Gautama Buddha

☼ Gautama Buddha's Life:-

• Gautama Buddha was born in 563 BC (widely accepted), on the vaisakha pumima day at Lumbinivana in Kapiivastu, now situated in the foothills of Nepal in the Sakya Kshatriya clan.

• Siddhartha was the childhood name of Gautama Buddha.

• Gautama Buddha was the founder of Buddhism,

• His father Suddhodhana was the republican king of Kapilvastu and mother Mahamaya was a princess of Kosala dynasty.

• After his mother's early death, he was brought up by his step mother and aunt Mahaprajapati Gautami.

• He was married at an early age to Yasodhara, the princess of Kolli dynasty, from whom he had a son Rahul.

• Four sights- (i) an old man,  (ii) a diseased person,  (iii) a dead body and  (iv) an ascetic were proved to be a turning point in his carrier.

• At the age of 29, he renounced home, this was his Mahabhinishkramana (great going forth) and became awandering ascetic.

• His first teacher was Alara Kalama who was the Sankhya philosopher. 

• He learnt the technique of meditation from Alara Kalama.

• His next teacher was Udraka Ramputra.

• At the age of 35, under a pipal tree at Uruvella (presently known as Bodh Gaya) on the bank of river Niranjana (modern name Falgu) he attained Nirvana (enlightenment) after 49 days of continuous meditation.

• Gautama Buddha attained the supreme knowledge or Truth and become the enlighted one.   

• Ever since Gautama is known as Buddha (enlighted one), Tathagata or Sakya-muni (sage of the Sakyas) .

• Buddha delivered his first sermon at Sarnath (Dear park) to his five deciples, this is known as Dharmachakra Pravartana (Turning of the wheel of law).

• He died at the age of 80 in 483 BC at Kushinagar (identical with the village Kasia in Siddharthanagar Janapada of Deoria district of U.P.)

. This is known as Mahaparinirvana (Final Blowing out).

☼ Great Events of Buddha's Life:-

• Janma (Birth)—  Symbols is Lotus and Bull.

• Mahabhinishkramana (Renunciation)—  Symbols is Horse.

• Nirvana/Sambodhi (Enlightenment)—  Symbols is Bodhi tree.

• Dharmachakra pravartana (First Sermon)—  Symbols is Wheel.

• Mahaparinirvana (Death)—  Symbols is Stupa.

•  Kanthaka was the name of Budhha's horse.

• Channa was the name of Buddha's charioteer.

• Devadatta was the name of Buddha's cousin.

• Sujata was the farmer's daughter who gave him rice milk at Bodh Gaya .

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