From Prince to Enlightened Teacher: The Life of Gautam Buddha

The Birth Place of Buddha

"Do not earn your living by harming others. Do not seek happiness by making others unhappy."

- Buddha

A prince was born long ago in the sacred land of Lumbini, Nepal, who later became the Gautam Buddha. He was born into the royale Shakya family. His father was King Suddhodana, leader of the Shakya, and his mother was Queen Maya. 

According to legends, after his birth, he was shown to the great astrologer, and he predicted that he would become either a great king or a great religious teacher, and he was given the name Siddhartha. After this, his father restricted his life from the outer world so that he would not be a religious teacher and would not lose his son to such a future. He wanted his son to be the king and rule after him. 

How did He transform into Gautam Buddha?

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His father restricted him from the outside world, but when he ventured beyond the walls in the chariot with his charioteer. The Buddha saw : 

1. The First Sight: Senescence (Old Age)

Siddhartha’s first encounter with the harsh realities of life was when he saw an elderly man bent with age and struggling to walk. This sight revealed to Siddhartha the inescapable nature of aging and marked the first time he truly grasped the physical and mental decline of aging. When he questioned his charioteer, Channa, about the man, Channa explained that aging is a natural and inevitable process that affects everyone. This knowledge deeply unsettled Siddhartha, who had previously been unaware of the fragility of youth.

2. The Second Sight: Disease

The second sight Siddhartha witnessed was of a person suffering from a disease. Seeing someone in visible pain and discomfort further disturbed the young prince. Channa explained that illness and suffering are common, affecting all beings at some point. Witnessing the suffering caused by illness made Siddhartha increasingly aware of the vulnerabilities of human existence, and he began to feel compassion for those who endured such hardship.

3. The Third Sight: Death

The third encounter was perhaps the most striking of all—a dead body. Siddhartha had never before encountered death and was taken aback by its finality. Channa explained that death is the ultimate fate of every living being, inevitable and inescapable. The sight of death brought profound sorrow to Siddhartha’s heart, for he realized that everyone he loved would eventually die, and he, too, was subject to this fate. This realization amplified his sense of urgency to find a solution to the suffering inherent in life.

4. The Fourth Sight: Asceticism

After the first three troubling sights, Siddhartha encountered a fourth figure: a wandering ascetic, a holy man who had renounced worldly pleasures in search of spiritual freedom. Unlike the previous sights, which had filled Siddhartha with despair, this one brought him hope. Here was a person who had chosen to live simply and was dedicated to discovering the causes of human suffering and finding a path to liberation. The sight of the ascetic ignited in Siddhartha a desire to follow a similar path, inspiring him to seek answers beyond the palace walls.

The Ascetic Path

He discovered and studied under the most intelligent men of his era in pursuit of the ultimate meaning of existence. To his surprise, however, no matter how far he went, nobody had the solution to putting a stop to the pain that had struck him so profoundly.

When Siddhartha could not obtain the answers he sought, he turned to asceticism—a severe form of deprivation—hoping to discover the answers. In an attempt to find purpose, Gautama starved and poor his soul for six years, believing that the truth might be revealed through such drastic means. However, he soon discovered that neither his former life of luxury nor this new extreme—a life of total scarcity—held the answers he was so intent on finding.

After that, Gautama realized and decided to take it the middle way. He resumed eating and caring for himself but sought a different way to revitalize his spirit.

Enlightenment Under the Bodhi Tree

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After all that, Siddhartha set out for Buddhagaya. He took a sear on the tree(Bodhi Tree). He vowed to the same spot until he got the Supreme Enlightenment. Mara, the Buddhist embodiment of desire and death, was in danger because of his unwavering commitment. All sentient beings' pain and attachment are the source of Mara's strength and dominance. He would be liberated from Mara's influence by enlightenment. Offering a path to follow gives others a chance to achieve freedom.

Mara attacked the Buddha with his sons, daughters, and demons while he was in mediation. They all tried to frighten him. During that time, With his right hand, Siddhartha extended his arm and placed his fingertips on the ground. With this gesture, he asked the Earth to attest to his previous incarnations and the nobility and decency he had developed. In response, the Earth recognized Siddhartha's merit and proper position on the road to enlightenment.

Mara's power was defeated, and the Earth served as his testimony. All the forces of deception and distraction vanished at that one moment. After achieving enlightenment, Siddhartha transcended and became the Buddha, also known as the "Awakened One." Thus, the Earth-Touching Mudra represents his strength within, his triumph against temptation, and the natural world's assistance along the way.

Siddhartha entered a state of profound mediation during the full moon night. By the dawn, he was the Enlightened Buddha.

After Enlightenment

After the Enlightenment, the Buddha wanted to spread his knowledge, so his first disciples were the five spiritual seekers(Kondanna, Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama, and Assaji). The Buddha taught his disciples that the means to awakening wasn’t self-indulgence or self-denial but a path in between—the Middle Way. He taught the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path for the first time.

The Four Noble Truths

• The Truth Of Suffering (Dukkha)
• The Cause of Suffering (Samudāya)
• Freedom From Cause Of Suffering (Nirodha)
• The Truth of Path of Liberation From Suffering

The Eightfold Path of Buddha 

• Right Understanding
• Right Intention
• Right Speech
• Right Action
• Right Livelihood
• Right Effort
• Right Mindfulness
• Right Concentration

Buddha Parinirvana

Parinirvana in Buddhism refers to the final and ultimate liberation attained by the Buddha when he passed away. After all the teaching, he spread all around the world. At the age of 80, he sensed that he was at the end of his life, which was the moment when he could finally escape the endless cycle of life and death (the Bhava Chakra).

Gathering his disciples, he offered his last words:

“Behold, O monks, this is my last advice to you. All components of the world are changeable. They are not lasting. Work hard to gain your salvation. Do your best.”

Before achieving Parinirvana, the Buddha entered profound levels of meditation and died in Kushinagar, lying serenely in a meditative position amid a grove of sal trees. This instance represents Buddhists' ultimate aim of spiritual practice: liberation from the cycle of reincarnation and suffering. 

Millions of people are still motivated to seek enlightenment by the lessons, wisdom, and compassion he left behind. His Parinirvana is revered by Buddhists worldwide as a reminder of transience and the path he revealed, providing hope that freedom is achievable for those who sincerely and diligently pursue it.

How are the teachings of Buddhism relevant in today's life?

The teachings of the Buddha offer helpful advice for coping with the pressures of contemporary life in a resilient and balanced manner. By promoting moderation, the Middle Path assists us in avoiding extremes and establishing a peaceful way of life. We may achieve a lasting work-life balance supporting our well-being and productivity by prioritizing self-care, establishing appropriate boundaries, and concentrating on what matters. This approach reminds us that making deliberate decisions consistent with our beliefs and avoiding burnout brings us fulfillment rather than doing more.

Buddhism's teachings on compassion and mindfulness are also crucial for handling the complexity of today's world. By keeping us rooted in the present, mindfulness practices—whether through meditation or just being present—help us deal with stress by enabling us to react to obstacles coolly and collectedly rather than rashly.

Another fundamental Buddhist principle is compassion, which promotes kindness toward oneself and others and builds sustaining bonds that increase our resilience. These disciplines enable us to live with inner peace and purpose, handling challenges with composure and clarity.