20 Interesting Facts About Buddha
“Buddha” denotes one who has attained enlightenment and had a sense of awakening to build a peaceful, harmonious, and just society. Prince Siddhartha Gautama, later known as Gautama Buddha was a teacher, philosopher, and spiritual leader, who founded Buddhism. His teachings serve as the foundation of the Buddhist religion, let us know some interesting facts about Buddha.
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Siddhartha Gautama was born in 623 BC. in the famous gardens of Lumbini, now in modern-day Nepal, and raised in Kapilavastu. He was named Prince Siddhartha.
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Gautama Buddha’s father Suddhodhana was the ruler of the Shakya kingdom of Kapilavastu. His mother’s name was Mahamaya and was the princess of Devadaha.
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After the birth of Gautama Buddha, a saint had predicted that he would either become a great world monarch or a Buddha–a supremely enlightened teacher.
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On the seventh day after the birth of Prince Siddhartha, his Mother Mahamaya died, so he was raised by her aunt and mother Prajapati Gautami.
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Gautam Buddha had a reclusive, contemplative, and compassionate tendency from childhood and was brought up in great luxury.
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At the age of 16, Gautam Buddha was married to Princess Yashodhara, they had a son named Rahul.
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Siddhartha had all the comforts but his mind was not at peace. So one night, leaving his son and wife, he left home and set out in search of knowledge and become a wandering ascetic.
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For nearly six years, he undertook fasting and other austerities, but these techniques proved ineffectual and he abandoned them.
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Siddhartha reached a place called Gaya in Bihar, where he seated under a pipal tree and vowed that till knowledge is attained, he will not move from there.
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After staying in samadhi for seven days and seven nights, on the eighth day of Baishakh Purnima, he realized true knowledge.
Suggested Read: Excerpts from Buddha’s The Dhammapada
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This incident was called “Sambodhi”. He became “Buddha” from Siddhartha. The pipal tree under which knowledge was attained is called the “Bodhi tree” and Gaya is called “Bodh Gaya”.
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A person who has discovered the path to freedom from suffering followed it to its end, and taught it to the world is called a buddha “one who is awakened” or “the enlightened one.”
- After attaining enlightenment, Gautam Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath (near Benares) to his five ascetics. These disciples were also called “Panchavagirya”.
- The Brahmin disciples compiled the teachings of Buddhism under the Tripitakas. Tripitaka is three in number – Vinay Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, Abhidhamma Pitaka.
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The first sermon of Gautama Buddha is called Dharma-chakra-Prarthana.
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Gautama Buddha founded Buddhism which is one of the major religions in the world.
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The details of the incidents of the life of Mahatma Buddha, the leading religious reformer and philosopher of the world, are known from many Buddhist texts such as the Lalit Bed, Buddhacharit, Mahavastu, and Sutpanipat.
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The preaching of Lord Buddha was most widely spread by Emperor Ashoka.
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483 BC On the day of Baishakh Punirma, the nectar soul of Lord Buddha left the human body and merged with the universe. This phenomenon is called “Mahaparinirvan”.
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Lord Buddha was born, attained enlightenment, and Mahaparinirvana, all three took place on the same day i.e. on the day of Vaishakh Purnima.
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Suggested Read: Thoughts of Gautam Buddha For Success And Peace.
