Buddha

<~His Life and Times~>

His Life and Times

Compassion and self-control. Poise and serenity. Renunciation of worldly desires. These
are the qualities exemplified and taught by the great spiritual master Siddartha Gautama,
known to the world simply as Buddha. It is Buddha's fresh and vibrant teachings that
revitalized the spiritual energy of the 6th century B.C. and formed the basis of the
religion Buddhism. At various times throughout history, Buddhism has been a major
religious, cultural, and social force in almost every part of Asia. Today there are over 334
million Buddhists in the world, making it the fourth largest religion, behind Christianity,
Hinduism, and Islam. And although most of the world's Buddhists are still in Asia, the
religion is steadily gaining popularity in the West. Behind that religion are principles of
such unchanging and everlasting Truth that they have guided and inspired countless souls
for over 2000 years in their own personal quest for knowledge and enlightenment.

Siddartha Gautama's life was as extraordinary as his teachings. He was a man of a noble
and rich family who sought instead the nobility of poverty; he was a man who had
everything and searched instead for nothingness; he was a man who rejected the world,
only to embrace and serve it.

Siddartha was born a prince in a ruling family of a small kingdom in northern India, near
the Himalayas, in what is now known as Nepal. He was born in 563 B.C., just a few
years before Confucius and shortly after Lao-tzu, two other figures who had profound
impact on Chinese culture and world philosophy.

Buddha's age was one of enormous social and political change. It was marked by the rise
of cities and trade, an increase in materialism, the disappearance of old tribal structures,
and the birth of many new religions and spiritual movements. Of all these new
movements, Buddhism would become the most successful, spreading throughout India
and most of Asia.

At the time of Buddha's birth, India had a strong caste system. His family belonged to the
Kshatriya, or warrior caste. Buddha's father, Suddhodhana, was a warrior prince. His
mother, Mahamaya allegedly had a dream the night before Buddha was born. In that
dream a beautiful white elephant entered her womb through her side. Priests interpreted
this to mean she would have a son who would become either a world ruler or an
Enlightened One. Ten months after her conception, Mahamaya gave birth to this son in a
park, while on her way to visit her parents. Immediately after the birth, a sage came to see
the baby and recognized him as a divine incarnation. The sage was very old and he wept
at sight of the child because he knew he would not live to see the child's Enlightenment.
When the baby was five days old, 108 Brahmins, or priests, came to see him. Eight of
them were specialists in interpreting bodily marks. Seven of these eight specialists
predicted that the child would be a universal monarch if he remained at home, but he
would become an Enlightened One if he left home. The eighth specialist, the youngest,
predicted the child would definitely become an Enlightened One. This eighth later
became one of Buddha's companions and one of his first five disciples.

The child was given the name Siddartha which means "one whose aim is accomplished."

Siddartha's mother died when he was only seven days old and he was raised by her sister.
Once, as a child, Siddartha was found sitting cross-legged in a trance under a tree. His
father fell to the ground in worship of his son.

As was traditional, Buddha married quite young, at the age of sixteen. The wife was his
cousin, Princess Yasodhora. All through his childhood, Siddartha was groomed to take
over his father's kingdom. His father, worried about the prophecies regarding his son,
hoped that if he made the boy's life exceptionally comfortable, he would never leave
home. Siddartha lived in a very protected environment - a luxurious palace where he was
loved and respected and wanted for nothing. His father carefully protected him from any
sight of pain or suffering. Buddha himself once said: "I was delicately nurtured,
exceedingly delicately nurtured, delicately nurtured beyond measure. In my father's
residence lotus ponds were made: one of blue lotuses, one of red and another of white
lotuses, just for my sake. Of Kasi cloth was my turban made; of Kasi my jacket, my
tunic, my cloak. I had three palaces: one for winter, one for summer and one for the rainy
season. In the rainy season palace, during the four months of rain, entertained only by
female musicians, I did not come down from the palace."

But one day, when Siddartha was out riding with his charioteer he saw four things he had
never seen before: an old man, a sick man, a corpse, and a shaven-headed monk, whose
peaceful and serene expression moved him deeply. Some of his followers believe this
experience occurred in a vision; others believe it actually happened. More important than
the nature of the experience was its effect. The first three sights made Siddartha aware,
for the first time, of the impermanence of life; and the fourth sight, the wandering monk,
showed him there were people who sought a higher truth.

That same day, on the way back to the palace, he learned of the birth of his son, whom he
named Rahula, which means "fetter" or "bond." It was then, at the age of 29, that Buddha
made his famous GREAT RENUNCIATION. He vowed to give up his family, his
kingdom, his entire life to seek spiritual truth. In the middle of the night, after taking one
last look at his sleeping wife and newborn son, he crept away. By the time he saw them
again, he had found what he was seeking.

At first, Siddartha went south to the known spiritual centers of India, where he contacted
spiritual teachers and masters. From each master, he learned something new. With the
help of two of them he reached advanced mystical states - one was the "sphere of no-
thing" and one was the "sphere of neither-perception-nor-nonperception." But Siddartha
still longed for more. He then joined company with five other wandering ascetics and
began to practice austerities and self-denial, a practice that lasted six years. He lived in
filth and often ate only one grain of rice a day. He also pulled out all the hairs of his beard
one by one. He once described himself during these years: "All my limbs became like
withered creepers with knotted joints; my buttocks like a buffalo's hoof; my back-bone
protruding like a string of balls; my ribs like rafters of a dilapidated shed; the pupils of
my eyes appeared sunk deep in their sockets as water appears shining at the bottom of a
deep well; my scalp became shriveled and shrunk as a bitter gourd cut unripe becomes
shriveled and shrunk by sun and wind; the skin of my belly came to be cleaving to my
back-bone; when I wanted to obey the calls of nature, I fell down on my face then and
there; when I stroked my limbs with my hand, hairs that had rotted at the roots fell away
from my body." Siddartha became so weak, he often fainted. But through all this self-
denial and suffering, the truth still eluded him. Finally, realizing that mortification would
not bring him the release he sought, he rejected the ascetic path. One morning, sitting
under a banyan tree, he accepted a bowl of milk rice from the daughter of a landowner in
the village. He spent the rest of the day in a grove and then in the evening, he found a
bodhi tree in a village near Gaya, and stationed himself there, determined not to leave
until he attained enlightenment.

Here Siddartha met an old woman who was advanced on the spiritual path. She told him
that he was now more bound than ever before. She said that once where he had fetters of
iron, he now had fetters of gold, but they were fetters just the same. Then she told him a
secret. She said: "Good and bad are mere terms. Real freedom can only be obtained when
you give up all desires. You have to renounce them ALL!"

While he sat under the tree, Buddha became involved in a desperate battle with Mara -
the evil one, the lord of worldly passions and desires. Mara said to him: "You are
emaciated, pale, you are near death. Live, Sir. Life is better." Siddartha responded that it
was better to die in battle than to live defeated. The battle continued but Siddartha
remained unmoved by Mara's temptations and at last the demon gave up and moved on.
Siddartha had conquered the false world of illusion.

<~His Enlightenment~>
His Enlightenment

Siddartha spent the rest of that night in deep meditation under the bodhi tree, and
eventually he felt his mind illumined with light. He said that he first gained knowledge of
all his former existences, and then his "superhuman divine eye" was opened. He then
directed his mind to the knowledge of the destruction of all his impurities. He said: "My
mind was emancipated, ignorance was dispelled, darkness was dispelled, light arose." At
this point, he began to question whether he could pass on to others the truths he had
experienced. He thought to himself: "I have realized this Truth which is deep, difficult to
see, difficult to understand...comprehensible by the wise. Men who are overpowered by
passion and surrounded by a mass of darkness cannot see this Truth which is against the
current, which is lofty, deep, subtle, and hard to understand." Then a Brahmin approached
Siddartha and convinced him to accept his destiny as a spiritual teacher, by showing him
a vision of lotus flowers. In a lotus pond there are some lotuses still under water; there are
some that have risen just to the level of the water; there are still others that stand above
the water, untouched by it. Like the lotus flowers, people too are at different levels, and
each can be reached at their own. Siddartha accepted the challenge and set out to begin
his work.

He had attained enlightenment during the night of the full moon of May in 528 B.C. at
Bodhi Gaya, at the age of 35. He had remained under the bodhi tree for seven weeks,
totally absorbed in the Truth. Today, this tree is a center of pilgrimage.

After he left the bodhi tree, Siddartha traveled north. Others soon learned of his
enlightenment and they began to call him Buddha, The Awake or The Enlightened One.
The term Buddha is a title, not a name.

Buddha returned to five companions he met on his quest who had remained in Sarnath,
and told them he was now enlightened. At first, his companions didn't believe him. But
then Buddha gave his first sermon, which he called Turning the Wheel of the Law. In that
sermon in a park in Sarnath, Buddha outlined for the first time the essential doctrine of
Buddhism. It was based on what he called THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS. He also
described a way of life that he called THE MIDDLE WAY, because it was neither self-
indulgent nor ascetic. This Middle Way was based on what he called THE NOBLE
EIGHTFOLD PATH. The preaching of Buddha's first sermon is one of the most sacred
events in Buddhism.

After his first sermon, Buddha began his ministry, teaching first throughout northern
India. His initial disciples consisted of about fifty people he met during his quest through
India. As his followers increased, Buddha founded a community called the Sangha,
consisting of monks, nuns, and lay people. His work at that time was aimed partly at
shattering the power of the Brahmin, or Hindu priests, and reforming Hindu practices that
had grown corrupt and confining. Hinduism had developed a fatalistic view of life based
on an incomplete understanding of reincarnation and karma. This view had led to apathy,
inertia, or reliance on others, such as the priests, for one's own salvation. Buddha broke
this pattern of thought. He told people they could work out their own salvation. Instead of
seeking help from the Brahmin priests, who charged fees for the privilege, He invited
people to approach God directly. He showed them how to train and discipline their own
minds, and he inspired them to live their own salvation, through a life of compassion,
mercy, and joy. People were irresistibly drawn to him, some by the wisdom of his
teachings, some by the sheer beauty and serenity of his Presence.

After his enlightenment, Buddha decreed, as an act of humility, that no one was to paint
him or make an image of him. But one artist, seeing him in deep contemplation on the
banks of the River Ganges in Benares, was so moved by his saintly expression that he
was filled with desire to portray it in someway. The artist decided that if he used
Buddha's reflection in the rippling waters as a model, instead of the Buddha himself, then
he wouldn't be violating the decree. It's for this reason that many representations of the
youthful Buddha have folds in their garments, known as the water-ripple effect.

Buddha sent his companions in various directions to spread his teachings, advising that
"no two should take the same road." He himself traveled throughout India for several
years, preaching his message of how to overcome suffering. One of his most famous
sermons was the Fire Sermon in which he described man's existence as burning with the
fire of lust, the fire of hate, and the fire of delusion. He was often offered comfortable and
even luxurious lodgings, but instead he went begging for his food from house to house.

During his wanderings, Buddha returned to his childhood home, where his father, aunt,
and wife all became his followers. Everywhere he went, people were fascinated by his
teachings and captivated by his charisma. He knew how to reach each individual on their
own level and would often walk long distances just to help a single person. He attended
sick people neglected by others, saying "He who attends on the sick attends on me."
Besides his compassion and poise, Buddha was known to be a lover of beauty with a
special appreciation for certain beautiful places and people. He also had a wonderful
sense of humor. He was described as a very handsome man with great beauty of
complexion, a sublime color, a perfect stature, and a noble presence.

Buddha also played the role of social reformer, continuing to condemn the Brahmin
priests and attacking the inhumane caste system of Indian society, a position that was not
always popular. Criticism never angered Buddha and he remained serene even when
scorned and ridiculed.

Once a man interrupted Buddha's preaching with a flood of abuse. Buddha waited
patiently for him to finish and then asked: "If a man offered a gift to another but the gift
was declined, to whom would the gift belong?" The man answered: "To the one who
offered it." Buddha replied: "Then, I decline to accept your abuse and request you to keep
it for yourself."

There were also those within Buddha's circle who created opposition to him, chief among
them a disciple named Devadatta, who was one of Buddha's cousins. Devadatta was
ambitious and aspired to take Buddha's place as he grew older. Buddha had already
proclaimed that no one would take his place and that his sangha, or community, would be
run on democratic principles. Devadatta vowed revenge and made three attempts on the
life of the Buddha, all of which failed. He then tried to create disharmony in the sangha
and persuaded several new monks to join him in the creation of a new order. However,
they all eventually returned to Buddha, at which point Devadatta developed a serious
illness, which led to his death nine months later.

Buddha traveled and taught for more than forty years and then announced he was ready
to die. Three months before his death he told his closest attendant, Ananda: " Dwell by
making yourselves your island, making yourselves, not anyone else your refuge; making
the dhamma your island, the dhamma your refuge, nothing else your refuge." Dhamma,
also known as dharma, is a term for the Master's teachings. As he grew closer to death,
Buddha called his disciples together and told them he had no plans to leave them with
any instructions. He said only that they were not to rely on any outward authority, but
instead on their own direct understanding and experience of the Truth.
Buddha arranged to share a last meal with several of his monks. He ordered that the left-
overs from the meal be buried. Shortly after, he became ill and racked with pain. He told
Ananda that no blame should fall on the one who had prepared the meal, adding that
there were two offerings that had equal value and blessing - one was the meal offered
right before the attainment of enlightenment; the other was the meal offered right before
the death of the Enlightened One.

Then the Buddha laid himself down before a tree, resting on his right side, with one leg
atop the other, calm and self-possessed. He admonished Ananda for crying, saying that
his new Master would be the Dhamma Buddha left behind. He also admonished him for
sending away a seeker who hoped to see Buddha, and insisted Ananda call the man back.
The man joined the order that same night and became Buddha's last direct disciple.

When he passed away, Buddha's last words were: "Work out your own salvation with
diligence." He died on the anniversary of his illumination under the bodhi tree, on the full
moon in May, 483 B.C. He was eighty years old. His followers gave him an elaborate
funeral, cremated his body, and distributed his bones as sacred relics.

After his passing, the great energy of Buddha's work became manifest and his teachings
spread far and wide, gaining thousands and then millions of followers.

<~His Teachings~>
His Teachings

Buddha taught that existence is a continuing cycle of death and rebirth, in which an
individual is reincarnated over and over into new lives. A person's experiences in one life
are a result of experiences and actions in previous lives. For instance, actions we might
perceive as evil would result in suffering in future lives. Actions we might perceive as
good deeds might result in a state of well-being in a future life. Buddha said that as long
as we remain in this cycle of death and rebirth, we can never be free from pain and
suffering. He also offered a way to escape this cycle, which was by eliminating our
attachment to worldly things and desires. Only then could we attain lasting peace and
happiness, a state he referred to as NIRVANA.

Nirvana is attained by acceptance of the FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS and dedication to the
EIGHTFOLD PATH, both of which he described in his very first sermon.

The FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS that were the subject of this first sermon, and that became
the foundation of Buddhism, are:

One: Man's existence is full of suffering, conflict, dissatisfaction and sorrow. By this,
Buddha meant not just the daily sufferings of people, but the long cycles of birth and
rebirth which continually bind us.

Two: All this suffering is caused by craving, desire, or "thirst."

Three: There is liberation and freedom from this suffering, called Nirvana, which means
the extinction of the false. Beyond this is light, love and infinite joy. When one attains
Nirvana, one is free from the cycle of rebirth.

Four: The way to liberation is through the Eightfold Path.

THE EIGHTFOLD PATH was described in various ways by Buddha depending on the
nature of his audience. Because there were many stages within each of the eight paths,
Buddha could choose the aspects that were most appropriate for the people he was
teaching. All of the Eight Paths are based on Buddha's basic principle that people could
find the truth within themselves, and this truth was obtainable through practical
approaches to daily life. To Buddha, wisdom and enlightenment were achieved not by
distancing oneself from life or the world, but by participating in the world and conducting
oneself in certain noble ways. The Eightfold Path consists of the following:

One. Right Understanding: Knowledge of the Four Noble Truths and the reality of the
human situation.

Two. Right Thought: This refers to a person's intention, an intention to transcend

ignorance and evil. It includes the acceptance of self-sacrifice; acknowledging that the
life of the ego is coming to an end and will be replaced by love and compassion. Right
thought brings about four sublime states: benevolence, compassion, joyous sympathy,
and equanimity.

Three. Right Speech. Saying nothing to hurt others; saying nothing that is ignorant, cruel
or dishonest.

Four. Right Action. Respecting life, property, beauty and harmony.

Five. Right Livelihood: Living according to the principles of love and compassion.
Working in areas that promote truth and service.

Six. Right Effort: The energy and will to get on with what needs to be done, not to be
distracted, constant determination. Striving to work towards one's own salvation.

Seven. Right Mindfulness: Being aware of what one's doing and in control of one's
actions.

Eight. Right Concentration: One pointed meditation that is accompanied by joy, until the
joy gives way and all that remains is blissful awareness.

None of the Buddha's teachings were recorded in his lifetime. One hundred and forty
years after his death, his followers formed councils and tried to reach an agreement on a
definition of Buddhism. Three councils were held at this time and a fourth was held more
than a hundred years later. The fourth council met during the reign of the Indian emperor
Asoka, who was a convert to Buddhism. Under Asoka's patronage, Buddhism spread
throughout Asia and into China. As it developed, it split into different sects.
There are two main branches of Buddhism - the Hinayana, or "The Lesser Vehicle" and
the Mahayana, "the Great Vehicle." Another way to interpret them is that Hinayana
means "the path of salvation available to a smaller number of people" and Mahayana
means "the path of salvation open to a larger number of people." The Hinayana has only
one surviving branch called Theravada, so in that sense the terms Hinayana and
Theravada are now interchangeable. Theravada means "Way of the Elders." Hinayana (or
Theravada) is the more conservative of the two main branches and became popular in Sri
Lanka, Burma, and Thailand. The Mahayana is more liberal and is most popular in
Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and among Tibetans. There is very little Buddhism in India. Partly
because of absorption into Hindu culture and partly because of persecution by Muslims,
Indian Buddhism disappeared sometime in the 13th century.

All Buddhist sects are committed to three things, which are called the THREE REFUGES
or the THREE JEWELS. They are committed to Buddha. They are committed to his
teachings, called the Dharma. And they are committed to the religious community he
founded, called the sangha.

HINAYANA BUDDHISM

The first, Hinayana Buddhism, now represented only by the Theravada sect, is based on a
monastic organization that Buddha himself founded, and centers itself around the careful
preservation of Buddha's own words and theories. It is, in a sense, the historical branch of
Buddhism. In this school of Buddhism, people believe that Buddha's Great Renunciation
was his most critical message and so they maintain that the only way to achieve
enlightenment is to detach oneself from the world, become a monk or nun, and lead a life
of monastic discipline under the guidance of a Buddhist teacher. In the monasteries,
Hinayana Buddhists practice techniques to purify their minds and develop awareness and
control. The most skilled at this become masters of meditation and of yoga.

MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

The other major sect of Buddhism is Mahayana Buddhism, popular in Japan and other
eastern parts of Asia. It embraces what is called the Great and Broad Path, or the idea that
illumination and enlightenment is attainable by anyone. This approach blends Buddhist
principles with Hindu styles of worship. It places less emphasis on self-discipline and
control, and more emphasis on compassion, selfless service, and devotion. Meditation is
directed towards divine figures such as saints and bodhisattvas. A bodhisattva is a being
who dedicates his own existence to the illumination of others. He postpones his entry into
Nirvana to relieve the ignorance and suffering of those who are still unenlightened.
Mahayanas encourage everyone, monks and lay people alike, to follow the example of a
bodhisattva, by leading a life of compassion and virtue. Mahayanas believe in the
existence of many Buddhas and they focus on people they believe will become Buddhas
in the future.
Mahayana Buddhism spread north to Tibet, China and Japan. Because it was less ascetic,
more intuitive and emotional, it appealed immediately to many different kinds of people.
Today, over 56% of Buddhists belong to the Mahayana school.

Mahayana Buddhism also has several sects within itself. One that is widely known is the
Tibetan school, which focuses on the guidance of a qualified lama or guru. The Dalai
Lama is considered an incarnation of the Buddha of Compassion and Intuitive
Knowledge. Some of these schools of Buddhism offer the most refined systems of mental
training of any spiritual system. Disciples spend their time reciting mantras, performing
sacred dances, and meditating. Many followers of this school believe in evil spirits and
devils and the use of magic to repel these entities plays a large part in their rituals.

Mahayana Buddhism reached not just into Tibet but into all of China, where it underwent
further changes and adaptations. The teachings of Mahayana Buddhism arrived in China
in the first century A.D., where they blended with Taoist teachings to form a new series of
Buddhist schools which then spread to Japan and emerged as Shinto, Zen, and other
contemporary schools. Chinese and Japanese schools focused on training that would lead
to a sudden, dramatic experience of a state beyond the ego and personality. Zen
Buddhism, still popular in Japan, includes specialized practices designed to lead to a state
of spiritual enlightenment called Satori.

As Buddhism spread through China, it had a profound impact on Chinese culture and
society. Early on, Buddhists became influential at the Chinese court where their views
soon penetrated into the philosophical and literary circles of the upper class. Buddhism
also introduced the monastic community, which offered a refuge from the harsh feudal
system and the wars and rebellions which plagued China in ancient times. Chinese from
all classes were attracted to the monasteries, including the cultural and literary elite. A
great deal of scholarly work was accomplished in the monasteries, including the
translation of Buddhist scriptures.

Eventually, Buddhism merged into the life and culture of China. The first Buddhist
translations used a Taoist vocabulary - perhaps the first time historians can date the
intermingling of Taoism and Buddhism. At first, the Chinese viewed Buddhism as a
foreign type of Taoism and for many centuries the Chinese even believed that Buddha
had been taught by Lao-tzu or that Lao Tzu had been reborn in India as Buddha.
Buddhism in China adopted many of the principles of Chinese culture, including the
importance of family, a principle Confucius amplified.

As the centuries passed, Buddhism in China adopted the spirit of its people. It became
more pragmatic, more focused in the world, than Indian Buddhism. It expanded to
include Chinese concepts like affirmation of the soul, the belief in countless numbers of
Buddhas, and the path of sudden enlightenment known as Zen Buddhism.

In 845 however, the Chinese government cracked down on the Buddhist community,
feeling its large size and tax exempt status was a drain on the empire's economy. Temples
were destroyed, thousands of monks and nuns lost their privileged status, and vast
properties held by the monasteries were confiscated. Buddhism did recover after this
period of persecution, but it never again held the same power and prestige in Chinese
society.

In Japan, Buddhism gained an early foothold when the Japanese interpreted it as a means
to magical and supernatural power. It became mixed with various Japanese folk practices
and for a time in the 8th century became the state religion.

In almost all areas where Buddhism became established, the monasteries developed a
dependence on the community for food and supplies. Although in some areas the
monasteries did become wealthy, most Buddhist monks traditionally were beggars, a
practice that still exists in southeast Asia. Buddhist monks are also celibate, so new
members of the community must be recruited from outside. Recruits often enter the
monastery as children and spend years studying, learning and helping with the chores.
Once they are ordained their days are spent in devotions, meditation, studying, and
teaching. Some Buddhists become monks for life; other serve for a temporary time.

An important principle in a Buddhist monastery is the concept of OFFERINGS. Flowers,

incense, and praise are given to the image of Buddha, the bodhi tree, and the
bodhisattvas.

Today Buddhism has disappeared from many countries where it was once a dominant
presence. Due primarily to the influence of Communism, Buddhism has virtually ceased
to exist in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, China, Mongolia, Tibet, and North Korea. Yet as
Buddhism declines in the East, an unexpected event is occurring. It is rising in the West.
Various Buddhist sects now have sizeable followers in Western Europe and America. In
the United States alone there are over half a million practicing Buddhists.

The teachings of the Buddha have been variously interpreted. They have been practiced
and lived in numerous different ways. They have been absorbed, adapted, and integrated
into many different cultures. And now these teachings, based on the elimination of desire
and the renunciation of materialism, are emerging in what is perhaps the most
materialistic and desire-driven culture of all - the modern Western world.

This history itself is evidence of the essential Truths the Buddha personified and
expressed. He once said:

"There is an unborn, an unoriginated, an unmade, an uncompounded; were there not,

there would be no escape from the world of the born, the originated, the made, and the
compounded."

That hope and promise of escape from the cycles of suffering, which he called Nirvana, is
the ultimate goal and attraction of Buddhism - it is what has drawn millions of people for
thousands of years to the extraordinary teachings of the extraordinary Master called The
Buddha.