The Early life of the Buddha

17/09/25

What does ‘Buddha’ mean and what is it

A title meaning ‘awakened one’ or ‘enlightened one’

What was the Buddha’s real name

Siddhartha Gautama

What is he also known as

Shakyamuni Buddha (‘the sage of the Shakyas’, since he belonged to the Shakya clan)

When did he live and for how long

• 2500 years ago (around 563-483 BC)

• For 80 years

Where was he born and lived

• In Lumbini (in modern day Nepal)

• Travelled around North East India

What are the Jatakas

A collection of stories about the previous lives of the Buddha, Gautama Buddha, in both human and animal form.

What was the Buddha’s conception

• The Buddha had many previous lives which he revealed when he became enlightened

• Before his conception he was reborn in the heavenly realm and waited for the right time for his final rebirth

• His parents were Suddhodana (King of Kapilavattha) and Mahayama

• Mahayama had a dream where devas (gods) took her to a mountain, bathed her in a lake, took her to a golden palace, laid her on a couch, where a Bodhisattva in the form of a white elephant holding a lotus flower in its trunk entered her womb through her right side.

• She became pregnant without physical relations

What was the Buddha’s birth

• In the last month of her pregnancy, Mahayama journeyed to her parent’s home

• On the way, she saw the grove of Lumbini and paused for a while

• She saw a tree she wanted to rest under and as she approached it she went into labour

• She delivered the baby Siddhartha standing up while holding a branch

• When he was born, four devas received him in a golden net

• Heavenly dragons washed him

• Then the infant took seven steps in each of the four directions and said a proclamation ‘This is my last rebirth’.

• Whenever he took a step, lotus flowers emerged from the ground

What was the prophecy

• There was a man named Asita

• He visited Siddhartha and inspected the marks on his body

• He made a prophecy that the child would become an enlightened holy man, but only if he will encounter suffering

• His father, wanting Siddhartha to become a king, shielded him from all suffering and unpleasantness

The symbolism of the birth narratives (5)

• White elephant = greatness, purity, wisdom. The qualities needed to be a Buddha.

• Born from his mother’s side = Avoids the ‘impurities’ associated with normal birth. Normal birth also erases memories of previous life (this is believed to be true in Buddhism).

• Lotus flower = symbol of enlightenment. Lotus flowers grow in muddy water. Muddy water symbolises the human wind and the lotus flower symbolises the growing of an enlightened mind.

• Seven steps in each direction = symbolising going beyond the six realms of samsara (cycle of rebirth).

• What the Buddha says after his birth (‘This is my last rebirth’) - identifies his destiny to become a Buddha and achieve parinirvana.