The Brief Life of The Buddha

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The Brief Life of The Buddha
By Phramaha Surasak Suramedhi
3rd Year Student of Humanities’ Faculty, MCU.NM
2nd Year Student of Buddhism’s Faculty, DOU California, USA
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The term Buddha means the Awakened One or the Enlightened One. He was neither a God nor a Prophet, but he is a supreme man. His personal name was Prince Siddhattha (Siddhartha in Sanskrit). On the full moon day of May (the sixth lunar month), known as Visakha Puja Day, before 623 B.C. there was born a young prince,named Siddhattha at Lumbini park between the borders of Kabilavatthu City and Thevathaha City. His father’s name was King Suddhodana, who was the king of Kabilaphattu City. His mother’s name was Queen Sirimahamaya who lived in Thevathaha City. She passed away seven days after her son’s birth. The son was later taken care by Pajabodi (her younger sister). Later on when he grew up at the age of 7 years, he was sent to study with Visavamit who was a famous and well-known teacher during that time.
When he grew up at the age of 16 years, he got married to a very beautiful Princess named Yasodhara or Bimba. Thirteen years after their marriage, they had one son whose name was Rahula. One day while traveling to a Royal Garden, he saw four sights, he saw an old man, a sick man, a dead body, and a monk (a Brahmin monk). These made him realize that only a luxurious life could not let him reach the real happiness of life.
When he was 29 years old, he renounced a worldly life to be a homeless monk at the bank of Anoma river. After being a homeless monk, he wandered from place to place to seek for the real happiness of life.
When he was 35 years old, on the full moon day of May (the sixth lunar month), he attained enlightenment which means he had founded the real happiness of life. At that time, he was called as the Buddha which means the Awakened One or the Enlightened One. Not soon after his enlightenment, he started to deliver his teachings for the welfare of mankind. He delivered his first teaching to the Panjavakkiya (the Group of Five Monks), Kondhanna, Vappa, Bhaddiya, Mahanama, and Assaji. His first teaching was called the Dhammacakkappavattanasutta (setting into the motion of the wheel of Dhamma). After his preaching, Kondhanna, the head of the group, attained the eyes of Dhamma and later asked for the ordination from the Buddha.The Buddha ordained him as the first monk in Buddhism. After that he wandered to preach his teachings for fourty-five years without stopping.
When he was 80 years old, on the full moon day of May (the sixth lunar month), after he had firmly established his teachings to his Orders, he then passed away under the two Sala trees in Kusinara, Malla state.
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November 21,2005