, a Perfectly Self-Awakened Buddha. The disciples of the Tathāgata are also Arahants, liberated.

With respect to liberation from the defilements—greed, hatred, and delusion—and liberation from birth and death in saṃsāra, there is no difference between the Tathāgata and the Arahants."

Analysis
If the Buddha has completely eradicated greed, hatred, and delusion, then an Arahant has likewise eradicated them completely. There is no remaining trace of defilement in an Arahant; otherwise, that person would not truly be an Arahant.
Both have brought rebirth to an end.
Both realize Nibbāna. There is no such thing as a "greater Nibbāna" for a Buddha and a "lesser Nibbāna" for an Arahant. Nibbāna is the unconditioned reality and cannot be measured or ranked by size or degree.
2. The Only Difference: The Discoverer and the Follower

So where does the difference lie?

The Buddha explains it in the Thūpa Sutta:

"The Tathāgata is the one who discovers a path not previously discovered, creates a path not previously established, and proclaims a path not previously proclaimed.

The disciples are those who follow that path, continuing in the footsteps of the Tathāgata."

An Analogy
A Sammāsambuddha is like a great explorer who crosses an uncharted wilderness alone, draws the map, clears the road, and builds the bridges leading to the City of Nibbāna.
An Arahant is like a traveler who receives that map and follows the path.

The destination is exactly the same.

One arrives first and discovers the way; the other follows the discovered path. But both reach the very same destination.

Conclusion

From the standpoint of the Theravāda Pāli Canon, to dismiss Arahants as belonging to a "lesser vehicle" or to regard their liberation as incomplete is a mistaken view.

To belittle an Arahant is, in effect, to belittle the very purpose of the Buddha's Dispensation. For if the Buddha's teaching could not lead beings to complete liberation, but produced only "partially awakened" disciples, then the Dhamma would have failed to accomplish its own goal.

The Pāli Canon teaches otherwise: the liberation attained by an Arahant is complete, while the distinction between an Arahant and a Sammāsambuddha lies not in the completeness of liberation, but in the unique role of the Sammāsambuddha as the rediscoverer, founder, and incomparable teacher of the Dhamma in an age when the path has disappeared.

II. THE ASPIRATION TO BECOME A BUDDHA TODAY

Today, many people make the aspiration:

"I do not wish to become an Arahant. I want to become a Buddha so that I can liberate all beings."

It sounds noble, compassionate, and inspiring.

However, from the perspective of the Theravāda Vinaya, the Abhidhamma, and the classical Theravāda tradition, such an aspiration should be understood with great care.

1. The Cost of Perfect Buddhahood

As explained earlier, to become a Sammāsambuddha (Perfectly Self-Awakened Buddha) requires the cultivation of the Perfections (Pāramī) over four asaṅkheyyas and one hundred thousand great aeons.

Can we truly comprehend the magnitude of that timespan?

A great aeon (kappa) is an unimaginably vast period encompassing the formation, existence, dissolution, and re-formation of a world.
Four asaṅkheyyas refers to an incalculable span of time beyond ordinary numerical comprehension.

Throughout that immeasurable journey, according to the Bodhisatta tradition preserved in the Pāli texts and commentaries, the Bodhisatta repeatedly perfects generosity, morality, patience, determination, and the other Perfections through countless acts of self-sacrifice.

Because full awakening has not yet been attained, the Bodhisatta continues to wander in saṃsāra, experiencing the consequences of kamma across innumerable lives until the Perfections are finally brought to completion.

2. The Gamble of Saṃsāra

To aspire to Perfect Buddhahood means willingly postponing liberation available under the Dispensation of Gotama Buddha, choosing instead to continue through saṃsāra for inconceivably long periods in order to complete the Perfections.

This raises a profound question:

During those immeasurable lifetimes, who can guarantee that one will never fall into delusion?
Who can guarantee that one will never create unwholesome kamma leading to rebirth in states of great suffering?

From this perspective, the aspiration carries an immense responsibility and cannot be regarded lightly.

An analogy may help illustrate the point:

A prison door has already been opened, and someone says,

"Come out—the way to freedom is here."

Yet another person replies,

"No. I will remain inside for immeasurable ages so that one day I may discover and open another door myself."

This comparison is intended to encourage careful reflection on the gravity of postponing liberation when the path has already been rediscovered and fully revealed.

3. The Counsel of Wisdom

While the Dispensation of Gotama Buddha still exists in the world—even during a period regarded as one of decline according to traditional understanding—the wisest, safest, and most direct objective is to practice for the realization of Arahantship as a disciple of the Buddha.

The path has already been discovered.

The map has already been drawn.

The way has already been clearly explained.

The prudent course is to make full use of that map rather than imagining that one can rediscover the entire path independently while still an ordinary worldling.

One should first accomplish one's own liberation, and only then be in a position to benefit others most effectively.

For an ordinary person still struggling in the flood of saṃsāra to imagine rescuing the entire world before reaching the far shore is, from this perspective, a misunderstanding of the order in which liberation is realized according to the Theravāda tradition.

III. WHY "GOTAMA BUDDHA ALONE" IN THIS DISPENSATION?

Finally, to conclude this entire series, we return to the unique position of our Blessed Teacher, Gotama Buddha.

According to the perspective presented throughout this study, later traditions introduced figures such as Amitābha Buddha, Bhaiṣajyaguru (Medicine Buddha), and Mahāvairocana Buddha for reasons that differ from the presentation found in the Theravāda Pāli Canon.

This interpretation argues that these later developments primarily served certain religious and psychological needs:

A preference for prayer and supplication over personal cultivation.
A desire for miracles and external salvation.
An aspiration for blissful heavenly realms rather than the realization of the peaceful, selfless state of Nibbāna.

From this perspective, the emphasis shifts from Buddhism as a path of wisdom and practice to a form of religion centered on devotion and reliance upon transcendent figures.

The Concern

According to this interpretation, when one recites:

"Namo Amitābha Buddha,"

with the aspiration of being reborn in the Western Pure Land, one is in effect:

Turning attention away from the immeasurable gratitude owed to Gotama Buddha—the historical Buddha who appeared in ancient India, undertook the great struggle for Awakening, and rediscovered the path to liberation for the benefit of the world.
Leaving the root to pursue the branches—setting aside the Noble Eightfold Path (Virtue, Concentration, and Wisdom) in favor of a path centered primarily on faith and recitation.
Adopting a view that appears to conflict with the principle of kamma by believing that the mere recitation of a name, without the transformation of one's conduct and mind, is sufficient for liberation.

A natural question follows:

If liberation could be attained solely through recitation, regardless of one's actions and mental cultivation, what role would ethical conduct, meditation, and wisdom—the very heart of the Buddha's teaching—continue to play?

Conclusion

According to the Theravāda Pāli Canon, within the present Buddha Sāsana (Dispensation of the Buddha), there is one Fully Self-Awakened Buddha: Gotama Buddha (Sakyamuni Buddha).

From this standpoint, reverence is directed to Gotama Buddha and to the Dhamma that He rediscovered and proclaimed, for it is through His Dispensation that beings in this age have the opportunity to understand, practice, and realize the path leading to the end of suffering.

Dear friends,

Throughout the three parts of this comprehensive study, drawing upon the firm foundation of the Theravāda Pāli Canon and the classical commentarial tradition, we have examined and clarified the following:

The distinctions: A Sammāsambuddha (Perfectly Self-Awakened Buddha) is the Supreme Teacher of gods and humans, possessing Sabbaññutañāṇa (Omniscient Knowledge). A Paccekabuddha (Solitary Buddha) is a Fully Awakened One who realizes liberation independently but does not establish the Dhamma for the world. An Arahant is a Noble Disciple who fully realizes the same liberation by following the path rediscovered and proclaimed by a Sammāsambuddha.
The principle: Within a single world-system (lokadhātu), only one Sammāsambuddha can arise at a time. From the perspective of the Theravāda Pāli Canon presented in this study, later depictions of multiple contemporaneous Buddhas belong to later doctrinal developments rather than to the earliest strata of the Pāli Canon.
The path: The most practical and direct goal for practitioners living under the Dispensation of Gotama Buddha is to cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path toward Arahantship, whether in this very life or in future lives. Rather than aspiring to rediscover the path independently over immeasurable aeons, one should make full use of the complete path already revealed by the Buddha.
Final Words

Before His Final Passing Away, Gotama Buddha left this enduring instruction:

"Let the Dhamma and the Vinaya be your Teacher."

That Dhamma is the Four Noble Truths.

That Vinaya is the discipline established by the Buddha.

The way to liberation is found not through dependence upon external salvation, but through the cultivation of virtue (sīla), concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (paññā).

As the Buddha declared:

"Be islands unto yourselves; be your own refuge, with the Dhamma as your refuge."

This is the path of the wise.

This is the path of the true contemplative.

— True Dhamma —

Compiled from the Pāli Tipiṭaka, the Milindapañha (The Questions of King Milinda), and the Abhidhammattha Saṅgaha (A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma).

May the True Dhamma endure for a long time.

May right view flourish, and may wrong views gradually fade away.