Small signs throughout the ITC grounds and Besant Hall provide brief descriptions of notable places and objects. Further information is available here.
Buddha is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘awakened one’ or ‘enlightened one.’
The Buddha is commonly identified as Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher and founder of Buddhism who lived in ancient India, probably during the fifth or sixth century BCE. His teachings form the foundation of Buddhism today. This statue of the Buddha represents the enlightened Gautama Buddha. He teaches us to dedicate ourselves to the elimination of the suffering of all sentient beings and to lead them to infinite happiness. For many of us Buddha is, with Christ, the ultimate symbol of compassion.
According to esoteric philosophy, each major and vast period in mankind’s cosmic history has its own principal Buddha or Reformer, with several Bodhisattvas appearing between these great figures. Siddhartha Gautama is said to be the fourth Buddha to appear on Earth in this period. In The Secret Doctrine, these vast periods in mankind’s cosmic history are called ‘Rounds’. Understanding this concept of cosmic periods requires both a careful study of H. P. Blavatsky’s work and the inner transformation needed to grasp its deeper meaning.