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A Buddha is a person who has developed all positive qualities and has eliminated all negative qualities. A Buddha has been an "ordinary" living being, like you and me before he became enlightened or awakened. Enlightenment is compared to waking up, as a person makes a complete transformation in body and especially mind. A Buddha is said to be all-knowing. One could say that a Buddha represents the very peak of evolution. A Buddha is not omnipotent or all-powerful; otherwise the Buddha would have ended all suffering in the universe....
He did not claim that he was a god, the child of a god or even the messenger from a god.
When we bow, we express our gratitude to the Buddha for what his teachings have given us. This is the nature of Buddhist worship.
***When someone worships a god, they praise him or her, making offerings and ask for favors, believing that the god will hear their praise, receive their offerings and answer their prayers. Real Buddhists do not indulge in this kind of worship.
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