History Of Buddhism
The Buddhist tradition origin can well be traced back around 563 BCE when Gautama was born. His birth was shrouded by a lot of mystery for it is believed that he was implanted in the mother’s womb as a white elephant and then ten months later he was born on the side of her. Siddhartha was a son of a very wealthy man who had a lot of land and in no circumstances he had the destiny of being a respected and influential leader.
The thirty two auspicious signs of an enlightened individual were noticed from him by a wise scholar when he was young. Siddhartha’s father, fearful that His father shrouded by the fear of his son living a life of ascetics decided to protect him from the harsh realities of life thus he was confined to the compound of his estate to bar away tragedy of pain, old age and death. On some occasions Siddhartha did manage to leave the compound the father’s estate and saw several happenings really brought a change to the meaning of his life. He saw sick woman, an old man and a dead body burned during the ceremony of Ghat. The images troubled him so much but only understood his calling with a Jain ascetic in the city square begging for alms was then that he realized that there was meaning beyond physical existence. He hitherto gave up all his wealth and left home to such for enlightenment. Siddhartha went on and studied under a number of ascetics and religious teachers but did not find the answers to his questions. He even tried meditation and fasting but this did not bear fruit for he realized that endurance of harsh situations would wear him down and lead to a quick death before finding reasonable answers. He finally discovered a way of moderation that is the middle path which helped him to attain perfect enlightenment or Buddha hood.
Buddha in his endeavour to share the wisdom with the people around traversed through what is known as Nepal and India today educating and preaching to them. This resulted in his creation of a theology based on the necessity of separation between spiritual and physical and existence. He taught the masses that the physical trappings and the body were just barriers of true enlightenment. The world or Samsara was just a designed illusion by Mara which is an evil spirit that keeps souls far away from Dharma and wisdom.
Buddhism is a religion formulated in order to win happiness at present life as also in the next one. The ways that determines how an individual acts will finally impact in their next incarnation through Karma. Practice of the religion finds good in everything. Buddhists desire to have a happy life causing harm to nobody but to work towards their final goal of enlightenment. It is a philosophical act that regulates a individuals position in the universe and the world. (Caroline Rhys Davids, 1931)
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