Lecture 3

In the Theravāda tradition, the principal consideration seems to be that the Buddha was once an ordinary human being who was subject to rebirth and prone to all the difficulties that sentient beings have to endure. Then he became an arahant and knew that there would be no more rebirths in any of the realms. That the Buddha was able to make the transition from ordinary sentient being to an arahant is something that should encourage all human beings; it is a transition that in principle any human being can make, although it is usually said that not many human beings are likely to embark on that journey and that even fewer will reach the goal in this lifetime. ............................................................................................................ ................................................................................................... ......................................................................................... ........................................ ................................. ........................................................................... .......................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................... ...........................................................