Just A Thought ~ NOT A PERSONALITY-CULT

To the seeker after Truth it is immaterial where an idea comes from. The source and development of an idea is a matter for the academic. In fact, in order to understand Truth, it is not necessary even to know whether the teaching comes from the Buddha, or from anyone else. What is essential is seeing and understanding it. There is a story in the Majjhima-Nikaya (Sutta No. 140) which illustrates this.

The Buddha once spent a night in a potter's shed. In the same shed there was a young recluse who had arrived there earlier. They did not know each other. The Buddha observed the recluse, and thought to himself: 'Pleasant are the ways of this young man. It would be good if I should ask about him'. So the Buddha asked him: 'O monk, in whose name have you left home? Who is your master? Whose doctrine do you like?'

'O friend,' answered the young man, 'there is the recluse Gotama, who left the Sakya-family to become a recluse. There is high repute abroad of him that he is an Arahant, a Fully-Enlightened One. In the name of that Blessed One I have become a recluse. He is my Master, and I like his doctrine.'

'Where does that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully-Enlightened One live at the present time?'

'In the countries to the north, friend, there is a city called Savatthi. It is there that that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully- Enlightened One, is now living.'

'Have you ever seen him, that Blessed One? Would you recognize him if you saw him?'

'I have never seen that Blessed One. Nor should I recognize him if I saw him.'

The Buddha realized that it was in his name that this unknown young man had left home and become a recluse. But without divulging his own identity, he said: 'O monk, I will teach you the doctrine. Listen and pay attention. I will speak."

'Very well, friend,' said the young man in assent.

Then the Buddha delivered to this young man a most remarkable discourse explaining Truth. It was only at the end of this discourse that this young recluse, whose name was Pukkusati, realized that the person who spoke to him was the Buddha himself. So he got up, went before the Buddha, bowed down at the feet of the Master, and apologized to him for calling him 'friend' unknowingly. He then begged the Buddha to ordain him and admit him into the Order."

~ Extracted from "What The Buddha Taught," by Ven. Walpola Rahula ~

It is clear from this that the Buddha did not look too extraordinary, such as many people believe, and as he is represented in most images and pictures. It is also clear that Buddhism is not a personality-cult, with the Buddha at the center.