Buddha’s Quest for Truth About Life and Death
Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was born into a royal family in 560 BC in Lumibini, which is part of Nepal. His father was the chief of the Shakaya nation, King Suddhodana and his mother was Queen Maha Maya, a Koliyan princess.
He spent his childhood days at Kapilavastu where he studied art, philosophy, science and technology—which he excelled at. He grew up in an environment full of love and care yet he still seemed depressed. To cheer him up, the king had three palaces built for him; one each for every season—hot, cold and rainy. He was also given many pretty court ladies to wait on him.
At the age of 16, he was married to his cousin, Yasodhara, of the same age. They had a son which they named Rahula. The king assured them that they could have anything and everything they want and need. But it still kept Siddhartha unsatisfied. He felt that material wealth was not the purpose of life.
At the age of 29, he came across four sights - a diseased man, a dead man, a crippled man and a monk. His father tried to shield him from seeing these things and surrounded him with different kinds of luxury. At the time of his birth, these four sights were once predicted by astrologers to make the prince retire from the world and become a monk. He then left his home and family, against his father’s wishes, to attain enlightenment and search for the ultimate truth.
He put on yellow robes, shaved his head and initially started by begging alms in the streets of Rajagaha. When he was recognized by one of the king’s men, he was offered the throne. He declined and moved to leave the city. He went on to practice and study meditation under two hermits: Alara Kalama and Udaka Ramaputta. He mastered both their teachings and was even asked to succeed them. However, he felt it still wasn’t enough and he continued to move on.
He chose to practice asceticism. Together with a group of five, under the leadership of Kondanna, he tried to find enlightenment by depriving himself of worldly goods, even to the point of starving himself. He believed that the attachment of the physical body and mental spirit causes human suffering. At one point, Buddha almost drowned himself due to lack of food intake.
It was then that he reconsidered trying a different path to enlightenment. He tried the middle path and adopted the happy medium. He sat under the pipal tree and vowed not to rise until he sought enlightenment. He finally did – after 49 days of meditation. At the age of 35, he was able to reach nirvana. From then on, he was known as Buddha or “the awakened one”.
Later on he realized the four noble truths, namely: suffering, the origin of suffering, the end of suffering and the path leading to the end of suffering. He was also able to possess the nine characteristics which are said to belong to every Buddhist.
He drew lots of followers and the numbers increased over the years. He continued to teach until the age of 80 when he entered Parinirvana, the final deathless state which abandons the earthly body.
Rooted on his teachings, Buddhism was born.