Siddhartha Gautama
There was
once a clan that ruled southern Nepal. The king was named Shuddodana Gautama
and was married to a woman named Mahamaya, who was expecting a child. One
night, Mahamaya had a dream where a white baby elephant had blessed her. When
it was almost time for the baby to be born, the queen took a long journey to
her father’s kingdom. On the way there, she went into labour, and gave birth
from her side to a baby boy. The baby boy was fully awake, he could speak and
walk. They named the boy Siddhartha, which means “he who has attained his goals”.
Several days later Queen Mahamaya died and Siddhartha was raised by Queen
Mahamaya’s sister.
At the time of Siddhartha’s birth, a wise man told the King that Siddhartha will grow up to be a great king or a great sage. King Shuddodana had wanted Siddhartha to be a great king, and so he kept all the old, sick, poor people out of his castle and had the young and wealthy.
The time had come where Siddhartha would get married to a beautiful young woman called Yashodhara. And as he kept growing, his curiosity grew with him. He wanted to know what was outside of his palace. He convinced one of the guards to take him into town and when he did Siddhartha had seen the four sights. An old man, a sick man, a dead man and a wondering ascetic. So, at the age of 29, he left behind all his riches and set off on a journey to find a way out of suffering. He dedicated 6 years of his life in extreme poverty and starvation, but after a poor girl offered him some rice he had realized that his strategy has lead him to nothing. So, Siddhartha ate, drank and bathed and sat under a tree (the Bodhi tree) until he had found the answer to end all suffering. He stayed in a state of total calm and meditated, he saw his previous lives and saw the entire universe. Finally, Siddhartha had found the answer to suffering and became “the enlightened one, the Buddha”.
Some say that Mara, tried to prevent Siddhartha from achieving Nirvana. He tried to scare off Siddhartha with storms and demons. He sent his three daughters to seduce him, but through it all Siddhartha stayed calm. And after so Buddha began teaching of the end of suffering. He has said that no matter who it was in the world, everyone can achieve enlightenment.
After 45 years of teaching, Buddha’s life had come to an end. He had eaten poisoned food and died peacefully with the company of his followers. His last words were:
At the time of Siddhartha’s birth, a wise man told the King that Siddhartha will grow up to be a great king or a great sage. King Shuddodana had wanted Siddhartha to be a great king, and so he kept all the old, sick, poor people out of his castle and had the young and wealthy.
The time had come where Siddhartha would get married to a beautiful young woman called Yashodhara. And as he kept growing, his curiosity grew with him. He wanted to know what was outside of his palace. He convinced one of the guards to take him into town and when he did Siddhartha had seen the four sights. An old man, a sick man, a dead man and a wondering ascetic. So, at the age of 29, he left behind all his riches and set off on a journey to find a way out of suffering. He dedicated 6 years of his life in extreme poverty and starvation, but after a poor girl offered him some rice he had realized that his strategy has lead him to nothing. So, Siddhartha ate, drank and bathed and sat under a tree (the Bodhi tree) until he had found the answer to end all suffering. He stayed in a state of total calm and meditated, he saw his previous lives and saw the entire universe. Finally, Siddhartha had found the answer to suffering and became “the enlightened one, the Buddha”.
Some say that Mara, tried to prevent Siddhartha from achieving Nirvana. He tried to scare off Siddhartha with storms and demons. He sent his three daughters to seduce him, but through it all Siddhartha stayed calm. And after so Buddha began teaching of the end of suffering. He has said that no matter who it was in the world, everyone can achieve enlightenment.
After 45 years of teaching, Buddha’s life had come to an end. He had eaten poisoned food and died peacefully with the company of his followers. His last words were:
Impermanent are all created things; Strive on with awareness.
"Siddhartha Gautama." Siddhartha Gautama. Web. 16 June 2015.