10 Acts of the Buddha

How long ago did the Buddha live approximately?

2500 years ago

ACT 1

Conception - The buddha’s parents were Queen Mahayana and King Suddohana. His conception is said to have been marked by miraculous events such as earthquakes and a tremendous light that appeared in the world.

The queen dreamt that a white elephant came down from the sky and entered her womb through her side.

ACT 2

Physical Birth - Queen Maya gave birth in a garden in Lumbini where she stopped to rest whilst travelling. In that garden a Sala tree bent down to provide protection. She gave birth standing up and leaning against the tree, the baby emerged from her right side, totally clean and with no blood. Two jets of water appeared from the sky one cool and one warm to bathe the baby and Maya. The earth trembled to mark the event. 

The Buddha immediately stood and took several steps in each of the four corners of the earth and declared that this was his final rebirth. The Sage Asita prophesied that Siddhartha (meaning fulfilment of wishes) would either become a king or a spiritual leader. The king shielded him from anything that might trigger spiritual yearnings in hope that he would be heir to the throne.

ACT 3 

Accomplishment in worldly skills - He excelled at everything he did, he was tall, strong and handsome, and had good manners. 

When he was eight, he is mind fell naturally into meditation under a rose-apple tree while spectating at a ploughing festival. This was the first mystical experience where time stood still for him - the shadow of the rose-apple tree had not moved from the time the attendants left him there to the time they came to collect him. 

ACT 4 

His youth: a life of pleasure and indulgence - His father provided all possible luxuries for Siddhartha to ensure that he was satisfied with his life as a prince. He married Yasodhara who gave birth to a boy named Rahula.

ACT 5

Leaving the palace - Siddhartha grew bored so made four trips outside of the palace to explore life for himself.

On these four trips he saw an old man, a sick man, a dead man and an ascetic. These are known as the Four Sights which moved Siddhartha so much that he decided to leave the palace, giving up his royal status and look for a solution to human suffering.

ACT 6 

Life as an ascetic - Siddhartha spent 6 years as an ascetic, following various teachers in the forest and learning yoga and meditation. He also practiced mortification of the body in which he fasted, held his breath for long periods of time, bathed in icy water in the winter etc. This taught him discipline but not the answer to suffering. He then accepted milk rice from a girl due to his weakness  and remembered his experience under the rose-apple tree which lead him to abandoning acetism as he realised that only meditation could lead him to enlightenment. 

ACT 7

Victory over Mara - Siddhartha then sat under a Bodhi tree to meditate and vowed to himself that he would not stop until he became enlightened. He was then confronted by the demon Mara who symbolises the forces of desire and death. Siddhartha remained unmoved. Mara then tempted him by offering the whole of his kingdom. Siddhartha refused. Mara then warned Siddhartha that nobody would ever believe him when he announced that he achieved enlightenment. So, in response, he touched the earth with his right hand and called the earth goddess as his witness. The earth quaked and mara fled. 

ACT 8

Enlightenment - The Threefold Knowledges (go to enlightenment flashcards for more info) which are the foundation of all his teachings. “My mind has attained the unconditioned, it has achieved the end of craving” said the Buddha according to the Theravada tradition.

ACT 9

Spreading the teaching - Began to teach in the Deer Park in Sarnath and addressed a group of five friends who he had spent time with as an ascetic. His first teaching was on the Four Noble Truths (Go to Post-enlightenment flashcards for more info). 

He spent the last 45 years of his life wandering throughout Northeast India teaching anyone who was interested. Nothing was written down until several centuries later. 

The Buddha’s teaching was presented as the Middle Way. 

ACT 10

Death or passing away - His death was a final teaching on impermanence. He died In the town of Kusinara at the age of 80 after eating tainted food.

Buddhist would say he didn’t die but that he attained supreme nibbana.

He passed away lying on his right side, with his right hand under his head.

He did not appoint a successor but told his followers that his legacy to them was his teachings, the Dhamma and this was the guide they should follow.

He was cremated but some bones and teeth did not burnt so these were kept as sacred relics which are placed inside eight stupas specially built to house them. (go to post-enlightnement flashcards for more info.