Buddha - The Original Teacher

It was predicted to be a auspicious birth of a great leader by the court astrologer. Soon enough, Queen Maha Maya was pregnant after having that propitious dream. When she was in advanced stage of pregnancy, she returned to her maiden home as it was an ancient tradition to give birth at women's parents  home. 

While on her way to her maiden home, she gave birth to Baby Prince in Lumini Park at Kapilavattu. Before long the mother thought she saw her babe lift himself up on his feet. He stood for a moment and looked around in all directions, He even took one step and another and another until he had walked seven steps. All the while one angel held a white umbrella over him and the other angels laid garlands of flowers before him. Then the child lay down again upon his antelope blanket and soon fell asleep just like any other small baby.

However, Queen Maha Maya passed away on the 7 days. His father King Suddhodana of The Sayka Kingdom remarried his sister-in-law (late wife younger sister), Maha Pajapati. With love and care Siddhatta’s aunt, also step-mother, took care of Him like his own son.

Prediction
One day, Asita, (aka Kaladevala) the royal priest visited the King to see the newborn Crown Prince, Siddhatta. With his spiritual power, the ascetic foresaw the prince would be The Greatest Teacher the worlds have ever known. The Great ascetic rejoiced that the Prince would be the Present Buddha of this world. But he wept later on. Due to his own age, he could not hear His great teaching. Asita died before Buddha’s Enlightenment, but he attained rebirth in Aruoaloka (formless realms) for his good kamma.

His Marriage
As the king wished Prince Siddhatta to take over the throne, He was trained in martial arts and literacy. At the age of 16, Prince Siddhatta married His beautiful cousin, Princess Yasodhara through a martial contest. They live in luxury of 3 palaces for different seasons of the year. With white parasol (small umbrella) to shelter wherever he went.

But His father wanted Him to be the next king, kept him away from the truth lives by confining Him in the huge palaces. Only the young men and beautiful ladies served Him. He was ignorant of old age; sick and death as they were kept out of sight form Him.

When the Prince requested to tour outside the palace to see life was like, the King arranged ‘special excursion’. With great preparation for this event, only young people and children were gathered on the streets to greet Him. Four Sights were not kept away. They were the old, sick, death and holy people.

The First Sight, He saw an old man for the first time in His life, looking haggard with winkles on his face and limbs. His skin was slackening. Walking in an unsteadily manner he aided by a walking stick. How strange! Man could become old and frail. Where is the vitality of life? The Prince asked.

Came the Second Sight, a sick man, grasping for breathe, groaning and moaning in pains. Why this man is even worst, so thin and feeble? Why he seemed like in great pains? Why he is reacting to such torments? The Prince asked. 

Than the Third Sight, came a funeral possession. A body was lying motionless with family members weeping in grief. The corpse was to be cremated right in front of the Prince. What happen to this man? Motionless and why they burn him? Why everyone is so sad? The Prince asked.

Finally the Fourth Sight, a majestic holy man walked by. The ascetic looking radiated with serenity on his face. He looked tranquil and behaved mindfully. Why is this monk so tranquil? Why he is so different from others? The Prince asked.

The Great Contemplation
His royal assistant to explained to Him all those sights. Only than did He realized that there is a cycle of life that everyone can not escape. Birth, Old age, Sickness eventually Death. The Prince asked further why the ascetic looked so calm and peaceful? His assistant explained that ascetic is a renounced person, who abandoned secular live and seek the truth through religious practice.

Prince Siddhatta went into deep thought of what he saw. The Three sights of aged, diseased and the dead proved the inexorable nature of life. The Fourth, an ascetic, signified there is a way to overcome the ills of life with attainment of equanimity. He realized the worthlessness of sensual pleasures. At this juncture, His son was born, who came as an impediment to his renunciation. Hence the son was named as Rahula, which means fetter or impediment. The palace is no longer a congenial place to the contemplative Prince now. He had to leave.

The Royal Ascetic Gotama
The 29-year-old crown prince turned into a penniless wanderer. Living under shady trees and caves, a contrast to three luxurious palaces. Ascetic Gotama spent six years in seeking the Truth. Learning from one teacher after another.

His first teacher was Alara Kalama, and He attained the same wisdom of His master in a short time. The teacher was pleased with His progress and asked Him to lead a group of his disciplines. Ascetic Gotama realized He could not learn any further from Alara Kalama, the student and master parted amicably.

Uddaka Ramaputta became His second teacher. With His intelligence, Ascetic Gotama again mastered final stage of mental concentration, the realm of either perception or non-perception. The noble teacher delighted with His achievement and invited to be the teacher of all the disciples. But Ascetic Gotama declined.

He ceased external help and work on His own path. Besides practicing ecstatic meditation He went into self-mortification. He believed that was the path to Enlightenment. Living in fearful wilderness, corpse-fields, and filthy places without clothes. He was baked in the scorching sun and frozen in the blistering cold with very little food.

Ascetic Gotama was reduced to skin and bones. Celestial beings warned Him not to practice total abstinence on foods, but He was adamant. The Heavenly Dwellers offered heavenly food-aids if He insisted this practice.

But Ascetic Gotama rejected help when deities wanted to pour celestial essence into His pores. Eventually, His belly skin clung to the backbone and on the verge of death. With prolong and painful austerities proved utterly futile. At the near moment of death, He recalled the Ploughing Festival. That was His first taste of The First Jhana (Ecstasy), when He was young, meditating under the rose-apple tree.

Nutritious Milk Rice Pudding
At the end of 6-year penance, Bodhisatta Gotama was in solitude for His final journey. At this moment came a milkmaid, Sujata offered milk rice pudding. Under Holy Bodhi Tree (Tree of Wisdom), on the bank of River Neranjara (Buddha-Gaya) He ate the most nutritious meal He ever had for a long time and sat for seven weeks.

The Great Battle of The Mara- The Evil One
Mara (god of Evil) came with his forces to tempt The Bodhisatta.  He promised rebirths to heavens, but Gotama declined. The Evil One turned violent, sending thunderous storms, huge battalions of armies and flying arrows to attack Him.

With clarity of Bodhisatta’s mind, the rains and violent storm calmed, the flying missiles turned into flowers and the armies retreated and vanished like dust in the wind. Mara retreated and wait the next challenge.

In the flashbacks, He could remember all His previous existences, the dissolutions of many worlds. From one to ten, hundred, thousands and evolutions of many world cycles. That was the First Watch of the night He gained His First Knowledge.

On Middle Watch, He gained Second Knowledge through His clairvoyant vision. He saw beings appeared and disappeared from one existence to another. Rebirths were according to the deeds done, happy, noble, miserable, beautiful or ugly unveiled. Words, actions and thoughts were the results of one kamma.

The Third  Knowledge was realized on the Last Watch of the night. The sorrow, the arising sorrow, the cessation of sorrow and the path leading to the cessation of sorrow. Like wise craving, the arising of craving, the cessation of craving and the path to the cessation of craving.

Ignorance was dispelled, wisdom arose darkness vanished and light arose. Bodhisatta Gotama attained Enlightenment. He continued for seven week in meditation, while Mara watch Him over.

 The Last Temptation -Lust
On the fifth week, as according to Jataka tales, Mara changed strategy, by using his three daughters to charm Buddha. They were transformed into alluring and voluptuous ladies to tempt Buddha.   Being Enlightened, He had extinguished all desires. The three young and sexy ladies were transformed into ugly old maids by His clairvoyant vision. The Mara was defeated. These battles were metaphorical conflicts between the higher and lower aspirations in Gotama’s mind. 

The Original Teacher is also known as Samma SamBuddha- A Fully Enlightened One. Buddha spent forty-five years in His missionary work. After almost 2,600 years later, He is still the Only Religious leader that no wars have been fought in His name; and on His Teachings. Instead wars were ended by His own intervention, and some avoided wars after studying His Teachings for Peace and Harmony.

1.      A Human Teacher|
Buddha was man par excellence. He was the first religion’s founder who claimed not Himself as deity (deva or god), not a messenger (prophet) or Son of God. He is not even an Avatar as claimed by Hindu, but a human pure and awakened through human endeavour and wisdom.

Any human can has the potentiality to become “Buddha” equals to Him, as this Attainment is not only reserve for Him only. As Buddhism believe only human can become Buddha, even celestial beings have to reborn as human too to gain Buddha-hood.

2.      Do not Simply Believe, Come and Examine My Teaching.|
Lord Buddha does not convert others by telling them to believe what He said. But by examining His Teachings and experience the truth of the Dhamma. (Read Kalama Sutta)

Upali, a wealthy and knowledgeable layman follower of Nigantha Nataputta (Mahavira founder of Jainism) went into debate on theory of KAMMA with Buddha. Buddha defeated him and Upali was convinced that his master was incorrect.

He begged Buddha to take him as His lay disciple, but Buddha declined many times. Upali was asked to reconsider and also to continue respecting his old religion and the teacher.

Buddha is known as The Original Teacher, Enlightenment was not taught by others, but discovered by Him. Only our own practice and not asking external source, we gain salvation.

Buddhism does not guarantee anyone who believes in Lord Buddha will be saved from hells and nor given a seat in heaven. We are responsible for our own actions, and not by any grace, one could be pardoned. One must seek the path of Nibbana. Just like one is hungry no one can eat on his behalf to fill his stomach.

3.      Abolish caste systems.
Caste system is still practice until today in India and other parts of East Asian regions long before Lord Buddha appeared to this world. He accepts any class of people from all ethnic groups to be in His Order. All human are equal in status in the eyes of Lord Buddha and His Followers.

Slavery was never accepted in Buddhism since 2,500 years ago. No one is to be a slave even to Buddha and His Teaching or anyone else. However, many religions practice slavery up to the 20th Century. Slavery was very much accepted in ancient times by all the major religions except Buddhism.

4.      Honour and Respect women for their contributions to the community.
Buddha compliment women roles and ask all to respect their mothers like Living Buddha. However, until today, women are still not fully respected in many countries. In some countries, laws forbid women from driving or taking certain vocations. They are not on par with man to receive equal education. Dressing are restricted, code of conduct and punishment were imposed heavier on woman.

5.      Accept in woman in Religious Order.
There is no religion allows female order for thousands of years. Even until today except Buddhism. However, Catholicism accepts female ordination but never to priesthood level but mere sisters of order. With feminist movement, some religions are making changes to absorb females to the higher hierarchy of priesthood, with the exception of Buddhism.

6.      Ban on animals’ sacrifices.
Such practices are still continuing since biblical time from first man on earth. Does Supreme Being required bloodshed to prove his followers’ sincerity? Or does he (or it?) needs to smell the aroma of meats to confirm the true faith of his followers? Such sacrifices are continue until today.

Buddha denied the existence of creator. If there is, who created him instead? By one, good or evil deeds are done. It is one’s own effort to cease defiles and not through external sources for pardon.

Can wrong doers by performing animal sacrifice to redeem their wrong doings? Can they hide in heaven ‘eternally’ through belief in the grace of their god for atrocity committed? By repent all sins (wrong doings) are pardoned? So criminals who went scot-free live with the victims in heaven.

As the more and more people in the West are becoming vegetarians out of compassion to animals, Buddhism has all along encouraged so for more than 2,500 years.

7.      Set rules to the Kings
Almost all religions in the ancient till now would collaborate with the ruling government. They formulate laws to favour the leading religious sects, leaders and their followers. Setting unfavourable rules such as taxes to non-believers. Favouritism is still common in many countries for citizens belong to the same religion /sect practice of the ruling political party. While others are marginalizes.

Buddhism is one of the few that is apolitical religion. Even Buddha, who was a crown prince, had great influence with many kings and family of aristocracy, never influenced the authority or royal family to favour Buddhism nor His followers.

In fact Kings were asked by Buddha to practice the Dasa-Raja Dhamma – The Duties of King. It’s interesting that the 5 principles in India’s foreign policy are in accord to Buddhist principles set by Emperor Asoka in the 3^rd century BCE.

When Emperor Asoka became a Buddhist, he made laws to protect religions of others, and advocate ahimsa (non-violent) and ban wars. There were no historical evidence to show his neighbours took advantage of his pious attitude to attack him militarily. There was neither rebellion nor insurgency took place during Asoka’s lifetime. India was at her olden era, which is world had forgotten.

There were as much as 84,000 Discourses taught by Lord Buddha, but our Grand Master wants us to remember the essence of His Noble Teachings:

"AVOID EVIL; BE HARMLESS AND PURIFY ONE’S MIND"

With Metta,

Samanera Siri Dhamma

(A Novice Monk from 3^rd to 18^th March 2003)

Sources:

Some Years Readings that almost permanently stuck in the minds

Also from:
“What The Buddha Taught” By Walpola Rahula
“The Buddha and His Teachings” By Ven Narada Maha Thero
“2500 Years of Buddhism” By Prof P.V. Bahat
“Buddhism Explained” By Bikkhu Kantipalo

Last Update: Vesak 2547 (2003)

 Some of the contents in this CyberShrine were the work of others. I seek your forgiveness for not able to get your permission to publish them. Any mistake found in this Cybershrine is solely mine due to my ignorance, dyslexia and inadequacy in the in depth study of Dhamma. .Appreciate your feedback so I can correct them
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