Buddha
A legend says, Shakayumni Buddha
was born from Lady Maya's body under the Bodhi tree on Lumbini grove. As soon as
he was born, the Buddha took seven steps in the four directions - north, east,
south, west - and then, pointing one hand upwards towards, the sky and the other
pointing downwards towards the ground, he exclaimed: "Whether above the sky or
below the sky, I am most noble and high. I am here to bring peace to all the
sentient beings in the world who are suffering."
This declaration by the
Buddha is a vow to one day deliver all blind, sentient beings who are lost in
the sea of suffering from their misery by providing them with the way to live
life in peace and without entanglements.
The Buddha began to carry
out this promise when he renounced his position as the Crown Prince, attained
enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya after 6 years of asceticism, and
then gave his very first teaching of the Dharma to 5 bhikkus. For 45 years
thereafter, the Buddha travelled all over India and guided all beings to a right
path of living life.
There is a Story about Bhagawan
Buddha. When he achieved enlightenment, he did not speak for a week. All the
angels working for welfare of humanity started worrying. They said "A Buddha is
born in a million years. What if he doesn't speak? Who will save people coming
out of their misery?" So they went to Buddha and requested him to speak about
truth and uplift living beings. Buddha said, "What is the use if I speak? Those
who know the truth know it anyway; those who do not, really can not be told what
truth is! It's a thing to experience and realize" The angels again upset. Then
they discussed among themselves and request Buddha again, " Buddha-who possesses
infinite knowledge- please speak for those who are on borderline. Those who are
called 'Mumukshu', who are curious and have pure thoughts and a desire to
achieve enlightenment, will be helped. Your knowledge will push them to realize
truth and happiness. Buddha agreed. Buddha said he would not answer questions or
speak on 11 subjects. 'GOD' is one of them. So he did. He did not argue or talk
on existence of God. Buddha restrained talking
about ‘God’ because God is something beyond speech. Buddha himself says, “those
who know it, know it. Those who do not, can not know it just by description.”
But later, some buddhists have talked about the truth like Nagarjuna. Buddha
basically put forward his theory which aims for self efforts through ‘Ashtang
marg’ to reach the truth. Believing God and praying and chanting is simply not
part of his teaching not that he was against God. The Gods that come in Buddhist
literature is type of Gods whom buddha says that they won’t help in the path for
Nirvana. The reason Buddha denied help from God lies in social situation at
500BC also. Sanatan dharma that time became more ritualistic(karmakanda) and had
blind faiths. So Buddha rejuvenated what was in the upanishads in his own great
way!
Buddha means the infinite state
of infinite knowledge. And turly Bhagavan Budhha was a saint above human
intellectual. According to him everone can attain truth by giving away
Ahankar-ego. He was a manifestation of silence. A great saint who left his
palace only to find out 'Why this misery in the world and how it can be
abolished'. Buddha does not tell us to believe on miracles but practice
Ashtangamarg to achieve Nirvanva. 'Noone can help you' he says 'if you don't
help youself by your efforts'. It is said, thousands of people sitting with
Shakyamuni(Bhagawan Budhha) attain enlightenment at a same time. Its is
believed that Buddha took 500 incarnations as Bodhisattva for the welfare of
human kind before he achieved enlightenment. His life is a great light for those
on spiritual path!!!
This is one more interesting
story about Gautam Buddha. A atheistic came to Buddha in a morning and said, 'I
don't believe in God at all. Can you prove existence of God? If not agree with
me.' Buddha agreed to him. He left. In the afternoon one more person came. He
said, 'I totally believe in God. There is no way this universe exist without
God. Prove to me that God does not exist or agree with me.' Buddha agreed to
him. He left too. In the evening one more peasant came. He said, 'Buddha, I am
ignorant if God exists or not. I really don't know much. But I have a strong
urge to find out. I came to you to find the truth!' Buddha smiled. He asked the
person to stay with him. Buddha's disciples saw the whole thing. Confused they
went to him. "Master" They said. " How can you change your words twice a day? In
the morning you agreed that God doesn't exist, in the afternoon you said exactly
opposite and evening you make an ignorant person your follower?" Buddha said, "
The persons came in morning and afternoon did not come here to find the truth
but to debate! They had a firm belief on something which they wouldn't leave but
they search for people to challenge. They are not open for anything. It is not
possible to improve with such attitude. It is waste of time fighting with them
also. So I agreed and kept quiet. The person who came in the evening was in
search for Nirvana. He was open and he did not have ego to show his knowledge.
So I accepted him."
Buddha's teachings are in Pali
and Magadhi. They are not in Sanskrit-the commonly spoken languages by Purohits.
He selected the languages of common people. One of the reason common people
showed interest in his teachings. Born into a highly developed culture, he was
surrounded by exceedingly gifted people. After reaching enlightenment, he shared
his methods for discovering the mind for a full forty-five years. It is for this
reason that his teachings, called the Dharma, are so vast.
In the 6th century, an Indian
Buddhist monk, Bodhidharma, arrived in China. His teaching emphasized meditation
and strict practice. The word for meditation is "Ch'an" in Chinese and "Zen" in
Japanese; therefore this teaching became known as Ch'an Buddhism in China and
Zen Buddhism in Japan.
Buddhism in India took a major
turn in Samrat (Emperor) Ashoka's reign(273-232 BC). Ashoka was a king over
large land. He defeated Kalinga country in a fierce war. Civilians trying to
defend their country were brutally killed -Women, children, old , no one was
spared. Ashoka, when went to the battle ground after the victory, was shocked.
He was horrified looking the bloodshed and the devastating scene of destruction.
He realized that all this was for power and money, which could not bring back
even a single peron who died who fought for it. He accepted Buddhism for peace
and tranquility. Since he was the king, lot of people followed him. He has
written a lot of Shilalekhs (edicts on rocks) which gives us a lot of
information about his ruling, culture and history. His major contribution to
Buddhism also is, many monks were sent across country and abroad for spreading
the knowledge of Budhha. Soon a majority of country accepted Budhhism. Some
scholars say, "Accepting Budhhism and peace, killed the fighting spirit in
people's mind. The lack of 'Rajoguna' made people dull and accepting the things
without progressing. This has a major impact on Indian history since lack of
fighting spirit lead to defeat by Mugal and British conquers."
The first major challenge to
Budhhism was given by Adi Shankaracharya. He put forward the theory of Advaita.
He debated many Budhhist and established his theory among people. He made
hinduism dynamic. He founded four maths (monastery), the monks from them travel
all over India.
Parinirvana Sutra is considered
to be Part of Buddha's Last word. Buddha in his last words again emphosises the
importance of right efforts. He says,
"O bhikshus! Do not grieve! Even if I
were to live in the world for as long as a kalpa, our coming together would have
to end. You should know that all things in the world are impermanent; coming
together inevitably means parting. Do not be troubled, for this is the nature of
life. Diligently practicing right effort, you must seek liberation immediately.
Within the light of wisdom, destroy the darkness of ignorance. Nothing is
secure. Everything in this life is precarious. Always wholeheartedly seek the
way of liberation. All things in the world, whether moving or non-moving, are
characterized by disappearance and instability.
Stop now! Do not speak! Time
is passing. I am about to cross over. This is my final teaching"
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