In the kingdom of Kapilavastu, King Suddhodana and Queen Maya lived in their palace, awaiting the birth of their first child. One full moon night, the queen had a dream of a magnificent white elephant entering her womb from the right side. This was interpreted as a sign she would give birth to a son destined for greatness.
Soon, Prince Siddhartha was born in the Lumbini gardens. Sage seers predicted the exceptional qualities in the young royal child. He could walk and talk at an early age, astounding all. However, the king desperately wanted to protect his precious son from all worldly suffering. He provided luxuries fit for a future king within the confines of the palace.
The Four Sights
One day Siddhartha convinced his charioteer Channa to take him outside the palace gardens. On this ride, he saw the first three sights – an old feeble man, a sick man moaning in pain and a funeral procession. The prince realized the universality of suffering and was deeply troubled. On the next ride, Siddhartha saw a wandering monk, serene and at peace. Pondering on the transitory nature of life, the prince felt drawn to the ascetic life.
Renunciation
Despite King Suddhodana doubling the luxuries to dissuade his son, the thoughtful prince was transforming within. One night Siddhartha slipped away from the palace with Channa and his well-trained horse Kanthaka. At the edge of the forest, he cut off his long hair and removed his princely attire to don the simple robes of an ascetic. The prince then set off alone in search of the truth.
Years of Austere Seeking
Siddhartha became a wandering monk, leaving desire, possessions and identity behind to understand life’s mysteries. He sought out famous gurus and practiced extreme austerities, going without food for days. Once he even stopped eating and was reduced to just skin and bones. But enlightenment still evaded him. Finally accepting the futility of self-mortification, Siddhartha began anew – the Middle Path between indulgence and deprivation.
The Awakening
Seated under a peepal tree in Bodhgaya, Siddhartha sank into deep meditation, vowing not to arise until he attained liberation. Mara, the demon of delusion, tried tempting him but compassion made Siddhartha immune to all fear and desire. As morning approached, he realized the root cause of suffering and how to eliminate it. Siddhartha had become the Buddha, the Awakened One.
First Sermon at Sarnath
The Buddha gave his first sermon on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path in Sarnath near Varanasi. Five disciples became his first followers. Gradually more joined, forming the Sangha, a monastic community upholding discipline and renunciation. The Buddha emphasized how anyone could achieve nirvana by living ethically, controlling the mind and taking refuge in the teachings, known as the three jewels – the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
Spreading the Dharma
For the next forty-five years, Buddha travelled extensively in the Ganges plain sharing his wisdom with the common man. His teachings were simple, practical and universal. The Buddha accepted people from all castes as disciples,including women. He also allowed monks to explain the teachings in local dialects, making them accessible to all. Slowly, the Sangha grew and established monasteries and centres to spread the Dharma.
Key Concepts and Teachings
The Buddha emphasized ethics, mindfulness, wisdom and liberation. He taught how attachments lead to dissatisfaction and sorrow. By living virtuously, being mindful of thoughts and understanding the impermanent nature of things, one can achieve enlightenment, or nirvana. He rejected useless speculation and put forth doctrines that could be verified through experience. His teachings exemplified compassion for all beings and promoted non-violence and tolerance.
Performing Miracles
Though hesitant to display miracles, the Buddha did use his psychic powers at times for specific purposes. Once to tame the pride of his kinsmen, the conceited Sakyas, Buddha created a massive fire and extinguished it with his hands. He also manifested a huge river to symbolically divide the Sangha from the kingdom. On another occasion, Buddha walked in the sky and produced flames and water from his body to inspire faith in the non-believers.
The Final Days
At the age of eighty, although in failing health, Buddha accepted his devoted attendant Ananda’s request to travel for the last time to spread the Dharma. In Kushinagar, as Buddha rested between two sal trees, he became ill from tainted food. Knowing death was imminent, he instructed his disciples not to grieve but continue spreading compassion and his teachings. Buddha then entered Mahaparinirvana, the final nirvana after death.
Legacy of the Buddha
The Buddha pioneered a unique path of balance, wisdom and compassionate living. At the heart of his enlightenment was the realization of the endless cycle of birth and death, and escape from rebirth by eliminating desire and attachment. He was not a god but a man who charted a path to nirvana, accessible for anyone choosing ethical living and mental discipline.
The Buddha’s teachings spread across Asia where it took beautiful expression in diverse cultures. Today his gentle wisdom continues lighting the path, leading to liberation from suffering for all who tread it with commitment.