Siddhartha Gautama
Siddhartha was born a Prince to the
Shakya tribe. Before he was born, it is said that his mother Maya, dreamt that
a white elephant entered her side that marked the conception future for Siddhartha.
When Siddhartha was born, he was born from the side of his mother just like in
her mother’s dream of the elephant. Unfortunately, a week later after he was
born his mother died. His aunt raised him and she noticed special markings on
the baby. The marks represented two paths: He would follow his father’s
footsteps and become king or become a spiritual leader if exposed to suffering.
His father did not want his son to be surrounded by suffering so he kept him
inside the castle. Siddhartha was taught the ways of a king and was married and
had a son at a young age. Although he had all the luxuries in the palace he
found himself wanting to see what was outside of the palace. He then left one
day and was exposed to the 4 passing sights, which are an old man, a sick man,
death and a holy man. Because he was always in the castle away from suffering Siddhartha
was surprised of such things. When he went back home he once more felt as if he
did not belong so he left his wife and child to find enlighten. When he left he
met several people one of them was a man who did starved himself so he tried
doing that when he realized that he was dying from that he decided that that
was not the way to find his answers. He then left and sat next to a tree, which
is where he found a lot of answers. He began going around teaching people of
what he found out. He did not force them to follow them or anything the people
did on their own. Siddhartha then became known as “The Buddha” or “The
Enlighten One.” Unfortunately, he got sick by eating poisoned food, which
eventually caused his death. His last words were, “You must be your own lamps,
be your own refuges. Take a refuge in nothing outside yourselves. Hold firm to
the truth as a lamp and a refuge, and do not look for refuge to anything besides
yourselves.” And up until this day a lot of people still practice Buddhism.
Source: Experiencing the World's Religions |
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