Siddhartha Gautam, who later became Buddha after his enlightenment is the founder of Buddhism. Buddha was born during 566 BC in Lumbini, Kapilvastu, Nepal on a full moon day. He was born soon after his mother took a royal bath on the pond. His mother Mayadevi gave him birth under the Piple bot or the Boudhi tree his father Suddhodana, asked one of the priests to make Bhavisyavadi or Prediction of his son’s future and the priest said that his son would become a monk one day. King Suddhodana started worrying about this, as he wanted Siddhartha to be a great King. Therefore, Siddhartha was always held inside the palace and veiled from the outside world.
Buddhism was started in North east of India and soon spread to different part of the south east Asia, Burma, China, Korea, Japan and beyond. During 269~232 BC Indian Emperor or the great worrier king Ashoka fights hundreds of battles. One day, he observes the suffering of the people, their wounds after the battle and many deaths. Soon he give up the empire and follow the path of Buddhism and starts transforming himself and spreading the religion by building temples, pillars and monastery such as Ashok pillar of Nepal.
Buddha determines the four noble truth after he was liberated and one of the major cause for suffering is desire for self. Buddha believed there is no such self in the world and we all are stardust and it is Karma(Right Action) that determines life in the cycle of transmigration (it is a process where birth-death continues for several cycles) or Nirvana (a state of Enlightened). Once liberated, there will be a perfect peaceful mind, and the Nobel vibration within self.
In order to start journey towards liberation or nirvana one must pass through the different phases following the basic five precepts and later start following the discipline of eight-fold path as advised by the Buddha. For basic understanding of teaching of Buddha or Dharma one can join a course where teaching of dharma is run by the gurus or monks for a specific period of time and remain in Sanghas (circle of students) and follow the five precepts and they are.
- Abstain from Killing.
- Abstain from stealing.
- Abstain from telling lies.
- Abstain from all sexual activities.
- Abstain from taking intoxication.
When these precepts are strictly followed for a specific period then one will have better understanding of Teaching of Buddha. Monks, Ani’s (female monks) who lives at gompas and monasteries give up their possession, family and follows the discipline of eight-fold path right understanding, thought, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and concentration suggested by the Buddha.
In Buddhism, ordinary Buddhist has greater respect towards these monks, ani’s and they basically provide them donation in terms of food and money. Providing donation for the welfare of dharma (religion) is one of the foundations in Buddhism. Many Dharma school, monastery are run by the donations.
There are two major branches in Buddhism they are Mahayana, which is also the oldest and major branch of Buddhism believes Sanghas and Monastery and monks are the major bodhi sattas who have preserved the exact teaching of Buddha since it was started 2500 yrs ago. Over many years this branch of religion has spread throughout many parts of the world such as Myanmar, Burma, China, Japan, Thailand and Nepal where in some community such as newars, believes Buddha as a Shakyamuni god, and they believe Buddha as a god who came to this earth to make people liberated from suffering. Whereas in Hinayana Buddhism, people consider Buddha as an ordinary person who was good with his meditation skills.
However, there are some critics about the Buddhism but this religion has started to flourish everyday because of its practical approach to any problem. It also teaches the art of living by eradicating our miserable and wandering mind towards balanced and peaceful mind. A good mediator can see the things exactly, as they are because they have the knowledge of the self. And also they transform themselves becoming determined in whatsoever task they undertakes and follows the step by step process with balanced mind. There is one saying, in Buddhism, “Good to have mastery of speech, good to have physical mastery but the one who is master of his mind, is the warrior of the real courage.”
– Bibek Karki
