siddhartha gautama journey

Who Was Buddha?

The name Buddha means "one who is awakened" or "the enlightened one." While scholars agree that Buddha did in fact exist, the specific dates and events of his life are still debated.

According to the most widely known story of his life, after experimenting with different teachings for years, and finding none of them acceptable, Siddhartha Gautama spent a fateful night in deep meditation beneath a tree. During his meditation, all of the answers he had been seeking became clear, and he achieved full awareness, thereby becoming Buddha.

Buddha was born in the 6th century B.C., or possibly as early as 624 B.C., according to some scholars. Other researchers believe he was born later, even as late as 448 B.C. And some Buddhists believe Gautama Buddha lived from 563 B.C. to 483 B.C.

But virtually all scholars believe Siddhartha Gautama was born in Lumbini in present-day Nepal. He belonged to a large clan called the Shakyas.

In 2013, archaeologists working in Lumbini found evidence of a tree shrine that predated other Buddhist shrines by some 300 years, providing new evidence that Buddha was probably born in the 6th century B.C.

Siddhartha Gautama

Siddhartha ("he who achieves his aim") Gautama grew up the son of a ruler of the Shakya clan. His mother died seven days after giving birth.

A holy man, however, prophesied great things for the young Siddhartha: He would either be a great king or military leader or he would be a great spiritual leader.

To protect his son from the miseries and suffering of the world, Siddhartha's father raised him in opulence in a palace built just for the boy and sheltered him from knowledge of religion, human hardship and the outside world.

According to legend, he married at the age of 16 and had a son soon thereafter, but Siddhartha's life of worldly seclusion continued for another 13 years.

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Siddhartha in the Real World

The prince reached adulthood with little experience of the world outside the palace walls, but one day he ventured out with a charioteer and was quickly confronted with the realities of human frailty: He saw a very old man, and Siddhartha's charioteer explained that all people grow old.

Questions about all he had not experienced led him to take more journeys of exploration, and on these subsequent trips he encountered a diseased man, a decaying corpse and an ascetic. The charioteer explained that the ascetic had renounced the world to seek release from the human fear of death and suffering.

Siddhartha was overcome by these sights, and the next day, at age 29, he left his kingdom, his wife and his son to follow a more spiritual path, determined to find a way to relieve the universal suffering that he now understood to be one of the defining traits of humanity.

The Ascetic Life

For the next six years, Siddhartha lived an ascetic life, studying and meditating using the words of various religious teachers as his guide.

He practiced his new way of life with a group of five ascetics, and his dedication to his quest was so stunning that the five ascetics became Siddhartha's followers. When answers to his questions did not appear, however, he redoubled his efforts, enduring pain, fasting nearly to starvation and refusing water.

Whatever he tried, Siddhartha could not reach the level of insight he sought, until one day when a young girl offered him a bowl of rice. As he accepted it, he suddenly realized that corporeal austerity was not the means to achieve inner liberation, and that living under harsh physical constraints was not helping him achieve spiritual release.

So he had his rice, drank water and bathed in the river. The five ascetics decided that Siddhartha had given up the ascetic life and would now follow the ways of the flesh, and they promptly left him.

The Buddha Emerges

That night, Siddhartha sat alone under the Bodhi tree, vowing to not get up until the truths he sought came to him, and he meditated until the sun came up the next day. He remained there for several days, purifying his mind, seeing his entire life, and previous lives, in his thoughts.

During this time, he had to overcome the threats of Mara, an evil demon, who challenged his right to become the Buddha. When Mara attempted to claim the enlightened state as his own, Siddhartha touched his hand to the ground and asked the Earth to bear witness to his enlightenment, which it did, banishing Mara.

And soon a picture began to form in his mind of all that occurred in the universe, and Siddhartha finally saw the answer to the questions of suffering that he had been seeking for so many years. In that moment of pure enlightenment, Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha.

Armed with his new knowledge, the Buddha was initially hesitant to teach, because what he now knew could not be communicated to others in words. According to legend, it was then that the king of gods, Brahma, convinced Buddha to teach, and he got up from his spot under the Bodhi tree and set out to do just that.

About 100 miles away, he came across the five ascetics he had practiced with for so long, who had abandoned him on the eve of his enlightenment. Siddhartha encouraged them to follow a path of balance instead of one characterized by either aesthetic extremism or sensuous indulgence. He called this path the Middle Way.

To them and others who had gathered, he preached his first sermon (henceforth known as Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dharma) , in which he explained the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, which became the pillars of Buddhism.

The ascetics then became his first disciples and formed the foundation of the Sangha, or community of monks. Women were admitted to the Sangha, and all barriers of class, race, sex and previous background were ignored, with only the desire to reach enlightenment through the banishment of suffering and spiritual emptiness considered.

For the remainder of his years, Buddha traveled, preaching the Dharma (the name given to his teachings) in an effort to lead others along the path of enlightenment.

Buddha died around the age of 80, possibly of an illness from eating spoiled meat or other food. When he died, it is said that he told his disciples that they should follow no leader, but to "be your own light."

The Buddha is undoubtedly one of the most influential figures in world history, and his teachings have affected everything from a variety of other faiths (as many find their origins in the words of the Buddha) to literature to philosophy, both within India and to the farthest reaches of the world.

QUICK FACTS

• Name: Buddha
• Birth Year: 563
• Birth City: Lumbini
• Birth Country: Nepal
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Buddha was a spiritual teacher in Nepal during the 6th century B.C. Born Siddhartha Gautama, his teachings serve as the foundation of the Buddhist religion.
• Nacionalities
• Nepalese (Nepal)
• Death Year: 483
• Death Country: India

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CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Buddha Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/religious-figures/buddha
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: July 13, 2020
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

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The historical Buddha

Seated Buddha, 15th century (Thailand, Sukhothai style), bronze, 68.6 x 48.9 cm (The Metropolitan Museum of Art; photo: Steven Zucker , CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

A human endeavor

Among the founders of the world’s major religions, the Buddha was the only teacher who did not claim to be other than an ordinary human being. Other teachers were either God or directly inspired by God. The Buddha was simply a human being and he claimed no inspiration from any God or external power. He attributed all his realization, attainments , and achievements to human endeavor and human intelligence. A man and only a man can become a Buddha. Every man has within himself the potential of becoming a Buddha if he so wills it and works at it. Nevertheless, the Buddha was such a perfect human that he came to be regarded in popular religion as super-human.

Man’s position, according to Buddhism , is supreme. Man is his own master and there is no higher being or power that sits in judgment over his destiny. If the Buddha is to be called a “savior” at all, it is only in the sense that he discovered and showed the path to liberation, to Nirvana , the path we are invited to follow ourselves.

It is with this principle of individual responsibility that the Buddha offers freedom to his disciples. This freedom of thought is unique in the history of religion and is necessary because, according to the Buddha, man’s emancipation depends on his own realization of Truth, and not on the benevolent grace of a God or any external power as a reward for his obedient behavior.

Fasting Buddha Shakyamuni , 3rd–5th century Kushan period, Pakistan/ancient Gandhara ( The Metropolitan Museum of Art )

Life of the Buddha

The main events of the Buddha’s life are well known. He was born Siddhartha Gautama of the Shaka clan. He is said to have had a miraculous birth, precocious childhood, and a princely upbringing. He married and had a son.

He encountered an old man, a sick man, a corpse, and a religious ascetic. He became aware of suffering and became convinced that his mission was to seek liberation for himself and others. He renounced his princely life, spent six years studying doctrines and undergoing yogic austerities. He then gave up ascetic practices for normal life. He spent seven weeks in the shade of a Bodhi tree until, finally, one night toward dawn, enlightenment came. Then he preached sermons and embarked on missionary travels for 45 years. He affected the lives of thousands—high and low. At the age of 80 , he experienced his parinirvana—extinction itself.

Death of the Buddha, late 17th–early 18th century, ink, colors, and gold on silk hanging scroll, 331.5 x 229 cm, Japan ( Art Institute of Chicago )

This is the most basic outline of his life and mission. The literature inspired by the Buddha’s story is as various as those who have told it in the last 2500 years. To the first of his followers, and the tradition associated with Theravada Buddhism and figures like the great Emperor Ashoka , the Buddha was a man, not a God. He was a teacher, not a savior. To this day , the Theravada tradition prevails in parts of India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand.

To those who, a few hundred years later, formed the Mahayana School , Buddha was a savior and often a God—a God concerned with man’s sorrows above all else. The Mahayana form of Buddhism is in Tibet, Mongolia, Vietnam, Korea, China, and Japan. The historical Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) is also known as Shakyamuni.

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By: History.com Editors

Updated: April 5, 2024 | Original: October 12, 2017

Buddhism is a faith that was founded by Siddhartha Gautama—also known as “the Buddha”—more than 2,500 years ago in India. With an estimated 500 million to one billion followers, scholars consider Buddhism one of the major world religions. As a non-theistic faith with no god or deity to worship, some scholars describe Buddhism as a philosophy or a moral code rather than an organized religion.

Many of the beliefs and practices of Buddhism revolve around the concept of suffering and its causes. Buddhism has historically been most prominent in East and Southeast Asia, but its influence is growing throughout the West. Many Buddhist ideas and philosophies overlap with those of other faiths.

Buddhism Beliefs and Practices

Some key Buddhism beliefs include:

• Followers of Buddhism don’t acknowledge a supreme god or deity. They instead focus on achieving enlightenment—a state of inner peace and wisdom. When followers reach this spiritual echelon, they’re said to have experienced nirvana.
• The religion’s founder, Buddha, is considered an extraordinary being, but not a god. The word Buddha means “enlightened.”
• The path to enlightenment is attained by utilizing morality, meditation and wisdom. Buddhists often meditate because they believe it helps awaken truth.
• There are many philosophies and interpretations within Buddhism, making it a tolerant and evolving religion.
• Some scholars don’t recognize Buddhism as an organized religion, but rather, a “way of life” or a “spiritual tradition.”
• Buddhism encourages its people to avoid self-indulgence but also self-denial.
• Buddha’s most important teachings, known as The Four Noble Truths, are essential to understanding the religion.
• Buddhists embrace the concepts of karma (the law of cause and effect) and reincarnation (the continuous cycle of rebirth).
• Followers of Buddhism can worship in temples or in their own homes.
• Buddhist monks, or bhikkhus, follow a strict code of conduct, which includes celibacy.
• There is no single Buddhist symbol, but a number of images have evolved that represent Buddhist beliefs, including the lotus flower, the eight-spoked dharma wheel, the Bodhi tree and the  swastika  (an ancient symbol whose name means "well-being" or "good fortune" in Sanskrit). 

Who Was the Buddha?

Siddhartha Gautama , the founder of Buddhism who later became known as “the Buddha,” lived during the 5th century B.C. 

Gautama was born into a wealthy family as a prince in present-day Nepal. Although he had an easy life, Gautama was moved by suffering in the world. 

He decided to give up his lavish lifestyle and endure poverty. For nearly six years, he undertook fasting and other austerities, but these techniques proved ineffectual and he abandoned them. He eventually promoted the idea of the “Middle Way,” which means existing between two extremes. Thus, he sought a life without social indulgences but also without deprivation.

After regaining his strength, he seated himself under a Bodhi tree in west-central India and promised not to rise until he had attained the supreme enlightenment. After fighting off Mara, an evil spirit who tempted him with worldly comforts and desires, Siddhartha reached enlightenment, becoming a Buddha at the age of 35. He spent the rest of his life teaching others about how to achieve this spiritual state.

When Gautama passed away around 483 B.C., his followers began to organize a religious movement. Buddha’s teachings became the foundation for what would develop into Buddhism.

In the 3rd century B.C., Ashoka the Great, the Mauryan Indian emperor, made Buddhism the state religion of India. Buddhist monasteries were built, and missionary work was encouraged.

Over the next few centuries, Buddhism began to spread beyond India. The thoughts and philosophies of Buddhists became diverse, with some followers interpreting ideas differently than others.

In the sixth century, the Huns invaded India and destroyed hundreds of Buddhist monasteries, but the intruders were eventually driven out of the country.

Islam began to spread quickly in the region during the Middle Ages , forcing Buddhism into the background. Nonetheless, Buddhism eventually spread to Central and Southeast Asia, China, Korea, Japan and, in the 20th century, to the West.

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Types of Buddhism

Today, many forms of Buddhism exist around the world. The three main types that represent specific geographical areas include:

• Theravada Buddhism : Prevalent in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos and Burma
• Mahayana Buddhism : Prevalent in China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore and Vietnam
• Tibetan Buddhism : Prevalent in Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia, Bhutan, and parts of Russia and northern India
• Zen Buddhism is a form of Mahayana Buddhism that’s practiced in many of the same areas. It emphasizes simplicity and meditation—the word “zen” means meditation—in lieu of religious scripture, ceremonies or doctrines.
• Nirvana Buddhism is closely related to Theravada Buddhism, but the concept of nirvana is also central to many paths of Buddhism. The term nirvana means “blowing out,” as a candle is blown out, thus ending all attachment and desire to achieve a state of pure enlightenment.

Each of these types reveres certain texts and has slightly different interpretations of Buddha’s teachings.

Some forms of Buddhism incorporate ideas of other religions and philosophies, such as Taoism and Bon.

Buddha’s teachings are known as “dharma.” He taught that wisdom, kindness, patience, generosity and compassion were important virtues.

Specifically, all Buddhists live by five moral precepts, which prohibit:

• Killing living things
• Taking what is not given
• Sexual misconduct
• Using drugs or alcohol

Four Noble Truths

The Four Noble Truths, which Buddha taught, are:

• The truth of suffering (dukkha)
• The truth of the cause of suffering (samudaya)
• The truth of the end of suffering (nirhodha)
• The truth of the path that frees us from suffering (magga)

Collectively, these principles explain why humans hurt and how to overcome suffering.

Eightfold Path

The Buddha taught his followers that the end of suffering, as described in the fourth Noble Truths, could be achieved by following an Eightfold Path. 

In no particular order, the Eightfold Path of Buddhism teaches the following ideals for ethical conduct, mental disciple and achieving wisdom:

• Right understanding (Samma ditthi)
• Right thought (Samma sankappa)
• Right speech (Samma vaca)
• Right action (Samma kammanta)
• Right livelihood (Samma ajiva)
• Right effort (Samma vayama)
• Right mindfulness (Samma sati)
• Right concentration (Samma samadhi)

Buddhist Holy Book

Buddhists revere many sacred texts and scriptures. Some of the most important are:

• Tipitaka: These texts, known as the “three baskets,” are thought to be the earliest collection of Buddhist writings.
• Sutras: There are more than 2,000 sutras, which are sacred teachings embraced mainly by Mahayana Buddhists.
• The Book of the Dead : This Tibetan text describes the stages of death in detail.

The Dalai Lama is the leading monk in Tibetan Buddhism. Followers of the religion believe the Dalai Lama is a reincarnation of a past lama that has agreed to be born again to help humanity. There have been 14 Dalai Lamas throughout history.

The Dalai Lama also governed Tibet until the Chinese took control in 1959. The current Dalai Lama, Lhamo Thondup, was born in 1935.

Buddhist Holidays

Every year, Buddhists celebrate Vesak, a festival that commemorates Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death.

During each quarter of the moon, followers of Buddhism participate in a ceremony called Uposatha. This observance allows Buddhists to renew their commitment to their teachings.

They also celebrate the Buddhist New Year and participate in several other yearly festivals.

Buddhism: An Introduction, PBS . Buddhism, Ancient History Encyclopedia . The History of Buddha, History Cooperative . Demographics of Buddhism, Georgetown University Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, & World Affairs . Religions: Buddhism, BBC . Buddhist Scriptures, Georgetown University Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, & World Affairs . The Noble Eightfold Path: Tricycle . What Is Zen Buddhism and How Do You Practice It? Lion’s Roar .

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Gautam Buddha: Biography, Teachings, Influence, Early Life & Facts

Gautam Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautama, was a spiritual teacher and founder of Buddhism, a profound and influential religious and philosophical tradition. Born in ancient India around 563 BC, his life and teachings left an indelible mark on human history.

Siddhartha’s journey to enlightenment began when he renounced a life of luxury and embarked on a journey to understand the nature of suffering and the path to liberation. After years of meditation and self-discovery, he attained enlightenment and became a “Buddha”, meaning “awakened”. His teachings, known as Dharma, revolve around fundamental principles such as the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path and provide guidance on how to overcome suffering and achieve spiritual awakening.

Gautama Buddha’s legacy extends far beyond his time. His emphasis on compassion, mindfulness, and the pursuit of inner peace continues to inspire millions around the world, transcending cultures and generations. His life story and profound wisdom serve as a timeless source of enlightenment and spiritual guidance for those seeking deeper understanding and inner peace.

Table of Contents

The Gautama Buddha Biography

Introduction.

Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Gautama Buddha, was an itinerant monk and spiritual guide who founded Buddhism during the sixth or fifth century BC. Gautama Buddha taught that life is full of suffering and unhappiness. It is because we have appetites and desires. He taught that this constant desire could be removed by observing moderation in all things. According to legend, Siddhartha Gautama was a Hindu prince who gave up his position and wealth to seek enlightenment as a spiritual ascetic, achieved his goal, and, by preaching his way to others, founded the 6th–5th century BC in India. Buddha was born at a time of social and religious transformation. The dominant religion in India at the time was Hinduism (Sanatan Dharma, “Eternal Order”), but several thinkers of the time began to question its validity and the authority of the Vedas, as well as the practices of the priests.

Early Life of Gautama Buddha

According to tradition, Siddhartha was born more than 200 years before the reign of Maurya king Ashoka (who lived 304–232 BC). Siddhartha was born in Lumbini, in present-day Nepal. His father was Suddhodana, chief of the Shakya nation, one of several ancient tribes in the growing state of Kosala. His mother was Queen Maya, the wife of King Sudhodhana. On the night Gautama was conceived, Mayadevi dreamed that a white elephant entered her side, and after this dream, Siddhartha was born. During the birth celebrations, the seer Asita announced that this child would either become a great king (chakravartin) or a great holy man. His father, King Suddhodana, wanted Siddhartha Gautama to become a great king and protected his son from religious teachings and knowledge of human suffering.

The wedding of Gautama Buddha

When the prince reached the age of 16, his father arranged his marriage to Yasodhara, an elite family of the same age. In time, a son, Rahula, was born to her.

Buddha’s life as a prince

Siddhartha Gautama spent 29 years as a prince in Kapilavastu, a place now in Nepal. Although his father ensured that the prince received everything he could want or need, he felt that material wealth was not the ultimate goal of life.

Great departure or renunciation

Siddhartha’s father did not wish for him to experience anything but luxuries while growing up that might inspire him to embrace the spiritual path. Finally, the prince ventured out of the palace and experienced what is known as the four signs that changed his path forever. During his 29 years, the prince slipped through his father’s defenses and saw four signs in the outside world: an aged man, A sick man, A dead man, A religious ascetic

Through these signs, he realized that he too could get sick, grow old, die, and lose everything he loved. He understood that the life he was living guaranteed that he would suffer, and further, that all life is essentially defined by the suffering of lack or loss.

Disturbed by these observations, Siddhartha renounced his luxurious life, wife, son, and family at the age of 29.

He left the palace on his favorite horse, Kanthaka, to live a life dedicated to learning how to overcome suffering.

He meditated with two hermits, and although he had attained high levels of meditative consciousness, he was still not satisfied with his path. He began his training in an ascetic way and practiced vigorous techniques of physical and mental austerity. Gautama proved quite adept at these practices, surpassing even his teachers. However, he found no answer to his questions about freedom from suffering. Leaving his teachers behind, he and a small group of close associates set out to take his austerities even further.

Great Enlightenment

Gautama tried to find enlightenment by completely renouncing worldly possessions, including food, and became a complete ascetic. After nearly starving himself to death, Gautama began to reconsider his path. He eventually reached Gaya in present-day Bihar, where he sat under a Bodhi tree and meditated.

Finally, in a moment of enlightenment, he understood that suffering is caused by man’s insistence on permanent states of being in the world of impermanence.

Man suffers because he does not realize that life is changing, and he can stop suffering by understanding that believing that anything will last or being attached to it is a serious mistake that will keep him in an endless cycle of desire, effort, and rebirth. and death. His enlightenment was complete, and Siddhartha Gautama was now the Buddha, the enlightened one. Although he could now live his life contentedly, he chose instead to teach others the path of liberation from ignorance and desire and help them end their suffering.

The first sermon

He preached his first sermon at the Deer Park in Sarnath, where he introduced his listeners to his Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism are:

• (i) Life is suffering.
• (ii) Desire is the cause of suffering.
• (iii) The end of suffering comes with the end of craving.
• (iv) There is a path that leads one away from craving and suffering

The Fourth Truth directs one to the Eightfold Path of Buddhism , which serves as a guide to living life without the kind of attachment that warrants suffering.

• (i) Right view
• (ii) Proper Intention
• (iii) Right speech
• (iv) Proper action
• (v) Right Livelihood
• (vi) Due Diligence
• (vii) Right Mindfulness
• (viii) Proper concentration

For the remaining 45 years of his life, the Buddha is said to have traveled the Gangetic Plain of northeastern India and southern Nepal, teaching his doctrine and discipline to everyone from nobles to disinherited sweepers, including many adherents of competing philosophies and religions.

The Buddha established a community of Buddhist monks and nuns (Sangha) to continue the dispensation after his parinirvana, or “complete nirvana”, and made thousands of converts. His religion was open to all races and classes and had no caste structure.

According to the Mahaparinibbana Sutta of the Pali Canon, the Buddha announced at the age of 80 that he would soon enter Parinirvana or the final immortal state of leaving the earthly body. He died in Kusinara. The Buddha’s body was cremated, and the relics were placed in monuments or stupas, some of which are believed to have survived to the present day.

Symbols of Buddha’s life

The great events of the Buddha’s life are important milestones in the life of Siddhartha Gautama, which are represented by various symbols. The birth of the Buddha is represented by a lotus flower, representing purity, beauty, and spiritual growth. Renunciation is represented by his horse, Kanthaka. The Great Enlightenment is represented by the Bodhi tree. The first sermon introduces the wheel of dharma . Mahaparinirvana is depicted at the stupa.

The Buddha encouraged his disciples to investigate his teachings and confirm them through personal experience throughout their lives. Buddhism is still characterized by this lack of dogmatism.

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(FAQ) Questions and Answers about Gautama Buddha

Q-1. what is gautama buddha’s real name.

Ans: Gautama Buddha’s real name is Siddhartha.

Q-2. At what age did Gautama Buddha leave home?

Ans: Gautama Buddha left home at the age of 29.

Q-3. At what age did Gautama Buddha attain Bodhi?

Ans: At the age of 35, Gautama Buddha attained bodhi.

Q-4. Who was Gautama Buddha?

Ans. Gautam Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautama, was a spiritual teacher and founder of Buddhism. He lived in ancient India, around the 6th century BC.

Q-5. What is Buddhism?

Ans. Buddhism is a major world religion based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha. It emphasizes the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path as a guide to ending suffering and attaining enlightenment.

Q-6. What are the Four Noble Truths?

Ans. The truth of suffering, The truth of the cause of suffering, The truth of the end of suffering is the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering.

Q-7. What is the Eightfold Path?

Ans. The Eightfold Path is a set of ethical guidelines and mental disciplines in Buddhism, including right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

Q-8: Where did Gautama Buddha attain enlightenment?

Ans. He attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India.

Q-9. What is Nirvana in Buddhism?

Ans. Nirvana is the ultimate goal in Buddhism, which represents liberation from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. It is a state of perfect peace and happiness.

Q-10. Did Gautama Buddha claim to be a god?

Ans. No, Gautama Buddha did not claim to be a god. He was a human being who attained enlightenment and shared his knowledge with others.

Q-11. What are the main Buddhist scriptures?

Ans. The Tripitaka, also known as the Pali Canon, is the primary collection of Buddhist scriptures . It is divided into three “baskets”: Vinaya Pitaka (rules for monastic discipline), Sutta Pitaka (discourses), and Abhidhamma Pitaka (philosophical and psychological analysis).

Q-12. How did Gautama Buddha die?

Ans. Gautam Buddha died at the age of 80 in Kushinagar, India. His death is referred to as Mahaparinirvana, which means his liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Q-13. What are the three jewels of Buddhism?

Ans. The three jewels are Buddha (enlightened), Dharma (teaching), and Sangha (community of monks and nuns).

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Art and Buddhism: A Journey

How have buddhism and art traveled together across time and space.

An Artistic Journey

For centuries, art and Buddhism have traveled together—from India to Japan and through Southeast Asia to Java. Along the way, they’ve informed one another while influencing—and being influenced by—other traditions. Here, guided by highlights from The Met’s Asian collections, we follow along on the journey, to discover art as an essential component of the world’s fourth largest religion.

I. Meet the Buddha

Ii. across time and space, iii. insider insights.

He went by many names—Shakyamuni, Siddhartha, and Gautama—and lived around the 6th to 5th centuries B.C.E. in North India. Born into an elite family, he gave up his riches and went to the wilderness to perfect control over his mind and body. This allowed him to reach a state of bodhi , or enlightenment. 

In some images from East Asia, including this one from Japan in the 1400s, the Buddha appears exhausted and emaciated after years of self-deprivation. Seeing promise in a more moderate path, he left the wilderness and continued on a meditative spiritual journey.

Out of the Wilderness

At the moment of his awakening, the Buddha touched the ground, calling upon the earth itself to bear witness. This Thai sculpture from the 1400s shows him in his enlightened state, with a gleaming body and a flame coming from the top of his head, a sign of his transcendence.

Enlightenment

After the Buddha attained enlightenment, he revealed his teaching to five former companions, who became the first monks. His preaching is symbolized by his turning of the Buddhist wheel of the law.

First Sermon

When the Buddha died, he attained nirvana, or eternal freedom from rebirth, suffering, and attachment. Pictures like this one from Japan show others grieving as they struggle to comprehend his death. They will need the Buddha’s teachings as a guide on their own paths.

The Buddha’s ashes became powerful agents of enlightenment and were placed in solid relic structures known as stupas . This relic container is designed to look like a stupa, with pillars at the four corners and umbrellas to shelter these auspicious remains that radiated the power of enlightenment.

Lasting Impact

The Buddha’s teachings spread well beyond India. So did devotional artworks, which adapted to unique, local styles and technologies.

A new Buddha type appeared in Southeast Asia in the 600s, inspired by innovations in Indian workshops. This slender and serene Buddha with body-defining robes demonstrates acceptance of northern Indian ideals.

A Chinese sculptor made this image using the dry-lacquer technique, which requires covering a core (often wood) with clay and then wrapping it in layers of lacquer-soaked cloth. This Chinese-origin technique was quickly taken up by other artists in ancient East Asia.

Coming from where the Buddha lived this image has an inner radiant calm that went on to impact sculpture across Asia. The dot in his forehead marks an inward-looking eye, and the bump on top of his head is his extra brain, both signs of enlightenment.

The stylistic elements of a bare right shoulder and fabric folding in pleats across the body reached Indonesia in the form of portable bronze statues carried by traders between India and China.

This Japanese image of a Buddha is made of multiple blocks of woods carved separately, joined together, and then enshrouded in layers of lacquer and gold.

Buddhist images spread rapidly through the movement of portable icons. Small images like this bronze Buddha made in ancient Korea were among the first to be introduced to Japan.

The realism of this elongated figure is typical of regional workshops in what is now Gandhara in Pakistan. Note the naturalistic and subtle rendering of the Buddha's face, his well-proportioned body, and the sense of motion in his tilted head and bent leg.

Across Time and Space

After the Buddha died, devotees could no longer hear the dharma, or teachings, directly from him. Buddhist schools developed new ways for people to access the teachings and to find assistance on the path, like connecting to physical relics, calling upon living Buddhas residing in heavens, or asking for aid from spiritual guides called bodhisattvas.

Buddhas Across Time

In the Buddhist model of cyclical time, a series of Buddhas lived in distant past ages, and another Buddha will be born in a far-off future.

Dipankara, who lived in a past age, was the first Buddha to reveal the dharma. The flames that surround him in this massive Chinese sculpture indicate his enlightenment.

The figure standing under Dipankara’s left arm represents a young man named Sumedha, who vowed to reach enlightenment and become a Buddha. Over countless rebirths, Sumedha strove to refine his actions and was ultimately reborn as Shakyamuni, the Buddha of our age.

The group of seven other past Buddhas in Dipankara's halo signal that he was the first in a long line of Buddhas to reveal the teachings and leave relics.

Buddha of the Past

This Tibetan image from the 1200s shows him with a chest full of breath and a calm expression, suggesting inner strength and mental clarity. His yogic control and the physical perfection of his body are expressions of enlightenment. 

Many life cycles after encountering Dipankara, Sumedha was reborn as the Buddha Shakyamuni, who lived in India in the 5th or 6th century B.C.E. The figure's smooth surface, subtle hint of a smile, and downcast eyes capture the inner calm of Buddhahood and awakened bliss.

The extended earlobes, three rings on the neck, mark on the forehead, and highly pronounced bump on his head are all auspicious signs of Shakyamuni’s enlightened state and of his final rebirth as one capable of reaching Buddhahood.

 The Present Age

Devotees worship Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future, both as a bodhisattva and as a Buddha, believing that when the teachings have been completely forgotten, he will be reborn as the teaching Buddha of the next great era.

This lifelike image of Maitreya was cast in China in the 400s. He offers salvation now and in the future and holds his right hand in the gesture of approachability. It signals to devotees that they, too, have access to this enlightened being.

Unlike Shakyamuni, who is often depicted sitting or standing on a simple throne, Maitreya stands on a lotus base, suggesting that he resides in heaven and is awaiting his final rebirth.

Look to the Future      

A host of compassionate bodhisattvas and other deities across the cosmos are always available to guide and protect (and to be fierce as needed).

Avalokiteshvara offers help along the path to enlightenment and is able to hear the cries of suffering of all living beings. This rare early Korean painting imagines him receiving visitors in his paradise. The painter describes in meticulous detail his jewelry and luxurious robes.

The bodhisattva Manjushri is associated with wisdom. He embodies the Buddha’s teachings and is available to help devotees understand them. His presentation in this Nepalese sculpture as an innocent young boy signals his approachability.

Known for destroying barriers to enlightenment and for protecting the common person, Mahakala is one of the most popular guardians in the Tibetan Buddhist pantheon. Here, he tramples a corpse while wielding a flaying knife and a skull cup full of blood.

Achala is a tenacious, steadfast protector of Buddhist teachings. In Japan he is worshipped as Fudō, a wrathful figure at the center of the Buddhist cosmos. For defeating Buddhism’s greatest foes—ignorance and delusion—his weapons of choice are a lasso and sword.

Insider Insights

As Buddhism became the dominant religion across Asia, the teachings inspired new schools of thought. Some widely known schools are Pure Land, Zen, and Vajrayana (also known as Tantric or Esoteric) Buddhism. Each of these three schools offers devotees alternate paths to enlightenment.

This Japanese scroll shows the glorious descent from the heavens of the Buddha Amitabha to save a person at the moment of death. Amitabha’s body is said to radiate light, suggested here by brilliant gold and blue and green mineral pigments.

The knobs at the bottom of the scroll are embedded with the remains of one Mrs. Oikawa, who lived in the outskirts of what is now Tokyo and died there in 1668. A long inscription on the back describes the unusual circumstances of her death and how and why her grieving husband commissioned this painting.

In this close up, the Buddha is accompanied by twenty-seven bodhisattvas who dance, sing, and play music—the sights and sounds of salvation.

Looking closely at this detail, you will see Amitabha’s main attendants extend a lotus pedestal to a deceased woman. She will rest inside it as she makes the trip to paradise.

A deceased woman awaits on the lower right corner, in prayer. She is dressed for her journey to paradise, wearing a red robe with a design of flocks of plovers.

  Through meditation and other spiritual practices, Zen Buddhists seek heightened awareness of the true nature of reality, and of themselves.

Bodhidharma.

When the Indian sage Bodhidharma tried to spread Zen teachings to China, he ran into a few setbacks, so he went to a cave and meditated for nine years. In this Japanese picture painted 1,000 years later, the puffy, darkened eyes suggest his relentless pursuit of self-realization (and the success of his teachings). 

Paradoxical Dialogues

Famous, sometimes unusual, old encounters with Zen masters appear often in Zen painting. Here, a skeptical scholar says, "Seeing your face is not as good as hearing your name." The master replies: "Why distrust your eye and value your ear? Just as between the water and the clouds, Do not say there is nothing there."

Awaken the Mind

In this picture and poem by a Japanese monk, Zen practice and the pursuit of awakening is likened to a bird pecking at lichen clinging to a rock. "Within the rock is a block of jade," he writes, "but when will he manage to dig it out?"

Delusions and Distractions

This large picture by a Zen monk shows a troupe of fuzzy gibbons clinging to tree branches and trying to grab hold of the reflection of the moon in the water below. Delusions and distractions are the Zen student’s worst enemies.

Beyond the celestial palace are eight great cremation grounds, where packs of wild dogs fight over bones. Each ground features a tantric master, or mahasiddha , who has reached enlightenment and acts as an intermediary to provide greater access to Hevajra.

The couple dances at the center of the cosmos, surrounded by Dakini goddesses that personify liberation and the transmission of secret knowledge. This mandala is a diagram of the true nature of reality, a portable temple that makes the divine couple accessible.

Hevajra and his consort dance on an upturned skull cup, and additional skull cups are held by deities throughout, referring to life’s impermanence and suggesting that one should not wait to seek enlightenment, but act now in this moment.

 The deity Hevajra appears here in four-armed form with his consort Nairatmya. Hevajra's name is composed of "he," compassion, representing the male aspect, and "vajra," wisdom and action, the female aspect. Together they offer the path beyond this illusory world.

Continue the Journey

One sign of a good trip is to arrive back at the starting point, slightly changed. In this case, the journey begins and ends with art.

As Buddhism has spread around the world, art has helped the teachings transcend geographic and cultural barriers. Artworks are the physical manifestation of the teachings and the intentions behind them. Just as the dharma has been adapted by global devotees, artistic innovations also reflect different yet remarkably consistent characteristics. 

In some cases, these artworks have the power to help believers visualize and access sacred realms. At the end of the journey, they also communicate the impermanence of all things...including the artworks themselves.

Visit The Met

Continue your exploration of Buddhist images in The Met’s fifty five galleries for Asian art , which include masterpieces from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, the Himalayas, China, Mongolia, Korea, and Japan.

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The Enlightenment of the Buddha

The Great Awakening

Ernst Haas / Getty Images

• Figures and Texts
• Origins and Developments
• Becoming A Buddhist
• Tibetan and Vajrayana Buddhism
• B.J., Journalism, University of Missouri

The historical Buddha , also called Gautama Buddha or Shakyamuni Buddha, was believed to have been about 29 years old when he began his quest for enlightenment . His quest was accomplished about six years later when he was in his mid-30s.

The story of the Buddha's enlightenment is not told exactly the same way in all schools of Buddhism. There are, of course, elements of folk history and fable at work here, as the details of Siddhārtha Gautama, a clan prince living roughly between the years of 563 BCE to 483 BCE, are not precisely known. It is certain, however, that this young prince was an actual historical figure, and that the transformation he underwent set in place a spiritual revolution that continues to this day. 

The Quest Begins

Raised in a life of privilege and luxury and protected from all knowledge of pain and suffering, young Prince Siddhartha Gautama at the age of 29 is said to have left the family palace to meet his subjects, at which time he was confronted with the reality of human suffering.

Having been confronted with the Four Passing Sights, (a sick person, an aged person, a corpse, and a holy man) and greatly troubled by them, the young prince renounced his life, then left his home and family to discover the truth of birth and death and to find peace of mind. He sought out one yoga teacher and then another one, mastering what they taught him and then moving on.

Then, with five companions, for five or six years he engaged in rigorous asceticism. He tortured himself, held his breath, and fasted until his ribs stuck out "like a row of spindles" and he could almost feel his spine through his stomach. Yet enlightenment seemed no closer.

Then he remembered something. Once as a boy, while sitting under a rose-apple tree on a beautiful day, he had spontaneously experienced great bliss and entered the first dhyana , meaning he was absorbed in a deep meditative state.

He realized then that this experience showed him the way to realization. Instead of punishing his body to find release from the confines of the self, he would work with his own nature and practice purity of mental defilements to realize enlightenment.

He knew then that he would need physical strength and better health to continue. About this time a young girl came by and offered the emaciated Siddhartha a bowl of milk and rice. When his companions saw him eating solid food they believed he had given up the quest, and they abandoned him.

At this point, Siddhartha had realized the path to awakening was a "middle way" between extremes of the self-denial he had been practicing with his group of ascetics and the self-indulgence of the life he had been born into.

Under the Bodhi Tree

At Bodh Gaya, in the modern Indian state of Bihar, Siddhartha Gautama sat beneath a sacred fig ( Ficus religiosa ) and began to meditate. According to some traditions, he realized enlightenment in one night. Others say three days and three nights; while others say 45 days.

When his mind was purified by concentration, it is said he acquired the Three Knowledges. The first knowledge was that of his past lives and the past lives of all beings. The second knowledge was of the laws of karma . The third knowledge was that he was free of all obstacles and released from attachments .

When he realized release from samsara , the awakened Buddha exclaimed,

"House-builder, you're seen! You will not build a house again. All your rafters broken, the ridge pole destroyed, gone to the Unformed, the mind has come to the end of craving." [ Dhammapada , verse 154]

The Temptations of Mara

The demon Mara is portrayed in many different ways in early Buddhist texts. Sometimes he is the lord of death; sometimes he is the personification of sensual temptation; sometimes he is a kind of trickster god. His exact origins are uncertain.

Buddhist legends say that Mara wished to stop Siddhartha's quest for enlightenment, so he brought his most beautiful daughters to Bodh Gaya to seduce him. But Siddhartha did not move. Then Mara sent armies of demons to attack him. Siddhartha sat still, and untouched.

Then, Mara claimed that the seat of enlightenment rightfully belonged to him and not to a mortal. Mara's demon soldiers cried out together, "I am his witness!" Mara challenged Siddhartha--- These soldiers speak for me. Who will speak for you?

Then Siddhartha reached out his right hand to touch the earth, and the earth itself spoke: "I bear you witness!" Mara disappeared. To this day, the Buddha often is portrayed in this " earth witness " posture, with his left hand, palm upright, in his lap, and his right hand touching the earth.

And as the morning star rose in the sky, Siddhartha Gautama realized enlightenment and became a Buddha.

The Teacher

After his awakening, the Buddha remained at Bodh Gaya for a time and considered what to do next. He knew that his great realization was so far outside normal human understanding that no one would believe or understand him if he explained it. Indeed, one legend says that he tried to explain what he had realized to a wandering mendicant, but the holy man laughed at him and walked away.

Eventually, he formulated the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path , so that people could find the way to enlightenment for himself. Then he left Bodh Gaya and went forth to teach.

• The Life of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama
• The Demon Mara
• Basic Beliefs and Tenets of Buddhism
• Buddha's First Sermon
• Shakyamuni Buddha
• Rahula: Son of Buddha
• 'Siddhartha' Quotes From His Spiritual Journey
• Padmasambhava the Precious Guru of Tibetan Buddhism
• The Life of Sariputra
• Early Buddhist History: The First Five Centuries
• King Milinda's Questions and the Chariot Simile
• The Vimalakirti Sutra
• Proselytization and Buddhism
• An Overview of Bodhi Day
• Parinirvana: How the Historical Buddha Entered Nirvana

Siddhartha Gautama Biography: The Buddha

Twenty-five thousand years ago one’s man’s spiritual journey was the beginning of one of the world’s seven religions — boasting 376 million followers today. He is simply called “The Buddha,” and he grew up the son of a king…sheltered from the realities of human suffering. When he finally learned the harsh truth, he left his family and set off on a path to understand life itself — first as a monk and then as a teacher.

Let’s take a closer look at “The Buddha”, Siddhartha Gautama on Biographics.

The founder of Buddhism was a man named Siddhartha Gautama. He was the son a chieftain and believed to be born in Lumbini (modern-day Nepal) in the 6th century B.C. His father Śuddhodana (translating to, “he who grows pure rice”) presided over a large clan called the Shakya in either a republic or an oligarchy system of rule. His mother was Queen Māyā of Sakya who is said to have died shortly after his birth. The infant was given the name Siddhartha, meaning “he who achieves his aim.” When Siddhartha was still a baby, several seers with the power of supernatural insight into the future, predicted he would either be a great spiritual leader, military leader or a king.

Since Siddhartha’s mother died, he was brought up by his maternal aunt, Maha Pajapati. His father, hoping to steer Siddhartha in the direction of the throne, shielded him from religion of any kind and sheltered him from seeing human hardship and suffering. As such, he was raised in the lap of luxury and blissful ignorance where he knew nothing about aging, disease, or death.

At the age of 16, Siddhartha’s father arranged his marriage to a cousin, Yaśodharā, who was also a teenager. She gave birth to a son, Rāhula, some years later. Siddhartha is said to have remained living in the palace until the age of 29 when everything changed.

According to the story, one day Siddhartha travelled outside of the palace gates and he was deeply disturbed by the sight of an old man. His charioteer Channa explained to Siddhartha that all people grow old and that death is an integral part of life. This prompted Siddhartha to secretly venture outside the palace on more trips. When leaving, it was said that, “the horse’s hooves were muffled by the gods” so as to prevent the guards from knowing of his departure. Outside the gates on these trips he encountered a sick man, a decaying corpse, and a homeless, holy man (also known as an ascetic). Channa told Siddhartha ascetics give up their material possessions and forgo physical pleasures for a higher, spiritual purpose.

After witnessing the reality of human hardship and suffering, Siddhartha had no interest in living at the palace. He left his wife and child to discover the true meaning of life, first through living as a traveling beggar, like the ascetics he saw on the streets.

Ascetic life

“The root of suffering is attachment.”

Siddhartha first went to the city of Rajagaha and began begging on the streets to survive. He was recognized there by the king’s men and offered the throne. He rejected it but promised to come back and visit once he attained enlightenment.

When he left Rajagaha, he met a hermit Brahmin saint named Alara Kalama. Kalama taught Siddhartha a form of meditation known as the dhyānic state, or the “sphere of nothingness.” Siddhartha eventually became his teacher’s equal and Kalama offered him his place saying, “You are the same as I am now. There is no difference between us. Stay here and take my place and teach my students with me.” But Siddhartha didn’t stay, and instead he moved on to another teacher, Udaka Ramaputta. Once again, he achieved high levels of meditative consciousness and was asked to succeed his teacher. Siddhartha refused the offer and moved on.

Through the practice of meditation, Siddhartha realized dhyana, a “state of perfect equanimity and awareness” was the path to enlightenment. He also realized that living life as an extremely deprived beggar, as he had done, wasn’t working. It had been six years, and he had eaten very little and fasted until he was weak.

After starving himself for days, Siddhartha famously accepted milk and rice pudding from a village girl named Sujata. He was so emaciated, she thought he was a spirit there to grant her a wish.

Siddhartha, after having this meal, decided against living a life of extreme self-denial since his spiritual goals were not being met. He instead opted to follow a path of balance, known in Buddhism as the Middle Way. At this turning point, his five followers believed he was giving up and abandoned him.

Soon after he started meditating under a fig tree (now called the Bodhi tree) and committed himself to staying there until he had found enlightenment. He meditated for six days and nights and reached enlightenment on the full moon morning of May, a week before he turned thirty-five.

At the time of his enlightenment he gained complete insight into the cause of suffering, and the steps necessary to eliminate it. He called these steps the “Four Noble Truths.”

After his awakening, the Buddha met two merchant brothers from the city of Balkh in modern-day Afghanistan. The brothers, Trapusa and Bahalika, offered the Buddha his first meal after enlightenment and they became his first lay disciplines. According to some texts, each brother gave a hair from his head and these became relics enshrined at the Shwe Dagon Temple in Rangoon, Burma.

The Teacher

“I teach because you and all beings want to have happiness and want to avoid suffering. I teach the way things are.”

Legend has it that initially Buddha was reluctant to spread his knowledge to others as he was doubtful of whether the common people would understand his teachings. But then the king of gods, Brahma, convinced Buddha to teach, and he set out to do that.

The Buddha travelled to Deer Park in northern India, where he set in motion what Buddhists call the Wheel of Dharma by delivering his first sermon to the five companions who had abandoned him earlier. Together with him, they formed the first Buddhist monks, also known as saṅgha. All five attained nirvana, a state along the path to enlightenment yet not full enlightenment.  They were known as arahants, meaning “one who is worthy,” or “perfected person.” From the first five, the group of arahants steadily grew to 60 within the first few months and eventually, the sangha reached more than one thousand.

The sangha traveled through the subcontinent, expounding the dharma. This continued throughout the year, except during the four months of the Vassa rainy season when ascetics of all religions rarely traveled. One reason was that it was more difficult to do so without causing harm to animal life. At this time of year, the sangha would retreat to monasteries, public parks or forests, where people would come to them.

The first vassana was spent at Varanasi when the sangha was formed. After this, the Buddha kept a promise to travel to Rajagaha, capital of Magadha, to visit King Bimbisara. During this visit, Sariputta and Maudgalyayana were converted by Assaji, one of the first five disciples, after which they were to become the Buddha’s two foremost followers. The Buddha spent the next three seasons at Veluvana Bamboo Grove monastery in Rajagaha, the capital of Magadha.

Upon hearing of his son’s awakening, Suddhodana sent, over a period, ten delegations to ask him to return to Kapilavastu. On the first nine occasions, the delegates failed to deliver the message and instead joined the sangha to become arahants. The tenth delegation, led by Kaludayi, a childhood friend of Gautama’s (who also became an arahant), however, delivered the message.

Now two years after his awakening, the Buddha agreed to return, and made a two-month journey by foot to Kapilavastu, teaching the dharma as he went. At his return, the royal palace prepared a midday meal, but the sangha was making an alms round in Kapilavastu. Hearing this, Suddhodana approached his son, the Buddha, saying: “Ours is the warrior lineage of Mahamassata, and not a single warrior has gone seeking alms.” The Buddha is said to have replied: “That is not the custom of your royal lineage. But it is the custom of my Buddha lineage. Several thousands of Buddhas have gone by seeking alms.”

Buddhist texts say that Suddhodana invited the sangha into the palace for the meal, followed by a dharma talk. After this he is said to have become a sotapanna. During the visit, many members of the royal family joined the sangha. The Buddha’s cousins Ananda and Anuruddha became two of his five chief disciples. At the age of seven, his son Rahula also joined, and became one of his ten chief disciples. His half-brother Nanda also joined and became an arahant. His wife, reportedly became a nun.

Throughout his life, Buddha encouraged his students to question his teachings and confirm them through their own experience. This non-dogmatic attitude still characterizes Buddhism today.

“You yourself must strive. The Buddhas only point the way.”

Buddhism is the fourth largest religion in the world and t is also one of the oldest, established in the 6th century B.C. in present-day Nepal, India. Unlike other religions, Buddhists do not worship a God. Instead, they focus on spiritual development with the end-goal of becoming “enlightened” — though not in the intellectual sense of the word.

In the Western world, enlightenment is most often associated with the 18th century European Enlightenment Period, a movement characterized by a rational and scientific approach to politics, religion, and social and economic issues. In Buddhism, the simplest explanation of attaining enlightenment is when an individual finds out the truth about life, and experiences “an awakening” where they are freed from the cycle of being reborn. Central to Buddhism is the notion that to live is to suffer, and everything is in a constant state of change. All Buddhists believe, unless one has become enlightened, they will be reincarnated again and again. Enlightenment can be achieved through the practice and development of morality, meditation and wisdom.

Four Noble Truths

The Four Noble Truths contain the essence of the Buddha’s teachings. It was these four principles that the Buddha came to understand during his meditation under the bodhi tree. These are: The truth of suffering (Dukkha); the truth of the origin of suffering (Samudāya); the truth of the cessation of suffering (Nirodha); and the truth of the path to the cessation of suffering (Magga).

Suffering comes in many forms. Three obvious kinds of suffering correspond to the first three sights the Buddha saw on his first journey outside his palace: old age, sickness and death. But according to the Buddha, the problem of suffering goes much deeper. Life is not ideal: it frequently fails to live up to our expectations. Human beings are subject to desires and cravings, but even when we are able to satisfy these desires, the satisfaction is only temporary. Pleasure does not last; or if it does, it becomes monotonous.

Even when we are not suffering from outward causes like illness or bereavement, we are unfulfilled, unsatisfied. This is the truth of suffering.

The next noble truth is the origin of suffering. Our day-to-day troubles may seem to have easily identifiable causes: thirst, pain from an injury, sadness from the loss of a loved one. In the second of his Noble Truths, though, the Buddha claimed to have found the cause of all suffering – and it is much more deeply rooted than our immediate worries. The Buddha taught that the root of all suffering is desire, tanhā. This comes in three forms, which he described as the Three Roots of Evil, or the Three Fires, or the Three Poisons.

The three roots of evil are greed and desire, represented in art by a rooster; ignorance or delusion, represented by a pig, and hatred and destructive urges, represented by a snake. He taught more about suffering in his Fire Sermon, saying, a that is burning?

The eye is burning, forms are burning, eye-consciousness is burning, eye-contact is burning, also whatever is felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant that arises with eye-contact for its indispensable condition, that too is burning. Burning with what? Burning with the fire of lust, with the fire of hate, with the fire of delusion. I say it is burning with birth, aging and death, with sorrows, with lamentations, with pains, with griefs, with despairs.

The Third Noble Truth is Cessation of suffering (Nirodha). The Buddha taught that the way to extinguish desire, which causes suffering, is to liberate oneself from attachment. This is the third Noble Truth – the possibility of liberation. The Buddha was a living example that this is possible in a human lifetime. “Estrangement” here means disenchantment: a Buddhist aims to know sense conditions clearly as they are without becoming enchanted or misled by them.

Nirvana means extinguishing. Attaining nirvana – reaching enlightenment – means extinguishing the three fires of greed, delusion and hatred.

Someone who reaches nirvana does not immediately disappear to a heavenly realm. Nirvana is better understood as a state of mind that humans can reach. It is a state of profound spiritual joy, without negative emotions and fears. Someone who has attained enlightenment is filled with compassion for all living things.After death an enlightened person is liberated from the cycle of rebirth, but Buddhism gives no definite answers as to what happens next.

The Buddha discouraged his followers from asking too many questions about nirvana. He wanted them to concentrate on the task at hand, which was freeing themselves from the cycle of suffering. Asking questions is like quibbling with the doctor who is trying to save your life.

The Fourth Noble Truth is the path to the cessation of suffering (Magga). The final Noble Truth is the Buddha’s prescription for the end of suffering. This is a set of principles called the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path is also called the Middle Way: it avoids both indulgence and severe asceticism, neither of which the Buddha had found helpful in his search for enlightenment. The eight stages are not to be taken in order, but rather support and reinforce each other.

Death and Legacy

“I can die happily. I have not kept a single teaching hidden in a closed hand. Everything that is useful for you, I have already given. Be your own guiding light.”

According to the Mahaparinibbana Sutta of the Pali canon, at the age of 80, the Buddha announced that he would soon reach Parinirvana, or the final deathless state, and abandon his earthly body.

After this, the Buddha ate his last meal, which he had received as an offering from a blacksmith named Cunda. Falling violently ill, Buddha instructed his attendant Ānanda to convince Cunda that the meal eaten at his place had nothing to do with his passing and that his meal would be a source of the greatest merit as it provided the last meal for a Buddha. Mettanando and von Hinüber argue that the Buddha died of old age, rather than food poisoning.

The Buddha’s teachings began to be codified shortly after his death, and continue to be followed one way or another (and with major discrepancies) by at least 400 million people to this day.

There are numerous different schools or sects of Buddhism. The two largest are Theravada Buddhism, which is most popular in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Burma (Myanmar), and Mahayana Buddhism, which is strongest in Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia. The majority of Buddhist sects do not seek to proselytise (preach and convert), with the notable exception of Nichiren Buddhism. All schools of Buddhism seek to aid followers on a path of enlightenment. “If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts, happiness follows them like a never-departing shadow.”

The Buddha’s place in history is one of influence that spans the globe and survives, thousands of years after his death. He is immortalized as a symbol, principal figure in Buddhism, and worshipped as a manifestation of God in Hinduism, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the Bahá’í faith.

Today, Buddhism is the dominant religion in many Asian countries, such as Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Many forms of Buddhism exist, with Zen Buddhism enjoying considerable popularity in the United States. According to one 2012 estimate, approximately 1.2 million Buddhists live in America, with 40% of these adherents living in Southern California.

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Siddhartha Gautama: How The Father of Buddhism Walked From Suffering to Enlightenment

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Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha or “Enlightened One,” is probably one of the most influential individuals to come out of India through the incidental founding of Buddhism . Siddhartha Gautama, in his opposition to the ruling religious establishment and his teachings of compassion and renunciation of worldly wealth, is often compared to Jesus of Nazareth, later called the Christ or “Anointed One.” Siddhartha Gautama and the movement known as Buddhism are similar to Jesus and the Christian movement in the renunciation of rituals and religious hierarchy in favor of a deeper spirituality involving personal responsibility for one’s spiritual condition.

Siddhartha Gautama’s Life Before Buddhism

According to tradition, Siddhartha Gautama was born in Lumbini in modern day Nepal . His parents were of the Shakya clan and members of the ruler/ warrior caste . As a result, Siddhartha had a comfortable life in his early years. Buddhist stories accentuate the opulence of his early years living in the palace. According to one legend in Buddhism, his father heard a prophecy that his son would either become a powerful king or the Buddha. Not wanting his son to become the Buddha , he did all he could to keep his son from encountering suffering.

Infant Buddha Taking a Bath Gandhara 2nd Century AD. ( CC BY SA 4.0 )

This plan worked for a while. Siddhartha enjoyed a palace lifestyle and was married to a woman named Yasodhara. They had a son named Rahula. Rahula, would later become one of Siddhartha’s followers. After Siddhartha reached adulthood, he became more aware of the suffering that was present outside the palace walls. Buddhist legends say he also came to the realization that this sort of suffering could happen to him as well. This, and the suffering of others in the world, caused him great distress and, eventually, he decided that he could not continue living such a luxurious lifestyle when so many others were suffering.

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Departure of Prince Siddhartha. ( Public Domain )

At a certain age, about 29, Siddhartha left his former life to become a wandering ascetic. Buddhist tradition says that he left in secret, but this is not certain. He joined the Sramanas, wandering ascetics who had formed sects all over India at the time who renounced the world and conventional religion. For years, Siddhartha lived as an ascetic, searching for something, a way to make sense of human suffering. His asceticism was very severe and at one point he almost died. After trying such extreme asceticism, however, he still had not found the answer. Followers of Buddhism believe that he eventually decided that the answer was not to be found in extreme asceticism any more than it was to be found in living an excessively luxurious lifestyle.

Picture of a wall painting in a Laotian temple, depicting the Bodhisattva Gautama (Buddha-to-be) undertaking extreme ascetic practices before his enlightenment. A god is overseeing his striving, and providing some spiritual protection. The five monks in the background are his future 'five first disciples', after Buddha attained Full Enlightenment. ( Public Domain )

The Emergence of Buddhism

According to tradition, Siddhartha was sitting under a fig tree meditating one day when, suddenly, the answer came to him. It is at this point that he attained what Buddhists call Nirvana . At this point, Siddhartha became the Buddha , the Enlightened One. It was shortly afterwards that he gave his first sermon at Sarnath and began to expound on what would later become central to Buddhism today.

The exact answer that Siddhartha found is not entirely clear as even Buddhists today still debate over it. The word nirvana comes from a word meaning “blown out” or “snuffed out.” It gives the idea of extinction or cessation. Many Buddhists today think of it as the cessation of desires. Central to the Buddha’s teachings is the idea that attachment to things led to suffering. Siddhartha realized that things like wealth, good health, and even friends and family would all fade or die away, and that attachment to these things would only make parting with these things more painful and thus lead to suffering. Buddhist tradition says that Siddhartha believed that the solution was to not allow oneself to be attached these things and for all such desires to cease to exist.

Buddha's Nirvana. Color on silk. Located at Kongōbu-ji, Mt. Kōya, Wakayama, Japan. ( Public Domain )

The Core Teachings of Buddhism

Siddhartha removed all the rituals of the dominant Indian religion at the time to get to a fundamental core spiritual truth, albeit a truth about which Buddhists cannot quite come to a consensus. Some believe that the core of Buddhism is compassion for the poor and afflicted. Others believe that it is to break from the cycle of death and rebirth. Others believe that it is simply about living a balanced, moral life free of suffering.

Although many consider these to be an important part of the teachings of Buddhism, they appear in other religious and philosophical traditions on the Indian subcontinent that pre-date Buddhism. One aspect of Buddhism that does appear to be particularly distinctive is humanism . The Buddha was clear that humans were responsible for their actions rather than gods or magic. He also believed that individual humans were responsible for suffering as well as finding a solution to suffering. Buddhist stories always emphasize the actions and motivations of ordinary humans rather than supernatural entities.

The Buddha teaching the Four Noble Truths. Sanskrit manuscript. Nalanda, Bihar, India. ( Public Domain )

Over the centuries, Buddhism has gained a variety of ritual and liturgical traditions as well as supernatural, metaphysical, and cosmological ideas. None of these are, however, really required to be a Buddhist. Siddhartha himself didn’t really consider them to be very important and considered the most important thing to be how one ought to live and how the question of human suffering should be addressed.

Comparing Siddhartha Gautama and Jesus of Nazareth

This is a way in which Siddhartha Gautama and Jesus of Nazareth are similar. Their teachings on compassion and criticism of the existing religious establishment are often compared, but another thing that is distinctive both about the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama and Jesus is how they both broke through religious traditions and rituals to get to the core issues of existence. Siddhartha Gautama believed that the Vedic rituals and religious ceremonies had lost their original meaning and significance. Jesus had similar feelings about the religious practices of the Jewish priests and Pharisees. Although he held the temple cult in reverence, he believed that the priesthood itself had become corrupt and was no longer properly worshiping God. Both seemed more concerned with money and power than spiritual renewal.

Buddha teaching, from the Buddha's life story, mural, Tharlam Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism, Boudha, Kathmandu, Nepal. (Wonderlane/ CC BY 2.0 )

In the same way that Siddhartha put aside what he saw as empty rituals and traditions to look for a deeper spiritual truth, though it is not entirely clear what that truth was, Jesus also set aside rituals and tradition which had over time become empty, to reveal a deeper spiritual truth.

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The truth that Jesus had to reveal was of course very different from the truth that Siddhartha had to reveal, but it could be argued that both had to do with personal responsibility for one’s spiritual condition. Although Jesus taught that only God could truly transform a person’s spiritual condition, it was still the responsibility of the person to enter into a personal relationship with God so that the transformation could be possible. Similarly, Siddartha Gautama taught that that it was the responsibility of the individual to accept the four noble truths and live in light of them to obtain a peaceful life free of suffering.

What Jesus and Siddhartha believed the individual needed to take responsibility for was quite different, but they did both emphasize this personal responsibility. This is probably one reason that both Buddhism and Christianity have endured. They both hold the individual responsible for his or her spiritual condition and thus involve the individual in a way that goes beyond simply external aspects such as tradition, ritual, or even political stances to something deeper, something more universal.

Buddhist monks in Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha. ( CC BY SA 3.0 )

Top Image: Lord Buddha or Siddhartha Gautama.  Source: CC by SA 4.0

By  Caleb Strom

Conze, Edward, ed.  Buddhist scriptures . Vol. 88. Penguin, 1959.

Buddha was a stoner He had the best grass in India His eyes are lit in every depiction of him

Even his true followers today still partake in the sacrament

Caleb Strom is currently a graduate student studying planetary science. He considers himself a writer, scientist, and all-around story teller. His interests include planetary geology, astrobiology, paleontology, archaeology, history, space archaeology, and SETI.

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Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha): The Journey of the Enlightened One

Siddhartha Gautama (l. c. 563 – c. 483 BCE), commonly known as the Buddha, is pivotal in world history and spirituality. His life and teachings have left an indelible mark on the world, shaping how millions perceive existence, suffering, and the path to enlightenment. Born into luxury but ultimately renouncing his princely life, Siddhartha Gautama embarked on a spiritual quest that led him to uncover the profound truths of human existence and the nature of suffering. This article delves into the life, journey, and legacy of Siddhartha Gautama, exploring his transformation from a prince to an enlightened Buddha.

Early Life and the Path of a Prince

Siddhartha Gautama was born in Lumbini, present-day Nepal, around 563 BCE, into the royal family of the Shakya clan. His father, King Suddhodana, and mother, Queen Maya, lived in relative luxury, shielded from the hardships of the outside world. Siddhartha’s early life was characterized by comfort, luxury, and isolation from the harsh realities of existence.

As a young prince, Siddhartha was groomed to be the future ruler, shielded from the ordinary people’s suffering. His father sought to protect him from the harsh truths of life, ensuring that he lived a life of extravagance and pleasure. However, this sheltered existence ended abruptly when Siddhartha ventured outside the palace walls.

The Quest for Truth

The young prince’s encounters with aging, sickness, and death deeply unsettled him. These experiences shattered his illusion of a world untouched by suffering. Driven by an intense desire to understand the nature of human existence and the meaning of suffering, Siddhartha embarked on a quest for truth and enlightenment. At 29, he left behind his royal life, including his wife and newborn son, to seek answers.

For six years, Siddhartha wandered through the forests of Northern India, engaging in intense ascetic practices alongside other spiritual seekers. He subjected himself to extreme self-mortification, believing physical deprivation would lead him to enlightenment. Despite his efforts, he found no lasting resolution to the suffering he sought to transcend.

The Enlightenment Under the Bodhi Tree

Dissatisfied with his self-imposed hardships, Siddhartha abandoned extreme asceticism and adopted a middle path—a balanced approach to self-discovery. He sat beneath the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, vowing not to rise until he attained enlightenment. There, in profound meditation, he confronted his inner demons and gained deep insights into the nature of reality.

On the night of the full moon in May, Siddhartha experienced a series of profound realizations that culminated in his enlightenment. He became the Buddha, which means “the awakened one.” The Buddha’s enlightenment consisted of understanding the Four Noble Truths: the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering—the Eightfold Path.

Teachings and Legacy

After his enlightenment, the Buddha began to teach his insights to others, forming the basis of what is now known as Buddhism . The Buddha’s teachings emphasized the impermanence of all things, the interconnectedness of life, and the importance of compassion, mindfulness, and ethical conduct. He traveled throughout Northern India, attracting a diverse following that ranged from kings and scholars to beggars and outcasts.

The Buddha’s teachings were not confined to theoretical knowledge but were practical guidelines for living a life of wisdom and compassion. His teachings gave rise to various schools of Buddhist thought, each interpreting his words and methods uniquely. Today, Buddhism remains a global spiritual tradition, influencing countless lives and cultures worldwide.

The life and journey of Siddhartha Gautama, from a sheltered prince to the enlightened Buddha, is a testament to the power of human transformation and the pursuit of truth. His courage to confront suffering head-on, his relentless search for enlightenment, and his eventual awakening have left an enduring legacy that continues to inspire and guide millions of individuals on their own paths to self-discovery. Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, stands as a beacon of compassion, wisdom, and enlightenment, illuminating how to understand the nature of existence and the possibility of transcending suffering.

Who was the Buddha?

Read also: The Evolution of Buddhism: From Ancient Origins to Global Influence

FAQ about Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)

Q1. who was siddhartha gautama.

Answer:  Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha, was a spiritual teacher and the founder of Buddhism. He was born into a royal family in Lumbini, present-day Nepal, around 563 BCE. After witnessing the world’s suffering, he renounced his princely life to seek enlightenment and understand the nature of human existence.

Q2. What is Buddha’s significance in history?

Answer:  Siddhartha Gautama’s significance lies in his enlightenment and the subsequent teachings he shared with the world. His insights into the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path form the foundation of Buddhism, a major world religion that has profoundly impacted cultures, philosophy, and spirituality.

Q3. What were the Four Noble Truths?

Answer:  The Four Noble Truths are the fundamental principles the Buddha realized during his enlightenment. They are:

– The Truth of Suffering: All life is characterized by suffering (dukkha), which can take physical, emotional, or psychological forms.

– The Truth of the Cause of Suffering: Suffering is caused by attachment, desire, and ignorance.

– The Truth of the End of Suffering: It is possible to end suffering by letting go of attachments and desires.

– The Truth of the Path to the End of Suffering: The Eightfold Path, consisting of ethical and mental practices, leads to enlightenment and liberation from suffering.

Q4. What is the Eightfold Path?

Answer:  The Eightfold Path is the practical guide to living a life that leads to the end of suffering and enlightenment. It consists of eight interconnected principles:

– Right Understanding

– Right Intention

– Right Speech

– Right Action

– Right Livelihood

– Right Effort

– Right Mindfulness

– Right Concentration

Q5. What was Buddha’s enlightenment experience?

Answer:  Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment after intense meditation beneath the Bodhi tree. He gained deep insights into the nature of reality, suffering, and the path to liberation. This experience marked his transformation into the Buddha, the “awakened one.”

Q6. What are some fundamental teachings of the Buddha?

Answer:  The Buddha’s teachings emphasize mindfulness, compassion, and ethical conduct. He encouraged individuals to question their beliefs, understand the impermanence of all things, and cultivate inner peace through meditation. His teachings emphasize the importance of understanding and transcending suffering.

Q7. How did Buddhism spread?

Answer:  After enlightenment, the Buddha traveled and taught his insights to various people. His teachings spread throughout ancient India and beyond, reaching various regions through trade, travel, and missionary efforts. Different schools of Buddhist thought emerged, leading to the development of distinct traditions.

Q8. What are some Buddhist traditions today?

Answer:  Buddhism has several significant traditions, including Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Each tradition interprets the Buddha’s teachings differently, emphasizing various aspects of practice, philosophy, and ritual.

Q9. What is the significance of the Bodhi tree?

Answer:  The Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India, is where Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment. It is considered a sacred site for Buddhists and symbolizes the place of his profound awakening and the birth of Buddhism.

Q10. What is the ultimate goal of Buddhism?

Answer:  The ultimate goal of Buddhism is to attain enlightenment, perfect wisdom, compassion, and liberation from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara). This state is known as Nirvana, representing the end of suffering and the cessation of attachment and desire.

Siddhartha Gautama’s life and teachings inspire millions worldwide, offering a profound understanding of the human experience and a path toward inner transformation and liberation from suffering.

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Siddhartha Gautama’s Biography and Spiritual Journey Essay

The motivating factor behind any person’s spiritual journey is the hunt for truth, self-understanding and the need for one to partake in the final condition of paradise and peace. The knowledge and understanding about life, God and truth are the major questions that linger in the life of any person. It is until one gets these answers that he or she receives the peace of mind that man always searches for. People usually have many questions about their existence, nature as well as the cause of all their happenings within their life.

Generally, the search for such answers triggers ones spiritual journey, which is normally within the confines of a certain religion. It is for the same cause that Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, left his family and riches. Although the teachings he had received from his father and elders, as a Buddha, were good, they could not answer all his questions.

Although they had moved from the Brahmins together, Hesse’s Siddhartha refused to join Govinda in following Siddhartha Gautama. This is because although Govinda has found in Gotama what he has been looking for, Siddhartha is yet to get the peace he has always sought for. He, therefore, decides to move out on his own to reach his goal of salvation alone, through his own experience to find the truth he has been seeking.

Despite the fact that Siddhartha found God in Gautama, he was not contented. According to him, some levels of truth are missing in the teachings that he has received about Buddha. The teachings did not contain the experience of the Buddha and that he was the only one who knew what had happened to him. Siddhartha needed a source of information that would quench his thirst for the truth that he was seeking. This prevented Siddhartha from getting alone with the teachings of the Buddha (Siddhartha 23).

According to the dream that Siddhartha had, it is most likely that the songbird represented himself while the gilded cage represented his godly confines. He dreamed that the songbird had grown mute and it could no longer sing. He realized that the bird was actually dead and had to throw it away.

Siddhartha had stopped doing what the society expected of him. This meant that he was spiritually dead an aspect that made him to be excommunicated. He could no longer perform his work. Siddhartha considered himself worthless without the will power to continue with fighting for the truth.

The dream was like a revelation for him. His senses were awoken and he realized that everything within him had lost meaning and taste. Siddhartha noticed that he had had much of wealth and experience and none of his questions had been answered. He felt some sense of hope for himself and off he went leaving everything behind. Siddhartha spiritual journey has a lot to say about the nature of the spiritual journey. It is important to know that not all people can fit in one religion or denomination.

This may be because of the differences in which worship is done. Siddhartha could not follow his friend. Govinda since they were all different in how they made their choices. It is also crucial to know that there are people who go through so many circles before they have their life questions and thirst quenched.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, November 29). Siddhartha Gautama's Biography and Spiritual Journey. https://ivypanda.com/essays/siddhartha/

"Siddhartha Gautama's Biography and Spiritual Journey." IvyPanda , 29 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/siddhartha/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Siddhartha Gautama's Biography and Spiritual Journey'. 29 November.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Siddhartha Gautama's Biography and Spiritual Journey." November 29, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/siddhartha/.

1. IvyPanda . "Siddhartha Gautama's Biography and Spiritual Journey." November 29, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/siddhartha/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Siddhartha Gautama's Biography and Spiritual Journey." November 29, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/siddhartha/.

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