Buddha and Enlightenment
Siddhartha Gautama and the Path to Enlightenment
Siddhartha Gautama - The man who would become the Buddha, which means "the enlightened one."
- Born into a life of luxury as a prince in Lumbini, Nepal.
- He lived sheltered from the suffering of the world until he ventured out and was confronted with old age, sickness, and death.
- This led him to renounce his royal lifestyle and begin his search for a way to alleviate suffering, also known as dukkha.
The Four Sights
- Siddhartha encountered four sights that triggered his spiritual journey: an old man, a sick man, a dead man, and an ascetic (religious man).
- These sights made him realise the inevitability of suffering and impermanence.
- The sight of the ascetic made him see a potential path towards overcoming suffering.
The Great Renunciation
- Siddhartha's decision to abandon his luxurious life to seek the truth is known as the Great Renunciation.
- He followed the life of an ascetic, denying bodily pleasures and necessities to attain spiritual insight.
- Despite his efforts, Siddhartha discovered that extreme deprivation was not the path to understanding.
The Middle Way
- After renouncing extreme asceticism, Siddhartha pursued a balanced approach known as the Middle Way. This involves avoiding the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification.
- The Middle Way became an essential element of Buddhist teaching, representing the path of moderation.
Attaining Enlightenment
- Under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya, Siddhartha meditated and vowed not to rise until he had found the answer to suffering.
- He overcame the temptations of Mara, a demon symbolising desire and death.
- Finally, he gained full understanding of the nature of life, suffering, and rebirth, thus attaining enlightenment and becoming the Buddha.
The Four Noble Truths
- After enlightenment, Buddha delivered his first sermon in the Deer Park at Sarnath, revealing the Four Noble Truths:
- Dukkha: Life involves suffering.
- Samudaya: The origin of suffering is in desire.
- Nirodha: Cessation of suffering is possible.
- Magga: The way to end suffering is via the Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path
- Buddha taught the Noble Eightfold Path as a way to realise the end of suffering:
- Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.
- Following these guidelines, anyone can achieve nirvana, the ultimate state of peace and liberation from the cycle of rebirth and suffering.