A Buddha is one who has attained an ideal state of intellectual and ethical perfection which can be attained by man by purely human means.
The truth dawned upon him, and he realized that all without exception were subject to birth, decay and death and that all worldly pleasures were only a prelude to pain. Comprehending thus the universality of sorrow, he tried to find the origin of it, and a panacea for this universal sickness. Accordingly he renounced the world and donned the simple garb of an ascetic.
Following an independent course avoiding the two extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification _ for the former tends to retard one’s spiritual progress and the latter to weaken one’s intellect _ unaided and unguided by any supernatural agency but solely relying on his own efforts, the consciousness of true insight possessed him. This new path is known as the Majjhima Patipada, the Middle Path, which subsequently became one of the salient characteristics of his teaching.
He saw the mistaken ways that all the various faiths maintained, he discerned the sources whence earthly suffering came and the way that leads to its annihilation. He saw that the cause of suffering lay in a selfish cleaving to life, and that the way of escape from suffering lay in treading the Eightfold Path. With discernment of these grand truths and their realization in life, the Bodhisatta eradicated all passions and attained enlightenment – he thus became a Buddha.
Noble Attributes of Buddha
1. Araham _ The Lord Buddha is holy as he is entirely free of all defilement and impurity of mind.
2. Sammasambudho _ The Lord Buddha discovered all ultimate realities (dhammas) as they really are; in other words, Lord Buddha attained absolute enlightenment.
3. Vijjacaranasampanno _ The Lord Buddha is endowed with special knowledge, such as Knowledge to remember past lives of self and Others The Divine Eye or the telepathic vision Knowledge required to extinguish the earthly passions.
4. Sugato _ He also spoke rightly for the welfare and happiness of the entire world.
5. Lokavidu _ He had complete knowledge of the world, the creatures of the world and their lives; in other words, having a perfect worldly wisdom.
6. Anuttaro purisa damma sirathi _ He surpasses the entire world in the attributes of morality and wisdom; and he could tame men, i.e., he could help men become free from the passion, free from defilement, and establish in the precepts of virtue.
7. Satthadevamanusssanam _ The Lord Buddha is the greatest teacher for all. He taught his followers to lead a noble eightfold way of life (explained in Essence of Buddhism Page) .
8. Buddho _ He has discovered the four universal noble truths of life (explained in Essence of Buddhism Page) .
9. Bhagava _ He is associated with glory (Here the word glory is used to refer to supernatural will powers attained by Buddha because of his good deeds and meditation).
