Buddha is an epithet of those who have achieved enlightenment (bodhi), the goal of the Buddhist religious life. Buddha comes from the Sanskrit root ‘budh’, meaning to awaken, and the Buddhas are those who have awakened to the true nature of things as taught in the Four Noble Truths. Doctrinally, the Buddhas are those who have attained nirva?a by destroying the defilements known as asravas. Accordingly they are free of sensual craving (kama), becoming (bhava), and ignorance (avidya). Because they have eradicated all craving they have escaped from the round of cyclic existence (sa? sara) and will never again be reborn. For Theravada Buddhism, a Buddha is simply a human being who has undergone a profound spiritual transformation. In Mahayana thought, by contrast, the concept of the Buddha developed in various ways, notably in the doctrine of the Buddha's ‘three bodies’ (trikaya). In terms of this teaching, the Buddha is seen as a cosmic being who from time to time manifests himself in human form.

An important function of a Buddha is to act as a teacher, leading others to salvation by expounding the Dharma. The exception to this is the ‘private Buddha’ (Pratyekabuddha), who achieves enlightenment but does not teach. Such a Buddha is considered inferior to the ‘fully enlightened Buddha’ (samyak-sa?buddha) who teaches, and, according to Mahayana doctrine, is omniscient (sarvaj๑a) and possesses ten special powers (dasa-bala). Buddhas are distinguished from other enlightened beings such as Arhats by virtue of the fact that they discover the truth (Dharma) themselves, rather than hearing it from another. All schools of Buddhism believe there have been many Buddhas in the past and there will be more in the future, for instance Maitreya.

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