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Was Buddha enlightened?
Given how important the notion of enlightenment is to a Buddhist, it is amazing that the Buddhist world has no consensus on what the term “enlightenment” means. Certainly, most Buddhists believe that the historical Buddha was enlightened. But there is no agreement on the contents of his enlightenment. Just this fact alone indicates that the notion that Buddha was enlightened is a matter of religious belief quite similar to the belief that Jesus is God. In this article, I will explore the possible contents of Buddha’s enlightenment. I will also discuss how Buddha can be seen as “unenlightened” through a modern lens. My opinion on this subject is based on my three decades of study of Buddhism as a layperson. In terms of reference material, I rely primarily on Walpola Rahula’s book, What the Buddha Taught, which is commonly used as a textbook for a college course on Buddhism.
The word “Buddha” simply means “the awakened one.” The English term “enlightenment” is a rough translation of the Sanskrit word “Bodhi.” How is Buddha “enlightened”? Here, I will use the term “enlightened” in a general and broad sense, not in a religious or scholarly research sense. Thus, for the purpose of this discussion, “enlightened” means being wise, rational, well-informed and sensible. It also means being free from ignorance, misinformation, prejudice or biases. As for the cause of such “enlightenment,” it does not have to be…
