Also what's up with the double v's
this post was submitted on 21 Jan 2026
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Isn't there like a bunch of Buddhas? And if you're talking about Budai is he not recognized as a Buddha or at least a Bodhisattva or an incarnation of Maitreya?
Yes. At least in Therevada, A Buddha is a name for a type of person who rediscovers the path to enlightenment, and teaches it. Another Buddha can only arise when the path is completely lost (which isn't now of course).
In my familiarity with Buddhism, mainly Chan Buddhism I think, a Buddha is a fully enlightened being who escapes samsara and is able to rediscover and teach the Dharma. There have been many Buddhas in the past and there will be many in the future, but only one fully enlightened Buddha appears in the world at a given time.
An arhat and other enlightened beings can also escape samsara, but they do not rediscover the Dharma on their own or establish a new teaching in the world the way a Buddha does.
A Bodhisattva is someone who will become a Buddha in the future and is delaying final Buddhahood out of compassion for all sentient beings, and Budai is a specific Bodhisattva who is traditionally regarded as an incarnation or manifestation of Maitreya, the future Buddha.
Not an expert but this is how I'm familiar with it.
Yep, this is the therevada belief also.
Cool
Mmm kinda, not really. In Therevada there is the Buddha. In the Mayahana schools theres whats called Bodhisattva's that are said to not choose nibbana at death and continue to be reborn to help others. Not really a thing in the older school like Theravada where the Bodhisatta is just the being that has the requisite karma to become a Buddha in this lifetime.
Then theres PaccecaBuddhas (theres no way i got that spelling right) and they're people who achieve full awakening but aren't compentant teachers and can't guide others along the path to enlightenment. The Buddha is the Buddha precisely because he was fully enlightened AND a great teacher who knew the path fully, how he got there and how to help others get there.
So, kinda, but not really? But that big fat monk that everyone in the west thinks is the Buddha was just a monk, not a Buddha
I know more about Theravada than the other schools so someone feel free to add to this or correct it
This isn't correct, in therevada also there were many past buddhas, and the current one, gotama, talks about them occasionally.
Yes, but aren't those in other world systems, not just Earth? Its been awhile since I read the suttas.
I don't remember either. But there have been and will be many more buddhas.
EDIT: I recall a sutta where Gotama looked into his past lives, and his encounter with one of the past buddhas that put in him the desire to become one. So I assume there have been many earth buddhas.
Yes, I remember that story as well, but I never assumed it had to be Earth for some reason. I should ask some monks ig.
I was speaking more from my experience with Chan Buddhism specifically, I’ll take your word on how it’s understood in Theravada, since that’s not my background. In the Chan context I’m somewhat familiar with, Buddhism isn’t usually framed as there being only one Buddha in an absolute sense, and figures like bodhisattvas and manifestations play a bigger role in how people understand practice and symbolism. From what I’ve seen and heard, Budai isn’t understood as Sakyamuni Buddha, but is commonly associated with Maitreya, sometimes described as an incarnation or symbolic manifestation rather than literally being “the Buddha himself.” There’s also generally an understanding in Chan that multiple Buddhas exist across different times and realms, so Sakyamuni isn’t seen as the only Buddha to ever exist, just the one connected to our current world and historical period.
I could be wrong and I definitely wouldn't take my word for it but that's my understanding at least.
It's basically exactly what QinShi was saying. Budai is considered to be an emanation of Maitreya. Maitreya is a tenth stage bodhisattva, which is very close to being a Buddha. And in particular, since Maitreya is the next Buddha of this world system, he's even more closely associated with being a Buddha, and if I understand correctly, is literally referred to as a Buddha in Chinese literature. So, yes, Budai is basically a Buddha.
Ah, I see, so not recognized by my school ig? I love learning about the other schools but really just stick with what makes sense to me/works for me. Thanks! Appreciate it!