Shakyamuni Buddha was no different than any of us, except for his extraordinary wisdom and compassion. He is known as “the” Buddha, not because he attained something that ordinary people cannot attain, but because he was the first person in recorded history to awaken to the truth and to show others how to do so. In that sense, the title “Buddha” is reserved for Shakyamuni simply because he happened to be the one to fulfill the role of teacher and model for all those who would follow his path. However, all of us have the Buddha-nature. Therefore, all of us are capable of displaying the same wisdom and compassion as Shakyamuni Buddha.