A: Traditionally speaking? No, for a couple of simple reasons. 1) The Buddha achieved enlightenment, and was therefore never reincarnated again, and lives in a state of nirvana. 2) If I were really the Buddha, I wouldn't be answering this question. My answers would get in the way of your enlightenment. A Buddhist spiritual leader facilitates the finding of answers, not the answering of questions.
The simple stuff out of the way, I'll now attempt a more involved answer. Just because someone is not "The Buddha" does not mean they cannot be "A Buddha." Let's take a look at what the Buddha and I have in common, and what sets us apart.
| The Buddha | Myself |
| Buddhas poetry looks kind of contrived and redundant when written in english |
Mine Too |
| Buddha is usually depicted as a very plump fellow |
I have NEVER been depicted this way |
| Buddha was in a constant state of relaxation, and spent a lot of time under trees |
I'm usually pretty chilled out, and I've spent a decent amount of time climbing trees |
| According to Buddhist teachings, concrete notions get in the way of enlightenment. |
I tend to think of people in very general terms. I always have trouble describing
my friends to other people as a result. |
| The Buddha's "true" name was Siddhartha. |
I think Smithra's pretty close |
| The Buddha had many followers who pretty much hung on his every word. |
I'm working on that part |
So, I'm not an exact match for the Buddha, but maybe we've got some sort of connection. According to Buddhist teachings, there is no soul. I kind of like the idea of a soul. Most people also have trouble understanding how you can have reincarnation without a soul. I'll give you the example that was given to me: If a candle is about to go out, having consumed all of its wax, you can touch the flame to another candle. Without any physical transfer, there has been a connection made between the two candles. I'm not sure I buy this explanation. Maybe the flame is your soul. Maybe it's not.
Buddha believed in 4 noble truths:
- The nature of life is suffering
- We suffer because we want things, and we cling to impossible notions
- We don't have to suffer
- Suffering can be relieved through following the Eightfold Path
The Eightfold path is something that's way too involved in itself for me to deal with here. The path mostly serves to distance us from our notions and desires. I think there's a lot of suffering going on, but I don't think that's the default state of the world. I also have a serious problem with the notion of desire as the root for all human suffering. I realize that I'm oversimplifying the argument to compensate for my lack of knowledge, but it was a desire for knowledge that lead me to the discovery of Buddhism. Does this mean that desire's only bad if you desire something you can't have? How do you know the difference? If only wanting what lands in your lap is the way to go, then Joe could very well be the Buddha.
I'm a strong supporter of desire. Unhappiness results not when you don't get something you desire, or from desire itself, but from when you feel you are owed something, or something should have happened. I'm kind of talking out of both sides of my ass, because some of that is what Buddha is saying.
Take into account though, that that's also what the Rolling Stones were saying, so it's possible they were the Buddha too.
Maybe Buddha's teachings aren't timeless, and I'm here to renew and update the teachings. Maybe I'm a semi-Buddha, and my job is to bring you closer to the truth, without having to discard all your notions and desires. Maybe I'm just a college student with too much time on his hands. I certainly don't have all the answers, but maybe that's the key to being the Buddha, being unable to answer questions. *shrug* You can worry about that, I'm going to sleep.
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