Samadhi Home Page
 
 
 
Basic Buddhism Course 

 
Chapter 2
 
Life of the Buddha 
 
 
Name  :  Prince Siddhattha Gotama
 
(Siddhatta means  ‘wish  fulfilled’ The family name is Gotama)
 
 
 
Before Conception At Tusita Heaven
 
 
Surveyed the world before deciding on:
1.  Mother 2.  Society 3.  Place 4.  Time
 
 
 
Year born 623  B.C. 
Place Lumbini Park at Kapilavatthu 
(On the Indian borders of present Nepal) 
Father King Suddhodana of the aristocratic Sakya Clan 
Mother Queen Maha Maya 
Adopted by  Maha Pajapati Gotami 
(The Queen younger sister, who married the King) 
King’s Tutor  Asita  -  smiled at first then became sad 
          - Predicted that the prince will be a Buddha 
Married  Age Sixteen 
Son  Rahula (Means Fetter)
Renunciation  Age Twenty-nine 
1st Teacher  Alara Kalama - Realm of Nothingness 
                        (Akincannayatana) 
2nd Teacher  Uddaka Ramaputta - Realm of neither Perception 
                              nor Non-Perception 
                             (N’eva sanna N’asannayatana) 
Enlightenment  Age Thirty-Five  (From hereon known as Sakyamuni  Buddha or Gotama Buddha) 
Invitation To Teach  Brahma Sahampati 
Parinibbana Age Eighty  (543 B.C.)
 
 
 
 The Dawn Of Truth
 
1. The Reminiscence Of Past Births 
 (Pubbe-nivasanussati Nana)
 
2. The Perception of the Disappearing and Reappearing of Beings 
 (Cutupapata)
 
3. The Comprehension of the Cessation of Corruptions 
 (Asavakkhaya Nana)
 
 
Delivered am I,
Rebirth is ended ;
Fulfilled the Holy Life;
Done what was to be done ;
There is no more of this state again.
 
 
One of the First Utterances of the Buddha
 
          Anekajati samsaram sandhavissama anibbisam
          Gahakarakam gavesanto dukkha jati punappunam
          Gahakaraka dittho’ si puna geham na kahasi
          Sahha to phasuka bhagga gahakutam visamkitam
          Visamkharagatam cittam tanhanamkhayam ajjhaga
           
          Through many a birth in existence wandered I,
          Seeking, but not finding, the builder of this house.
          Sorrowful is repeated birth.
          O housebuilder (Craving), thou art seen.
          Thou shalt build no house (Body) again.
          All thy rafters (Passions) are broken.
          Thy ridge-pole (Ignorance) is shattered.
          Mind Attains the Unconditioned.
          Achieved is the End of Craving.
           
 
 
Conversation with Upaka
 
The Buddha was travelling on the highway, 
when between Gaya and the Bodhi tree, 
beneath whose shade He attained Enlightenment, 
a wandering ascetic named Upaka saw Him and addressed Him thus :
 
Extremely clear are your senses, friend!
Pure and clean is your complexion.
On account of whom has your renunciation been made, friend?
Who is your teacher?
Whose doctrine do you profess?’
 
 
The Buddha replied to Upaka :
 
All have I overcome, all do I know.
From all am I detached, all have I renounced.
Wholly absorbed am I in the destruction of craving (Arahantship)
No teacher have I. An equal to me there is not.
In the world including gods there is no rival to me.
Indeed an Arahant am I in this world.
An unsurpassed teacher am I;
Alone am I the All-Enlightened.
Cool and appeased am I.
To establish the wheel of Dhamma to the city of Kasi I go.
In this blind world I shall beat the drum of Deathlessness
              Majjhima Nikaya, Ariyapariyesana Sutta, N.26
               
 
 
Who Is the Buddha?
 
 
Once a certain Brahmin named Dona, 
noticing the characteristic marks of the footprint of the Buddha, 
approached Him and questioned Him :
 
 
     ‘Your Reverence will be a Deva  ?’
     ‘No, indeed, Brahmin, a Deva am I not,’ replied the Buddha.
     ‘Then Your Reverence will be a Gandhabba  ?’
     ‘No, indeed, Brahmin, a Gandhabba am I not.’
     ‘A Yakkha then  ?’
     ‘No, indeed, Brahmin, not a Yakka.’
     “Then Your Reverence will be a human being  ?’
     ‘No, indeed, Brahmin, a human being am I not.’
     “Who, then, pray, will Your Reverence be  ?’
     
The Buddha replied that He had destroyed Defilements 
which condition rebirth as a Deva, 
Gandhabba, Yakka, or a human being and added  :
 
 
     ‘As a lotus, fair and lovely,
      By the water is not soiled,
      By the world am I not soiled;
     Therefore, brahmin, am I Buddha.’
 
 
 
 
Three Baskets 
(Tripitaka)
 
 
Discipline
(Vinaya Pitaka)
Discourse
(Sutta Pitaka)
Ultimate Doctrine
(Abhidhamma Pitaka)
 
 
 
 
Discipline
(Vinaya Pitaka)
 
1.  Major Offences (Parajika Pali)
2.  Minor Offences (Pacittiya Pali)
3.  Greater Section (Mahavagga Pali)
4.  Lesser Section  (Cullavagga Pali)
5.  Epitome of the Vinaya (Parivara Pali)
 
 
 
 
Ultimate Doctrine
(Abhidhamma Pitaka)
 
1.  Classification of Dhamma (Dhammasangani)
2.  Divisions (Vibhanga)
3.  Discourse of Elements (Dhatukatha)
4.  The Book on Individuals (Puggala Pannatti)
5.  Points of Controversy (Kathavatthu)
6.  The Book of Pairs (Yamaka)
7.  The Book of Causal Relations (Patthana)
 
 
 
 
Discourse
(Sutta Pitaka)
 
1.  Long Discourses (Digha Nikaya)
2.  Middle-length Discourses (Majjhima Nikaya)
3.  Kindred Sayings (Samyutta Nikaya)
4.  Gradual Sayings (Anguttara Nikaya)
5.  Smaller Collection (Kuddaka Nikaya)
  1.  Shorter Texts (Khuddaka Patha)
  2.  The Way of Truth (Dhammapada)
  3.  Paeans of Joy (Udana)
  4.  “Thus said” Discourse (Itivuttaka)
  5.  Collected Discourse (Sutta Nipata)
  6.  Stories of Celestial Mansions (Vimana Vatthu)
  7.  Stories of Petas (Peta Vatthu)
  8.  Psalms of the Brethren (Theragatha)
  9.  Psalms of the Sisters (Therigatha)
10.  Births Stories of the Bodhisatta (Jataka)
11.  Expositions (Niddesa)
12.  Book of Analytical Knowledge (Pastisambhida)
13.  Lives of Arahants (Apadana)
14.  History of the Buddha (Buddhavamsa)
15.  Modes of Conduct (Cariya Pitaka)
 
 
 
 

 

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