|
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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".
Buddhist Tour Packages
|
