The Buddha (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))

The Birth of the Buddha & his Life of Luxury

The Birth of the Buddha

• The religion of Buddhism was founded around 2500 years ago by Siddharta Gautama:

  • Siddharta was born a prince around 500 BCE in southern Nepal

  • His parents were King Suddhodana and Queen Maya

  • The name Siddharta means “perfect fulfilment”

• After he became enlightened Siddharta became known as the Buddha

• Buddha means “awakened one” or “enlightened one”

• There are many different sources of information about the details of the Buddha’s life:

  • Because some were written hundreds of years after his death, it can be difficult to separate the truths from the legends

  • Even so, for Buddhists, these legends and miraculous events express important spiritual truths

Siddharta’s Birth

Siddharta’s Birth

• All of these extraordinary elements show Buddhists that Siddharta was an extraordinary individual:

  • This encourages them to follow his teachings

Siddharta’s Life of Luxury

• Queen Maya died seven days after Siddharta was born, so he was raised by his mother’s sister

• He grew up in a palace surrounded by luxury

• The Buddhist sacred writings describe Siddharta’s life of luxury:

  • He had three mansions (one for winter, one for summer, one for the rainy season)

  • A canopy was always held over him to protect him from the weather

  • He had musicians and dancers to entertain him

  • He wore the finest clothes, ate the best food, and received the best education

• Siddharta’s father kept in mind the prophecy that Siddharta would become a great king or a holy man:

  • He prepared Siddharta as a child to follow in his footsteps and become a king one day, just as the prophecy had foretold

  • The King tried to make his son’s life so luxurious that Siddharta would want to remain in the palace as a king, not leave to seek religion as a holy man

• The King ensured Siddharta was always protected and unaware of pain, hardship or suffering

• Despite being spoiled, Siddharta was said to be a good, kind person

• He married his cousin aged 16 and they had a son

The Four Sights

What are the Four Sights?

• Siddharta became curious about the world outside the palace when he got older

• He left aged 29 to travel to the nearest city with his assistant Channa

• There Siddharta saw the Four Sights, which had a huge effect on his life

• The story of the four sights is recorded in the Jataka Tales (popular stories about the lives of the Buddha)

The Four Sights

The “Letting Go” or Renunciation

• Through seeing the Four Sights, Siddharta realised that life is full of Dukkha (suffering) and that he needed to seek a better way: enlightenment

• Siddharta knew that he would not find the solution to the problem of suffering within the palace

• He decided to go and find spiritual enlightenment:

  • He left his wife and newborn son

  • He abandoned his possessions

  • He cut off his long hair

  • He swapped his rich clothes for a poor man’s robes