Wait wait wait there have definitely been thousands of enlightened beings since the Buddha. In the Buddha's time alone, in fact, there were hundreds and hundreds of enlightened ones who heard his teaching and were liberated.Epimetheus wrote:Thanks for the answers/links. Just a couple more questions:
Was wondering with regard to imaginos' comment that the Theravada tradition is closest to the Buddha's original teachings. I'm led to believe the teachings were passed verbally for many generations before being written. We could not then be entirely certain what the Buddha actually said, but the earlier the writings the more likely they were similar to the Buddha's teachings. Is this a reasonable understanding?
If there have been no further enlightened beings since Buddha, which is why we should go directly to the buddha's teachings not elsewhere, then how can we know the teachings actually work: they would seem not to be producing the desired effect. If however, beings have become enlightened from the Buddha's teachings would it not be more prudent to follow them, for they have understood the teaching and are close to us (in time if not geographically)?
In Buddhism, there are three types of enlightened ones. One person hears the teaching of the Buddha and becomes enlightened. One discovers enlightenment for him/herself, but lacks the ability to teach it - they call these people "private Buddhas." The final category is the perfectly self-enlightened one, the Sammasambuddha, the one who through unending wisdom and effort discovers the Dhamma and goes to teach it to everyone out of compassion. The Buddha was Sammasambuddha, and his enlightenment, although not qualitatively different from the enlightenment of any other being, was accompanied by supreme understanding and unmatched wisdom. All other enlightened ones from the Buddha to today are in the first category - they reached enlightenment because of the teaching of the Buddha, not through their own wisdom. That's what separates the Buddha from any other enlightened being.
But make no mistake, the Theravada lineage has definitely lead to quite a bit of enlightenment =]
As for the transmission of the Tipitika, or our "scriptures," for lack of a better term, it's not possible to know for sure that every single verse is accurate and straight from the Buddha's mouth. However, the themes and concepts that appear over and over again could not have possibly "slipped in" at a later date, so to speak. The Three Marks, the Four Noble Truths, rebirth, kamma, etc. all permeate the writings in the Tipitika to such a degree that it would be absurd to assume the historical Buddha didn't teach them. However, one of the great things about Buddhism is that we don't have a slavish devotion to the letter of the text; it's totally okay to be skeptical towards the complete inerrancy of every single word.
I hope that helps a bit.
