Changing Understandings of the Buddha

How accounts of the Buddha shifted across early texts and the schools, including docetic and supramundane readings.

This page separates early textual evidence, modern scholarly discussion, and later readings. Historical study sits beside practice; it does not replace it.

The full article is available in Traditional Chinese.

Seated Buddha from Sarnath, Gupta-period stone, hands in the teaching gesture — Seated Buddha from Sarnath (Gupta period)

Citation

APA

Prajñā Buddhist Studies. (2026). Changing Understandings of the Buddha. Retrieved from https://buddhism.hksapientia.org/en/buddhist-history/sectarian-buddhism/buddha-concept-evolution/

BibTeX (reference manager format, not code)

@misc{buddhist-history-sectarian-buddhism-buddha-concept-evolution,
  title = {Changing Understandings of the Buddha},
  author = {Prajñā Buddhist Studies},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://buddhism.hksapientia.org/en/buddhist-history/sectarian-buddhism/buddha-concept-evolution/}
}

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