Gautama Buddha

Gautam Buddha

Buddha

The Buddha was a prince named "Siddhartha Gautama". He was born in Nepal and was the man who created Buddhism. Gautam Buddha lived about from 563 BC to 483 BC.

The life story of the Buddha begins about 2,600 years ago in Lumbini, near the border of Nepal and India, where Siddhartha Gautama was born.

Gautama is the primary figure in Buddhism. He is believed by Buddhists to be an enlightened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end rebirth and suffering.

His life, discourses and monastic precepts are believed to have been summarized by Buddhists after his death by his followers. The various collections of teachings he taught were passed on by oral tradition and committed to writing almost 400 years later.

Siddhartha Gautam Birth

The Buddhist tradition is related to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha in present-day Nepal. Gautama was born into a Hindu Kshatriya family, the son of Suddhodana. Gautama was the family name. His mother, Maya, was Sododhan's wife, a Kolian princess.

Queen Maya dreamed that a white elephant with six white tusks entered her right side and Siddhartha was born ten months later. As was the Shakya tradition, when her mother Rani Maya became pregnant, she left Kapilavastu for the birth of her father. However, her son was born on the way, in Lumbini, in a garden under a sal tree.

Buddha's birthday is called Buddha Purnima in Nepal, Bangladesh and India because he believes he was born on the full moon day. Various sources suggest that Buddha's mother died a few days or seven days after his birth. The infant was named Siddhartha which meant "one who achieves his purpose".

On the fifth day Suddhodana conducted a naming ceremony, and invited eight Brahmin scholars to study the future. Everyone made a double prediction that the child would either be a great king or a great holy man.

Early Life and Marriage

Siddhartha was brought up by his mother's younger sister, Maha Prajapati. His father wished for his son to be a great king, is said to have been saved from religious teachings and knowledge of human suffering.

When he reached the age of 16, his father arranged his marriage to the same age named Yasodhara . She gave birth to a son, Rahul. Siddhartha spent 29 years of his life as a prince in Kapilavastu.

Renunciation and Ascetic Life

At the age of 29, Siddharth left his palace to meet his subjects. Despite his father's attempts to hide from the sick, aged and afflicted, Siddharth saw an old man on the way. His charioteer Channa explained to him that all the people grew old. They encountered a diseased man, a decaying corpse and an ascetic. They made him depressed.

Their understanding of the world suggested that they could overcome all this suffering by Meditation and being an ascetic and thus, they decided to leave royal responsibilities and family to get enlightenment.

Buddha’s Enlightenment

                                          

After leaving the palace, the Buddha moved from one place to another over a period of 6 years, learning and mastering the technique of meditation. He once came to a point where he starved himself but received no spiritual awakening in return. Finally, after meditating for 49 days under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, Siddhartha Gautama, attained enlightenment and became the Buddha.

With awakening, the most important learning for enlightenment was revealed - the Middle Way, which follows a path that is far from the peak of self-indulgence and self-death. Buddha insisted on attaining enlightenment on his own. After Enlightenment, Buddha spent 45 years of his life in preaching and teaching in different parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Nepal. 

Interesting Facts about Buddha and Buddhism

ü The term 'Buddhism' was given by Western scholars in the 1830s. Buddhists do not actually refer to their religion as "Buddhism.

ü Buddh religion is the fourth largest religion in the world.

ü Buddhists do not believe in the Supreme or Creator God.

ü Because of its emphasis on meditation and mindfulness, Buddhism is often considered to be a form of psychology rather than a religion.

ü Because it gives the importance on meditation and the mind, Buddhism is often considered a form of psychology rather than religion.

ü The place of enlightenment of Buddha under the Bodhi tree is still preserved today.

ü The Buddha visited his son, father, his wife and his foster mother, and the family is said to have joined the Sangh. His cousin Anand and his son, Rahula became a Buddhist monk, the youngest monk in Rahula in the Sangha.

Mahaparinirvana (Death)

The Buddha was aged and failing in health. During his last retreat in Vaishali, he could be killed due to a severe pain. It is said that Buddha came after his unexpected illness and death after consuming a special dish offered by his Generous host (Cunda the Blacksmith).

However, the Buddha instructed his attendant Anand to convince Cunda that the food eaten in his place had nothing to do with the disease and that it was a source of merit since it provided the last meal for the Buddha. It is said that the Buddha died of mesenteric infarction, a symptom of aging rather than food poisoning.

Buddha died on the full moon night in the lunar month of Visakha. His birth anniversary is known as Buddha Purnima.

Biographical Source

ü Buddhacarita which is the earliest biography and is also an epic poem written by the famous poet Asvaghosa in the 1st century CE.

ü The Lalitavistara Sutra is the next oldest biography on Gautam Buddha, it dates back to the 3rd century CE.

ü Mahavastu is another major biography from the Mahasamghika Lokottaravada tradition, which was probably composed in the 4th century CE.

ü The entire Dharmaguptaka biography of Buddha is entitled, Abhigyanram Sutra.

ü Nidanakatha by Buddhaghoṣa is from the Theravada tradition in Sri Lanka in the 5th century.

ü Other important sources of information related to the life of Gautama Buddha are Jataka tales, Mahapadana Sutta, and the Achariyabhuta Sutta.

Important Buddhist Pilgrimage Places

Through his 45 years of teaching and preaching, Buddha is said to have traveled extensively. However, there are some places associated with Gautama's life which are popular Buddhist sites in India and Nepal. Some Buddhist travel sites in India and Nepal also serve as important pilgrimage sites.

ü Lumbini: It is a birth place of Lord Buddha, situated in modern day Nepal

ü Bodhgaya: This place is in Bihar in India and is where Buddh get attainment enlightenment under the Mahabodhi tree.

ü Sarnath: Sarnath is situated the famous destination of Varanasi and is said to be the location of Buddha’s first sermon.

ü Kushinara: It is believed to be the location where Buddha breathed his last.

ü Sravasti: This is the place where Buddha performed miracles.

ü Rajgir: It is in Bihar where Buddha pacified a furious wild elephant.

ü Vaishali: In Vaishali Buddha is reckoned to have set up the Bhikshuni Sangha.