The Story of Buddha

Siddhartha, the son of the King of Kapilavastu in northeast India, was raised in a sheltered life within the palace walls. He was shielded from the harsh realities of life until the age of 29 when he snuck out of the palace. During his walk around the city, he was exposed to the sight of an old man, a sick man, a dead man, and a wandering monk. These sights shocked him and compelled him to seek a deeper understanding of life. He realized he had been protected and sheltered from the truth.

Driven by a desire to overcome these inequities, he left his family, including his parents, wife, and infant son, and embarked on a six-year journey in the forest with ascetic yogis. He practiced extreme asceticism, nearly starving himself to death, and studied under two yogic masters. After quickly surpassing their level of development, he continued his pilgrimage, where he was befriended by five wandering Hindu ascetics.

At the age of 35, Siddhārtha realized that extreme self-denial was as foolish as self-indulgence. He decided on a middle way between these two extremes. He cut his hair, bathed in a nearby stream, and ate a bowl of rice brought to him by a woman named Sujātā from a nearby village.

After eating, Siddhārtha tossed the bowl into the stream, where it defied the law of gravity and floated upstream, symbolizing that Siddhārtha would fulfill his quest for enlightenment. The name "Siddhārtha" means "goal achiever." His five friends departed, thinking that Siddhārtha had lost his intention to attain enlightenment.

Siddhārtha settled beneath a tree, assumed a meditation posture, and meditated all night, where he was confronted by his inner demons or māras. With the rise of the morning star, he achieved enlightenment, which he later called nirvāṇa. The tree under which he sat became known as the bodhi tree, located at Bodh Gayā, a village in the northeast Indian state of Bihar.

During his night-long meditation beneath the bodhi tree, Siddhartha recalled all his previous lives and realized that his true dharma was to be a world teacher instead of a local king. He decided to tell others about his revelations in a deer park adjacent to the city of Sārnāth, where he knew that the five friends who had taken care of him in the forest were then residing.

The five friends perceived Siddhārtha's equanimity and glowing aura and became interested in what he had to tell them. They gathered in a semicircle in front of him to hear his teaching. This event was the founding of the Buddhist Saṅgha. Siddhārtha told them all about his realizations about Truth and the Path he described as the Middle Way. These five ascetics became his first students of what would later be known as Buddhism.

All of this happened in the timeframe of 550 BCE, and Siddhārtha lived from 567 to 487 BCE.

This was the beginning of Buddhism. Buddhism was in India for 1000 years before it was transplanted to Tibet, a neighboring country.

Lesson Summary

The story of Buddha Siddhartha begins with his sheltered life in the palace of his father, the King of Kapilavastu in northeast India. At the age of 29, he ventured outside the palace walls and was exposed to the harsh realities of life.

He witnessed an old man, a sick man, a dead man, and a wandering monk, which shocked him and ignited a desire to seek deeper understanding. Realizing he had been sheltered, he left his family and embarked on a six-year journey in the forest.

During his journey, Siddhartha practiced extreme asceticism and studied under yogic masters. However, he realized that extreme self-denial was as foolish as self-indulgence and decided on a middle way.

Under a tree, Siddhartha meditated all night and achieved enlightenment, known as nirvana. He then decided to share his revelations and teachings with others in a deer park in Sarnath.

The five friends who had cared for Siddhartha in the forest became his first students, marking the founding of the Buddhist Sangha. This event took place around 550 BCE, and Siddhartha lived from 567 to 487 BCE.

After being established in India for 1000 years, Buddhism was transplanted to Tibet, a neighboring country.