Life and Teaching of Buddha

Life of Gautama Buddha (567- 487 B.C.
Gautama or Siddhartha, the founder of Buddhism, was born in 567 B.C.

in Lumbini Garden near Kapilavastu. His father was Suddodhana of the
Sakya clan and mother Mayadevi. As his mother died at child birth, he
was brought up by his aunt Prajapati Gautami. At the age of sixteen he
married Yasodhara and gave birth to a son, Rahula. The sight of an old
man, a diseased man, a corpse and an ascetic turned him away from
worldly life. He left home at the age of twenty nine in search of Truth.
He wandered for seven years and met several teachers but could not
get enlightenment. At last, he sat under a bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya and
did intense penance, after which he got Enlightenment (Nirvana) at
the age of thirty five. Since then he became known as the Buddha or
'the Enlightened One'. He delivered his first sermon at Sarnath near
Benares and for the next forty five years he led the life of a preacher.
He died at the age of eighty at Kusinagara.
Teaching of buddha
The earliest available source of Buddha’s teachings is the Pali

Suttapitaka consisting of five Nickayar. Buddha was a reformer who
took note of the realities of life.
These Three Universal truths some basic teachings of The Buddha
1. Nothing is lost in the Universe:
The first universal truth of Buddha found was nothing is lost in this universe. Old
solar systems disintegrate into cosmic rays. We are the child of our parents and we
will be the parents of our children.

If we destroy something around us, we destroy ourselves. If we lie to another, we
lie to ourselves. Learning and understanding these truths, Lord Buddha and his
disciples never killed any animal.
2. Everything changes :
The second universal truth is everything changes and keeps on changing
continuously. Dinosaurs, mammoth used to rule this planet but now we humans
rule the planet. Life is like a river, it keeps on flowing, ever-changing.
3. Law of Cause and effect:
" The kind of seed sown
will produce that kind of fruit.
Those who do good will reap good results.
Those who do evil will reap evil results.
If you carefully plant a good seed,
You will joyfully gather good fruit. "
~ Dhammapada
It is mentioned in Dhammapada too, if we do some good things, then good things
will come to us. If we do something evil, then evil things will happen to us. It is all
due to cause and effect. This law of Cause and effect is known Karma.
Most religion strongly believes in Karma, so do Buddhism. Good karma results to
good results and evil karma leads to bad results.
Four Noble Truths:
The path he suggested is a code of practical ethics which has a rational

outlook. Buddhism was more social than religious. It advocated for
social equality. In his time Buddha did not involve himself in the
controversies regarding ‘atman’ (soul) and “Brahma”. He was more
concerned to worldly problems.
The Four Noble Truths: First Wheel of Dharma
Suffering: Buddha make one realizes that in life there’s always an involvement of suffering,
in one form or the other.
The Cause of Suffering: The cause of suffering is craving and ignorance, which construes
that we suffer because of our mistaken belief, greed or may be ego.
The End of Suffering: The good news is that our problems are temporary and the suffering
can end as the awakened mind is always available to us.

The Path: Buddha preached that by practicing meditation, developing wisdom, and
following a disciplined life we can take a journey to enlightenment and freedom from
suffering.
Noble Eight Fold Path or Middle Way
When the Buddha gave his first sermon in the Deer Park, he began the 'Turning of
the Dharma Wheel'. He chose the beautiful symbol of the wheel with its eight
spokes to represent the Noble Eightfold Path. The Buddha's teaching goes round
and round like a great wheel that never stops, leading to the central point of the
wheel, the only point which is fixed, Nirvana. The eight spokes on the wheel
represent the eight parts of the Noble Eightfold Path. Just as every spoke is needed
for the wheel to keep turning, we need to follow each step of the path.
1. Right View. The right way to think about life is to see the world through the eyes
of the Buddha--with wisdom and compassion.
2. Right Thought. We are what we think. Clear and kind thoughts build good,
strong characters.
3. Right Speech. By speaking kind and helpful words, we are respected and trusted
by everyone.
4. Right Conduct. No matter what we say, others know us from the way we
behave. Before we criticize others, we should first see what we do ourselves.
5. Right Livelihood. This means choosing a job that does not hurt others. The
Buddha said, "Do not earn your living by harming others. Do not seek happiness by
making others unhappy."
6. Right Effort. A worthwhile life means doing our best at all times and having
good will toward others. This also means not wasting effort on things that harm
ourselves and others.
7. Right Mindfulness. This means being aware of our thoughts, words, and deeds.
8. Right Concentration. Focus on one thought or object at a time. By doing this, we

can be quiet and attain true peace of mind.
Three Jewels
The ideals of Buddhism are collectively known as the ‘Three Jewels’, or the
‘Three Treasures’. It is by making these the central principles of your life that you
become a Buddhist. These are:
● The Buddha is the guide.
● The Dharma is the path.
● The Sangha are the teachers or companions along the way
The Five Percepts
In Buddhism, Lord Buddha himself establishes five most important rules and called
them Five Percepts.
● Avoid Killing
● Avoid taking anything which is not yours
● Avoid sexual misconduct
● Avoid lying
● Avoid any false drinks

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Life of Gautama Buddha (567- 487 B.C.

Gautama or Siddhartha, the founder of Buddhism, was born in 567 B.C.

The earliest available source of Buddha’s teachings is the Pali

These Three Universal truths some basic teachings of The Buddha

1. Nothing is lost in the Universe:

will be the parents of our children.

disciples never killed any animal.

The second universal truth is everything changes and keeps on changing

rule the planet. Life is like a river, it keeps on flowing, ever-changing.

3. Law of Cause and effect:

" The kind of seed sown

will produce that kind of fruit.

Those who do good will reap good results.

Those who do evil will reap evil results.

If you carefully plant a good seed,

You will joyfully gather good fruit. "

Most religion strongly believes in Karma, so do Buddhism. Good karma results to

good results and evil karma leads to bad results.

Four Noble Truths:

The path he suggested is a code of practical ethics which has a rational

The Four Noble Truths: First Wheel of Dharma

in one form or the other.

that we suffer because of our mistaken belief, greed or may be ego.

can end as the awakened mind is always available to us.

Noble Eight Fold Path or Middle Way

8. Right Concentration. Focus on one thought or object at a time. By doing this, we

become a Buddhist. These are:

● The Buddha is the guide.

● The Dharma is the path.

● The Sangha are the teachers or companions along the way

The Five Percepts

them Five Percepts.

● Avoid taking anything which is not yours

● Avoid sexual misconduct

● Avoid any false drinks

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