Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha was an Indian spiritual leader who lived between approximately 563 BC483 BC. Born Siddhartha Gautama (Sanskrit, Siddhattha Gotama Pali --"wish-fulfiller"), he later becameBuddha (lit. Enlightened One). Healso commonly known as Shakyamuni or Sakyamuni (lit. "The sage ofShakya clan")asTathagata (lit. thus-gone one), emphasizingnature ofBuddhago about inworld without adding or subtracting anything from his experience.) Gautama wascontemporaryMahavira.
Gautama iskey figureBuddhism. Accountshis life, discourses,monastic rules, were summarized after his deathmemorized bysangha. Passed down by oral tradition,Tipitaka was written about one hundred years later.
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Overview ofBuddha's Life
Siddhartha Gautama was bornLumbini (a Himalayan town modernly situated nearNepalese side border) underfull moonMay toclan ofShakyas. Duringbirth celebrations,seer announced that this baby would either become an emperor orBuddha. Itsaid that, before being born, Gautama would visit his mother duringvision inform ofwhite elephant.
Atage 29, Gautama became unsatisfiedhis life. Upon being escorted by his attenant Channa, he came across"four sights": an old crippled man,diseased man,decaying corpse,finally an ascetic; thus inspired, Gautama chosebecomemonk.
Abandoning his inheritance withdisgustknowing his fate was infirst three sights, he choserobes ofmendicant monkheadedsoutheastern India. He began training inascetic lifepracticing vigorous austere practices. After 6 years,atbrinkdeath, he found thatsevere ascetic practices did not leadgreater understanding. Once discarding themconcentrating on meditation, he discoveredmiddle way,pathmoderation away fromextremesself-indulgenceself-mortification. Underfig, now know asBodhi tree, he vowed neverleaveposition until he found Truth. At 35, he attained Enlightenment underfull moon monthMay; now known as Gautama Buddha, or simply "The Buddha". He claimed he had realized complete Awakeninginsight intonaturecausehuman suffering along withsteps necessaryeliminate it. This supreme Awakening, possibleany being,calledstateBodhiat this point, he won Nirvana.
He emphasized that he was notGod but thatpositionBuddhahoodreserved forhuman,whom possessesgreatest potentialEnlightenment. Explained by Gautama Buddha, he also stated that thereno intermediary between mankind anddivine; distant godsGodsubjectedkarma themselvesdecaying heavens. The Buddhasolelyguideteacherthose sentient beings who must treadpath themselves, attain spiritual Awakening,see truth & reality asis. The Buddhist systeminsight, thoughtmeditation practice was not divinely-revealed, but rather,understanding oftrue nature ofhuman mind which could be discovered by anyonethemselves. Penetrationthis reality accompaniesshocking truth that ignorance can be eliminated.
Forremaining 45 yearshis life, he traveledGangetic Plaincentral India (region ofGanges/Ganga riverits tributaries), teaching his doctrinedisciplinean extremely diverse rangepeople, from nobles, street sweepers, outcastes,including many adherentsrival philosophiesreligions. He foundedcommunityBuddhist monksnuns (the Sangha)continuedispensation after his Paranirvana or complete Nirvana.
Gautama Buddha realised that his bodily end was fast approaching. He told his disciple Anandapreparebed between two Sal trees. Just before his passing,120 year-old mendicant monk named Subhadra, walked by. Being earlier turned away by Ananda, Buddha overheard thiscalledBrahminhis side. He was admitted toSangha (Buddhist order)immediately after, Gautama passed away on that full moon dayMay.
After intermittent illness, Gautama Buddha passing at Kushinagar underfull moon monthMay, India atage80. His last meal wasmushroom or truffles delicacy which he had received as an offering fromblacksmith. Vegetarianism isBuddhists an ideal rather thanmandate,monksnunsparticularenjoinedaccept all offeringsfood madethem (unlesssee, hear, or suspect an animal has been killed especiallysatisfy hunger). The Buddha's final words were, "All conditioned thingssubjectimpermanence. Strive ondiligence".
Personalitycharacter
The Buddha as presented inBuddhist scripturesnotablesuch characteristics as:
- Bothcomprehensive educationtrainingthose fields appropriate towarrior aristocrat, such as martial arts, agricultural management,literature,alsodeep understanding ofreligiousphilosophical ideashis culture.
- Gautama Siddharta was reportedhave been athleticfit throughout his life, competentmartial arts such as chariot combat, wrestling,archery,later easily hiking miles each daycamping inwilderness. Images offat "Jolly Buddha" or Laughing Buddhaactually depictions ofdifferent character, sometimes called Hotei (or Hoti).
- A superb teacher, withfine grasp ofappropriate metaphor,tailoring his teachings toaudience at hand.
- Fearlessunworried at all times, whether dealingreligious debate,patricidal prince, ormurderous outlaw. He was not, however, past exasperation when monkshis order misrepresented his teachings.
- Completely temperateall bodily appetites. Livedcompletely celibate life from age 29 until his death. Indifferenthungerenvironmental conditions.
