Buddha wiki:
>For other uses, see Buddha (disambiguation). Buddha (Sanskrit, Pali, others: literally Awakened One or Enlightened One, from the root: âbudh, "to awaken") is a title used in Buddhism for anyone who has discovered enlightenment (bodhi), although it is commonly used to refer to Siddhartha Gautama, the historical founder of Buddhism. Generally, Buddhists do not consider Siddhartha Gautamaâwho lived from about 623 BC to 543 BC, and attained bodhi around 588 BCâto have been the first or the last Buddha. From the standpoint of classical Buddhist doctrine, a Buddha is anyone who rediscovers the Dharma and achieves enlightenment, having amassed sufficient positive karma to do so. There have existed many such beings in the course of cosmic time. Hence, Gautama Buddha (known by the religious name Shakyamuni) is one member of a spiritual lineage of Supreme Buddhas going back to the dim past and forward into the distant future. According to the Tripitaka, for instance, Gautama Buddha was the 28th Buddha. His immediate predecessor was Dipankara Buddha, and his successor will be named Maitreya.
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