|
Introduction
In the sixth century before the Christian era, religion was
forgotten in India. The lofty teachings of the Vedas were thrown
into the background. There was much priestcraft everywhere. The
insincere priests traded on religion. They duped the people in a
variety of ways and amassed wealth for themselves. They were quite
irreligious. In the name of religion, people followed in the
footsteps of the cruel priests and performed meaningless rituals.
They killed innocent dumb animals and did various sacrifices. The
country was in dire need of a reformer of Buddha's type. At such a
critical period, when there were cruelty, degeneration and
unrighteousness everywhere, reformer Buddha was born to put down
priestcraft and animal sacrifices, to save the people and
disseminate the message of equality, unity and cosmic love
everywhere.
Birth
Buddha's father was Suddhodana, king of the Sakhyas. Buddha's
mother was named Maya. Buddha was born in B.C. 560 and died at the
age of eighty in B.C. 480. The place of his birth was a grove
known as Lumbini, near the city of Kapilavastu, at the foot of
Mount Palpa in the Himalayan ranges within Nepal. This small city
Kapilavastu stood on the bank of the little river Rohini, some
hundred miles north-east of the city of Varnasi. As the time drew
nigh for Buddha to enter the world, the gods themselves prepared
the way before him with celestial portents and signs. Flowers
bloomed and gentle rains fell, although out of season; heavenly
music was heard, delicious scents filled the air. The body of the
child bore at birth the thirty-two auspicious marks (Mahavyanjana)
which indicated his future greatness, besides secondary marks (Anuvyanjana)
in large numbers. Maya died seven days after her son's birth. The
child was brought up by Maya's sister Mahaprajapati, who became
its foster-mother.
Astrologer's Prediction
On the birth of the child, Siddhartha, the astrologers predicted
to its father Suddhodana: "The child, on attaining manhood, would
become either a universal monarch (Chakravarti), or abandoning
house and home, would assume the robe of a monk and become a
Buddha, a perfectly enlightened soul, for the salvation of
mankind". Then the king said: "What shall my son see to make him
retire from the world ?". The astrologer replied: "Four signs".
"What four ?" asked the king. "A decrepit old man, a diseased man,
a dead man and a monk - these four will make the prince retire
from the world" replied the astrologers.
Suddhodana's Precaution
Suddhodana thought that he might lose his precious son and tried
his level best to make him attached to earthly objects. He
surrounded him with all kinds of luxury and indulgence, in order
to retain his attachment for pleasures of the senses and prevent
him front undertaking a vow of solitariness and poverty. He got
him married and put him in a walled place with gardens, fountains,
palaces, music, dances, etc. Countless charming young ladies
attended on Siddhartha to make him cheerful and happy. In
particular, the king wanted to keep away from Siddhartha the 'four
signs' which would move him to enter into the ascetic life. "From
this time on" said the king, "let no such persons be allowed to
come near my son. It will never do for my son to become a Buddha.
What I would wish to see is, my son exercising sovereign rule and
authority over the four great continents and the two thousand
attendant isles, and walking through the heavens surrounded by a
retinue thirty-six leagues in circumference". And when he had so
spoken, he placed guards for quarter of a league, in each of the
four directions, in order that none of the four kinds of men might
come within sight of his son.
Renunciation
Buddha's original name was Siddhartha. It meant one who had
accomplished his aim. Gautama was Siddhartha's family name.
Siddhartha was known all over the world as Buddha, the
Enlightened. He was also known by the name of Sakhya Muni, which
meant an ascetic of the Sakhya tribe.
Siddhartha spent his boyhood at Kapilavastu and its vicinity. He
was married at the age of sixteen. His wife's name was Yasodhara.
Siddhartha had a son named Rahula. At the age of twenty-nine,
Siddhartha Gautama suddenly abandoned his home to devote himself
entirely to spiritual pursuits and Yogic practices. A mere
accident turned him to the path of renunciation. One day he
managed, somehow or the other, to get out of the walled enclosure
of the palace and roamed about in the town along with his servant
Channa to see how the people were getting on. The sight of a
decrepit old man, a sick man, a corpse and a monk finally induced
Siddhartha to renounce the world. He felt that he also would
become a prey to old age, disease and death. Also, he noticed the
serenity and the dynamic personality of the monk. Let me go beyond
the miseries of this Samsara (worldly life) by renouncing this
world of miseries and sorrows. This mundane life, with all its
luxuries and comforts, is absolutely worthless. I also am subject
to decay and am not free from the effect of old age. Worldly
happiness is transitory".
Gautama left for ever his home, wealth, dominion, power, father,
wife and the only child. He shaved his head and put on yellow
robes. He marched towards Rajgriha, the capital of the kingdom of
Magadha. There were many caves in the neighbouring hills. Many
hermits lived in those caves. Siddhartha took Alamo Kalamo, a
hermit, as his first teacher. He was not satisfied with his
instructions. He left him and sought the help of another recluse
named Uddako Ramputto for spiritual instructions. At last he
determined to undertake Yogic practices. He practiced severe Tapas
(austerities) and Pranayama (practice of breath control) for six
years. He determined to attain the supreme peace by practicing
self-mortification. He abstained almost entirely from taking food.
He did not find much progress by adopting this method. He was
reduced to a skeleton. He became exceedingly weak |
