taTAgata · masculine
Tathāgata [derivation uncertain. Buddhaghosa (Sv I 59-67) gives eight explanations showing that there was no fixed tradition on the point, and that he himself was in doubt]. The context shows that the word is an epithet of an Arahant, and that non-Buddhists were supposed to know what it meant. The compilers of the Nikāyas must therefore have considered the expression as pre-Buddhistic; but it has not yet been found in any pre-Buddhistic work. Mrs. Rh.D. ( BMPE 1099, quoting Chalmers JRAS Jan., 1898) suggests "he who has won through to the truth." Had the early Buddhists invented a word with this meaning it would probably have been tathaṃgata, but not necessarily, for we have upadhī-karoti as well as upadhiṃ karoti. — D I 12, 27, 46, 63; II 68, 103, 108, 115, 140, 142; III 14, 24 f., 32 f., 115, 217, 264 f., 273 f.; S I 110 f.; II 222 f.; III 215; IV 127, 380 f.; A I 286; II 17, 25, 120; III 35, etc.; Snp 236, 347, 467, 557, 1114; It 121 f.; Pj I 196; Paṭis I 121 f.; Dhs 1099, 1117, 1234; Vibh 325 f., 340, etc. -balāni (plural) the supreme intellectual powers of a T. usually enumerated as a set of ten: in detail at A V 33 f. = Paṭis II 174; M I 69; S II 27; Nidd II §466. Other sets of five at A III 9; of six A III 417 f. (see bala); -sāvaka a disciple of the T. D II 142; A I 90; II 4; III 326 f.; It 88; Snp 15.
tathāgata (= Pali id. ) = Buddha: Mvy 3 = Tib. de bzhin gśegs pa , thus gone or come (could = gata or āgata; both theories are held; acc. to Jä. and Das , in Tibet today the commonly accepted interpretation is who goes , or has gone, in the same way , sc. as earlier Buddhas); seven listed Dharmas 6 (Vipaśyin, Śikhin, Viśvabhū, Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, Kāśyapa, Śākyamuni); Vipaśyin is the first ‘of 7 Tathāgatas, of whom I (Śākyamuni) am the 7th’ SP 201.4 ; same list, with variant forms, Mmk 397.11 ; Divy 333.3 ; and with other Buddhas, LV 5.15 ; 20 listed Mvy 82—101 , the above seven, with variants, in 87—94; passim in all texts; as adj. , f. °gatī, only m.c. for tāthāgatī, of (a) Buddha (s), in list of bhūmi: dharmameghā tathāgatī Laṅk 318.12 ( vs ; tāth° metr. impossible; sc. bhūmiḥ; see s.v. tāthāgata ).
one who has gone so; the awakened one; used by Gotama (a) of Buddhas generally, including himself; (b) specifically of himself; by others (a) of Buddhas generally, including Gotama; (b) of Gotama specifically; a designation of an arahat; a creature; a sentient being
-bala,【中】 如來力（佛力）。
(masc, masc, comp) Such Become; Realised; being in such a state; arrived at the truth; epithet of the Buddha who has gone so, Enlighten One Construction: tathā + gata tatha + āgata