BUDDHA – THE ENLIGHTENED ONE

बुद्धं शरणं गच्छामि

BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

I take refuge in the Buddha.

Once Buddha had attained enlightenment he felt an immense feeling of peace and tranquility. For several days he continued to sit under the Bodhi Tree contemplating on the Truths he had realized in his meditations. The mental serenity he felt was hard to let go. It was compassion for the suffering of others that had prompted Siddhartha Gautama to set out in search for the end to all suffering. Having fulfilled his search he knew it was imperative that he return to the bustling world he had left behind and show others the path to freedom from sorrow.

He travelled widely in his endeavor to spread the knowledge that he had gained through meditation. All along the way he gained followers. There were many who were disillusioned by religion and had rejected a religious life. Buddha revived their faith and taught them how they too, like him, could be free of sorrow and pain.

As promised he did return to Kapilavasthu but stayed at Nirgodha a few miles away from the city. His family came to meet him. His wife, his son Rahula and his father King Suddhodana seeing Buddha and listening to his wise teachings converted to the new faith –Buddhism.

Wherever Buddha went he was revered and kings and wealthy merchants began to follow his simple teachings. Every morning he would commence his wanderings, stopping only to teach the many who came to listen to him. Buddha had many monks as his disciples and they were devoted to him.

However, there were some people who despised Buddha and were unhappy with the spread of his popularity. His own father-in-law never forgave him for deserting his daughter Princess Yaśodharā to become a wandering monk. His cousin Devadatta was jealous of him and created several difficulties for Buddha. It is said that he even tried to kill Buddha by having a mad elephant charge at the holy monk. Much to Devadatta’s disappointment, Buddha confronted the angry animal without fear and managed to calm the raging elephant with his compassion. On another occasion a woman named Cinca made the despicable allegation that the Buddha had had an illicit relationship with her. The Buddha when he came to know of this did not show any anger or even annoyance. Instead he maintained his silence and offered Cinca nothing but compassion. It was not long before it became openly known that Cinca had made these baseless allegations because she had been instigated to do so by some other teachers who felt that they were losing their disciples to Buddha and hence wished to malign him.

One day on reaching a small village, Buddha chose to sit under the shade of a large tree and began his discourse. News that Buddha had arrived spread like wild fire and all the villagers rushed to seek the monk’s blessing and hear his teachings. It so happened that the two sons of a businessman too decided to leave their place of work to go and hear Buddha’s sermon. This annoyed their father. He was furious with the monk who was taking his sons away from their job of earning money and that too to waste their time in sitting doing nothing but meditating. He decided to confront the man who encouraged his sons to waste their time in such pointless pursuits. The businessman strode angrily to where Buddha sat. Then going up directly to Buddha he spat in his face. Expecting a violent and angry response from Buddha the business man stood feet apart and arms akimbo – ready for a showdown. Instead the Buddha turned to him and simply smiled. Buddha’s disciples and all the people gathered there were furious but they controlled their emotions and sat quietly.

The businessman not getting the reaction he had expected and sensing the anger of the crowd decided it was best to leave. He turned and left without another word. Though he had left he could not rid his mind of the image of the monk smiling kindly at him. At night he could barely sleep a wink, Thoughts of how his disrespectful action had been met with pure compassion from Buddha continued to bother him. He began to feel sorry for having acted the way he had.

The next day he went back to meet the Buddha. This time the businessman with folded hands fell at Buddha’s feet and in abject apology said, “Forgive me great master for my inexcusable behavior yesterday.”

To his and everyone else’s surprise the Buddha replied, “I cannot forgive you.”

No one could believe what they had just heard. Buddha was the epitome of compassion and yet here he was refusing a man who was sincerely apologizing for his mistake. As they looked at each other in consternation Buddha calmly continued, “Why should I excuse you, when you have not done anything at all”.

The businessman thought that perhaps Buddha having met so many people on the previous day had forgotten about the incident. So he reminded Buddha by saying, “I was the one who spat at your face in anger yesterday”.

Buddha looked at the man with kindness and love in his eyes and replied, “Where is that angry man who met me yesterday? He is certainly not here today. I don’t see him anywhere”

For a moment the businessman was confused by what Buddha had said but soon he realized that he himself had changed since yesterday. He was no longer an angry person. He was a chastened man looking for forgiveness. Buddha had seen that change in him and was addressing the man he saw before him at that moment. Buddha had completely dispelled the memory of the man he had met the previous day and had held no annoyance or displeasure towards him. He had put the entire incident out of his mind. All Buddha saw, standing in front of him, was a humble man who had come looking for forgiveness. Buddha blessed him.

Buddha traversed the country and spread his teachings of the four noble truths and the eight– fold path to end suffering, far and wide. Today Buddhism is practiced by the majority of people in Cambodia, Thailand, Burma (Myanmar), Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Laos and Mongolia. It is also practiced by several people in other parts of the world too.

LIFE LESSONS FROM BUDDHA

Buddha’s Four Noble Truths –

1. Every living being experiences pain and misery (dukkha) during their lifetime.

2. The origin of suffering is attachment to the objects, experiences and people in our life.

3. However it is possible to end this suffering.

4. Living in the middle path and avoiding the extremes of longing and clinging or hate and aversion can free us from suffering.

Buddha’s eight-fold path to end of all suffering -

1. Right Understanding of his teachings.

2. Right Intention of love and goodwill at all times to all living beings.

3. Right Speech of speaking only the truth and always with kindness

4. Right Actions of never harming or hurting any living being

5. Right Livelihood of earning an honest living and in a manner never harmful

but always beneficial to others.

6. Right Effort of sincerely following the 8-fold path.

7. Right Mindfulness of remaining focussed in the present moment and restraining the constant wanderings of the mind.

8. Right Concentration through the practice meditation