6. The story of
Buddhism began
with a man who had
become enlightened,
direct and abiding
insight into the
nature of reality.
7. Actually, the term “ Buddha ” means
Enlightened or awakened one. His life
can be traced back to the year 623 B.C.
8. The Buddha was born a prince among the Sakyas,
a tribe of the warrior caste whose capital,
Kapilvastu, was located in what is now Nepal.
9. His father was King Suddhodana. His mother,
Queen Siri Maha Maya, died soon after he was
born. The prince was named Siddhattha Gotama.
10. He walked 7 steps
and said that
“ I will be the
greatest person in
this world, with
no equal. This will
be my last birth, I
will not be born
again in future, ”
11. The tree, where The
Lord Buddha was
born , is “ teng ” or “
rang ”. It wasn’t found
in Thai forest. It is
found in India and
used for build house.
But we can see it
somewhere in many
Thai Buddhist temple.
12. The date of the Prince’s birth was the full
moon day of the sixth lunar month.
13. The child was named “ Siddhattha ” , an auspicious name
having 2 meanings.
1. He who attains everything he wishes.
2. The first born son who fulfill the wishes of his
father.
14.
15. Although Prince Siddhattha was provided the best
of everything, the luxurious way of life could not
divert him from a serious meditative turn of mind.
16. The King holds the wedding of
Prince Siddhattha and Princess
Bimbayasodhara
17. Princess Bimbayasothara was one of seven
people who were Known as “ Sahajata ” of
The Buddha. The 7 sahajata are
1. Princess Bimbayasodhara
2. Venerable Ananda
3. The advisor Kaludayi
4. The royal page, Channa
5. The horse, Kanthaka
6. The Bodhi tree
7. The four golden treasures.
18. One day, the young prince rode through the village
street and saw an old and decrepit man; then he
saw a man who was severely stricken with illness,
and finally he saw a dead man. He has never seen
anything like these before in his palace.
19. The prince awakens late at night and sees the
ladies of the harem lying in disarray; he becomes
despondent and decides to leave the home life.
20. At the age of 29, Prince Siddhattha chose to
leave his palace, his property, his title of
crown prince, and even his beautiful wife
and son, to search for a means of salvation.
25. He first sought out the great spiritual teachers and
mastered their meditative exercises. Then he undertook the
rigorous disciplines of self-mortification. Finally, after years
of physical asceticism and abstract philosophy
26. The Bodhisatta undertook self torture with the
group of five, Indra played the lute as an analogy.
27. The morning of the enlightenment, Sujata offered milk rice,
believing the bodhisatta deva.
28. The Bodhisatta floated thay, and it felt into the river at the very
same place as three previous trays; a Naga king realized that a
Bhuddha was to be enlightened.
32. ‘ Until I have attained Perfect Self Enlightenment, I will not
rise from this seat, even if my flesh and blood should dry
up and only skin, sinews and bones remain.’
33. The Bodthisatta took his seat upon the bodhi seat
of grass; at night Mara brought his army driving
him from his quest.
35. He achieved enlightenment by sitting quietly
in concentrated meditation beneath a Bodhi
tree on a full-moon night.
36. The Buddha was enlightened at dawn;
the devas dance in his honor.
37. The Buddha went to a banyan tree; the
Mara’s 3 daughters tried in vain to lure him.
38. The Buddha repaired to the mucalinda tree; a rain
storm; a naga king coiled himself around the
Buddha to ward off the rain.
39.
40. The Buddha had arrived at the deer park; the group of five
saw him approaching from a distance and decided not to
receive him, but changed their minds.
41.
42.
43. Rahula expressed such great love and
devotion to the Buddha his father that he
forgot to claim his inheritance.
44. The Buddha bequeaths the treasure of Nibbana to
Rahula, ordaining him as the first novice.
45. The Buddha went to spend the rains
retreat in the Tavatimsa heaven in order
to teach his mother.
46. On the Great Invitation Day, the Buddha
descended from Tavatimsa via stairways of
jewels, gold and silver.
47. After 45 years as a wandering teacher, the Buddha died at Kusinara when
he was 80 years old. The buddha was human being. He was niether a god
nor a god’s prophet of incarnation nor was he a savious who saved others
by his personal salvation. He exhorted his disciples to depend on
themselves for their salvation.
48. The Buddha exalted the Teaching and
Disciple as the teacher after him, gives his
final teaching, and passed away.
49. The Date of Birth , enlightened and Nirvana
are the same day in the full moon day of
the sixth lunar month. In that day the
Buddhist will join in the candle lit procession
ceremony .