Buddha

Siddhārtha Gautama, or Buddha, was a spiritual teacher, whose beliefs and teachings inspired Buddhism. He taught his disciples all throughout India. Although his time of birth and death are uncertain, it is estimated to be around 563 BCE to 483 BCE. It is also uncertain where Buddha was born but it is said to be Lumbini, Nepal, but there are claims made that his birthplace was Piprahwa in Uttar Pradesh, India or Kapileswara in Orissa, India. In the beginning Gautama or Buddha was a royal prince because his mother was queen Mayadevi and his father was king Shuddhodana in Lumbini or Nepal. Even though he was royalty Gautama was an all around good person. He was an excellent student, mastered traditional arts, knew numerous languages, and was an exceptional athlete.

In his free time Gautama would walk around his town and witness suffering. He would see many old and sick people. He once even saw a corpse. All of these events left an impression to Gautama. Gautama realized that all living things must experience suffering. Due to the fact that he believed in reincarnation, he began to realize he would be born again and again and witness suffering again and again as a vicious cycle. He began to believe that only a fully enlightened "awakened one" has the wisdom and the power to help all living beings in this way, so Gautama left his palace to search enlightenment in the solitude of the forest by meditating.

Many didn't want him to leave. His father even made him marry Yasodhara, a bride chosen by his parents in hopes he would stay. After they were wed, he left anyways. He wanderded near Bodh Gaya in India, where he found a suitable site for meditation. After six years of practice mediation he realized he was ready for enlightenment On a full moon day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar, he seated himself beneath the Bodhi Tree. He put himself in the meditation posture and vowed not to rise from meditation until he had attained perfect enlightenment. With this determination he finally achieved enlightenment, afterwards he adopted the name Buddha meaning the "awakened" one.

Forty nine days later, he was asked to teach. Buddha gladly said yes, and he taught his students the three Wheels of Dharma, how to attain liberation from suffering for oneself alone, and in other teachings he explains how to attain full enlightenment, or Buddhahood. His teachings began to be known as a religon called Buddhism. = = The religon flourished. It started in India, then made its way to Asia and is now even growing in the west. The word Dharma in buddhism means protection, so when practicing his teachings, followers feel that they are protected from suffering. These people say that the "quality of life depends not upon external development or material progress, but upon the inner development of peace and happiness." This means that if you are suffering, you will have lasting happiness by practicing Buddhism. Buddhist followers belive that without inner peace outter peace is impossible and that outter peace will come naturally when inner peace is achieved.