life of buddha (theravada)

Context behind the life of buddha (3)

• northern india

• 2500 yago

• brahmin class were top of hierarchy in aryan society

Basis of what theravada buddhists believe (4)

• account of buddha’s life is fully accurate and closest to original truth

• scripture = pali canon

• pali canon mentions 28 previous buddhas

• following enlightenment, buddha was more than human, but still subject to laws of nature

Story leading up to his birth (5)

• king suddhodana + queen mahamaya

• queen had dream, carried to himalayas by 4 devas

• bathed, clothed, perfumed

• white elephant holding lotus in trunk circled her 4x

• entered the right side of her womb

Where in the himalayas was Queen Mahamaya taken in her dream?

lake anotatta

Story of buddhas birth

• lumbini park at the foot of himalayan mountains

• under a tree on a full moon

• he walked 7 steps, each step a lotus appeared

• spoke on 7th step

Buddha’s early life (5)

• brahmin priest told king he would be a great leader

• brought up sheltered from suffering in a palace

• 16y - married cousin yashodara and had a son

• was curious so travelled to the city

• saw 4 sights which disturbed and inspired him to take action

What were the 4 sights? (4)

• an old man

• a sick man

• a corpse

• a holy man

What is a criticism of Buddha's quest to find enlightenment?

he leaves his family on their own

What did Buddha do upon seeing the 4 sights? (2)

• lived as an ascetic for 6 years

• extreme discipline caused his fame to grow

The middle way (3)

• abandoned extreme practice in search of the middle way

• balanced luxury and harship

• abandoned by his ascetic friends, turned to meditation

Buddha’s quest for enlightenment (4)

• sat under peepul tree (bodhi tree) and vowed to stay there until enlightenment

• stayed for 1 day and 1 night

• tempted and intimidated by demon mara but ignored him

• reached enlightenment when mara questioned his right to mediatate under the tree

How did demon mara tempt and intimidate Buddha to prevent him from reaching enlightenment? (4)

• sent his daughters to seduce him

• armies to attack him

• offered his kingdom for him to rule

• personally attacked him

What were the three stages to reach enlightenment? (the three watches of the night) (3)

• recalled his past lives

• realised all beings were reborn according to their karma, there is no fixed self which continues to exist

• discovered the law of dependant arising

How did the earth accept him as the enlightened one?

shakes

According to theravada buddhism, how can Buddhas be identified?

• 32 major marks and 80 minor marks. (e.g bump on top of head (ushinisha), tightly curled hair, tuft of white hair between eyes, long arms reaching to knees, long fingers + toes etc.)

• the dharma that they teach, which is identical in each case