Sambuddha

Sambuddha is a term in Buddhism that refers to a fully enlightened being. It is often translated as "awakened one" or "fully enlightened Buddha." The most well-known Sambuddha is Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, who attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. A Sambuddha possesses perfect wisdom, compassion, and skill in teaching the Dharma.

The term implies an individual who has not only achieved liberation from suffering (nirvana) but also has the capacity to guide countless others to do the same. Sambuddhas are believed to arise in the world periodically to re-establish the teachings of the Dharma, which may have been forgotten or lost over time. Their enlightenment is considered complete and unexcelled.

In the Theravada tradition, there is a strong emphasis on the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, as the Sambuddha of our current era. In Mahayana Buddhism, the concept of Sambuddha is understood more broadly, and it is believed that there have been and will be many Sambuddhas throughout different cosmic cycles. The path to becoming a Sambuddha is an incredibly long and arduous one, typically spanning countless lifetimes of practice and accumulation of merit and wisdom.