A look at the history of Buddhism 

History of Buddhism: Buddhism was founded by Gautam Buddha (563-483 B.C)

• Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism who is known as “the Buddha,” lived during the 5th century B.C.
• He belonged to the Sakya clan of Kshatriyas.
• Suddhodana, the ruler of Kapilavastu is his father.
• He was born in Lumbini, now in modern day Nepal.
• His mother was Mahamaya of the Kosalan dynasty.
• Mahamaya died at child birth and Siddhartha was brought up by his step-mother Gautami.
• Siddhartha married his cousin Yashodhara and had a son Rahul.
• After seeing an old man, a sick man, a corpse, and an ascetic, he decided to become a wanderer.
• One night in 537 B.C., Siddhartha along with Kanthaka, his beloved horse and Channa his charioteer left home.At that time his age was 29 years. He went to live a life of an ascetic which is known as Mahabhinishkramana (the great departure).
• He first meditated with Alara Kalama and his next teacher was Udraka Ramput . He then meditated with five ascetics named Kondana, Vappa, Bhadiya, Mahanama and Assagi. Six years later he felt that fasting and penance was useless. The five disciples left him alone.
• Buddha got Nirvana at 35 years of age at Uruvela, on the bank of the river Niranjana, under a pipal tree.
• He gave his first sermon ar Sarnath (deer park) where his five former disciples had settled. To these five ascetics, he preached his first sermon and called it Dharma Chakraparavartana’.
• He died at the age of 80 in 483 B.C. at Kushinagara identical with village Kasia in Kushinagar district of U.P.
• His last words were all composite things decay, strive diligently.

              Four Noble Truths

•  World is full of suffering.
•  All sufferings have a cause, desire, and ignorance of attachment.
•  Sufferings could be removed by destroying the cause.
•  To end sufferings one must know the right path

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                 Eight Fold Path

• Right View: World is full of sorrow.
• Right Aim: Love humanity.
• Right Speech: Speak the truth.
• Right Action: Selfless action.
• Right Livelihood: To live by honest means.
• Right Effort: Mental exercise to prevent

Bad thoughts

• Right Mindfulness:Observation of your own body and actions
• Right Concentration: Meditation will unravel the real truth

Buddhist Philosophy 

• Agnostic i.e. neither accepted nor rejected the existence of God.
• Believes in the middle path Madhyam Partipada.
• Believes in rebirth and theory of ‘karma’, nonetheless does not believe in the existence   of the soul.
• The karma and not the soul get transmigrated to different births, just like the waves move from one place to another without requiring any carrier.
• Believes in the transient nature of everything  • The attainment of wisdom is “Nirvana

The death of Buddha and the liberation from the bondage of birth and death is called “Mahaparinirvana”.

Question

1- Where did Gautam Buddha got Nirvana ?

               Kushinagar

2 – Who is the councilor of third Buddhist council?

                 –  Ashok

3 – Who is the mother of Gautam Buddha ?

– Mahamaya

4 – Where did Gautam Buddha give his first

        sermon? – Sarnath

5 – Bodhgaya is located in which state?

– Bihar

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6 – First Buddhist council was held at?

                   – Rajgrah

7 – What is the symbol of birth of Gautam Buddha?

– Lotus

8 – Who is the councilor of fourth Buddhist council?

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