Siddhartha Gautam

Start writing...Founder of Buddhism

Siddhartha Gautam is considered the founder of Buddhism. After observing the suffering of the dying and the underprivileged in the fifth century B.C.E., he realized how difficult life is for humans.

He was dissatisfied and chose to follow what is known as “The Middle Way”, giving up his wealth, temporarily living in poverty, meditating, and traveling.

According to this theory, the way to enlightenment wasn’t through excessive wealth or poverty, but rather by a lifestyle that was in between the two.

Under the Bodhi tree (the tree of awakening), he eventually gained nirvana, or enlightenment, via prolonged meditation.

Buddhism History

Over 2,600 years ago, Buddhism emerged in India as a way of life with the ability to transform a person. The founder of the religion, Siddhartha Gautam, who was born around 563 BCE, provided its foundational principles.

At the age of 29, Gautama abandoned his family, turned away from his life of luxury, and chose an ascetic lifestyle.

At Bodhgaya, a village in Bihar, under a pipal tree, Gautama achieved Bodhi (enlightenment) after 49 days of nonstop meditation.

In the UP village of Sarnath, close to the city of Benares, Buddha delivered his first speech. This is referred to as Dharma-Chakra-Pravartana (turning of the wheel of law).

At the age of 80, he died in Kushinagar, a town in UP, in 483 BCE. The day is referred to as Mahaparinibban.

The Gautama Buddha was born to Suddhodana (chief of republican Sakya clan) as Siddhartha in 563 BCE on Vaishakha Poornima day at Lumbini (Nepal). He lost his mother (Mahamaya) just a few days after his birth and was brought up by his stepmother Gautami. There were 32 birthmarks on his body and Brahmanas predicted that either he would be a world conqueror or a world renouncer. He lived a life of luxury and comfort in his early years.

Teachings associated with Buddhism

To avoid extremes of life, whether it is addiction to worldly pleasures or a life of painful asceticism and self-mortification.

Buddhism does not concern itself with metaphysical controversies

Buddha emphasized on moral progress which was independent of any creator of the universe

The essence of Buddhism lies in the realization that life is transient

Buddha seems to have accepted the idea of transmigration

Four noble truths of Buddhism are: They are 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 path to nirvana or cessation of suffering is the Noble Eightfold path- 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) and Right concentration (Samma samadhi)

Schools of Buddhism:

Hinayana

It means ‘lesser path’

They are true to the teachings of Buddha

Its scriptures are in Pali.

Doesn’t believe in idol worship

Salvation through self-discipline and meditation

It was patronized by Ashoka

Mahayana

It means ‘Greater path’

Mahayana has two main philosophical schools – the Madhyamika & Yogachara.

Its scriptures are in Sanskrit.

It considers Buddha as God and worships idols of Buddhas & Bodhisattvas.

Salvation can be attained by means of faith and devotion to the mindfulness of the Buddha. It believes in mantras.

Vajrayana

It means “Vehicle of Thunderbolt”.

Established in Tibet in 11th CE

It believes that salvation can be attained by acquiring magical powers called vajra.

Much importance is given to the role of the guru called Lama who has mastered the philosophical and ritual traditions. There is a long lineage of lamas. The Dalai Lama is a well known Tibetan Lama.

Four Noble Truths of Buddhism

The four noble truths of Buddhism summarize its fundamental philosophy: dukkha, or suffering that is “incapable of satisfying,” is caused by our desire for and clinging to transient situations and objects. This keeps us trapped in samsara, the never-ending cycle of recurring death, dukkha, and rebirth. But there is a path out of this never-ending cycle and into the state of nirvana. Buddha preached the following four noble truths of Buddhism.

The first truth, “Suffering (dukkha),” states that everyone experiences some form of suffering in life.

The “Origin of Suffering (Samudya)” is the second truth. According to this, all pain is caused by desire (tanha).

The third truth, “Cessation of suffering (nirodha),” implies that enlightenment is achievable and that suffering can be put to an end.

The fourth truth, “Path to the end of suffering (magga),” discusses the Middle Way, or the steps to enlightenment.