SEARCHING FOR BUDDHA.

The article examines Western understandings of the Buddha from the 19th century onward, highlighting how the figure was transformed from a supernatural legend into a historical and ethical teacher. It traces early Western misconceptions that equated the Buddha with various deities and mythic figures, followed by the 19th-century emergence of Buddhism as a distinct religion through textual discoveries in Sanskrit, Pāli, Tibetan, and Mongolian. Western scholars sought to demythologize the Buddha’s life, portraying him as a rational reformer and atheist philosopher focused on overcoming suffering in the present, a portrayal that influenced both popular culture and Buddhist scholarship. However, the article notes significant scholarly skepticism about the historicity and details of the Buddha’s life, emphasizing that much of what is accepted as historical is derived from texts written centuries after his time and that the boundary between legend and history remains uncertain. Ultimately, while the precise historical Buddha remains elusive, his enduring narrative continues to hold profound meaning across cultures.