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How Many Buddhas Are There?

Published in Buddhist Concepts 2 mins read

The question "How many Buddhas are there?" can be understood in different ways. In the vast cosmology of Buddhism, the number of Buddhas is considered countless and infinite across time and space. However, various Buddhist traditions also name and list specific Buddhas who have appeared throughout history in our world system, including those who came before Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha.

The Infinite Nature of Buddhahood

According to Buddhist philosophy, Buddhahood is a state of perfect enlightenment that can be attained by anyone who follows the path to liberation. Over eons, in innumerable world systems, countless beings have achieved and will achieve this state. Therefore, from a cosmic perspective, the total number of Buddhas is immeasurable.

Named Buddhas in Buddhist Scripture

While the ultimate number is infinite, certain Buddhist scriptures and traditions provide lists of specific Buddhas who have appeared in our particular world system over vast periods of time. These lists serve to illustrate the long lineage of enlightened beings and provide points of focus for reverence and contemplation.

One such list includes the Buddhas who preceded Siddhartha Gautama. According to the information found in resources like the List of the Named Buddhas, there are often 29 named Buddhas cited in specific texts like the Buddhavamsa (Chronicle of Buddhas). These lists typically start with the earliest named Buddha and culminate with Gautama Buddha.

The 29 Named Buddhas

The list of the 29 named Buddhas includes figures from incredibly distant pasts. Examples of these named Buddhas, as mentioned in the provided reference, include:

  • Paduma (Pāli) / Padma (Sanskrit)
  • Nārada (Pāli) / Nārada (Sanskrit)
  • Padumuttara (Pāli) / Padmottara (Sanskrit)
  • Sumedha (Pāli) / Sumedha (Sanskrit)

These names represent a lineage of enlightened masters stretching back through countless ages, demonstrating that the path to Buddhahood has been tread and taught long before the historical Buddha of our current era. The most recent Buddha in this specific lineage of 29 is Siddhartha Gautama himself, who achieved enlightenment approximately 2,500 years ago and is often referred to as the historical Buddha or the Buddha Shakyamuni.

Therefore, while the ultimate number of Buddhas is beyond count, specific scriptural traditions name a particular number of Buddhas relevant to our world system's history, such as the list of 29 named Buddhas.