The question "Where is the enlightened Buddha now?" seems to ask about location, but in fact, it is a profound question about the nature of existence and the state of enlightenment.

It's a really good question.

From the Buddhist perspective, where is the Buddha?

In Buddhism, an enlightened being, or Buddha, is said to have entered Nirvana.

Nirvana is not simply a "place one goes after death"; it is a state where all attachments and suffering have ceased.

Since it transcends the concept of space, it is fundamentally impossible to ask "where".

Where is the physical body?

Siddhartha Gautama Buddha entered Nirvana around the 5th century BCE in India, and his body was cremated, leaving relics (the Buddha's remains).

These relics were divided and stored in stupas, and some are still preserved in places like India, Sri Lanka, China, Korea, and Japan.

Where does the enlightened one exist?

In Mahayana Buddhism, the enlightened Buddha is not merely gone; he is seen as existing everywhere as the Dharma body.

Thus, the saying "The Buddha is everywhere. He is also in your heart." is not just a metaphor but a philosophical declaration.

In some traditions, it is said that the Buddha resides in other dimensions, such as the Pure Land (Western Paradise) or other Buddha realms, guiding sentient beings.

This is an explanation not of physical location but of the world of consciousness and mental dimensions.

At the moment you approach enlightenment, the Buddha is there with you.