life of lord buddha (new)
TRANSCRIPT
- 1. The Life Of Lord Buddha
- 2. On the full moon day of May, in the year 623B.C., a noble
prince was born in the Lumbini Park
at Kapilavatthu, on the Indian borders of present Nepal.He was named Siddhattha which means wish fulfilled. His fathers name was King Suddhodana, who was the king of KabilaphattuCity. His mothers name was Queen Sirimahamaya who lived in ThevathahaCity. The beloved queen died seven days after his birth. - 3. The great ascetic named Asitasmiled at first and then was
sad. Questioned regarding his mingled feelings, he answered that he
smiled because the prince would eventually become a Buddha, an
Enlightened One, and he was sad because he would not be able to
benefit from the superior wisdom of the Enlightened One owing to
his prior death and rebirth in a Formless Plane.
- 4. Examining the characteristic marks of the child, seven of
them raised two fingers each, indicative of two alternative
possibilities, that he would either become a Universal Monarch or a
Buddha. But the youngest, Kondanna, who excelled others in wisdom,
noticing the hair on the forehead turned to the right, raised only
one finger and convincingly declared that the prince would
definitely retire from the world and become a Buddha.
- 5. The pensive child, young in years but old
in wisdom, sat cross-legged and seized
the opportunity to commence that all-
important practice of intent concentration
on the breath - on exhalations and
inhalations. Then and there, this gained
him the one-pointedness of mind known
as Samadhi. He thus developed the First
Jhana (Ecstasy). - 6. Later on Prince Siddhartha was sent to study with Visavamit
who was a famous and well-known
teacher during that time. He gained distinction in every subject and became cleverer than his
teachers. He was the strongest, the tallest and the most handsome boy in the class. He was never lazy, he never misbehaved and was never disobedient to the teachers. - 7. 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.
- 8. 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.Thesemadehimrealizethatonly
aluxuriouslifecouldnotlethimreachtherealhappinessoflife. - 9. There were three palaces built for me -- one for the cold
season, one for the hot season, and one for the rainy season.
During the four rainy months, I lived in the palace for the rainy
season without ever coming down from it, entertained all the while
by female musicians. Siddhartha played in a sunny world of gardens
and groves, attended by dancing girls and musicians. He lived in a
world of plenty and beauty. He could have whatever he wanted, yet
he was not happy.
- 10. When he was 29 years old, he journeyed
far and, crossing the river Anoma, rested
on its banks. Here he shaved his hair and
beard and handing over his garments
and ornaments to Channa with instructions
to return to the palace, assumed the simple
yellow garb of an ascetic and led a life of
voluntary poverty. - 11. Thereupon, Bimbisara, the King, approached the ascetic
Gotama, and being pleased with his princely deportment and
appearance offered him all his kingly glory. Great King replied the
Future Buddha,
I do not seek for the gratification of my senses or my passions, but have retired from the world for the sake of the supreme and absolute enlightenment of a Buddha. The King said You are sure to become a Buddha, but when that happens your first journey will be to my Kingdom. - 12. The ascetic Gotama approached Alara Kalama and Uddaha
Ramaputta and expressed his desire to lead the Holy Lifein his
Dispensation. Before long the intelligent ascetic Gotama, mastered
his doctrine and attained the final stage of mental concentrationHe
realized that his spiritual aspirations were far higher than those
under whom he chose to learn . He realized that there was none
capable enough to teach him what he yearned for -- the highest
Truth.
- 13. For six long years the ascetic Gotama made a super-human
struggle to practice all forms of the
severestausterity. His delicate body was reduced to almost a skeleton. Hearing of his renunciation.
Kondanna, the youngest brahmin who predicted his future, and four sons of the other sages
Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama, and Assaji -- also renounced the world and joined his company. - 14. He realized that Enlightenment could not be gained with
such an utterly exhausted body.Physical fitness was essential for
spiritual progress. So he decided to nourish the body sparingly and
took some coarse food both hard and soft. The five favourite
disciples who were attending on him with great hopes thinking that
whatever truth the ascetic Gotama would comprehend, that would he
impart to them, felt disappointed at this unexpected change of
method. They went to Isipatana.
- 15. On the full moon day of the month Visakha(April-May) the
Future Buddha who had attained 35 years of age, was sitting under
the bayantree. Sujata caught sight of the Future Buddha and,
supposing him to be the tree-god, her benefactor, who had come
down, offered him milk-porridge in a golden bowl that was worth a
hundred thousand pieces of money.
- 16. The god Mara, the Evil One, saw
the Future Buddha seated in that
unconquerable position and knew
that he was sure to become a
Buddha. He went back to his celestial
realm and brought his army drawn
out for battle. He grasped a variety
of weapons himself and sounded the
war-cry, Advance! Seize to frighten
the Great Being. But the Future
Buddha won a peaceful victory
over Mara with the power of loving
kindness, which he had practiced
in his many past lives. - 17. Mara knew Buddha was close, so he put all his efforts in
trying to lure Buddha back to the world.
Here is shown the episode when Mara drives an elephant towards Buddha, and causes the land
to be covered with water, so as to drown Buddha. However, Buddha was steadfast and regarded
everything that happened within and around him as just more happenings in the world, arising
and passing away according to causes and conditions, with no abiding self to be found. - 18. Having vanquished the army of Mara,
the Future Buddha sat cross-legged at
the foot of the Bodhi tree with the firm
resolution that he would not get up
from his seat until he attained the
supreme wisdom of a Buddha, and
went into deep mediation.Having
understood the world as it is, the
Buddha was perfected in wisdom,
never to be born again. Craving and
destructive desire had been completely
eradicated as a fire goes out for lack
of fuel. - 19. Mara then changes his tactics and tries
to seduce the Buddha. He summons
his three daughters and orders them to
dance in the most seductive manner.
Again the Buddha remains in serene
meditation; nothing can persuade him
from his path. Finally Maraaccepts
defeat and together with his confused
daughterswithdraw leaving the Buddha
alone beneath the Bodhi tree. - 20. In the sixth week, during which time Lord
Buddha was in the joy of freedom under
a big tree, east of the PhrasimahaBodhi
Tree, a heavy rainstorm broke out. Then
appeared the Mujjalint Naga, a seven-
headed serpent residing in a big pond
near where Lord Buddha was seated.
The serpent coiled itself into the form of
a seven-tiered seat for Lord Buddha and
spread his head like an umbrella to
protect the Lord from the rainstorm. - 21. Brahma requested Buddha to 'look down at
the human race which is drowning in pain
and to travel far and wide to save the
world.' The Buddha thus carefully listened to
Brahma and gazed upon the world with his
eyes full of compassion, realizing that the
gates of Nirvana were wide open for all,
and he was the destined instrument to lead
humanity it.God Saham Bhrommabodee
requested Lord Buddha to announce his
Sacca Dhamma. - 22. Lord Buddha advised the Bhadda Vaggi to follow the Middle
Way, avoiding the two extremes
of self-indulgence and self-torture. For the first time he taught the Four Noble Truths and how to
practice the Eightfold Path, the Noble Way that would lead to freedom from suffering and to
the way of enlightenment. With the conversion of the five ascetics at the Deer Park at Sarnath,
the order of monks was established. - 23. While Lord Buddhawas still at Sarnath a
young man called Yasa left home out of
dispassion for the householders life. He
wandered and eventually met the Buddha,
who could see that Yasa's mind was: 'as a
clean, unstained cloth that would take the
teachingsevenly.' IndeedYasa got
enlightened. In the meantime his parents
were out searching for him. His father found
him and also got enlightened. Yasa
ordained and when his friends heard of this
they too requested ordination. Now there
Were 60monks. - 24. Lord Buddha went to Uruvela to convert a thousand hermits
headed by the three Kassapa brothers known as UruvelaKassapa,
NadiKassapa and Gaya Kassapa. Lord Buddha tamed the King of the
Dragons in a fire-shed by using a variety of his supernatural
powers.The thousand hermits became monks and with this retinue, the
Blessed One proceeded to Gayasisa. On arrival there he preached to
them again and they all became arahants.
- 25. The Buddha went from there to Rajagahaaccompanied by those
monks and dwelt in the Toddy
Palm Grove. King Bimbisara went there with a large following of 120,000 persons to pay his
respects to the Buddha. The Venerable Kassapa acknowledged the Buddhas superiority, saying,
My teacher, Lord, is the Lord, I am the disciple repeatedly. - 26. The Doctrine proclaimed by the Blessed One, I approve. It
shows suffering, cause of suffering,
cessation of suffering and the path leading to the cessation of suffering.On hearing this
exposition of the Doctrine, Sariputta was established in the first holy stage of the Ariyan Path.
Then Sariputta went to tell his friend the good news and Moggallana was also established in
the first holy stage of theAriyan Path. - 27. On the full moon day of the 3rd lunar month, Makha, of the
year, 4 special events happened:
1. It was the full moon day.2.There were 1,250 Sangha followers, that came to see Buddha
thatevening without any schedule. 3.All of them were Arhantas, the Enlightened One, and
all of them were ordained by the Buddha himself. 4.The Buddha gave those Arhantas the
principlesof the Buddhism, called The Ovadhapatimokha. - 28. During the Buddha's stay in the forest, a monkey broke off
a piece of honeycomb and offered it as a gift. The Buddha smiled
but was unable to accept it, explaining that he could not eat the
honeycomb with the bees still inside. The monkey carefully removed
the honey from the honeycomb and placed it in the Buddha's alms
bowl instead, so that the spiritual teacher could have his
sustenance without causing suffering to others.
- 29. Lord Buddha and his disciples arrived at Kabillapath City
and had their morning meals as offered by the King and other
relatives in their alms-bowls, Lord Buddha gave DhammaDesana to the
King, his adopted mother and other relatives as clearly as possible
about the cessation
of suffering which he had been searching for a very long period of time. They understood, accepted and ready to
practice the SaccaDhamma in their life. They announced themselves to be Upasok and Upasika (male and female Buddhist). - 30. Yasodara, Rahula's mother, was watching the Buddha from her
chamber and she saw him begging for food from house to house. So
she was overwhelmed with grief. She also held her son in her arms
and pointed to the Buddha saying. That is your father!
- 31. As the Buddha left the palace Rahula followed him saying,
Give me my inheritance. Coming
to the park the Buddha thought, He desires his fathers wealth, but this goes with the worldly life and is full of trouble and suffering. I shall instead give him what I know and thus give him an excellent inheritance. The Buddha then asked Sariputta, one of his disciples, to ordain Rahula. - 32. The Buddha took Phra Nandha to visit Heaven and along the
way, he pointed out female
heavenly beings that were most beautiful and their beauty could be found in any being of
the human world. On this occasion, the Buddha taught that once we saw something better,
we would say that the latter was much better. This was an endless process. PhraNandha
started practicing meditation vigorously until he attained Arahanta. - 33. Mahamaya, the Buddha's mother, who was living among the
devas in the Dusita heaven, also came to listen to the Buddha's
teaching, and the Buddha taught her the Abhidhamma for the whole of
the rains retreat.(3 months period) Hearing the teaching, the
Buddha's mother attained Stream Entry, while a great number of
devas attained the Path and Fruit according to their
dispositions.
- 34. I stand still Angulimala evermore, For I am merciful to all
living beings; But you are merciless to living beings. Therefore I
stand still and you stand not still. Angulimala was very pleased
with what the Buddha said and throwing away his sword knelt before
him. The Buddha blessed him and took him to the monastery, where he
became a monk.
- 35. The Blessed One stood where he was and sent out his thought
of loving-kindness towards the elephants Nalagiri, which was
running towards him to crush him down. When the elephant came near
the Buddha, it stood quietly before Him listening to the words of
advice uttered by him.
- 36. PhraDevadhat was so weak and asked
his servants to carry him on a stretch and
headed for the Vihara of Lord Buddha to
confront Lord Buddha about the Bikkhu
who returned to Lord Buddha with Phra
Sariputta. On his way to see Lord Buddha,
because of his bad past activities and his
intention to split the Bikkhu, PhraDevadhat
was consumed to death by quick sand. - 37. Many years later, on hearing of His fathers imminent death,
the Buddha visited Kabillapath to give His last discourse to His
father. On hearing the Dhamma, King Suddhodana attained
Arahanthship. Seven days later he passed away. The Buddha was about
forty years old at the time of His fathers death.
- 38. What, O Ananda, is the Mirror of the Dharma? Herein a noble
disciple has absolute confidence in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
Because of his confidence, These results will help him attain the
first stage of sainthood (sotapanna). "Possessing this Mirror of
Dharma, a noble disciple shall be able to predict for himself that
he shall not fall back to lower states like hell, the animal
world,
the ghost world and other sorrowful and unhappy states." - 39. When the Buddha and his disciples arrived at Pava, the son
of the village goldsmith, whose name was Cunda, invited the party
to a meal called sukaramaddava, or "boar's delight". The Buddha
advised Cunda to serve him only with the sukaramaddava that he had
prepared. But soon after this, the Buddha suffered from an attack
of the dysentery he had been suffering from earlier and sharp pains
came upon him.
- 40. In this teaching of mine, O Subhadda, is to be found the
Noble Eightfold Path, and in it alone the sotapanna, the
sakadagami, the anagami, and the arahant are found. In no other
schools of religious teachers can such araya beings be found. And
if only my disciples live rightly and follow my precepts or
training rules, the world will never be without genuine
arahants.Then Subhadda asked to be admitted to the order of monks
and the Buddha granted his request.
- 41. Then the Buddha addressed all the monks once more, and
these were the very last words he
spoke: Behold, O monks, this is my last advice to you. All component things in the world are
changeable. They are not lasting. Work hard to gain your own salvation. The passing away,
or the final nirvana of the Buddha, occurred in 543BC on a full-moon day in the month of May, known in the Indian calendar as Vesak. - 42. Picture : AjarnKamnuanChanantho
Prepared by SompongYusoontorn