Tathagata Buddha* – Thus gone One

Tathagata, an epithet for the Buddha, means thus gone one. It means the one who has gone beyond all suffering, all false views, and all entrapment in samsara – the cycle of existence.

I see Tathagata as presenting a different aspect of the Buddha. Buddha means awakened one – awakened to reality. Tathagata signifies, to me, the one who has left behind the sorrows of the world, but remains to teach us. Kind of relative and absolute meaning.

Tathagata Summary

Central Node: Tathagata (Sanskrit)

Type: Title used for the Buddha

Definition: Tathagata is one of the ten epithets used to refer to the Buddha in Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism. It literally translates to “Thus Gone One” or “One Who Has Thus Gone.”

Significance:

• Tathagata refers to the Buddha’s unique qualities and accomplishments:
  • Perfect awakening and liberation from suffering (samsara).
  • Transcending the limitations of ordinary experience.
  • Attaining a state of perfect wisdom and compassion.

Relationship to the Buddha:

• Tathagata is not a separate entity from the Buddha but a title highlighting specific aspects of his enlightened nature.
• Other epithets used for the Buddha, like Shakyamuni (Sage of the Shakyas) or Bhagavan (World-Honored One), emphasize different qualities.

Related Entities:

• Buddha: The historical person, Siddhartha Gautama, who attained enlightenment and became known as the Buddha.
• Nirvana/Nibbana: The state of liberation from suffering that the Buddha achieved.
• Bodhisattva: A being who is on the path to enlightenment, motivated by compassion to help others achieve liberation.

Possible Connections:

• The concept of Tathagata can be مرتبط (murtabit, Arabic for “connected”) to ideas of perfected beings or enlightened ones in other religious traditions.
• In some Mahayana schools, the concept of Tathagata Buddha-garbha (“Tathagata womb”) suggests the potential for Buddhahood within all beings.

Additional Notes:

• The meaning and interpretation of Tathagata can vary slightly across different Buddhist schools and traditions.
• The term is often used in Buddhist scriptures and chants to refer to the Buddha.

Eight Meanings of Tathagata – Buddhagosa

1. One arriving in this manner – having traveled the bodhisattva path for eons.
2. One who traveled the same path as all Buddhas.
3. One whose prajna penetrates reality
4. All-victorious over false views
5. One who sees truth unerringly.
6. One who proclaims reality fearlessly.
7. One whose actions and speech are completely harmonious.
8. The Physician of the world with the all-curing salve.

Qualities of the Tathagata

The qualities of a Buddha are beyond ordinary understanding and measurement. Here are key points:

• Unmeasurable and Inconceivable: A Buddha is said to be immeasurable, inscrutable, hard to fathom, and not apprehended by ordinary beings. This means a Buddha’s enlightened state is beyond our usual ways of thinking and categorizing.
• Free from Mental Aggregates: A Buddha has let go of attachment to the mental and physical aspects that make up our sense of self (skandhas). These are seen as burdens, and a Buddha is free from them.
• Beyond Labels and Descriptions: The passage explains that an enlightened being cannot be defined or labeled by any single characteristic. They are beyond the limitations of ordinary experience.
• Unobtainable by Others: Even other enlightened beings or powerful deities cannot fully grasp or find a Buddha’s true nature.
• Sariputta’s Example: The passage mentions Sariputta, a highly realized disciple, acknowledging that even he cannot fully comprehend the Buddha’s mind.

The profound and extraordinary nature of a Buddha’s enlightenment transcends our usual understanding and limitations.

• Vaccha’s Question: An ascetic named Vaccha asks the Buddha about the state of a Tathagata (enlightened being) after death. This question is essentially unanswerable.
• The Fire Analogy: The Buddha uses the analogy of a fire that has gone out. When there’s no fuel, a fire ceases to exist. Similarly, a Tathagata is free from the “fuel” that sustains a sense of self (the five aggregates – form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness).
• Beyond Definition: Because a Tathagata has transcended these aggregates, they cannot be defined or described using ordinary concepts or language. They are like the vast and immeasurable ocean, beyond our usual frames of reference.
• Applicable to Life: This concept isn’t just about death. The Sutta clarifies that liberation (enlightenment) can be achieved even in this lifetime, and the metaphor applies equally. The Buddha himself exemplifies this state of being free from the aggregates.
• Beyond Names and Concepts: The text mentions that the sage cannot be “reckoned” because they are free from the limitations of concepts and names. These limitations prevent us from fully articulating or understanding the enlightened state.

Key Takeaways:

• Enlightenment is a state beyond the limitations of our usual language and concepts.
• The Sutta uses metaphors to point towards this experience rather than providing a definitive explanation.
• The concept applies not just to the afterlife but also to liberation achievable in this lifetime.

5 Tathagathas

The Five Tathagatas, also known as the Five Wisdom Tathagatas, the Five Dhyani Buddhas, or the Five Jinas, are a group of five Buddhas who are often venerated together in Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism.

Here’s a breakdown of the Five Tathagatas:

1. Akshobhya (Immovable):

• Color: Blue
• Direction: East
• Quality: Unwavering mind, patience, and purity
• Practice: Overcoming anger and cultivating equanimity

2. Ratnasambhava (Jewel-Born):

• Color: Yellow
• Direction: South
• Quality: Generosity, abundance, and prosperity
• Practice: Overcoming greed and cultivating generosity

3. Vairocana (Resplendent One):

• Color: White or golden
• Direction: Center
• Quality: Dharmakaya (ultimate reality), all-encompassing wisdom
• Practice: Embodiment of the Buddha’s essence

4. Amitabha (Limitless Light):

• Color: Red or golden
• Direction: West
• Quality: Compassion, pure land (Sukhavati)
• Practice: Overcoming attachment and cultivating compassion

5. Amoghasiddhi (Unfailing Accomplishment):

• Color: Green
• Direction: North
• Quality: Action, power, success in achieving enlightenment
• Practice: Overcoming envy and cultivating skillful means

Significance:

• These Buddhas represent different aspects of enlightenment and qualities a practitioner cultivates on the path.
• They are often used as meditational deities to embody specific qualities or overcome certain obstacles.
• Their colors and directions hold symbolic meaning within Buddhist mandalas.

Important Notes:

• There can be some variation in names and iconography across different Vajrayana traditions.
• The concept of the Five Tathagatas is quite complex and has deeper philosophical meanings within Vajrayana teachings.

Other meanings for Tathagata

• Omniscient one
• All-seeing one
• One passed to suchness
• Passed beyond
• Unfathomable
• Beyond experience
• Non-identifiable (cannot be labeled)
• Sugata (Gone to Bliss – Vajrayana)

May all beings be happy

May all beings be peaceful

May all beings be safe

May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature

May all beings be free