1. 1. The Life Of Lord Buddha
   
2. 2. On the full moon day of May, in the year 623B.C., a noble prince was born in the Lumbini Park
   at Kapilavatthu, on the Indian borders of present Nepal.He was named Siddhattha which means wish fulfilled. His fathers name was King Suddhodana, who was the king of KabilaphattuCity. His mothers name was Queen Sirimahamaya who lived in ThevathahaCity. The beloved queen died seven days after his birth.
   
3. 3. The great ascetic named Asitasmiled at first and then was sad. Questioned regarding his mingled feelings, he answered that he smiled because the prince would eventually become a Buddha, an Enlightened One, and he was sad because he would not be able to benefit from the superior wisdom of the Enlightened One owing to his prior death and rebirth in a Formless Plane.
   
4. 4. Examining the characteristic marks of the child, seven of them raised two fingers each, indicative of two alternative possibilities, that he would either become a Universal Monarch or a Buddha. But the youngest, Kondanna, who excelled others in wisdom, noticing the hair on the forehead turned to the right, raised only one finger and convincingly declared that the prince would definitely retire from the world and become a Buddha.
   
5. 5. The pensive child, young in years but old
   in wisdom, sat cross-legged and seized
   the opportunity to commence that all-
   important practice of intent concentration
   on the breath - on exhalations and
   inhalations. Then and there, this gained
   him the one-pointedness of mind known
   as Samadhi. He thus developed the First
   Jhana (Ecstasy).
   
6. 6. Later on Prince Siddhartha was sent to study with Visavamit who was a famous and well-known
   teacher during that time. He gained distinction in every subject and became cleverer than his
   teachers. He was the strongest, the tallest and the most handsome boy in the class. He was never lazy, he never misbehaved and was never disobedient to the teachers.
   
7. 7. When he grew up at the age of 16 years, he got married to a very beautiful Princess named Yasodhara or Bimba. Thirteen years after their marriage, they had one son whose name was Rahula.
   
8. 8. One day while traveling to a Royal Garden, he saw four sights, he saw an old man, a sick
   man, a dead body, and a monk (a Brahmin monk.Thesemadehimrealizethatonly
   aluxuriouslifecouldnotlethimreachtherealhappinessoflife.
   
9. 9. There were three palaces built for me -- one for the cold season, one for the hot season, and one for the rainy season. During the four rainy months, I lived in the palace for the rainy season without ever coming down from it, entertained all the while by female musicians. Siddhartha played in a sunny world of gardens and groves, attended by dancing girls and musicians. He lived in a world of plenty and beauty. He could have whatever he wanted, yet he was not happy.
   
10. 10. When he was 29 years old, he journeyed
    far and, crossing the river Anoma, rested
    on its banks. Here he shaved his hair and
    beard and handing over his garments
    and ornaments to Channa with instructions
    to return to the palace, assumed the simple
    yellow garb of an ascetic and led a life of
    voluntary poverty.
    
11. 11. Thereupon, Bimbisara, the King, approached the ascetic Gotama, and being pleased with his princely deportment and appearance offered him all his kingly glory. Great King replied the Future Buddha,
    I do not seek for the gratification of my senses or my passions, but have retired from the world for the sake of the supreme and absolute enlightenment of a Buddha. The King said You are sure to become a Buddha, but when that happens your first journey will be to my Kingdom.
    
12. 12. The ascetic Gotama approached Alara Kalama and Uddaha Ramaputta and expressed his desire to lead the Holy Lifein his Dispensation. Before long the intelligent ascetic Gotama, mastered his doctrine and attained the final stage of mental concentrationHe realized that his spiritual aspirations were far higher than those under whom he chose to learn . He realized that there was none capable enough to teach him what he yearned for -- the highest Truth.
    
13. 13. For six long years the ascetic Gotama made a super-human struggle to practice all forms of the
    severestausterity. His delicate body was reduced to almost a skeleton. Hearing of his renunciation.
    Kondanna, the youngest brahmin who predicted his future, and four sons of the other sages
    Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama, and Assaji -- also renounced the world and joined his company.
    
14. 14. He realized that Enlightenment could not be gained with such an utterly exhausted body.Physical fitness was essential for spiritual progress. So he decided to nourish the body sparingly and took some coarse food both hard and soft. The five favourite disciples who were attending on him with great hopes thinking that whatever truth the ascetic Gotama would comprehend, that would he impart to them, felt disappointed at this unexpected change of method. They went to Isipatana.
    
15. 15. On the full moon day of the month Visakha(April-May) the Future Buddha who had attained 35 years of age, was sitting under the bayantree. Sujata caught sight of the Future Buddha and, supposing him to be the tree-god, her benefactor, who had come down, offered him milk-porridge in a golden bowl that was worth a hundred thousand pieces of money.
    
16. 16. The god Mara, the Evil One, saw
    the Future Buddha seated in that
    unconquerable position and knew
    that he was sure to become a
    Buddha. He went back to his celestial
    realm and brought his army drawn
    out for battle. He grasped a variety
    of weapons himself and sounded the
    war-cry, Advance! Seize to frighten
    the Great Being. But the Future
    Buddha won a peaceful victory
    over Mara with the power of loving
    kindness, which he had practiced
    in his many past lives.
    
17. 17. Mara knew Buddha was close, so he put all his efforts in trying to lure Buddha back to the world.
    Here is shown the episode when Mara drives an elephant towards Buddha, and causes the land
    to be covered with water, so as to drown Buddha. However, Buddha was steadfast and regarded
    everything that happened within and around him as just more happenings in the world, arising
    and passing away according to causes and conditions, with no abiding self to be found.
    
18. 18. Having vanquished the army of Mara,
    the Future Buddha sat cross-legged at
    the foot of the Bodhi tree with the firm
    resolution that he would not get up
    from his seat until he attained the
    supreme wisdom of a Buddha, and
    went into deep mediation.Having
    understood the world as it is, the
    Buddha was perfected in wisdom,
    never to be born again. Craving and
    destructive desire had been completely
    eradicated as a fire goes out for lack
    of fuel.
    
19. 19. Mara then changes his tactics and tries
    to seduce the Buddha. He summons
    his three daughters and orders them to
    dance in the most seductive manner.
    Again the Buddha remains in serene
    meditation; nothing can persuade him
    from his path. Finally Maraaccepts
    defeat and together with his confused
    daughterswithdraw leaving the Buddha
    alone beneath the Bodhi tree.
    
20. 20. In the sixth week, during which time Lord
    Buddha was in the joy of freedom under
    a big tree, east of the PhrasimahaBodhi
    Tree, a heavy rainstorm broke out. Then
    appeared the Mujjalint Naga, a seven-
    headed serpent residing in a big pond
    near where Lord Buddha was seated.
    The serpent coiled itself into the form of
    a seven-tiered seat for Lord Buddha and
    spread his head like an umbrella to
    protect the Lord from the rainstorm.
    
21. 21. Brahma requested Buddha to 'look down at
    the human race which is drowning in pain
    and to travel far and wide to save the
    world.' The Buddha thus carefully listened to
    Brahma and gazed upon the world with his
    eyes full of compassion, realizing that the
    gates of Nirvana were wide open for all,
    and he was the destined instrument to lead
    humanity it.God Saham Bhrommabodee
    requested Lord Buddha to announce his
    Sacca Dhamma.
    
22. 22. Lord Buddha advised the Bhadda Vaggi to follow the Middle Way, avoiding the two extremes
    of self-indulgence and self-torture. For the first time he taught the Four Noble Truths and how to
    practice the Eightfold Path, the Noble Way that would lead to freedom from suffering and to
    the way of enlightenment. With the conversion of the five ascetics at the Deer Park at Sarnath,
    the order of monks was established.
    
23. 23. While Lord Buddhawas still at Sarnath a
    young man called Yasa left home out of
    dispassion for the householders life. He
    wandered and eventually met the Buddha,
    who could see that Yasa's mind was: 'as a
    clean, unstained cloth that would take the
    teachingsevenly.' IndeedYasa got
    enlightened. In the meantime his parents
    were out searching for him. His father found
    him and also got enlightened. Yasa
    ordained and when his friends heard of this
    they too requested ordination. Now there
    Were 60monks.
    
24. 24. Lord Buddha went to Uruvela to convert a thousand hermits headed by the three Kassapa brothers known as UruvelaKassapa, NadiKassapa and Gaya Kassapa. Lord Buddha tamed the King of the Dragons in a fire-shed by using a variety of his supernatural powers.The thousand hermits became monks and with this retinue, the Blessed One proceeded to Gayasisa. On arrival there he preached to them again and they all became arahants.
    
25. 25. The Buddha went from there to Rajagahaaccompanied by those monks and dwelt in the Toddy
    Palm Grove. King Bimbisara went there with a large following of 120,000 persons to pay his
    respects to the Buddha. The Venerable Kassapa acknowledged the Buddhas superiority, saying,
    My teacher, Lord, is the Lord, I am the disciple repeatedly.
    
26. 26. The Doctrine proclaimed by the Blessed One, I approve. It shows suffering, cause of suffering,
    cessation of suffering and the path leading to the cessation of suffering.On hearing this
    exposition of the Doctrine, Sariputta was established in the first holy stage of the Ariyan Path.
    Then Sariputta went to tell his friend the good news and Moggallana was also established in
    the first holy stage of theAriyan Path.
    
27. 27. On the full moon day of the 3rd lunar month, Makha, of the year, 4 special events happened:
    1. It was the full moon day.2.There were 1,250 Sangha followers, that came to see Buddha
    thatevening without any schedule. 3.All of them were Arhantas, the Enlightened One, and
    all of them were ordained by the Buddha himself. 4.The Buddha gave those Arhantas the
    principlesof the Buddhism, called The Ovadhapatimokha.
    
28. 28. During the Buddha's stay in the forest, a monkey broke off a piece of honeycomb and offered it as a gift. The Buddha smiled but was unable to accept it, explaining that he could not eat the honeycomb with the bees still inside. The monkey carefully removed the honey from the honeycomb and placed it in the Buddha's alms bowl instead, so that the spiritual teacher could have his sustenance without causing suffering to others.
    
29. 29. Lord Buddha and his disciples arrived at Kabillapath City and had their morning meals as offered by the King and other relatives in their alms-bowls, Lord Buddha gave DhammaDesana to the King, his adopted mother and other relatives as clearly as possible about the cessation
    of suffering which he had been searching for a very long period of time. They understood, accepted and ready to
    practice the SaccaDhamma in their life. They announced themselves to be Upasok and Upasika (male and female Buddhist).
    
30. 30. Yasodara, Rahula's mother, was watching the Buddha from her chamber and she saw him begging for food from house to house. So she was overwhelmed with grief. She also held her son in her arms and pointed to the Buddha saying. That is your father!
    
31. 31. As the Buddha left the palace Rahula followed him saying, Give me my inheritance. Coming
    to the park the Buddha thought, He desires his fathers wealth, but this goes with the worldly life and is full of trouble and suffering. I shall instead give him what I know and thus give him an excellent inheritance. The Buddha then asked Sariputta, one of his disciples, to ordain Rahula.
    
32. 32. The Buddha took Phra Nandha to visit Heaven and along the way, he pointed out female
    heavenly beings that were most beautiful and their beauty could be found in any being of
    the human world. On this occasion, the Buddha taught that once we saw something better,
    we would say that the latter was much better. This was an endless process. PhraNandha
    started practicing meditation vigorously until he attained Arahanta.
    
33. 33. Mahamaya, the Buddha's mother, who was living among the devas in the Dusita heaven, also came to listen to the Buddha's teaching, and the Buddha taught her the Abhidhamma for the whole of the rains retreat.(3 months period) Hearing the teaching, the Buddha's mother attained Stream Entry, while a great number of devas attained the Path and Fruit according to their dispositions.
    
34. 34. I stand still Angulimala evermore, For I am merciful to all living beings; But you are merciless to living beings. Therefore I stand still and you stand not still. Angulimala was very pleased with what the Buddha said and throwing away his sword knelt before him. The Buddha blessed him and took him to the monastery, where he became a monk.
    
35. 35. The Blessed One stood where he was and sent out his thought of loving-kindness towards the elephants Nalagiri, which was running towards him to crush him down. When the elephant came near the Buddha, it stood quietly before Him listening to the words of advice uttered by him.
    
36. 36. PhraDevadhat was so weak and asked
    his servants to carry him on a stretch and
    headed for the Vihara of Lord Buddha to
    confront Lord Buddha about the Bikkhu
    who returned to Lord Buddha with Phra
    Sariputta. On his way to see Lord Buddha,
    because of his bad past activities and his
    intention to split the Bikkhu, PhraDevadhat
    was consumed to death by quick sand.
    
37. 37. Many years later, on hearing of His fathers imminent death, the Buddha visited Kabillapath to give His last discourse to His father. On hearing the Dhamma, King Suddhodana attained Arahanthship. Seven days later he passed away. The Buddha was about forty years old at the time of His fathers death.
    
38. 38. What, O Ananda, is the Mirror of the Dharma? Herein a noble disciple has absolute confidence in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Because of his confidence, These results will help him attain the first stage of sainthood (sotapanna). "Possessing this Mirror of Dharma, a noble disciple shall be able to predict for himself that he shall not fall back to lower states like hell, the animal world,
    the ghost world and other sorrowful and unhappy states."
    
39. 39. When the Buddha and his disciples arrived at Pava, the son of the village goldsmith, whose name was Cunda, invited the party to a meal called sukaramaddava, or "boar's delight". The Buddha advised Cunda to serve him only with the sukaramaddava that he had prepared. But soon after this, the Buddha suffered from an attack of the dysentery he had been suffering from earlier and sharp pains came upon him.
    
40. 40. In this teaching of mine, O Subhadda, is to be found the Noble Eightfold Path, and in it alone the sotapanna, the sakadagami, the anagami, and the arahant are found. In no other schools of religious teachers can such araya beings be found. And if only my disciples live rightly and follow my precepts or training rules, the world will never be without genuine arahants.Then Subhadda asked to be admitted to the order of monks and the Buddha granted his request.
    
41. 41. Then the Buddha addressed all the monks once more, and these were the very last words he
    spoke: Behold, O monks, this is my last advice to you. All component things in the world are
    changeable. They are not lasting. Work hard to gain your own salvation. The passing away,
    or the final nirvana of the Buddha, occurred in 543BC on a full-moon day in the month of May, known in the Indian calendar as Vesak.
    
42. 42. Picture : AjarnKamnuanChanantho
    Prepared by SompongYusoontorn