Difference between Gautam Buddha and others
Meditationtime Forum Post
Date: Posted 3 years before Jan 18, 2017
MiBeloved 3 years ago
from Master Sayadaw’s book, “Knowing and Seeing” (page 154)
Question 4.7: The Buddha was a great arahant. What was the difference between Him, and disciples like the Venerable Sàriputta and the Venerable Mahàmoggallàna who were also arahants?
Answer 4.7: A Buddha’s Arahant Path is always associated with Omniscient Knowledge (sabba¤¤uta-¤àõa), but this is not the case with Arahant Path of disciples. That is, the Enlightenment of a Chief Disciple (aggasàvaka-bodhi), the Enlightenment of a Great Disciple (mahàsàvaka-bodhi), or the Enlightenment of an Ordinary Disciple (pakatisàvaka-bodhi). They are sometimes associated with the Four Analytical Knowledges (pañisambhidà-¤àõa); sometimes with the Six Direct Knowledges (abhi¤¤à); sometimes the three Direct Knowledges; or are sometimes a pure Arahant Path, but are not associated with Omniscient Knowledge (sabba¤¤uta-¤àõa). For example, Venerable Sàriputta’s and Mahàmoggallàna’s Arahant Paths were not associated with Omniscient Knowledge. The Buddha’s Arahant Path, on the other hand, is not only associated with Omniscient Knowledge, but also all the other knowledges as well as all the Buddha’s qualities.
Another thing is that Buddhas have, because of their matured pàramãs, attained the Path, Fruition, and Omniscient Knowledges by themselves, without a teacher. But a disciple can only attain the Path and Fruition Knowledges by listening to Dhamma related to the Four Noble Truths from a Buddha, or a Buddha’s disciple. They cannot practise by themselves, without a teacher. These are the differences.
