Ultimate reality has not been clearly defined either by any religion or on any philosophical theories. Ultimate reality definition has been given different interpretations and descriptions which always come under criticism or fail to answer all aspects. Buddhism is no different but the religion tries to examine the reality through its teachings and gives its take on ultimate reality that is based on the self. Buddhism believes ultimate reality to be endless in existence and ever changing in nature with the different forms being at a temporary state of being. This paper looks at the beliefs about ultimate reality in the Buddhist religion and the features they use to describe ultimate reality. There are two different approaches to ultimate reality that differ in their definition in ultimate which are the Theravada school and the Mahayana beliefs. This paper bases its definition of ultimate reality on the Mahayana reality.

The Mahayana believes that the reality has three levels of perception that are the three bodies of Buddha. The first body is the physical body of the founder that they believe that is subject to change according to what the current generation is facing. They believe that this perception of ultimate reality can be changed as the period that the founder lived the form of reality he faced is different to what is in existence, in the present generation. The second body is the sambhogakaya that is the body of the bodhisattva that is a state that is attained by the most highly placed Buddha as it is the state that the celestial being attains that helps other humans to find liberation. This is the highest level of Buddhism attainable by any human and the founder of Buddhism. The other body is the dharmakaya state which is the ultimate nature of all things and is also referred to as the state of suchness and emptiness which is devoid and free of all attributes.

The Buddhist religion believes that ultimate reality should not be absolutely defined or seen in one object or understanding but is seen in everything surrounding them just as the body of Buddha is seen in everywhere and is infinite. The Dhamma and reality demonstrate the Buddha’s view of reality by showing how human beings wander in Samsara due to their ignorance and also the path leading to the end of rebirth as the development of wisdom. Buddhism believes that reality as we see it is only bound by a person’s ignorance and the failure to see the reality clearly. Buddhism outlines that there are two ways of experiencing reality in this world the first one being the arising of rebirth that is dependent on ignorance and the cessation of rebirth, and these are dependent on wisdom. This means that wisdom is the main way of achieving ultimate reality as it helps one to view and see things clearly without ignorance. The other form of reality the Buddha believed that there were no soul and no self meaning that the self was unchangeable and, therefore, the rebirths were without permanent abiding soul which is what the people believe. Based on these realities the Buddha believed that the understanding and wisdom that the human possessed made one view reality clearly, and it is upon achieving the highest form of understanding and attaining the state of the bodhisattva that the person could view ultimate reality.