Siddhārtha Gautama aka. The Buddha

This is the story about Siddhārtha Gautama. Better known as the Buddha. Buddha has to be one of the most inspirational figures in history. Buddha and Buddhism has effected many people throughout history. I would like to share his story and the origins on Buddhism.

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Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, was born in the sixth century B.C. in what is now modern Nepal. His father, Suddhodana, was the ruler of the Sakya people and Siddhartha grew up living the extravagant life of a young prince. According to custom, he married at the young age of sixteen to a girl named Yasodhara. His father had ordered that he live a life of total seclusion, but one day Siddhartha ventured out into the world and was confronted with the reality of the inevitable suffering of life. The next day, at the age of twenty-nine, he left his kingdom and newborn son to lead an ascetic life and determine a way to relieve universal suffering.

For six years, Siddhartha submitted himself to rigorous ascetic practices, studying and following different methods of meditation with various religious teachers. But he was never fully satisfied. One day, however, he was offered a bowl of rice from a young girl and he accepted it. In that moment, he realised that physical austerities were not the means to achieve liberation. From then on, he encouraged people to follow a path of balance rather than extremism. He called this The Middle Way.

That night Siddhartha sat under the Bodhi tree, and meditated until dawn. He purified his mind of all defilements and attained enlightenment at the age of thirty-five, thus earning the title Buddha, or "Enlightened One". For the remainder of his eighty years, the Buddha preached the Dharma in an effort to help other sentient beings reach enlightenment.

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The fundamental teachings of Gautama, as it is now being made plain to us by study of original sources, is clear and simple and in the closest harmony with modern ideas. It is beyond all disputes the achievement of one of the most penetrating intelligence the world has ever known. Buddhism is the advance of world civilization and true culture than any other influence in the chronicles of mankind.
H. G. Wells

If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism...A human being is part of the whole, called by us "Universe"; a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely but striving for such achievement is, in itself, a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.
Albert Einstein

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great thread, gonna watch the video you posted now.

reply to post by ManOfGod267

I am NOT downing your religion, I know nothing about it and my opinion is out of complete ignorance. But, you say, the guy knocked up a 16 year old girl then abandoned her and his own CHILD! Only a complete sh@#bag would do something like that. WTH? Please tell me that is not the way it happened.

i like the buddha for his psychology and meditation


but i don't like his false sence of enlightenment that so many people are after

when its nothing more then a metaphor


his dillusional reaction from starvation and meditation lead him to see things that werent really there and he tries to sell that as enlightenment


i don't like the idea of telling men there is such an escape when nobody seems to be able to replicate it


its no differnt then promising heavfen

I'm a Buddhist and Buddha is not recognised as a god but a teacher. His teachings are more so scientific that any other religion.

I'm never going to believe in a religion that doesn't believe in evolution and once believed that the earth was the centre of the universe. There has never been a war in the name of buddhism unlike many other religions in history.

I've yet to see a Buddhist suicide bomber, nor have I seen yet a slaughter committed in the name of Enlightenment.
Got a little tale for ya folks:

There was a Buddhist monk who was known for being talented in debate, and he traveled to India to speak with a similarly gifted Hindu priest. ( I'm not disrespecting Hinduism, by the way, Durga is my Matron Goddess)
As the monk was sitting and meditating one morning next to the river, the priest came down and entered the waters, bathing and chanting his prayers. He knew the monk was watching, after all, and wanted to show his piety. Knowing this display for what it was, the monk smiled to himself, and when the priest was nearly done, the monk picked up a chamber pot and took it to the water, and washed only the outside of the vessel.
" You silly monk, don't they teach you anything in Buddhism? The pot is soiled on the inside! " To which the monk bowed and said, "Exactly."
Needless to say, the debate was won before it even began. I love both of these religions for all they represent, and all that they do not. There is no one evil, and one man's heaven is another man's hell. Truth is found Within, for all beings, be they male, female, great, small, or even what some would consider gods.
Thanks once more for the thread, and star and flag!

reply to post by billy197300


You would be surprised how often people got married so young no matter what religion or path they followed. I'm pretty sure his son and his wife would have been taken care of within the kingdom.

reply to post by nahsik

I honestly can't take anyone that can abandon their family serious at all. I personally think that people that run out on their kids are scumbags no matter how much money they have or who they "leave" the kid with.

Originally posted by billy197300
reply to post by nahsik

 

I honestly can't take anyone that can abandon their family serious at all. I personally think that people that run out on their kids are scumbags no matter how much money they have or who they "leave" the kid with.

Well if you look at this way he made a sacrifice so he could find a way so he could lead other to enlightenment as well as himself so he could end suffering.

How would it be any different for a solider to leave his wife and children to go off to a distant land for battle and die? Aren't spiritual battles important too?

reply to post by ManOfGod267


Thank you for this thread. I have followed and studied several ideologies, and I must say, Lord Buddha's teachings are amongst the greatest. His insights are extremely transcendental, and his method of liberation is indeed attainable with focus and concentration.

Buddhism is not about fortune cookie quotes or lighting incense to a statue. Lord Buddha's teachings are profound and filled with vast amounts of wisdom and understanding about our humanly lives.

Originally posted by billy197300
reply to post by nahsik

 

I honestly can't take anyone that can abandon their family serious at all. I personally think that people that run out on their kids are scumbags no matter how much money they have or who they "leave" the kid with.

Shakyamuni Buddha did not abandon anyone, nor was his quest selfish. His stated intention to search for liberation was to help all living creatures overcome the sufferings of birth and death. He was inspired to find liberation for others through his encounters of death, disease, and poverty during his charity work in poor villages.

When he finally attained enlightenment, he made his way back home to his wife, son, and parents. His son even gave up royal life to follow his father and learned the way. Buddha did not abandon anyone. If a man with a family left town for work to support and create a better life for his family, would that be called abandonment also? Buddha returned to his family with more worth than any job could bring.

reply to post by Sahabi

There is a big difference between working somewhere to feed your family and taking off to try and figure out spiritual things. One is necessary for the survival of your family the other is not, it's technically optional, you can live without it. Anyway, I didn't post here to be a buddah basher at all and I feel bad because I think that is how I am coming across. I am very interested to learn about all this, it is new to me and I have never heard anything but wonderful things about it. I just got thrown for a loop when I read he knocked up a teenager and took off on his kid. I wasn't expecting that at all.

reply to post by billy197300


"But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." [Matthew 4:4]

Even Jesus knew that we are spiritual beings... we need more than food, water, shelter, and clothes. We need nourishment for our minds, hearts, and spirits. Providing the whole world with a spiritual teaching such as Lord Buddha has shown is worth more than it's weight in gold or food.

The Buddha did not just take off and leave. He did much charity work with his wife, and they had several talks about his yearning to find liberation and enlightenment. Through his charity works and seeing the suffering of others is what inspired him to find The Way to help the world. His wife knew his intention to leave years before he even took his first step on his quest, it was no surprise.

And to label his wife as a mere teenager is a failure to recognize the past. In EVERY part of the world, 'teenage' marriage was not only the norm, but it was also expected. Even in the U.S. women of the age of 15 and 16 were married away no problem a few decades ago. What we see today as 18+ or even 21+ is only OUR current day norm.

Siddhartha (Buddha) was the crown prince. What do you say about all of the kings and princes that left their families at the palace while they went away for war? Is royal war noble... but not a spiritual journey that became one of the world's most renowned and insightful philosophies?

And as I said, Gautama returned to his family after his success. His son quickly followed his teachings and also became a monk. Is returning to a castle with spoils of war and hands stained with blood more honorable than returning with insights and understandings of life, existence, and peace?

I don't take you as a Buddhist basher, I am only helping to explain the truth of the matter. The first step of Buddha's Eight Fold Path is 'Correct View' or 'Correct Understanding.' Without the correct understanding of anything, one falls into the traps of suffering through ignorance.

reply to post by Sahabi


Please explain to me how spiritual teachings are more important than food and water. I don't get it, what I do know as fact is that with food and water and nothing else I CAN survive and will live, with spiritual teachings and nothing else I would soon die of dehydration or starvation. Hence food is way more important.

Originally posted by billy197300
reply to post by Sahabi

 

Please explain to me how spiritual teachings are more important than food and water.

I never said that. Not even close.

Are you here to have constructive discussion and learn... or is your intent to argue a claim only to bring up a new argument once the initial claim is corrected? Ignore the correction, and instead pick something new to argue?

reply to post by Sahabi
Providing the whole world with a spiritual teaching such as Lord Buddha has shown is worth more than it's weight in gold or food.

I am probably misunderstanding things....I am not trying to argue at all, I am trying to understand and I don't. Sorry if I come across that way. I don't mean too. I apologize

I like Buddhism it's very mindful and deals with looking inward.
Just like christianity there are many sects of Buddhism.
my favorite being ZEN.

Osamu Tezuka's graphic novel series is a great way to learn about the Buddha plus its on line.
here
www.mangareader.net...

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/37cc5606936e.jpg[/atsimg]

reply to post by billy197300


My mistake. There are just so many trolls, derailers, and ill-willed people coming and going on ATS, that I just tend to assume a troll when a newer member posts replies in certain ways. I have wasted my fair share of time and frustration on trolls in the past, so nowadays I tend to just drop discussion more easily than before. Once again, my mistake. I will now answer your question/reply.

We do need food and water, there's no arguing that. But to be truly happy, at peace, and healthy, we need full balance and nourishment. This includes food, water, physical exercise, mental exercise such as learning new things or problem solving, along with proper spiritual and emotional care. If we lack in any of these domains, we become off-balanced.

Life is not perfect and happy if all you have is excess money to buy food and material things while lacking spiritual and emotional understandings. Just look at celebrities and wealthy people; many are drug addicts, go through therapy, counseling, rehab, have mental break-downs, depression, anxiety, and die from suicide or drug related circumstances just like middle class or poor people. This tells us more is needed than just survival necessities. Sometimes the poorest people are the most at peace, while the wealthy are filled with stress; this is due to one's emotional and spiritual state of being.

When I said Lord Buddha's teachings are worth more than their weight in gold or food, I meant just that. I would rather spend an entire day fasting and learning directly from him, than eating at an extravagant banquet at some lavish palace. This does not mean that spiritual teachings are more important than eating. Food only nourishes you temporarily, then you need more to sustain yourself. Food only gives temporary satisfaction. Truthful and insightful spiritual teachings stay with you for a lifetime, and help you no matter your circumstances.... hungry, poor, sick, or oppressed. "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you have fed him for a lifetime."

reply to post by Sahabi



THAT makes perfect sense! Thank you for all the info, I will continue to try and learn more, read a book about it or something.