Ask Osho!

Were there buddhas before and after Buddha?

Synthesized from Source definition

"Buddhahood is not confined to a single individual; it is the timeless awakening of consciousness that transcends time and space."

According to Osho, Buddhahood is a timeless state of awakened consciousness, not a person. Gautam became a Buddha, but many buddhas existed before him and many after; he himself acknowledged earlier ones. ‘Buddha’ simply means one in whom awareness has fully dawned. The Zen question—sweeping before or after Buddha—points beyond chronology to the present quality of awareness.
Buddha just means fully awake; people were awake before and after Gautam, and what matters is being aware right now.
Why this matters practically
- Shifts focus from worshiping a person to cultivating awareness in daily actions.
- Affirms that awakening is possible for you here and now.
- Frees practice from history and centers it in the present moment.
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