Titles of the Buddha (in Pali & English)

[sukhamanveti]

Hello.

As one of my research projects, I have been compiling a list of the titles given to the Buddha in Pali literature. So far I have 26. I know that there are many more. I think that each one is an answer to the question, "Who is the Buddha?" Several are said to be pre-Buddhist terms for enlightened or liberated ones. Interestingly, four titles applied to the Buddha at AN 4.23 are also applied by Maha Brahma to himself at DN 11.81 (abhibhu, anabhibhuta, annadatthudaso, vasavatti). I don't know what this means. If anyone has any more titles that they can add to the list or any corrections to the translations, I would appreciate the information. This is what I have now:


Titles of the Buddha

Abhibhu “Vanquisher”

Abhisambuddha “Fully-Enlightened One” (=Sammasambuddha)

Anabhibhuto “Unvanquished”

Angirasa “Radiant One” or “One of the Angirasa Tribe”

Annadatthudasa “All-Seeing One” (=Samantacakkhu)

Anuttara Purisadammasarathi “An Unsurpassed Leader of Persons to be Tamed”

Arahat “Worthy One” or “Accomplished One” (i.e., one who has attained liberation)

Bhagava “Exalted One” or “Sublime One” (i.e., one who is rich in positive qualities), often rendered “Blessed One” or “Lord”

Bhisakka “Physician”

Buddha “Enlightened One,” “Awakened One,” or “One Who Knows”

Cakkhuma “Seeing,” “One Who Sees,” or “The One with Vision”

Dasabala “Ten-Powered One” (the Buddha’s ten powers of knowledge are listed in MN 12)

Jina “Conqueror” or “Victor” (=Buddha)

Lokavidu “Knower of the World”

Sabbabhibhu “One Who Overcomes All” or “One Who Transcends All”

Sabbabhibhu Dhiro “All-Vanquishing Sage,” “All-Transcending Sage”

Sakyamuni “Sage of the Sakya Clan”

Sammasambuddha “Fully-Enlightened One” (=Abhisambuddha)

Samantacakkhu “All-Seeing One” (=Annadatthudasa)

Sattha Devamanussanam “Teacher of Devas and Humans”

Siha “Lion”

Sugata “Well Gone” or “Gone to Bliss” (i.e., one who has reached a happy state of existence)

Tathagatha “Thus Gone One” or “Thus Come One”

Ukkadharo Manussanam “Torchbearer of Mankind”

Vasavatti “Wielder of Mastery,” “Master,” “One Wielding Power”

Vijjacaranasampanna “Endowed with Knowledge and Good Conduct”

[David N. Snyder]

As one of my research projects, I have been compiling a list of the titles given to the Buddha in Pali literature. So far I have 26. I know that there are many more. I think that each one is an answer to the question, "Who is the Buddha?" Several are said to be pre-Buddhist terms for enlightened or liberated ones. Interestingly, four titles applied to the Buddha at AN 4.23 are also applied by Maha Brahma to himself at DN 11.81 (abhibhu, anabhibhuta, annadatthudaso, vasavatti). I don't know what this means. If anyone has any more titles that they can add to the list or any corrections to the translations, I would appreciate the information. This is what I have now:

Excellent list! I have a list too:

http://dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=6 ... for_Buddha

I think you have some that I don't have, so I'll have to update my list. I like the idea you have of showing the Pali too.

I currently have 67 on my list, but I think there are more.

[sukhamanveti]

As one of my research projects, I have been compiling a list of the titles given to the Buddha in Pali literature. So far I have 26. I know that there are many more. I think that each one is an answer to the question, "Who is the Buddha?" Several are said to be pre-Buddhist terms for enlightened or liberated ones. Interestingly, four titles applied to the Buddha at AN 4.23 are also applied by Maha Brahma to himself at DN 11.81 (abhibhu, anabhibhuta, annadatthudaso, vasavatti). I don't know what this means. If anyone has any more titles that they can add to the list or any corrections to the translations, I would appreciate the information. This is what I have now:

Excellent list! I have a list too:

http://dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=6 ... for_Buddha

I think you have some that I don't have, so I'll have to update my list. I like the idea you have of showing the Pali too.

I currently have 67 on my list, but I think there are more.

Wow! Thanks. I like your list.

It is also good to meet a fellow list enthusiast.

I just found another one this morning: Santo Muni ("The Peaceful Sage") at MN 131.3 (and in the parallel passages in MN 132, 133, 134). Now I'm trying to track down the Pali for "Giver of the Deathless" at MN 133.9. (I also wonder if "lord of the Dhamma" there is Dhammaraja in Pali. We'll see.)

Ed

[Kare]

Hello.

As one of my research projects, I have been compiling a list of the titles given to the Buddha in Pali literature. So far I have 26. I know that there are many more. I think that each one is an answer to the question, "Who is the Buddha?" Several are said to be pre-Buddhist terms for enlightened or liberated ones. Interestingly, four titles applied to the Buddha at AN 4.23 are also applied by Maha Brahma to himself at DN 11.81 (abhibhu, anabhibhuta, annadatthudaso, vasavatti). I don't know what this means. If anyone has any more titles that they can add to the list or any corrections to the translations, I would appreciate the information. This is what I have now:


Titles of the Buddha

Abhibhu “Vanquisher”

Abhisambuddha “Fully-Enlightened One” (=Sammasambuddha)

Anabhibhuto “Unvanquished”

Angirasa “Radiant One” or “One of the Angirasa Tribe”

Annadatthudasa “All-Seeing One” (=Samantacakkhu)

Anuttara Purisadammasarathi “An Unsurpassed Leader of Persons to be Tamed”

Arahat “Worthy One” or “Accomplished One” (i.e., one who has attained liberation)

Bhagava “Exalted One” or “Sublime One” (i.e., one who is rich in positive qualities), often rendered “Blessed One” or “Lord”

Bhisakka “Physician”

Buddha “Enlightened One,” “Awakened One,” or “One Who Knows”

Cakkhuma “Seeing,” “One Who Sees,” or “The One with Vision”

Dasabala “Ten-Powered One” (the Buddha’s ten powers of knowledge are listed in MN 12)

Jina “Conqueror” or “Victor” (=Buddha)

Lokavidu “Knower of the World”

Sabbabhibhu “One Who Overcomes All” or “One Who Transcends All”

Sabbabhibhu Dhiro “All-Vanquishing Sage,” “All-Transcending Sage”

Sakyamuni “Sage of the Sakya Clan”

Sammasambuddha “Fully-Enlightened One” (=Abhisambuddha)

Samantacakkhu “All-Seeing One” (=Annadatthudasa)

Sattha Devamanussanam “Teacher of Devas and Humans”

Siha “Lion”

Sugata “Well Gone” or “Gone to Bliss” (i.e., one who has reached a happy state of existence)

Tathagatha “Thus Gone One” or “Thus Come One”

Ukkadharo Manussanam “Torchbearer of Mankind”

Vasavatti “Wielder of Mastery,” “Master,” “One Wielding Power”

Vijjacaranasampanna “Endowed with Knowledge and Good Conduct”

The earliest Pali dictionary, Abhidhanappadipika, is not arranged alphabetically, but collects groups of words with similar meaning. Luckily an edition from Varanasi 1981 also adds an alphabetical register, so that it is easier to look up words.

The first group of words in the book are terms for the Buddha.

In addition to the ones on you list, Abhidhannappadika lists:

Sabbaññu - "All-knowing"
Dipaduttama - "The best on two feet"
Muninda - "Lord of Sages"
Natha - "The Helper"
Muni - "Sage"
Lokanatha - "Helper of the World"
Anadhivara - "Unsurpassed"
Mahesi - "Great Seer"
Vinayaka - "Trainer, Leader"
Bhuripañña - "With Great Wisdom"
Maraji - "Conqueror of Mara"
Narasiha - "Lion Man"
Dhammaraja - "King of the Dhamma"
Mahamuni - "Great Sage"
Devadeva - "God of Gods"
Lokagaru - "Teacher of the World"
Dhammassami - "Lord of the Dhamma"
Sayambhu - "Self-Dependent"
Varapañña - "Of Excellent Wisdom"
Nayaka - "Guide"
Siddhattha - his given name
Gotama - his family name
Sakyasiha - "Lion of the Sakyas"
Adiccabandhu - "Related to the Sun"
Sattha - "Teacher"

[green]

I don't know if some of these are titles or characteristics or Both:



(MN 18 Madhupindika Sutta The Ball of Honey )

Knowing, the Blessed One knows;
seeing, He sees.
He is the Eye element,
He is become Knowledge ,
He is become Dhamma ,
He is become Brahma .
He is the speaker, the proclaimer, the elucidator of meaning,
the giver of the Deathless,
the Lord of the Dhamma,
the Tathagata.

bhagavA jAnam jAnAti,
passam passati,
cakkhubhUto
gyAnabhUto
dhammabhUto
brahmabhUto,
vattA pavattA,
atthassa ninnetA,
amatassa dAtA,
dhammassAmA (Dharma Swami)
tathAgato.

Aganna Sutta

Brahma Kaya (the Body of Brahma)
Dhamma Kaya (the Body of Dhamma)

Anuradha Sutta To Anuradha

the supreme man,
the superlative man,
attainer of the superlative attainment

uttamapuriso
paramapuriso
paramapattippatto


MAJJHIMA NIKâYA II
5. 2. Selasuttaü
(92) To the Brahmin Sela

King of Kings (Rajabhiraja)
King of Righteousness (Dhamma raja)

And of course from the Buddha anusati:
1)Araham : worthy of worship
2) Sammasambuddho - complete knower
3)Vijja carana sampanno - walking evenly?
4) Sugato -- happy one (gone to happiness)
5)lok Vidu - knower of the world
6)anuttaro - Supreme
7) purisa damma sarathi -- charioteer of men
8) satta deva manusanam -- teacher of gods and men
9) Buddho - the one who knows
10) Bhagava - Blessed Lord.

[sukhamanveti]

Kare & Green, Thank you much for the information!

Ed

[Dhammanando]

Hi Sukhamanveti,

If anyone has any more titles that they can add to the list or any corrections to the translations, I would appreciate the information.

If you download the Buddhaguṇagāthāvalī you will find hundreds of them, arranged thematically as in a thesaurus. For example, if you look up "tathāgata" you will get:

yathāvādī tathākārī, tathavādī tathāgato.
yathākārī tathāvādī, buddhaṃ taṃ paṇamāmyahaṃ.

and:

maggagavesī maggagū, maggakkhāto tathāgato.
amatamaggaṃ dassāvī, buddhaṃ taṃ paṇamāmyahaṃ.

http://nt.med.ncku.edu.tw/biochem/lsn/newrain/canon/pali-tipitaka-f1/Anna/Buddhavandana/Buddhagunagatha.doc

Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu

[sukhamanveti]

Hi Sukhamanveti,

If anyone has any more titles that they can add to the list or any corrections to the translations, I would appreciate the information.

If you download the Buddhaguṇagāthāvalī you will find hundreds of them, arranged thematically as in a thesaurus. For example, if you look up "tathāgata" you will get:

yathāvādī tathākārī, tathavādī tathāgato.
yathākārī tathāvādī, buddhaṃ taṃ paṇamāmyahaṃ.

and:

maggagavesī maggagū, maggakkhāto tathāgato.
amatamaggaṃ dassāvī, buddhaṃ taṃ paṇamāmyahaṃ.

http://nt.med.ncku.edu.tw/biochem/lsn/newrain/canon/pali-tipitaka-f1/Anna/Buddhavandana/Buddhagunagatha.doc

Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu

Thank you, Bhante! That is an amazing resource.

Ed

[green]

I hope we can get the suttas that some of those titles are found in...

[David N. Snyder]

The suttas and also in English would have been great.

I need to study my Pali faster.