BUDDHISM : The Religion Of Enlightenment, History And Important Concepts

What is Buddhism?

• It was started by Gautama Buddha who was also known as Sakyamuni and Tathagata.
• Lord Buddha was born in 563 BC in the sacred area of Lumbini located in the Terai plains of southern Nepal.
• His childhood name was Siddhartha.
• He was a Kshatriya prince of the Sakya/Shakya clan.
• His father’s name was King Suddhodana who was the ruler of the Sakya dynasty and his mother’s name was Maya who was the princess of the Koliya dynasty.
• Seven days after his birth, his mother died and he was brought up by his maternal aunt Mahapajapati Goutami.
• Siddhartha was married to Yasodhara at the age of 16.he also had a son named Rahula, but neither his son nor wife was able to tie him to the worldly life.
• After seeing the sorrow of the world Gautama Buddha decided to leave the pleasures of life and start living the life of a wanderer.
• At the age of 29, he left home in search of salvation. This event in Buddha’s life is known as ‘Mahabhinishkraman’.
• He reached Vaishali where he became the discipline of Alara Kalama but was not convinced by his teachings and he moved from there and became the discipline of Uddaka Ramaputta.
• After seven years of roaming around, he got enlightenment at the age of 35 while meditating on the bank of river Niranjana under a Peepal tree. This tree is called the Bodhi tree band the place is known as Bodh Gaya (Bihar).
• He delivered his first sermon at Sarnath. This event in Buddha’s life is known as ‘Dhammacakkappravattana’ or ‘Turning of Wheel of Law’.
• The Buddha taught in the language of the ordinary people, Prakrit.
• There are many stories about Buddha’s lives called Jatakas.
• He died at the age of 80 in 486 BC under a sal tree in Kushinagar. His death is known as Mahaparinirvana.

Eightfold paths of Buddhism

• Right speech
• Right livelihood
• Right efforts
• Right thoughts
• Right actions
• Right remembrance
• Right concentration
• Right mindfulness

According to Gautama Buddha, the person after following the Eight-Fold Paths leads to liberation from samsara, the painful cycle of rebirth.

Buddhist Literature

• written in the Pali language.

• Vinaya Pitaka
• It deals with the laws of the Buddhist monasteries.
• It was recited by Upali in the first Buddhist Council in the year 483 BC.

• Sutta Pitaka
• It is the collection of Buddha’s sermons.
• It is divided into five parts.

• Abhidhamma Pitaka
• It deals with the life and the philosophy of the Buddha’s teachings.

• Milinda Panha
• It deals with the conversation with the Greek King Menander and the Buddhist Monk Nagasena.

• Tripitaka
• It is the sacred book of Buddhism.

• Dhammapada
• It is the collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form.
• It is widely read and best known as Buddhist scriptures.

Buddhist councils:

• First council

• It was held in 483 BC at Saptaparni caves near Rajgriha in Bihar.
• It was under the chairmanship of King Ajatashatru.
• Two Buddhist literatures were compiled; Vinaya and Sutta Pitaka by Upali.

• Second council
• It was held in the year 383 BC.
• It was under the chairmanship of King Kalashoka.

• Third council
• It was held in the year 250 BC at Patliputra under the chairmanship of Ashoka the Great.
• Abhidhamma Pitaka was added and Buddhist holy book Tripitaka was compiled.

• Fourth council
• It was held in year 78 AD at Kundalvan in Kashmir under the chairmanship of King Kanishka.
• During this council, Hinayana and Mahayana were divided.

Types of Buddhist:

Buddhism after the death of Buddha was divided into three parts:

• Hinayana
• They believe in the real teachings of Gautama Buddha in attaining Nirvana.
• They do not believe in idol worship.
• Pali language was used in the Hinayana text.

• Mahayana
• They believed that Nirvana is attained by the grace of Gautama Buddha and not by following his teachings.
• They believe in idol worship.
• Sanskrit was used in Mahayana text.

• Vajrayana
• They believe that Nirvana is attained by the help of magical tricks or black magic.

• Symbols associated with Gautama Buddha:
• Birth – Lotus or Bull
• Great renunciation – Horse
• First sermon – Wheel
• Nirvana – Bodhi tree/ Peepal tree
• Mahaparinirvana/ death – Stupa

• Famous monks at the time of Buddha:
• Ananda - constant companion of Buddha and the most devoted disciple.
• Anuruddha- master of right mindfulness.
• Mahakasyapa- president of the Buddhist council held at Rajagriha.
• Maudgalyayana- he had the greatest supernatural powers.
• Sariputra- possessed a profound insight into the Dhammapada.
• Upali- master of Vinaya.

• Famous Buddhist Scholars
• Ashvaghosha – contemporary of Kanishka, poet, dramatist, musician who wrote famous poem Buddhacarita.
• Nagarjuna – friend and contemporary of Satavahanas king who wrote the famous book Madhyamik Shastra.
• Buddhaghosa – Pali scholar who wrote Visuddhimagga.
• Dignaga – founder of Buddhist logic.

• Important Buddhist Gods and Goddess:
• Buddha Shakyamuni- the historical Buddha.
• Buddha Maitreya- the future Buddha.
• Avalokiteshvara- the Bodhisattva of wisdom and literature.
• Tara- a female Bodhisattva. She was considered a great protector that guards people against the eight major dangers in life.
• Padmasambhava- also called Guru Rinpoche is the historically tangible founder of Tibetan Buddhism.