“A completely ordinary person can become a paccekabuddha.”
- The wording of that statement may give a wrong impression.
- No one can attain any magga phala, let alone Paccekabuddha status, without cultivating the path in previous lives. That is what is meant by “paramita.”
- Of course, all humans appear to be ordinary people. But each of us has cultivated “paramita” at various levels in our past lives.
- For example, Bahiya Daruchiriya, who attained Arahantship upon listening to a single verse by the Buddha is a good example; see, “Bahiya Sutta (Udana 1.10)“. He was an “ordinary person” too.
- The point is, among us there can be those who are fulfilling “paramita” at various levels, including to become “Sammasambuddha” (like Buddha Gotama) or Paccekabuddha. We cannot determine who is at what stage. Of couse, most are destined to be reborn in apayas.
