Which two Buddhist traditions agree that Gautama Buddha is one among many Buddhas?

Which two Buddhist traditions agree that Gautama Buddha is one among many Buddhas?

• A. Zen and Pure Land
• B. Vajrayana and Theravada
• C. Mahayana and Theravada
• D. Theravada and Zen

Answer: (C)

In Buddhism, a Buddha is someone who has fully awakened and teaches the path, and there are many Buddhas across time and space. Gautama is the historical Buddha for our era, but both major traditions acknowledge that other Buddhas have appeared in the past, and will appear in the future. The Theravada tradition recognizes Gautama as the most recent Buddha while also teaching that there were earlier Buddhas and that future ones will come. Mahayana expands this idea even more by presenting a broad array of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas beyond Gautama, while still counting Gautama among them. Because both traditions affirm that Gautama is one among many Buddhas, the pairing Mahayana and Theravada best fits the statement.

In Buddhism, a Buddha is someone who has fully awakened and teaches the path, and there are many Buddhas across time and space. Gautama is the historical Buddha for our era, but both major traditions acknowledge that other Buddhas have appeared in the past, and will appear in the future. The Theravada tradition recognizes Gautama as the most recent Buddha while also teaching that there were earlier Buddhas and that future ones will come. Mahayana expands this idea even more by presenting a broad array of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas beyond Gautama, while still counting Gautama among them. Because both traditions affirm that Gautama is one among many Buddhas, the pairing Mahayana and Theravada best fits the statement.