Buddhists Are Not Trying to Become a Buddha

Buddhists are not really trying to become a buddha, even if thinking of themselves as trying to do so might be a good and effective way to achieve their real goal. This helps to explain the fact that the ideal states of indian thought are often described in negative, even unappealing terms. European readers have frequently struggled with the idea of aiming for an existence that is little better than that of an amiba.