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Siddhartha Gautama, the man who would later become known as the Buddha, was born in Lumbini, Nepal, around 563 BCE. He was born into the Shakya clan, a wealthy and influential family in the region. His father, Śuddhodana, was the elected leader of the clan, and his mother, Queen Māyā, was known for her beauty and virtue.
According to legend, Queen Māyā had a dream before Siddhartha's birth, in which a white elephant with six tusks entered her side. The court Brahmins interpreted this dream as a sign that the child would either because a great king or a great spiritual leader. Śuddhodana, preferring his son to follow in his footsteps as a ruler, took measures to ensure that Siddhartha would be shielded from the realities of the world that might lead him to pursue a spiritual path.
Siddhartha was born in the Lumbini Gardens, where Queen Māyā had gone to give birth while traveling to her parent's home. It is said that he emerged from his mother's side and took seven steps, with lotuses blooming under his feet at each step. He then declared, "I am the foremost in the world, I am the best in the world, I am the first in the world. This is my last birth. There will be no more rebirth for me."
Tragically, Queen Māyā died just seven days after giving birth. Siddhartha was then raised by his aunt and stepmother, Mahapajapati Gotami, who would later become the first Buddhist nun.
As a prince, Siddhartha lived a life of luxury and privilege. His father ensured that he was provided with every comfort and pleasure, including three palaces for each season. Siddhartha was educated in various fields, such as the arts, sciences, martial arts, and statecraft. He excelled in his studies and was known for his intelligence, compassion, and physical beauty.
At the age of 16, Siddhartha married his cousin, Yaśodharā, in an arranged marriage. They lived together happily, and Yaśodharā eventually gave birth to their son, Rāhula.
Despite the comforts and pleasures of palace life, Siddhartha grew increasingly discontent. He began to question the meaning and purpose of life, and yearned to understand the nature of reality beyond the palace walls.
At the age of 29, Siddhartha's life took a profound turn when he ventured outside the palace on four separate occasions, known as the "Four Sights." These experiences would ultimately lead him to renounce his royal life and embark on a spiritual quest.
1. The First Sight: The Old Man
On his first excursion outside the palace, Siddhartha encountered an old man. Having been sheltered from the realities of aging, he was shocked to see the man's wrinkled skin, gray hair, and feeble body. He realized that aging was an inevitable part of life and that no one, not even a prince, could escape it.
2. The Second Sight: The Sick Man
During his second outing, Siddhartha came across a man suffering from a severe illness. He was deeply moved by the man's pain and suffering, and realized that sickness and disease were universal experiences that afflicted all beings.
3. The Third Sight: The Corpse
On his third trip outside the palace, Siddhartha saw a corpse being carried to the cremation grounds. Confronted with the reality of death, he understood that all living beings were subject to mortality, regardless of their station in life.
4. The Fourth Sight: The Ascetic
During his fourth and final excursion, Siddhartha encountered an ascetic, a spiritual seeker who had renounced worldly life in pursuit of liberation from suffering. The ascetic's peaceful countenance and sense of purpose made a deep impression on Siddhartha, and he began to consider the possibility of a spiritual path.
These four sights had a profound impact on Siddhartha, and he grew increasingly disillusioned with the fleeting nature of worldly pleasures. He realized that the palace life could not provide lasting happiness or protect him from the universal experiences of aging, sickness, and death.
At the age of 29, Siddhartha made the difficult decision to leave behind his royal life, his wife, and his son to embark on a spiritual quest. This event, known as the "Great Renunciation," marked a turning point in his life.
Late one night, Siddhartha quietly left the palace, accompanied only by his charioteer, Channa. He rode to the edge of the city, where he removed his royal garments and cut off his long hair, symbolizing his renunciation of worldly life. He then exchanged his princely robes for the simple garments of an ascetic and set out on his spiritual journey.
After leaving the palace, Siddhartha began his search for a path to enlightenment. He sought out various spiritual teachers and studied their philosophies and practices, hoping to find a way to overcome suffering and attain liberation.
Siddhartha first studied under two renowned teachers, Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta. From them, he learned advanced meditation techniques and achieved high levels of mental concentration. However, he eventually realized that these practices, while leading to profound states of consciousness, did not provide a complete solution to the problem of suffering.
Unsatisfied with the teachings of these masters, Siddhartha left them and continued his search. He then joined a group of five ascetics, led by Kondañña, and engaged in extreme practices of self-mortification and austerity.
For six years, Siddhartha subjected himself to severe ascetic practices, believing that by conquering his bodily desires and enduring physical hardships, he would attain spiritual liberation. He fasted for extended periods, often eating only a single grain of rice per day. He exposed himself to the elements, wearing minimal clothing and sleeping on thorny beds. He also practiced breath retention and other forms of self-mortification, pushing his body to the brink of death.
Despite his intense efforts, Siddhartha found that these extreme practices did not lead him to the truth he sought. He realized that self-mortification, like self-indulgence, was a hindrance to spiritual progress. He recalled a moment from his youth when he had experienced a state of profound peace and clarity while meditating under a rose-apple tree, and he began to question the effectiveness of his ascetic practices.
Siddhartha's companions, impressed by his dedication and austerities, believed that he would soon attain enlightenment. However, Siddhartha himself realized that he had reached a dead end. He understood that the path to liberation lay not in extreme asceticism, but in a middle way between self-indulgence and self-mortification.
At this point, a young girl named Sujata offered Siddhartha a bowl of rice milk, which he accepted, signaling his break with the ascetic life. His companions, disappointed by what they perceived as his abandonment of the ascetic path, left him.
Alone but undeterred, Siddhartha set out to find the middle way. He bathed in the nearby river, nourished his body, and seated himself beneath a Bodhi tree, determined to meditate until he attained enlightenment.
As Siddhartha sat beneath the Bodhi tree, he entered into deep meditation, facing his own mind and confronting the forces of desire, aversion, and ignorance. According to Buddhist tradition, he was challenged by Mara, the personification of these negative forces, who tried to distract and tempt him away from his goal.
Siddhartha, however, remained steadfast. He touched the earth, calling upon it to bear witness to his countless lifetimes of virtue and spiritual practice. Mara and his armies, seeing Siddhartha's unshakable determination, fled in defeat.
Throughout the night, Siddhartha's mind grew increasingly still and clear. He attained progressively higher states of meditative absorption, gaining profound insights into the nature of reality. In the first watch of the night, he recalled his previous lives, understanding the cycle of rebirth and the effects of karma. In the second watch, he developed the "divine eye," enabling him to see the passing away and rebirth of all beings according to their actions. In the third watch, he attained the knowledge of the destruction of mental defilements, liberating himself from the cycle of rebirth.
As dawn approached, Siddhartha's mind reached the highest state of enlightenment, Nirvana. He had become the Buddha, the "Awakened One," one who had transcended suffering and attained ultimate peace and freedom.
For the next seven weeks, the Buddha remained in the vicinity of the Bodhi tree, contemplating his realization and the path he had discovered. He considered whether to teach others, knowing that the truth he had uncovered was profound and difficult to understand. According to legend, the god Brahma Sahampati appeared before the Buddha and pleaded with him to share his teachings, arguing that there were beings with "little dust in their eyes" who would be able to understand and benefit from the Dharma.
Moved by compassion, the Buddha decided to teach. He set out to find his former companions, the five ascetics, knowing that they would be receptive to his message.
The Buddha traveled to the Deer Park in Sarnath, near Varanasi, where he found his former companions. Upon seeing him, they initially resolved to ignore him, believing that he had abandoned the ascetic path. However, as the Buddha approached, they were struck by his radiant appearance and peaceful demeanor, and they listened as he began to teach.
In his first sermon, known as the "Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta" or "Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion," the Buddha outlined the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, which -
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