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Life of the Buddha 1-도솔래의상兜率來義相

The Buddha’s Descent from Tusita Heaven

Even before the Buddha entered this world of sentient beings, he had laid the foundation for his future enlightenment through assiduous efforts made throughout numerous previous lives. Before his birth as Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha had been residing in Tusita Heaven, one of the many Buddhist heavens. When the time was ripe for teaching the Dharma or Truth to sentient beings of this world, the Buddha left Tusita where he had been teaching the heavenly gods. Riding on the back of a white elephant, the Buddha descended to the Indian Kingdom of Kapilavastu. He entered into the side of Lady Maya, the wife of Kapilavastu King Shudhodhana. As a result, Lady Maya became pregnant. The news of Maya’s pregnancy filled the palace with peace and clouds hovered lightly over the roofs of the palace in anticipation of an auspicious birth.

Life of the Buddha 2-비람강생상毘藍降生相

The Buddha’s Birth at Lumbini Grove

Following the customs of the time, Queen Maya left the palace to give birth to the Buddha in her hometown of Devedaha. On her way home, she stopped briefly to rest at Lumbini Grove and enjoy the fragrant flowers of the Sala trees which were in full bloom. When Queen Maya reached for a branch of the fragrant Sala tree, she felt a sudden pang of pain. She immediately gave birth to the young Buddha who was given the name Siddhartha, meaning “wish- fulfilled”. Emerging miraculously from the queen’s right side, the infant Siddhartha is said to have instantly stood up and taken seven steps in the four cardinal directions. With one hand pointing to the sky and the other to the ground, the newborn Buddha proclaimed:

Above and below the heavens,
I, alone, am high and noble.
With the entire world mired in sufferings,
I will bring peace to the world.


It is said that with each step the Buddha took, lotus flowers sprung up from the ground. Nine dragons appeared and cleansed the Buddha’s body with heavenly nectar. Upon the Buddha’s birth, the earth trembled softly and flowers fell from the sky like a fragrant rain. Heavenly gods descended from above to pay homage to the young prince and celebrated his birth.


The young Buddha, Prince Siddhartha is said to have been born with thirty-two major marks and eighty minor marks on his body. These marks include wheel symbols on both the infant Buddha’s palms and the soles of his feet as well as a circle of hair between his eyebrows. Upon seeing these auspicious marks, the ministers of the Buddha’s father, King Suddhodana, predicted that the young prince was destined to achieve supreme greatness. They foretold that the young Prince Siddhartha would grow up to become either a universal monarch or the spiritual savior of humankind.

Life of the Buddha 3-사문유관상四門遊觀相

Buddha’s Four Encounters at the Palace Gates

It is said that during his youth, the Buddha lived entirely within the walls of his father’s palace. As the young Prince Siddhartha, the Buddha was shielded from all types of illness and suffering. He was taught the respected arts of the day and enjoyed a large company of adoring concubines as well as many other pleasures befitting his royal status.


When he was twenty-nine years old, the Buddha left the palace for an outing. Driven by his faithful charioteer Chandaka, Prince Siddhartha exited secretly through the eastern gate of the palace. Much to his surprise, Siddhartha encountered a decrepit old man just outside the gate. Siddhartha was puzzled having never witnessed the ravages of old age before. “Who is this man?” he asked Chandaka. Chandaka explained the inevitabilities of old age to the young prince. With this first encounter, the Buddha began to awaken to the sufferings of humankind.


On his second trip outside the palace, Prince Siddhartha exited through the southern gate. There he saw a man stricken by disease and shaking with fever. Puzzled, Siddhartha once again asked his charioteer Chandaka for an explanation. Chandaka told of the pains of illness. Upon hearing Chandaka’s reply, the young Buddha became immersed in thought. He realized that both the beauty of youth and the vigor of good health are illusions which vanish like deceptive dreams.


However, it was not until his third trip outside the palace gates that Siddhartha became aware of the true brevity of human life. Accompanied once again by the faithful Chandaka, Siddhartha left the palace this time exiting through the western gate. Once outside the gates, Siddhartha spotted a dead man stretched out on a funeral bier along the side of the road. With this third encounter Siddhartha learned that human afflictions like age and illness lead ultimately to death and decay. Siddhartha realized that everyone born into this world could not avoid suffering.


The young Prince Siddhartha was in anguish over the inevitability of human suffering. He could neither sleep nor enjoy the intoxicating pleasures of palace life. With a heavy heart, Siddhartha resolved to venture outside the palace gates once more. He left with Chandaka’s help through the northern gate. On this fourth outing, Siddhartha saw a sight which soothed his troubled mind. He encountered a man sitting calmly in meditation wearing the simple garment of a monk and carrying an alms-bowl. Impressed by the quiet dignity of this meditating monk, the young Buddha decided upon his future course of action.

Life of the Buddha 4-유성출가상踰城出家相

The Buddha’s Renunciation of Secular Life

During his previous trips outside the palace gates, Siddhartha had gained insight into the four basic and unavoidable sufferings afflicting human kind. He reflected deeply on these four kinds of suffering, namely birth, aging, sickness and death. He sought ways to overcome all suffering. Outside the northern palace gate, Siddhartha glimpsed a way to overcome suffering in the quiet dignity of a mediating monk. Siddhartha resolved to leave the palace and his princely duties behind. He decided on an austere and disciplined life in his search for a way to overcome human suffering.


In the middle of the night, Siddhartha secretly left the palace to begin his new life as a wandering ascetic. He left behind his beautiful wife and young son when he slipped out of his father’s luxurious palace. Only the faithful charioteer Chandaka and his trusted horse Kanthaka accompanied Siddhartha in his escape. Chandaka tried to dissuade Prince Siddhartha from sacrificing his splendid palace life for the miserable existence of a wandering monk. Siddhartha, however, remained resolute.


After riding through the night, Siddhartha dismounted from his horse, He handed the reins over to Chandaka and changed his fine robes for the rough ragged garb of a mendicant. He shaved off his long flowing locks and cast them into the wind. It is said that both Chandaka and Kanthaka shed tears over the prince’s departure. Siddhartha resolved not to return to his family or visit his homeland, Kapilavastu, until he discovered a way to overcome human suffering. Thus, he began his long journey to enlightenment.


When the King Suddhodana, learned of his son’s departure from the palace, he sent men to retrieve the young prince. Chandaka, however, eventually dissuaded Suddhodana from further pursuit. “You will not succeed in bringing Siddhartha back,” Chandaka explained. “The young man is firm in his courage and resolve. He will not return to Kapilavastu until he has attained perfect and complete wisdom.” In this way, Siddhartha left the comforts and pleasures of the palace for the grueling harsh life of an ascetic.

Life of the Buddha 5-설산수도상雪山修道相

The Buddha’s Six Years of Austerities

After leaving the palace and donning the humble robes of a monk, Siddhartha sought out renowned spiritual masters. He immersed himself in the great teachings of accomplished mentors but not one of these spiritual leaders knew the path to complete freedom. So, Siddhartha chose to seek his own path. He withdrew to Mount Gaya accompanied by five fellow practitioners. Siddhartha resolved to devote himself to strict asceticism. After traveling to Uruvela, Siddhartha engaged in prolonged fasting. Eating only once every seven days, Siddhartha was soon reduced to a skeletal frame. His eyes sunk deep into their sockets and his backbone protruded like a string of beads. Siddhartha also practiced extended holding of the breath which nearly ended his life. After six grueling years of harsh asceticism, Siddhartha realized that self-mortification was not the way to enlightenment.


Having decided to give up his extreme ascetic practices, Siddhartha decided on a path between self-indulgence and self-mortification. In his earlier life as a prince, Siddhartha had known the extremes of pleasure and self-indulgence. Now, as a mendicant, Siddhartha had six years of experience in self-inflicted torment. Having experienced both extremes, the Buddha chose a more moderate path of spiritual development. He called this the Middle Path. The Buddha’s Middle Path, however, is not merely a compromise between two extremes. Rather, the Middle Path seeks to transcend all extremes. The Middle Path refers to a distinct way which epitomizes Buddhist doctrine and practice.


When Siddhartha decided to abandon his extreme practices of self-mortification, his five fellow practitioners thought Siddhartha was backsliding and left in disgust. In fact, Siddhartha had progressed even closer to his ultimate goal of enlightenment. Now Siddhartha was ready to confront the demon, Mara.

Life of the Buddha 6-수하항마상樹下降魔相

Taming of the Demon, Mara

After renouncing his ascetic practice, Siddhartha ate food offered by Sujata, a local village girl and regained his strength. Then he prepared for his final battle for enlightenment. Under the foot of a fig tree, Siddhartha spread out a carpet of fragrant fresh cut grass. He seated himself cross-legged upon this grass and resolved not to arise until he attained absolute wisdom.


Siddhartha remained seated throughout the long hours of a day and night without moving a single hair. He had entered into a deep meditative state. In this state, Siddhartha eradicated numerous delusions, desires and all useless thoughts from his mind. Mara, the demon who rules over the realm of desire, tempted the Buddha with all the pleasures he could muster. However, the charms of wealth, power and beautiful women had little effect on Siddhartha. Even Mara’s demon armies were rendered powerless for Siddhartha had overcome every kind of desire and doubt. Eventually even Mara, himself, was forced to surrender to the seated Siddhartha.

In the early hours of the dawn, Siddhartha attained absolute wisdom and perfect enlightenment. From that moment on, Siddhartha was known as the Buddha, meaning the “enlightened one.” The fig tree which the Buddha sat under during his struggles with Mara, was dubbed the Bodhi Tree meaning the “tree of wisdom”.


Under the Bodhi Tree, the Buddha realized that proper insight into the principle of Dependent Origination(link) would lead to freedom from suffering. The Buddha also attained “three knowledges” upon his enlightenment. That means the Buddha gained knowledge of his past lives, could discern the past and future rebirths of other sentient beings, and knew that he had overcome the cycle of death and rebirth. In his victory over Mara, the Buddha unleashed the potential that all sentient beings possess. He showed us the way to enlightenment.

Life of the Buddha 7-녹원전법상鹿苑轉法相

First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma at Deer Park

How should I expound what I have attained after years of efforts? Oh! It would not be easy to explain the Dharma to people who are consumed by the fires of greed and anger. 《Samyuta Nikaya Sutra》

After his triumph under the Bodhi Tree, the Buddha was initially hesitant. He wanted to share his new found wisdom with others but knew that the absolute wisdom of enlightenment would be difficult for sentient beings to understand. Although the Buddha felt immense compassion for all beings and wanted to help those suffering through the cycle of death and rebirth, he knew that enlightenment cannot be expressed in mere words or even comprehended with the intellect.

Sensing the Buddha’s inner conflict, Indra, the supreme ruler of the gods, asked the Buddha on behalf of all sentient beings to teach the Dharma, the Buddhist truth. At last, the Buddha agreed to this colossal task. Arising from his seat, he proclaimed:

“The door leading to the glorious eternal nectar of the Dharma has finally opened. Please, listen to me. And abandon your old beliefs.”
The Buddha first sought out his five former companions. They were residing near the city of Benares in Deer Park after having parted ways with the Buddha earlier. Although they were somewhat reluctant at first to receive the Buddha with whom they had previously parted ways, the five monks were nevertheless soon convinced by the Buddha’s teachings.

In Deer Park, the Buddha “turned the wheel of Dharma” for the first time. This means he shared with his audience the teachings of the Buddhist Dharma or Truth. In this first Dharma talk, the Buddha explained the Four Noble Truths (give link) and the doctrine of no-self (anatman). He taught the Eightfold Path (link) to his attentive listeners.

The Buddha would go on to teach sentient beings for 45 more years. Later his extensive teachings would be recorded as written sutras and compiled into the “Three Baskets” (Tripitaka) or Buddhist cannon (give link?). The Buddha taught people from a multitude of different backgrounds and spiritual levels. He employed an infinite variety of teaching methods referred to as skillful means (upaya). Nevertheless, the Buddha always treated people equally regardless of their social status and upbringing. He taught monks, laypeople, aristocrats, commoners, women, children and even slaves.

Life of the Buddha 8-쌍림열반상雙林涅槃相

The Buddha’s Parinirvana or Complete Transcendence
(The Great Passing : The Buddha's Last Days in Kushinagara )

After his enlightenment, the Buddha spent the rest of his lifetime teaching sentient beings the path to freedom from suffering. When he was 80, the Buddha confided in his close disciple, the monk Ananda. “I am now advanced in years,” the Buddha said. “My body keeps together like an old cart stays fastened together with thongs,” A short time later, the Buddha spoke before an assembly of monks. He told them he would soon enter into complete nirvana. In his final days, the Buddha received a meal from Cunda, the smith, while staying in a mango grove. After this meal, the Buddha became severely ill with food poisoning. Nearby the city of Kusinagara, he asked Ananda to arrange a bed with the head pointed towards the north. When this was done, the Buddha lay down on his right side with his right hand under his head. Trees nearby bloomed out of season and fragrant flowers fell from the sky covering the Buddha’s body.


Just before the Buddha passed away, he asked his disciples if they had any doubts or questions. He advised his followers to be self-reliant and take refuge only in themselves and the Dharma. Throughout his life, the Buddha had encouraged sentient beings with the well known phrase “Be a light unto yourself.” Now, with his last few breaths, the Buddha once again emphasized, “All things are impermanent. Work out your own salvation with diligence.” It is said the Buddha died like a flame which goes out through lack of fuel. There was great lament at his passing and flowers continued to fall from the sky. For over a week, the princes of Kusinagara paid homage to the Buddha’ s body with music and dancing. They made elaborate preparations for the Buddha’s cremation but the funeral pyre would not ignite until the Buddha’s beloved disciple Kasyapa arrived to pay his last respects. On the seventh day after the Buddha’s death, Kasyapa arrived and showed his reverence for the deceased by touching his forehead to the Buddha’s feet.


At Kasyapa’s touch, the Buddha’s funeral pyre spontaneously burst into flames. When the fire subsided, the Buddha’s remains were collected and divided into eight portions. These relics, known as sarira, were safeguarded in commemorative monuments called stupas(link). Like the numerous stories, painting, and engravings which represent the Buddha’s life, stupas also remind us of the Buddha’s accomplishments and teachings. Both in his life and through his death, the Buddha taught that anyone who believes in and practices the Dharma can attain enlightenment.

Lotus

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Hi, my name's artist KIM.
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I stopped studying English quite a long time ago.
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... I'm Buddhist paintings artist...from South Korea ..
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