[Grammar] It is the Buddha who had great wisdom and enlightenment.

[kadioguy]

[In a youtube video]

Hello TV viewers,
Buddhists like us know the single word Fo (Buddha), which is an abbreviated title. In fact we shall say Fotuo, a compound word. The southern tradition of Buddhism says "the Buddha" in English, which refers to Fotuo. In Chinese, Fotuo means an awakened man or a person who got enlightened.
[...]
Take the truth and the Buddha Dharma for example, it is the Buddha who had great wisdom and enlightenment to reveal them to us as he had the foresight. He was a Knower of the Secular World. Scientists who study the world have not yet fully understood it. But in the sutras, the Buddha had revealed the truth about the secular world showing that he had a deep understanding of it.
[...]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAmFFPaawiI&ab_channel=佛光山人間衛視

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It is the Buddha who had great wisdom and enlightenment.

1. I don't understand why 'is' in the present tense while 'had' in the past tense.

2.
a. It is the Buddha who had great wisdom and enlightenment.

b. It was the Buddha who had great wisdom and enlightenment.

Do you think that both are correct and mean the same? I made up (b), because I thought that Buddha had passed away.

What do you think?

 

[jutfrank]

That video is not available in the UK so I can't listen to it.

I guess that the person who said the words you're asking about is not a proficient native speaker. Is that right? If so, let's forget about this question.

 

[kadioguy]

That video is not available in the UK so I can't listen to it.

I guess that the person who said the words you're asking about is not a proficient native speaker. Is that right? If so, let's forget about this question.

Yes, the language is Chinese, and the transcripts are translated into English subtitles.

However, if you don't mind, let's say, how would you say it in this context if you were the speaker?

a. It is the Buddha who had great wisdom and enlightenment.

b. It was the Buddha who had great wisdom and enlightenment.

Which one sounds more natural? Could you tell me your thoughts?

 

[kadioguy]

That video is not available in the UK so I can't listen to it.

That was because that video was scheduled to premiere 8 hours later at the time. Now you can give it a try again if you would like to.

 

[kadioguy]

Imagine this:

Tom had a lot of money, but lost it all in gambling. So we can say:

It is Tom who had a lot of money.

Then back to the case:

The Buddha had great wisdom and enlightenment, but he had passed away. So we can say:

It is the Buddha who had great wisdom and enlightenment.

What do you think about my thoughts?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Imagine this:

Tom had a lot of money, but lost it all in gambling. So we can say:

It is Tom who had a lot of money.

Then back to the case:

The Buddha had great wisdom and enlightenment, but he had passed away. So we can say:

It is the Buddha who had great wisdom and enlightenment.

What do you think about my thoughts?

I agree with you, in the right context. There are three brothers. One was rich. But he lost his money. So which brother is the one who was rich? It is Tom.

 

[Tarheel]

I would say:

Tom had a lot of money ....

Also, shouldn't it be Buddha and not the Buddha?

 

[kadioguy]

Also, shouldn't it be Buddha and not the Buddha?

I had the same question as you, and then I found that both worked.

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/buddha?q=Buddha

PS - I should have to say that it is another question to choose from 'worked' or 'work' in the context above. :roll:

 

[Tarheel]

Only "work" makes sense there. If you use the past tense (worked) it means that what was true no longer is true.

 

[Tdol]

I have lived in a number of Buddhist countries and have mostly heard Buddha, but the Buddha is used.