Write an account of the Life of the Buddha (25 marks)
Buddhism is a religion based on the teachings of the Buddha, and stems from Nepal around 2500 years ago. Buddhists are people who follow what the Buddha learnt through his life and enlightenment. It is the Buddha’s life experiences which form the main message in Buddhism. It also creates a unique world religion, with no belief in a personal God. Buddhism is based on your life experiences. This is why the Buddha’s life is so crucial in understanding the Buddhist religion.
The stories about the Buddha’s life contain a lot of symbolism as the first was written around 600 years after his death. Up until that moment in time the stories had been told orally which allows for a lot personal adaptation. However inaccurate they are there was definitely a Buddha and the moral behind the stories are still strong and relevant today.
Before the Buddha was enlightened he was known as Siddhartha Gautama. He was born in Nepal to a tribal group called the Shakyas. His family were wealthy and noble, belonging to the Kshatriya or warrior class. During his mother, Queen Maya’s, pregnancy she is told to have had a dream of a white six tusked elephant blessing her. His birth was also magical. Siddhartha is said to have been born out of Queen Maya’s side as the trees held her during the birth. This extravagant and strange pregnancy and birth shows how important and radically life changing Siddhartha was going to be.
Siddhartha was also visited by a wise man, Asita, when he was born. Asita predicted that if Siddhartha stopped to think about suffering he would become a great holyman, and if he didn’t think about it then he would become a great king and warrior.
Siddhartha’s father wanted him to become a great king, so from that point onwards tried to protect him from suffering. The king gave Siddhartha all the luxuries he could ever need to keep him inside the palace. He was also protected from old age, sickness, and death so that he wouldn’t question suffering. His life should have been innocent and happy but Siddhartha knew something was missing, there was something he didn’t know.
During Siddhartha’s childhood he was sensitive to what was going on in the world around him. When he was taken out of the palace to see the beautiful countryside he say it’s beauty, but also its realist harshness.
At an older age Siddhartha decided to run away from the palace leaving his wife and child and all of his material possessions. This drastic action was influenced by what Siddhartha had seen when out on trips with his Charioteer, Channa. These are now known as the Four Sights which completely changed Siddhartha’s view of the world, life and the way things work.
The first of the Four Sights was of an old man. Siddhartha had never seen an old man before and asked Channa what was wrong with the man, Channa informed him that everyone grows old and that we are always growing older. The second sight was of a sick woman, this time Channa told Siddhartha that no one could avoid sickness and that everyone was sick sometime in their life. The third sight was of a dead man being carried through the streets in a funeral procession. Siddhartha asked what was wrong with the man and Channa answered truthfully that he was dead and everyone died sometime, no matter if they are rich or poor, old or young. The final sight was of an ascetic who looked happy and peaceful even though he had nothing. Siddhartha then realised this was what he would have to do to fill the emptiness in his life. The first three sights made Siddhartha consider the suffering in the world and its causes. The final shows him what he believes he will have to do to achieve a full understanding of why suffering occurs.
As Asita predicted Siddhartha left the palace and took up the life of an ascetic in the forest. I think this action shows that to become enlightened you must first separate yourself from the physical world, this includes Siddhartha’s wife and child and his material possessions. His decision to run away seems selfish and would certainly cause suffering for Yasodhara (his wife) illustrating the Three Marks of Existence well in the Buddha’s early life. I think it also shows us how important it was for Siddhartha to find the truth and his dedication, self-control and passion in doing so.
For the next seven years Siddhartha lived the life on ascetic. He starved himself, eating only one grain of rice a day, and meditated in the scorching sun in a circle of fire. This shows that the mind is stronger than the body which helped Siddhartha’s self control. During his time as an ascetic he was also taught by other holy men.
One day Siddhartha accepted a bowl of rice from a passer by. The other ascetics took this as a sign of weakness and were disgusted at him for giving up.
However, Siddhartha realised that he couldn’t achieve enlightenment in these painful situations. He then remembered meditating in the shade of a tree when he was younger and how his mind was very clear. Siddhartha had rejected the ascetic life, preferring a life of moderation. The Middle Way (magga) is an important aspect of Buddhist life. They strongly believe that a life of neither extravagant excess (such as the life of Siddhartha in the palace) or a life of poverty and suffering (like Siddhartha’s time as an ascetic) make you the best you can be.
Siddhartha then began to meditate in the shade, beneath a Bodhi tree. He promised himself he wouldn’t stop meditating until he reached the answer, no matter how long it took or the situation. Mara, who symbolises temptation, kept coming to Siddhartha as he was meditating with different things to distract him but the Buddha continued to meditate to try and reach his goal. At sunrise, Siddhartha was enlightened and became known as the Buddha. When one achieves enlightenment they escape the endless path of reincarnation and suffering and enter a state of perfect peace known as Nirvana/Nibbana.
Enlightenment is something which cannot be expressed fully through words or images but can only be experienced by yourself.
After his enlightenment the Buddha taught his disciples the Three Marks of Existence; Anicca – Everything is constantly changing; Anatta – Everything is co-dependant and Dukkha – suffering, to allow them all to achieve enlightenment.