The Early Life of Buddha
Siddhartha Gotama was born a prince and lived a lavish life in his father’s palace. His father kept him from leaving so that he couldn’t experience what the world was really like outside the palace walls. It wasn’t until Siddhartha finally left his home, that he learned what the world was truly like.
Siddhartha and his charioteer’s first encounter was a sick man. Siddhartha asked if it were possible for him to get sick as well. The charioteer replied, “yes.” Further down the road they encountered a man that was near death. Again, Siddhartha asked if they too would one day be near death and the reply was “yes.” They pushed on and encountered a dead man being carried away. The prince learned that he too would one day die. As they traveled back to the palace, they met a monk. The prince decided at that moment that he wanted to follow the monk’s lifestyle of wandering and contemplation. His path was now clear that he had to find an end to human suffering.
Siddhartha didn’t like society and the caste system. It wasn’t fair to him that some people didn’t have the same rights as others. After confronting his father about leaving the palace forever, he was granted permission. He would not return until he became a Buddha and gave away all of his possessions upon leaving. He wandered in search of the remedy for suffering, rebirth and death. One place that he liked to meditate was vulture peak. It was isolated enough for privacy but close enough to the city to be able to go and ask for food.
Siddhartha now had gained followers and studied with numerous masters, but none of these masters satisfied him. He eventually abandoned all religions. He began to only eat when food presented itself to him such as a falling leaf. He fasted and meditated for six years until he became too weak to continue this way. Upon meeting a woman who told him he would never make it this way, he decided to accept the middle and refused extreme lifestyles.
There was a period of five nights where Siddhartha gained the five truths. He was at the base of a bodhi tree when he achieved purity, freedom and nirvana. He had become the Buddha, the enlightened one. He then dedicated his life to showing others how to achieve what he had achieved.
