Why didn't the Buddha teach around the world?

[Wind]

Not when it goes against the Buddha's own recommendations, it isn't.
http://wisdomthroughmindfulness.blogspo ... ables.html

I think you'll find your futile enquiry is covered by the first of the four. see also the note.

Thanks Fede. I'm not sure if my question is unconjecturable but it could very well be. Thanks for pointing that out.

[PeterB]

Or perhaps he was an Enlightened MAN....

Yea, when I first learn of the Buddha I had this very idea as well. I thought he was just a mere man. Then the Suttas description of him seems to suggest he develop certain abilities after his enlightenment. It doesn't change the fact he is a man but he certainly not normal.

I didnt say that he was a mere man. I said an Enlightened man. An Enlightened man who said that speculating about his abilities was not condusive to our own Enlightenment.

[salmon]

1) It was too far to walk
2) He had the foresight that his disciples would be able to propagate the dhamma far and wide.

[Wind]

Or perhaps he was an Enlightened MAN....

Yea, when I first learn of the Buddha I had this very idea as well. I thought he was just a mere man. Then the Suttas description of him seems to suggest he develop certain abilities after his enlightenment. It doesn't change the fact he is a man but he certainly not normal.

I didnt say that he was a mere man. I said an Enlightened man. An Enlightened man who said that speculating about his abilities was not condusive to our own Enlightenment.

Thanks for clarifying.

[Rui Sousa]

Those beings with the appropriate Kamma were born in a place and time were they could learn the Dhamma directly from the Buddha.

After the Buddha's enlightenment he was pondering not teaching the Dhamma, it was at Brahma Sahampati's request that Buddha surveyed the world and saw that there were beings who could learn the Dhamma:

From "Ayacana Sutta: The Request" (SN 6.1): http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

As the Blessed One reflected thus, his mind inclined to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dhamma.

Then Brahma Sahampati, having known with his own awareness the line of thinking in the Blessed One's awareness, thought: "The world is lost! The world is destroyed! The mind of the Tathagata, the Arahant, the Rightly Self-awakened One inclines to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dhamma!" Then, just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, Brahma Sahampati disappeared from the Brahma-world and reappeared in front of the Blessed One. Arranging his upper robe over one shoulder, he knelt down with his right knee on the ground, saluted the Blessed One with his hands before his heart, and said to him: "Lord, let the Blessed One teach the Dhamma! Let the One-Well-Gone teach the Dhamma! There are beings with little dust in their eyes who are falling away because they do not hear the Dhamma. There will be those who will understand the Dhamma."

Since Kamma had lead those with the best conditions to learn the Dhamma to be born near the Buddha's location, it was not necessary to travel beyond India.

[Annapurna]

1. Wind, of course a Supreme Buddha has faculties a normal being doesn't have, he said so himself.

2. After Buddha reached enlightenment, he initially refused to share or spread his insights, because he thought people would not be interested.
Only after he was convinced by a deva, that he should do it for the few who would be interested, he finally agreed to. And waited for those to come to him.

Because that is the difference between a teacher and a preacher, there is a fine difference between the two...a really good teacher waits until he gets asked, but doesn't have a strong agenda to lecture and convince. A preacher has.

3. The Buddha also warned of the disadvantages of traveling, of dangers and so forth, but I don't recall in which suttha. So why would he do what he warned others of?

(I'm almost sure Cooran might know...)

4. Also, why would he need to travel, when he was already very busy with the people that came to him?

As others said before, traveling back then was not as comfortable as it is today.

Was my reply helpful?

With metta,

Anna

[Wind]

Was my reply helpful?

With metta,

Anna

Very helpful. Thanks for taking the time to address my question.

[Wind]

Those beings with the appropriate Kamma were born in a place and time were they could learn the Dhamma directly from the Buddha.

After the Buddha's enlightenment he was pondering not teaching the Dhamma, it was at Brahma Sahampati's request that Buddha surveyed the world and saw that there were beings who could learn the Dhamma:

From "Ayacana Sutta: The Request" (SN 6.1): http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

As the Blessed One reflected thus, his mind inclined to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dhamma.

Then Brahma Sahampati, having known with his own awareness the line of thinking in the Blessed One's awareness, thought: "The world is lost! The world is destroyed! The mind of the Tathagata, the Arahant, the Rightly Self-awakened One inclines to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dhamma!" Then, just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, Brahma Sahampati disappeared from the Brahma-world and reappeared in front of the Blessed One. Arranging his upper robe over one shoulder, he knelt down with his right knee on the ground, saluted the Blessed One with his hands before his heart, and said to him: "Lord, let the Blessed One teach the Dhamma! Let the One-Well-Gone teach the Dhamma! There are beings with little dust in their eyes who are falling away because they do not hear the Dhamma. There will be those who will understand the Dhamma."

Since Kamma had lead those with the best conditions to learn the Dhamma to be born near the Buddha's location, it was not necessary to travel beyond India.

Interesting point Rui Sousa.

[altar]

Hi Wind,
Several reasons. First, India was, as I am told, a much more fertile continent at the time spiritually speaking and in terms of mental development and the grounds for practice.
Second, and mostly, that imagine if you were to start your own cult, and you had 60 years to do it. If you got a following of 5 people here, and 5 people there, in 60 different locations, what would be odds that it would survive 10 generations? Whereas if you had a following of 300 in a single village, the odds might be quite significant that it would last.
Thirdly, the Buddha was content with not going overseas and teaching.
This is all logical speculation.
Zack

[Terasi]

Probably because traveling was not convenient that time, and he had a lot in his hand already.
If he had wanted to overcome distance and traveling problem, he would had to use "magic". The use of magic would attract people who were interested only in being magicians, and might even distract those who actually had only a bit of dust in their eyes. I mean, too much bells and whistles can't be good.

[Anicca]

Howdy Wind - ya ol' air head -

He was/is teaching around the world:

"For a long time, Lord, I have wanted to ... set eyes on the Blessed One ...
"Enough, Vakkali! What is there to see in this vile body? He who sees Dhamma, Vakkali, sees me ...

SN 22.87 Vakkali Sutta: Vakkali

Metta

[grasshopper]

Hi Wind,

If you have no trouble accepting that he had the ability to visit other realms, if they so exist i.e., then I assume you are comfortable in accepting he had supernatural powers as well.

According to Buddhist literature, Buddha is said to have worked according to a timetable and he is said to have devoted a special time to look around the world - with his Divine eye - for beings who had little dust and would benefit from his teachings. If he had the capability to visit other realms, how hard is it to visit Europe or Latin America? I don't see any reason why we should think that he did NOT visit other parts of the world. Besides, who keeps track of these things? The last people to boast about such events would be the Buddha himself and individiuals who benefitted from such private visits of Buddha.

Teaching an individual to achieve Lberation and creating a Sasana at a specific place are two different things IMO. The latter needs tremendous amount of support - monetary and otherwise, both - to sustain and propagate itself in addition to people who have the ability to gain Enlightenment. As far as I know, at that time, India was the only country on Earth where people who inhabited that place were ready for such a system and had the wealth to sustain it. Even before Buddha arrived, many Indians were leaving lay life and going forth into homelessness in search of Truth/ Moksha/ Nibbana. Begging for alms, living a celibate life and meditating in forests were one facet of normal life. I am yet to encounter any other culture, at that time, who have had a similar system. Indians were perhaps lucky and ready. Unfortunately it has become a minority religion now in India.

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/bud ... 26lbud.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Modus.Ponens]

Language barrier?

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

Language barrier?

It's always nice to see Occam's Razor come out when there's a risk of too much conceptual proliferation.

Metta,
Retro.

[grasshopper]

If language barrier was ever an issue, then Buddha couldn't have taught Dhamma in Sri lanka. How strong is the evidence that says Buddha visited Sri lanka thrice and taught there? As far as I know, the Suttas don't hold any evidence for it.