The power of the Buddha goes beyond the realm of the miraculous. While some traditions depict the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, wielding supernatural abilities like telepathy or walking on water, Buddhist teachings emphasize a different kind of power. It's the power of wisdom and compassion, cultivated through meditation and ethical living.

This wisdom is the understanding of the Four Noble Truths, the core tenets of Buddhism. These truths diagnose the problem of suffering, identify its cause (craving), illuminate the path to ending suffering (the Eightfold Path), and finally, the state of liberation (Nirvana) itself. Through this wisdom, the Buddha challenged existing social hierarchies and offered a path to liberation for all beings.

The power of compassion stems from this wisdom. By understanding the universality of suffering, the Buddha awakened a deep empathy for all living things. This compassion fuels the Bodhisattva ideal, the pursuit of enlightenment not for oneself, but for the benefit of all beings. The Buddha's power lies in his ability to illuminate this path and inspire others to walk it, leading to a more peaceful and enlightened world.