Budda Created by DR anand babu

Introduction
In the sixth century before the Christian era, religion was forgotten in India. The lofty
teachings of the Vedas were thrown into the background. There was much priestcraft
everywhere. The insincere priests traded on religion. They duped the people in a variety
of ways and amassed wealth for themselves. They were quite irreligious. In the name of
religion, people followed in the footsteps of the cruel priests and performed meaningless
rituals. They killed innocent dumb animals and did various sacrifices. The country was in
dire need of a reformer of Buddha's type. At such a critical period, when there were
cruelty, degeneration and unrighteousness everywhere, reformer Buddha was born to put
down priestcraft and animal sacrifices, to save the people and disseminate the message of
equality, unity and cosmic love everywhere.

Birth
Buddha's father was Suddhodana, king of the Sakhyas. Buddha's mother was named
Maya. Buddha was born in B.C. 560 and died at the age of eighty in B.C. 480. The place
of his birth was a grove known as Lumbini, near the city of Kapilavastu, at the foot of
Mount Palpa in the Himalayan ranges within Nepal. This small city Kapilavastu stood on
the bank of the little river Rohini, some hundred miles north-east of the city of Varnasi.
As the time drew nigh for Buddha to enter the world, the gods themselves prepared the
way before him with celestial portents and signs. Flowers bloomed and gentle rains fell,
although out of season; heavenly music was heard, delicious scents filled the air. The
body of the child bore at birth the thirty-two auspicious marks (Mahavyanjana) which
indicated his future greatness, besides secondary marks (Anuvyanjana) in large numbers.
Maya died seven days after her son's birth. The child was brought up by Maya's sister
Mahaprajapati, who became its foster-mother.

Astrologer's Prediction
On the birth of the child, Siddhartha, the astrologers predicted to its father Suddhodana:
"The child, on attaining manhood, would become either a universal monarch
(Chakravarti), or abandoning house and home, would assume the robe of a monk and
become a Buddha, a perfectly enlightened soul, for the salvation of mankind". Then the
king said: "What shall my son see to make him retire from the world ?". The astrologer
replied: "Four signs". "What four ?" asked the king. "A decrepit old man, a diseased man,
a dead man and a monk - these four will make the prince retire from the world" replied
the astrologers.

Suddhodana's Precaution
Suddhodana thought that he might lose his precious son and tried his level best to make
him attached to earthly objects. He surrounded him with all kinds of luxury and
indulgence, in order to retain his attachment for pleasures of the senses and prevent him
front undertaking a vow of solitariness and poverty. He got him married and put him in a
walled place with gardens, fountains, palaces, music, dances, etc. Countless charming
young ladies attended on Siddhartha to make him cheerful and happy. In particular, the
king wanted to keep away from Siddhartha the 'four signs' which would move him to
enter into the ascetic life. "From this time on" said the king, "let no such persons be
allowed to come near my son. It will never do for my son to become a Buddha. What I
would wish to see is, my son exercising sovereign rule and authority over the four great
continents and the two thousand attendant isles, and walking through the heavens
surrounded by a retinue thirty-six leagues in circumference". And when he had so
spoken, he placed guards for quarter of a league, in each of the four directions, in order
that none of the four kinds of men might come within sight of his son.

Renunciation
Buddha's original name was Siddhartha. It meant one who had accomplished his aim.
Gautama was Siddhartha's family name. Siddhartha was known all over the world as
Buddha, the Enlightened. He was also known by the name of Sakhya Muni, which meant
an ascetic of the Sakhya tribe.

Siddhartha spent his boyhood at Kapilavastu and its vicinity. He was married at the age
of sixteen. His wife's name was Yasodhara. Siddhartha had a son named Rahula. At the
age of twenty-nine, Siddhartha Gautama suddenly abandoned his home to devote himself
entirely to spiritual pursuits and Yogic practices. A mere accident turned him to the path
of renunciation. One day he managed, somehow or the other, to get out of the walled
enclosure of the palace and roamed about in the town along with his servant Channa to
see how the people were getting on. The sight of a decrepit old man, a sick man, a corpse
and a monk finally induced Siddhartha to renounce the world. He felt that he also would
become a prey to old age, disease and death. Also, he noticed the serenity and the
dynamic personality of the monk. Let me go beyond the miseries of this Samsara
(worldly life) by renouncing this world of miseries and sorrows. This mundane life, with
all its luxuries and comforts, is absolutely worthless. I also am subject to decay and am
not free from the effect of old age. Worldly happiness is transitory".

Gautama left for ever his home, wealth, dominion, power, father, wife and the only child.
He shaved his head and put on yellow robes. He marched towards Rajgriha, the capital of
the kingdom of Magadha. There were many caves in the neighbouring hills. Many
hermits lived in those caves. Siddhartha took Alamo Kalamo, a hermit, as his first
teacher. He was not satisfied with his instructions. He left him and sought the help of
another recluse named Uddako Ramputto for spiritual instructions. At last he determined
to undertake Yogic practices. He practiced severe Tapas (austerities) and Pranayama
(practice of breath control) for six years. He determined to attain the supreme peace by
practicing self-mortification. He abstained almost entirely from taking food. He did not
find much progress by adopting this method. He was reduced to a skeleton. He became
exceedingly weak.

At that moment, some dancing girls were passing that way singing joyfully as they
played on their guitar. Buddha heard their song and found real help in it. The song the
girls sang had no real deep meaning for them, but for Buddha it was a message full of
profound spiritual significance. It was a spiritual pick-me-up to take him out of his
despair and infuse power, strength and courage. The song was:

"Fair goes the dancing when the Sitar is tuned,

Tune us the Sitar neither low nor high,
And we will dance away the hearts of men.
The string overstretched breaks, the music dies,
The string overslack is dumb and the music dies,
Tune us the Sitar neither low nor high."

Buddha realized then that he should not go to extremes in torturing the body by starvation
and that he should adopt the golden mean or the happy medium or the middle path by
avoiding extremes. Then he began to eat food in moderation. He gave up the earlier
extreme practices and took to the middle path.

Enlightenment
Once Buddha was in a dejected mood as he did not succeed in his Yogic practices. He
knew not where to go and what to do. A village girl noticed his sorrowful face. She
approached him and said to him in a polite manner: "Revered sir, may I bring some food
for you ? It seems you are very hungry". Gautama looked at her and said, "What is your
name, my dear sister ?". The maiden answered, "Venerable sir, my name is Sujata".
Gautama said, "Sujata, I am very hungry. Can you really appease my hunger ?"

The innocent Sujata did not understand Gautama. Gautama was spiritually hungry. He
was thirsting to attain supreme peace and Self-realization. He wanted spiritual food.
Sujata placed some food before Gautama and entreated him to take it. Gautama smiled
and said, "Beloved Sujata, I am highly pleased with your kind and benevolent nature. Can
this food appease my hunger ?". Sujata replied, "Yes sir, it will appease your hunger.
Kindly take it now". Gautama began to eat the food underneath the shadow of a large
tree, thenceforth to be called as the great 'Bo-tree' or the tree of wisdom. Gautama sat in a
meditative mood underneath the tree from early morning to sunset, with a fiery
determination and an iron resolve: "Let me die. Let my body perish. Let my flesh dry up.
I will not get up from this seat till I get full illumination". He plunged himself into deep
meditation. At night he entered into deep Samadhi (superconscious state) underneath that
sacred Bo-tree (Pipal tree or ficus religiosa). He was tempted by Maya in a variety of
ways, but he stood adamant. He did not yield to Maya's allurements and temptations. He
came out victorious with full illumination. He attained Nirvana (liberation). His face
shone with divine splendour and effulgence. He got up from his seat and danced in divine
ecstasy for seven consecutive days and nights around the sacred Bo-tree. Then he came to
the normal plane of consciousness. His heart was filled with profound mercy and
compassion. He wanted to share what he had with humanity. He traveled all over India
and preached his doctrine and gospel. He became a saviour, deliverer and redeemer.

Buddha gave out the experiences of his Samadhi: "I thus behold my mind released from
the defilement of earthly existence, released from the defilement of sensual pleasures,
released from the defilement of heresy, released from the defilement of ignorance."
In the emancipated state arose the knowledge: "I am emancipated, rebirth is extinct, the
religious walk is accomplished, what had to be done is done, and there is no need for the
present existence. I have overcome all foes; I am all-wise; I am free from stains in every
way; I have left everything and have obtained emancipation by the destruction of desire.
Myself having gained knowledge, whom should I call my Master ? I have no teacher; no
one is equal to me. I am the holy one in this world; I am the highest teacher. I alone am
the absolute omniscient one (Sambuddho). I have gained coolness by the extinction of all
passion and have obtained Nirvana. To found the kingdom of law (Dharmo) I go to the
city of Varnasi. I will beat the drum of immortality in the darkness of this world".

Lord Buddha then walked on to Varnasi. He entered the 'deer-park' one evening. He gave
his discourse there and preached his doctrine. He preached to all without exception, men
and women, the high and the low, the ignorant and the learned - all alike. All his first
disciples were laymen and two of the very first were women. The first convert was a rich
young man named Yasa. The next were Yasa's father, mother and wife. Those were his
lay disciples.

Buddha argued and debated with his old disciples who had deserted him when he was in
the Uruvila forest. He brought them round by his powerful arguments and persuasive
powers. Kondanno, an aged hermit, was converted first. The others also soon accepted
the doctrine of Lord Buddha. Buddha made sixty disciples and sent them in different
directions to preach his doctrine.

Buddha told his disciples not to enquire into the origin of the world, into the existence
and nature of God. He said to them that such investigations were practically useless and
likely to distract their minds.

Spreading the Doctrine

The number of Buddha's followers gradually increased. Nobles, Brahmins and many
wealthy men became his disciples. Buddha paid no attention to caste. The poor and the
outcastes were admitted to his order. Those who wanted to become full members of his
order were obliged to become monks and to observe strict rules of conduct. Buddha had
many lay disciples also. Those lay members had to provide for the wants of the monks.

In the forest of Uruvila, there were three brothers - all very famous monks and
philosophers. They had many learned disciples. They were honoured by kings and
potentates. Lord Buddha went to Uruvila and lived with those three monks. He converted
those three reputed monks, which caused a great sensation all over the country.

Lord Buddha and his disciples walked on towards Rajgriha, the capital of Magadha.
Bimbisara, the king, who was attended upon by 120,000 Brahmins and householders,
welcomed Buddha and his followers with great devotion. He heard the sermon of Lord
Buddha and at once became his disciple. 110,000 of the Brahmins and householders
became full members of Lord Buddha's order and the remaining 10,000 became lay
adherents. Buddha's followers were treated with contempt when they went to beg their
daily food. Bimbisara made Buddha a present of Veluvanam - a bamboo-grove, one of
the royal pleasure-gardens near his capital. Lord Buddha spent many rainy seasons there
with his followers.

Every Buddhist monk takes a vow, when he puts on the yellow robe, to abstain from
killing any living being. Therefore, a stay in one place during the rainy season becomes
necessary. Even now, the Paramahamsa Sannyasins (the highest class of renunciates) of
Sankara's order stay in one place for four months during the rainy season (Chaturmas). It
is impossible to move about in the rainy season without killing countless small insects,
which the combined influence of moisture and the hot sun at the season brings into
existence.

Lord Buddha received from his father a message asking him to visit his native place, so
that he might see him once more before he died. Buddha accepted his invitation gladly
and started for Kapilavastu. He stayed in a forest outside the city. His father and relatives
came to see him, but they were not pleased with their ascetic Gautama. They left the
place after a short time. They did not make any arrangement for his and his followers'
daily food. After all, they were worldly people. Buddha went to the city and begged his
food from door to door. This news reached the ears of his father. He tried to stop
Gautama from begging. Gautama said: "O king, I am a mendicant - I am a monk. It is my
duty to get alms from door to door. This is the duty of the Order. Why do you stop this ?
The food that is obtained from alms is very pure". His father did not pay any attention to
the words of Gautama. He snatched the bowl from his hand and took him to his palace.
All came to pay Buddha their respects, but his wife Yasodhara did not come. She said,
"He himself will come to me, if I am of any value in his eyes". She was a very chaste
lady endowed with Viveka (discrimination), Vairagya (dispassion) and other virtuous
qualities. From the day she lost her husband she gave up all her luxuries. She took very
simple food once daily and slept on a mat. She led a life of severe austerities. Gautama
heard all this. He was very much moved. He went at once to see her. She prostrated at his
feet. She caught hold of his feet and burst into tears. Buddha established an order of
female ascetics. Yasodhara became the first of the Buddhistic nuns.

Yasodhara pointed out the passing Buddha to her son through a window and said, "O
Rahula! That monk is your father. Go to him and ask for your birthright. Tell him boldly,
'I am your son. Give me my heritage'". Rahula at once went up to Buddha and said, "Dear
father, give me my heritage". Buddha was taking his food then. He did not give any
reply. The boy repeatedly asked for his heritage. Buddha went to the forest. The boy also
silently followed him to the forest. Buddha said to one of his disciples, "I give this boy
the precious spiritual wealth I acquired under the sacred Bo-tree. I make him the heir to
that wealth". Rahula was initiated into the order of monks. When this news reached the
ears of Buddha's father, he was very much grieved because after losing his son, he now
lost his grandson also.

Buddha performed some miracles. A savage serpent of great magical power sent forth
fire against Buddha. Buddha turned his own body into fire and sent forth flames against
the serpent. Once a tree bent down one of its branches in order to help Buddha when he
wanted to come up out of the water of a tank. One day five hundred pieces of firewood
split by themselves at Buddha's command. Buddha created five hundred vessels with fire
burning in them for the Jatilas to warm themselves on a winter night. When there was
flood, he caused the water to recede and then he walked over the water.

Ananda, one of Buddha's cousins, was one of the principal early disciples of Buddha and
was a most devoted friend and disciple of Buddha. He was devoted to Buddha with a
special fervour in a simple childlike way and served him as his personal attendant till the
end of his life. He was very popular. he was a very sweet man with pleasant ways. He
had no intellectual attainments, but he was a man of great sincerity and loving nature.
Devadatta, one of Ananda's brothers, was also in the Order. Devadatta became Buddha's
greatest rival and tried hard to oust Buddha and occupy the place himself. A barber
named Upali and a countryman called Anuruddha were admitted into the Order. Upali
became a distinguished leader of his Order. Anuruddha became a Buddhistic philosopher
of vast erudition.

The End
Buddha went to Sravasti, the capital of the kingdom of Kosala. Here a wealthy merchant
gave him for residence an extensive and beautiful forest. Buddha spent many rainy
seasons there and delivered several grand discourses. Thus Lord Buddha preached his
doctrine for over forty-five years traveling from place to place.

Buddha died of an illness brought on by some error in diet. He became ill through eating
Sukara-maddavam, prepared for him by a lady adherent named Cundo. The commentator
explains the word as meaning 'hog's flesh'. Subadhara Bhikshu thinks it means something
which wild boars are fond of and says that it has something of the nature of a truffle. Dr.
Hoey says that it is not boar's flesh but Sukarakanda or hog's root, a bulbous root found
chiefly in the jungle and which Hindus eat with great joy. It is a Phalahar that is eaten on
days of fasting.

Buddha said to Ananda, "Go Ananda, prepare for me, between twin Sal trees, a couch
with the head northward. I am exhausted and would like to lie down". A wonderful scene
followed. The twin Sal trees burst into full bloom although it was not the blossoming
season. Those flowers fell on the body of Buddha out of reverence. Divine coral tree
flowers and divine sandalwood powders fell from above on Buddha's body out of
reverence.

Lord Buddha said, "Come now, dear monks. I bid you farewell. Compounds are subject
to dissolution. Prosper ye through diligence and work out your salvation".

A Few Episodes
The spirit of Ahimsa (non-violence) was ever present with Gautama from his very
childhood. One day, his cousin Devadatta shot a bird. The poor creature was hurt and fell
to the ground. Gautama ran forward, picked it up and refused to hand it over to his
cousin. The quarrel was taken up before the Rajaguru who, however, decided in favour of
Gautama to the great humiliation of Devadatta.
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In his wanderings, Gautama one day saw a herd of goats and sheep winding their way
through a narrow valley. Now and then the herdsman cried and ran forward and
backward to keep the members of the fold from going astray. Among the vast flock
Gautama saw a little lamb, toiling behind, wounded in one part of the body and made
lame by a blow of the herdsman. Gautama's heart was touched and he took it up in his
arms and carried it saying, "It is better to relieve the suffering of an innocent being than
to sit on the rocks of Olympus or in solitary caves and watch unconcerned the sorrows
and sufferings of humanity". Then, turning to the herdsman he said, "Whither are you
going, my friend, with this huge flock so great a hurry ?". "To the king's palace" said the
herdsman, "We are sent to fetch goats and sheep for sacrifice which our master - the king
- will start tonight in propitiation of the gods." Hearing this, Gautama followed the
herdsman, carrying the lamb in his arms. When they entered the city, word was circulated
that a holy hermit had brought the sacrifices ordered by the king. As Gautama passed
through the streets, people came out to see the gracious and saintly figure of the youth
clad in the yellow robes of a Sadhu (renunciate) and all were struck with wonder and awe
at his noble mien and his sweet expression. The king was also informed of the coming of
the holy man to the sacrifice. When the ceremonies commenced in the presence of the
king, there was brought a goat ready to be killed and offered to the gods. There it stood
with its legs tied up and the high priest ready with a big bloodthirsty knife in his hand to
cut the dumb animal's throat. In that cruel and tragic moment, when the life of the poor
creature hung by a thread, Gautama stepped forward and cried, "Stop the cruel deed, O
king!". And as he said this, he leaned forward and unfastened the bonds of the victim.
"Every creature" he said, "loves to live, even as every human being loves to preserve his
or her life". The priest then threw the knife away like a repentant sinner and the king
issued a royal decree throughout the land the next day, to the effect that no further
sacrifice should be made in future and that all people should show mercy to birds and
beasts alike.

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Kisagotami, a young woman, was married to the only son of a rich man and they had a
male child. The child died when he was two years old. Kisagotami had intense
attachment for the child. She clasped the dead child to her bossom, refused to part with it,
and went from house to house, to her friends and relatives, asking them to give some
medicine to bring the child back to life. A Buddhist monk said to her: "O good girl! I
have no medicine. But go to Lord Buddha. He can surely give you a very good medicine.
He is an ocean of mercy and love. The child will come back to life. Be not troubled". She
at once ran to Buddha and said, "O venerable sir! Can you give any medicine to this child
?". Buddha replied, "Yes. I will give you a very good medicine. Bring some mustard seed
from some house where no child or husband or wife or father or mother or servant had
died". She said, "Very good, sir, I shall bring it in a short time".
Carrying her dead child in her bossom, Kisagotami went to a house and asked for some
mustard seed. The people of the house said, "O lady, here is mustard seed. Take it".
Kisagotami asked, "In your house, has any son or husband or wife, father or mother or
servant died ?". They replied, "O lady! You ask a very strange question. Many have died
in our house". Kisagotami went to another house and asked the same. The owner of the
house said, "I have lost my eldest son and my wife". She went to a third house. People of
the house answered, "We have lost our parents". She went to another house. The lady of
the house said, "I lost my husband last year". Ultimately Kisagotami was not able to find
a single house where no one had died. Viveka and Vairagya dawned in her mind. She
buried the dead body of her child. She began to reflect seriously on the problem of life
and death in this world.

Kisagotami then went to Lord Buddha and prostrated at his lotus feet. Buddha said to her,
"O good girl! Have you brought the mustard seed ?". Kisagotami answered, "I am not
able to find a single house where no one has died". Then Buddha said, "All the objects of
this world are perishable and impermanent. This world is full of miseries, troubles and
tribulations. Man or woman is troubled by birth, death, disease, old age and pain. We
should gain wisdom from experience. We should not expect for things that do not and
will not happen. This expectation leads us to unnecessary misery and suffering. One
should obtain Nirvana. Then only all sorrows will come to an end. One will attain
immortality and eternal peace". Kisagotami then became a disciple of Buddha and
entered the Order of Nuns.

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Once Buddha went to the house of a rich Brahmin with bowl in hand. The Brahmin
became very angry and said, "O Bhikshu, why do you lead an idle life of wandering and
begging ? Is this not disgraceful ? You have a well-built body. You can work. I plough
and sow. I work in the fields and I earn my bread at the sweat of my brow. I lead a
laborious life. It would be better if you also plough and sow and then you will have
plenty of food to eat". Buddha replied, "O Brahmin! I also plough and sow, and having
ploughed and sown, I eat". The Brahmin said, "You say you are an agriculturist. I do not
see any sign of it. Where are your plough, bullocks and seeds ?". Then Buddha replied,
"O Brahmin! Just hear my words with attention. I sow the seed of faith. The good actions
that I perform are the rain that waters the seeds. Viveka and Vairagya are parts of my
plough. Righteousness is the handle. Meditation is the goad. Sama and Dama -
tranquillity of the mind and restraint of the Indriyas (senses) - are the bullocks. Thus I
plough the soil of the mind and remove the weeds of doubt, delusion, fear, birth and
death. The harvest that comes in is the immortal fruit of Nirvana. All sorrows terminate
by this sort of ploughing and harvesting". The rich arrogant Brahmin came to his senses.
His eyes were opened. He prostrated at the feet of Buddha and became his lay adherent.

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Buddha's Teachings
Lord Buddha preached: "We will have to find out the cause of sorrow and the way to
escape from it. The desire for sensual enjoyment and clinging to earthly life is the cause
of sorrow. If we can eradicate desire, all sorrows and pains will come to an end. We will
enjoy Nirvana or eternal peace. Those who follow the Noble Eightfold Path strictly, viz.,
right opinion, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right employment, right exertion,
right thought and right self-concentration will be free from sorrow. This indeed, O
mendicants, is that middle course which the Tathagata has thoroughly comprehended,
which produces insight, which produces knowledge, which leads to calmness or serenity,
to supernatural knowledge, to perfect Buddhahood, to Nirvana.

"This again, indeed, O mendicants, is the noble truth of suffering. Birth is painful, old age
is painful, sickness is painful, association with unloved objects is painful, separation from
loved objects is painful, the desire which one does not obtain, this is too painful - in short,
the five elements of attachment to existence are painful. The five elements of attachment
to earthly existence are form, sensation, perception, components and consciousness.

"This again, indeed, O mendicants, is the truth of the cause of suffering. It is that thirst
which leads to renewed existence, connected with joy and passion, finding joy here and
there, namely, thirst for sensual pleasure, and the instinctive thirst for existence. This
again, indeed, O mendicants, is the noble truth of cessation of suffering, which is the
cessation and total absence of desire for that very thirst, its abandonment, surrender,
release from it and non-attachment to it. This again, indeed, O mendicants, is the noble
truth of the course which leads to the cessation of suffering. This is verily the Noble
Eightfold Path, viz., right opinion, etc."

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