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What is meant by the impossibility "A Buddha can not help someone not related to him, no relative of him"?

Is said to be one of the three things a/the Buddha can not do. How should that be understood? And what is needed to become one that a Buddha could help? Who is a relative, are the relatives, of the Buddha?

[Related and given in tiven sphere: Buddha can not help one not related to him? Buddha kann keinem "Fremden" nicht helfen?.

(Note that this is not asked for trade, exchange, stacks, entertainment and akusala deeds, but as a share of merits and continue such for release)

  • I think I found explanations online -- they were in Chinese, and so I didn't reference them, but I read several (with some difficulty) via Google Translate and tried to paraphrase or summarise what I understood in this answer. I think it's described as meaning, "someone who won't relate with him", won't have a relationship with him, dislikes him. – ChrisW Jul 23 '19 at 21:03
  • "What is meant by" and source are two different questions, aren't they? If coming along in this way 70% of questions here are to be closed, even more serious. –  Aug 23 '19 at 07:53
  • btw. householder Chris answered both... and not at all equal. –  Aug 23 '19 at 07:54
  • It's possible to guess a meaning, or to fabricate a meaning which matches your preconceptions, but I think it's useful to know the source (the context, the commentary) before you decide "what is meant by". My answer below was based on a guess and on comparing it to the Pali suttas. But this answer, which tries to identify the source, also explains "what is meant by" -- that was based on "research" i.e. using Google to find and read Chinese-language pages. – ChrisW Aug 23 '19 at 09:51
  • As wishing... my person knows where the usual answers come from. –  Aug 23 '19 at 10:43

2 Answers2

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Related in this case does not mean by blood. Rather it is in terms of belief in the shared Buddhist philosophies, or at a minimum maintaining an open mind on the subject. Someone not related has no interest in attaining liberation, and such a person cannot be forced or coerced. Thus, they cannot be helped.

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It is said the Monks as the Buddha's children. Likewise, it can be considered that someone adhering to the dhamma becomes his relative. In this context, if you do not fall into the path of Dhamma ("become a relative of the Buddha") one does not achieve liberation.

Also if one gives his children for monkhood then one becomes related to the Buddha and Sasana. This is considered to accelerate one's goal of becoming enlightened, but this is not a must to get enlightenment.

At a festival for the dedication of the Great Pataliputra monastery called the Aśokārāma as well as the other viharas built by Ashoka, Moggaliputta-Tissa, in answer to a question, informed Ashoka that one becomes a kinsman of the Buddha's religion only by letting one's son or daughter enter the Sangha. Upon this suggestion, Ashoka had both his son Mahinda and daughter Sanghamitta ordained (Mhv.v.191ff.).

Moggaliputta-Tissa

Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
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  • The context, good householder, is liberation from Suffering, and all beings incl. Upasaka Sirinath, desiring for such. –  Jul 23 '19 at 03:13
  • Adhering to his Dhamma: how is that possible without being related to the Buddha? It would be just one own perceided teaching, not in relation to him. –  Jul 23 '19 at 03:14
  • And if the is "the Dhamma" (something unrelated, inherent) no Buddha would be required for liberation, would it, good householder? –  Jul 23 '19 at 03:18
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    Suminda, I think the context was this answer though that answer isn't referenced (and appears to be from a Chinese source, I don't know if it might be Pali too). – ChrisW Jul 23 '19 at 04:26
  • It is related to the teachings of the Buddha, even found in the Tipitaka, Nyom @ChrisW. - if one gives his children for monkhood then one becomes related to the Buddha and Sasana, worthy another question, this traditional idea, good householder Sirinath. –  Jul 23 '19 at 08:05
  • @SamanaJohann Can you "reference" it in the Tipitaka? – ChrisW Jul 23 '19 at 08:07
  • As if my person would be scholar or googler... :-) lets see, of cause my person could, good householder. –  Jul 23 '19 at 08:10