The Life of Buddha

Many that he taugh... ... middle of paper ... ...hat places a high value and ones self worth in “things”, I think this is why many American are attract to the simplistic views taught in Buddhism. Buddhism is not just a religion but also a lifestyle for millions of people all over the world. Unlike any other religion Buddhism requires a ton of self-reflection and self-motivation to follow. From the life of Gautama to modern day Buddhist, it has always been steeped in rituals and following the teaching of the dharma. Knowing the truths and using that knowledge to follow the eightfold path is at the core of Buddhism.

According to their beliefs, he married at the age of sixteen to a girl named Yasodhara, which they had a child together. During this time, his father had ordered that he were to live a life of isolation in order to stop his son from seeing the sufferings of the world. Disregarding his father’s wishes, the Buddha found that with experience and knowledge, peace and enlightenment filled the suffering and spiritual emptiness that many felt during his time and is now one of the greatest teachers of peace and patience. All through his late twenties, the prince had little knowledge of the outside world. King Suddhodana paid close attention to his son and made sure to meet his every need so he would never have the urge to go outside of the castle walls.

In the first part of the book, Siddhartha is consumed by his thirst for knowledge. He joined the samanas and listened to the teachings of the Buddha in attempt to discern the true way to Nirvana. Though he perfected the arts of meditation and self-denial, he realized that no teachings could show him the way to inner peace. While with the ascetics only a third of his quest was accomplished. Siddhartha said, "You have learned nothing through teachings, and so I think, O Illustrious One, that nobody finds salvation through teachings" (27).

Gandhi was a political and spiritual leader of India and one of the most extraordinary men of the 20th Century. In his early life he had a great deal of problems. “As a child he was so shy that the moment class was over he would run home so he would not have to talk to anyone” (Mohandas K. Gandhi). Gandhi is known as one of the ‘founding fathers of the modern Indian state’, as a hero, and as the man who gained India’s independence from the British Empire using peaceful methods. His actions were nonviolent protests, people living together in harmony; a world without war.

Buddha’s way of life has benefited the whole world because now people can choose to understand why we are suffering, and how we can be released from it. In the depths of India in C.563 b.c., a child was born. His parents named him Siddartha Guatama, and it was prophesized that he would one day become a universal emperor or teacher. Siddartha’s father was a wealthy ruler of an important tribe called “shakya';1 Young Siddartha spent his early life enclosed within the walls of the palace, where he was sheltered from anything but luxury, and serenity. He was not satisfied with only material possessions.

He married at the age of 16 and lived in luxury and comfort. The turning point in his life came when he was 29, when he realized the inevitability of old age, sickness, and death. He thus became aware of the suffering incurred by people, he resolved on "the great renunciation": to give up the princely life and search for truth. He departed leaving his wife and infant child behind (Jacobus 569-71). The Buddha spent the rest of his life spreading his teachings, making converts to the spiritual truth and belief he expounded (Jacobus 569-71).

Wishing for his son to succeed him as king, Gautama Buddha’s father keeps his son at home and shelters him from the outside world. Darl's father Anse Bundren also feels that Darl should “stay put like a tree or a stand of corn” and not “be always a-moving and going somewhere else” (Faulkner 36). There is also a striking similarity between the events that begin Gautama Buddha’s quest for enlightenment and Darl’s quest for enlightenment. Gautama Buddha feels the need to seek meaning in life after seeing suffering for the first time. Darl’s quest for enlightenment begins after seeing his mother’s death.

Protestant vs. Socially Engaged Buddhism Somewhere in the sixth century BCE Buddhism was born, born from a single man Siddhartha Guatama, the Buddha. After gaining his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, the Buddha didn’t think that the rest of the world could handle all that he had learned. He did not want to teach others, nor did he want to spread his wisdom. Until at last his great compassion came over him and he started to gain the respect of few by going to his old peers first.

Timber Hawkeye is the author of Buddhist Boot Camp. Timber is a very spiritual man of Buddhism and wishes to create happiness throughout all eyes of the public. Timber received an education degree in religion from an unknown university. He has traveled to many destinations of spirituality (Facebook). One of the most famous and well-known places he has traveled is to go and see Tibetan Lama (also known as the Buddhist guru).

A few years after they became King and Queen they gave birth to a son named Siddhartha, also known as Buddha (Yee 2). One evening while Siddhartha is all alone and thinking he decides to escape from the Palace and go for a walk. On his walk he was enlightened and discovered the truth of life. The three things that he witnessed were a sick man, a dead man, an old man, and a poor person (Scheck 8). These were essential for building the basis of Buddhism and helped to teach other believers how to live an honest and perfect life.