I’ve tried a number of terms to translate ‘Tathagata’, and I’ve finally settled on “Wayfarer”, for these reasons:
- It’s pretty literal;
- It works with the term as it’s used in the suttas (similarly, in my mind, to how “sage” is used in Taoist writings), to refer, not just to the Buddha, but to anyone who has progressed, or whose intention is to progress, on the Path;
- It is just a little bit archaic, enough so that it can handle a cluster of meanings that has no common word in English.
I’d welcome comments.
I favor “Fortunate One” for sugata.
Richard