The Dual Nature of the Buddha’s Physical Body as Depicted in the Pāli Canon: A Study of Human and Superhuman Attributes

The Buddha remains unique among the founders of the world's major religions in claiming to be neither a divine being nor a messenger of God, but rather simply a human being. While other religious figures are often depicted as gods or divinely inspired, the Buddha consistently claimed himself as a human, while also transcending ordinary human limitations. The Pāli Canon is the earliest textual source that provides foundational insight into the character of the Buddha, with both human and superhuman attributes. This research investigates how the Buddha's physical form is indicated in the Pāli Canon, in a subtle mannar, striking a balance between human nature with transcendental qualities. In contrast, the Buddha is often depicted as a transcendental divine figure in  later Buddhist Texts including Pāli commentaries, Buddhist Sanskrit texts and various works belonging to Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions. This diversity has resulted in enduring controversies about the Buddha's physical appearance. By employing a qualitative methodology of close textual analysis of relevant canonical passages this study intends to explore how the physical appearance of the Buddha was conceptualized in early Buddhism. However, while the exceptional superhuman characteristics are described, the Pāli Canon also  indicates the Buddha as a figure of human  dimensions, including descriptions of his physical requisites and limitations. This dual representation reflects how  early Buddhism presents the Buddha as both a supremely enlightened teacher and a relatable human being.