In response to a question about what a Buddha would look like in today's world, Acharya Prashant explains that one must first understand the central characteristics of the original Buddha, Gautama Buddha. The first characteristic is being well-versed in the knowledge of one's time. Gautama Buddha, born a prince into a Hindu Kshatriya family, had deep scriptural knowledge and was well-read from childhood. A modern Buddha would similarly be someone who is well-versed in the knowledge of his time. The second characteristic is a deep curiosity and an interest in knowing the depths of life, rather than remaining at a superficial level. This is exemplified by the incident where he sees an old man, a sick man, and a dead man. Though these are common sights, he is deeply perturbed and asks his charioteer about them, not assuming he already knows. The third characteristic is compassion, which he places higher than justice or any law of the land, as shown when he protects a pigeon from a hunter, stating that the life of an innocent being is higher than any law. A fourth characteristic is detachment. Despite being a crown prince with power, wealth, a beautiful wife, and a child awaiting him, he refused it all. He would not be someone who would fall for money, beauty, or attachments, and he left his palace in pursuit of the real meaning of existence. This is linked to a fifth trait: perseverance and inner honesty. He had an unending desire to reach the ultimate knowledge and would not lazily stop at any conclusion until he was honestly convinced he had reached the end. Once he attained knowledge, he decided to share it. He realized that stopping at personal realization is a selfish act. Driven by compassion for the suffering of people due to distorted religion, he traveled extensively, preaching his Dharma. He established the Buddha Sangha, a great organization, not out of personal ambition but because it was the imperative of the time. He was a practical man who, when needed, quit the kingdom for the jungle, and when needed, raised an organization. Acharya Prashant concludes that while the external circumstances would be different for a modern Buddha—who might not walk barefoot but use modern technology—these core traits would remain the same. He emphasizes that these are not traits for a select few and that we need hundreds of such Buddhas today, especially among the youth, noting that Gautama Buddha was in his twenties when he began his journey.
