Legend says that the Maya, the maharajanhee of the Sakya tribe in northern India, had a dream "one night of a white elephant, which flew down from the moonlit sky into her bed"(Carew- Miller 3) and presented her with a lotus flower. Some say that her dream happened just prior to discovering she was pregnant and others say that it was the eve of giving birth to her son Siddhartha Gautama, who would become the Buddha. To understand the significance of this dream one must understand the time and place in which this story takes place.
The Indus River was a mighty river of the Indian subcontient, about 1,800 miles long. Encyclopedia Britannica explains that it rises 17,000 feet above sea level in the glaciers on the northern slopes of Kailas Parbat in Tibet. The river goes southwest through Pakistan and that it discharges about 125 miles from the coast at Hyderabad. "Today, most of the Indus River lies in Pakistan, but it traditionally formed the natural border of northwestern India--in fact, the words India and Hindu derive from Indus," (Molloy 78-79). From about 2000 to 500 B.C.E., the religion of this area was historically known as the Vedic period of Hinduism.
This period was named after the Vedas. "There are four basic sacred text collections that consitute the Vedas. The Rig Veda ("hymn knowledge") is a collection of more than a thousand chants to the Aryan gods; the Yajur Veda ("ceremonial knowledge") contains matter for recitation during sacrifice; the Sama Veda ("chant knowledge") is a handbook of musical elaborations of Vedic chants; and the Atharva Veda ("knowledge from [the teacher] Atharva") consists of practical prayers and charms, such as prayers to protect agains snakes and sickness," (Molloy, 81). "The term Vedas sometimes indicates only these four collections. In its more common use, it also refers to some later material as well. Detailed ceremonial rules, called Brahmanas and Aranyakas, were added by later generations to each of the four Vedic collections," (Molloy, 82). The Vedas were written in Sanskrit and it is believed that the Aryan gods referenced in them were the same gods that were also worshipped by the Greeks and Romans.
"...the religion described by the Vedas seems to have consisted of the worship of mostly male gods, who were believed to control the forces of nature. The father of the gods was Dyaus Pitr, whose name means "shining father." (He is clearly the same god as the Roman god Jupiter and the Greek god Zeus Pater.) The god Indra, god of storm and war, received great attention because of the strength his worshippers hoped to receive from him. He was possibly the memory of a military ancestor, deified by later generations. The god of fire, Agni (whose name is related to the English word ignite and to the Latin word for fire, ignis), carried sacrifices up to the world of the gods. Dawn and renewal were the charege of the goddess Ushas, one of the few female deities. The god Rudra brought winds. Varuna was the god of the sky and justice; Vishnu was a god of cosmic order; and Surya was the major sun god. The god Soma was thought to cause altered states of mind and to expand consciousness. He worked through a ritual drink, possibly made from a psychedelic mushroom that had the same name (soma) and allowed contact with the realm of the gods. The god Yama ruled the afterlife," (Molloy, 81). The afore mentioned gods are only some of the gods that are worshipped in Hinduism. Also particularly important in Hinduism are the three gods that make up the Trimurti meaning triple form, they are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva is "the god linked with destruction, is the most complicated of the gods, both in origin and conception. The horned figure, sitting in yogic meditation posture, that is found on seals from the Harappa period may be an early form of Shiva, meaning that some aspects of the present day god may extend back to pre-Vedic India. Another early form is apparently the Vedic god Rudra, a dangerous god of mountains and winds, whom worshipers probably began to call shiva ("lucky") in order to netralize the fear he inspired," (Molloy 99).
Getting back to the dream that Maharajanhee Maya had, the white elephant was significant for many reasons. Another god from Hinduism is Ganesha, the eldest son of Shiva and Parvati. Encyclopedia Britannica states that "The elephant-faced god, Ganesha plays a part in Hinduism, and as a remover of obstacles. According to Hindu legend, eight bull and eight cow elephants sprang from the two haves of a "cosmic egg" at a chant from the Creator; these first elephants possessed the power of flight, but this they lost from the curse of a hermit when they landed in a banyan tree and crushed his dwelling." Ganesha is also known as the god of worldly wisdom and for the prosperity he bestows in trade. This legend tells why the elephant flew down from the sky and into her bed. She was handed a lotus flower which symbolizes wisdom and purity. This lotus flower as well as the elephant itself was significant to tell her that she was going to give birth and it symbolically told quite a bit about the life of her son as well as of her fate.
Siddhartha Gautama in Sanskrit, or Siddhattha Gotama in Pali, who lived from 563 B.C.E. to 483 B.C.E. was born in the fifth century B.C.E. to Maharajah Sudhodhana (Suddhodana) and Maharajanhee Maya of the warrior (Kshatriya) caste tribe "Sakyas". (Sakya was its name in Sanskrit and Shakya was its name in Pali.) Kapilavastu was the Sakya capital and was located in what is now Nepal, in the lower Himalayan mountains. Kapilaavastu, build high on top of a mountain. "From a distance, it looked as if it were floating among the clouds," (Carew- Miller, 2). Some accounts say that Siddhartha was born in the village of Lumbini, in what is now considered Nepal. Encyclopedia Britannica states that "Suddhodana, was ruling noble (or king) of the Gautama clan", thus the surname associated with Siddhartha's name.
Maharajanhee Maya died shortly after Siddhartha's birth. Part of the symbolism of the elephant was that Ganesha is also the creator of obstacles, and had to be appeased, or pacified, to stop him from being angry, in order to get the obstacles removed. Ganesha is known for being easy to appease. He is appeased by devotion through prayers, saying his mantra (Webster's New World Dictionary says that a mantra is a "Hindu hymn or text, especially from the Veda, chanted or intoned as an incantaion or prayer.") and giving floral offerings.
In certain accounts of Siddhartha's birth, it is said that "He was born in a grove among woods near Lumbini when his mother was on her way to visit her family. In some accounts of the birth, the young prince emerged from his mother's side. He was said to be spotlessly clean when he was born and able to walk right away," (Wilkinson, 8). Even though these particular accounts of his birth clearly show legend and mythology, it does speak alot about what really happened. Maharajanhee Maya had a really difficult child birth, from the account of her son coming out of her side, it speaks of great ripping. The fact it is said he was able to walk right away, speaks of a long gestational period and that he was really big when he was born. Due to his mother's untimely death, he was raised by his aunt Prajapati Gotami.
Shortly after Siddhartha's birth, a holy man by the name of Asita came to visit and inspect the child for his naming ceremony. Asita is also described by sage, rishi, seer, and astrologer. It is said that upon inspection that Siddhartha "had webbed toes, rounded ankles, and projecting heels--these are some fo the 32 marks of a great man." (Wilkinson, 7). During the naming ceremony, Asita "foretold that his life could go in one of two directions: either he would follow in his father's footsteps, inheriting his position and becoming a great king, a "world ruler"; or, if he were exposed to the sight of suffering, he would become a great spiritual leader, a "world teacher," (Molloy, 127). This too ties in with the dream that Maharajanhee Maya had about the white elephant offering her a lotus flower. Ganesa is often offered lotus flowers in signs of devotion and for appeasement of anger. Being that this dream is linked with the birth of Siddhartha, this gift is symbolic of how special he was going to be. After the naming ceremony, he was named Siddhartha. "Siddha" (achieved) and "artha" (meaning or wealth). Wikipedia says that putting the two together his name meant "he who has found meaning (of existence)" or "he who has attained his goals."
The significance of Siddhartha's inspection showing the 32 marks of a great man is very important because he was believed to be the incarnation of the god Vishnu. (Vishnu is Sanskrit for "the active one.") Encyclopedia Britannica says, "...Vishnu in the Epic mythology developed into the Preserver god, one of the Hindu triad with Brahma, the creator; and Shiva, the destroyer; and as such he has saved mankind in ten incarnations." "Vishnu represents the force of preservation in the universe. In the Vedas he is a god associated with the sun, although his role there appears to be small. Thought of as light and warmth that destroys darkness, Vishnu grew in stature until finally becoming a major god of Hinduism. Today Vishnu (in various forms) is the most important object of devotion in India, and about three quarters of all Hindus in India worship him or his manifestations...In paintings and sculpture, Vishnu is shown in many forms, through usually with a tall crown and a regal manner. Almost always he has four arms, which hold symbols of power. His companion animal is a great eaglelike bird, Garuda, on whom he flies through the universe. Because Vishnu is associated with loving-kindness, it is believed that he can appear on earth at different times and in various physical forms to help those in need. Ten major incarnations (or avatars) of Vishnu are commonly listed of which one is still to appear. Some previous incarnations were in animal form: a fish, a boar, and a tortoise. Another was Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha--an intriguing inclusion, which helped Hinduism partially reabosorb Indian Buddhism...Two incarnations of Vishnu are wildly popular--Rama and Krishna," (Molloy 97-98).
The prophesy that Asita gave for Siddhartha prompted his father to go through a great deal of effort to sheild him from suffering, so that he follow in his footsteps would become a great world ruler. "He built his son three palaces, one for each season: hot, cold and wet. Everyone who served Siddharha was young and beautiful. Siddhartha traveled from palace to palace in an enclosed carriage, never seeing the outside world," (Carew-Miller, 4). "Kept in a large walled palace compound, Siddhartha grew up in luxury; married, at an early age, a young woman his father had chosen; and had a son. He was educated and trained as a warrior to prepare for eventually taking over his father's role," (Molloy, 128).
"When Siddhartha was 16 years old, his father held a grand banquet at his palace to which he invited all the young women of the city. During the banquet, Siddhartha fell in love with the beautiful Yasodhara. Yasodhara's father insisted that Siddhartha agree to a contest, a contest he would have to win before he could marry Yasodhara. The first part of the contest was in art and literature. Siddhartha fluently recited 64 religious verse, easily outperforming the other contestants. The second part was in mathematics and Siddhartha answered every question correctly. The third part was a test of physical strength. Siddhartha threw every opponent to the ground; no one culd beat him. The final part was in archery, but Siddhartha broke every bow until his father brought him a large, heavy bow from the temple. Then, Siddhartha's arrow flew farther than all the rest. After winning the contest, Siddhartha celebrated his marriage to Yasodhara in a ceremony that lasted ten days and nights." (Carew-Miller 5-6). The Princess Yasodhara was his cousin and they had a son named son Rahula.
One day in the garden, Siddhartha witnessed the gardener weeding the flowers and transplanting new seedlings, he inquired about what he was doing. "The gardener replied, "The Maharajah likes the plants to be replaced before the flowers die." "Die? What does that mean?" asked Siddhartha. The gardener gave a quick laugh; he had no way to explain to the prince the meaning of death. This laugh, like a stone thrown into a pond, disturbed Siddhartha for a moment, but he soon forgot about it," (Carew-Miller, 8).
Later when a singer was singing to him, he noticed that her voice sounded sad and he asked her about it not hearing such a sound before. "The singer replied, "It is a song about my homeland. I feel very homesick every time I sing it,"" (Carew-Miller, 8). This made him wonder what the world was like outside of the palace gates.
He asked his father if he could see what was outside the palace walls. His father agreed, but made strategic preparations for what his son would see. "When the king learned the wish expressed by his son, he ordered an excursion to be prepared, one worthy of his own affection and his son's beauty and youth. But he prohibited any encounter with any afflicted common person on the road...Then he removed from the road with the greatest gentleness all those who had mutilated limbs, the old, the sick and all squalid beggars. They made the highway assume its perfect beauty," (Van Voorst, 76).
On Siddhartha's 29th birthday, he finally left the palace for the very first time and although his father planned each detail of his excursion carefully, Siddhartha ended up seeing what has become to be known as the "Four Passing Sights." "He came across an old man, crooked and toothless; a sick man, wasted by disease and a corpse being taken for cremation. Then he saw a sannyasin (a wandering holy man, a renunciate) who had no possessions but seemed to be at peace...he realized that his life up until then had been a pleasant prison, and he saw the same programmed life stretching forward into his old age. The suffering he had just encountered, however, prompted him to question the meaning of human experience, and it threw him into a depression that kept him from enjoying his luxurious and carefree life any longer. Siddhartha decided to escape," (Molloy, 128).
The fact that his father had carefully planned the day that his son would first venture out beyond the palace gates and he still ended up seeing the "Four Passing Sights" is another fulfillment of the dream that Siddhartha's mother, Maharajanhee Maya had. The elephant in this case symbolizing obstacles again. The fact that his father had sheltered him from suffering, these "Four Passing Sights" that Siddhartha saw bothered him deeply, to an extremity and made it impossible to go back to the artificial carefree life his father had created for him. He felt he had to solve the mystery of pain and suffering. Since both his father and wife pleaded with him not to leave, he decided to leave at night. (There are two different accounts of the age of Siddhartha's son Rahula, when he left. One says it was the day that Rahula was born and another account said he was age 3 when Siddhartha left.)
During his departure, Siddhartha saw that his servant was full of reluctance and remorse, so he handed him a precious jewel. He told him to go to where his father was and lay it before him signifying his heart's relation to him. He also asked him to tell his father that he left and entered the world into the forest of painful discipline to figure out how to escape from birth, age and death and that he would return once he found what he was looking for. Buddhists call his leaving the "Great Going Forth."
He began his pilgrimage by learning under two famous religious teachers. "It is common in Indian spirituality to seek a teacher, and Siddhartha did just that...he learned techniques of meditation and discussed philosophy, but he was ultimately unsatisfied...Seeking answers to his questions, Siddhartha discovered that his teachers agreed on some issues but not on others. So, in the company of five other nomadic "seekers," he set out to find the answers he needed," (Molloy 128-129).
Hinduism was in a state of ferment. "After many centuries, questioning of Vedic religious beliefs and practices began to emerge with strength," (Molloy, 82). "Some people rebelled against the growing strength of the caste system, and non brahmins, especially the aristocrats, felt threatened by the power of the priests. Moved by compassion, some people opposed the animal sacrifices that were often a part of the vedic ritual," (Molloy, 191). The Axis age began around 500 B.C.E., this was a huge period of change around the world. This was really seen in the Hindu community through the major changes that happened recorded by the Upanishads (brining the concepts of Brahman, Atman, maya, karma, samsara, and moksha). During this time, many ascetic teachers emerged, proclaiming various ways, this included Siddhartha. He really rejected the caste system and the Vedic rituals to name some of what he opposed. In addition to the variances he found in the teachers, he may have also been disenchanted with the Hindu gods because of what happened with his mother. She had pure devotion and appeasement of the gods and still her only punishment was pain and death, which stole her from him at the beginning of his life. Her dream was evidence of her Hindu beliefs and devotion to the god Ganesha.
One day he fainted from his extreme austerity. When he woke up, he heard music and heard a father talking to his son explaining how if a stringed instrument is tuned too tightly the strings would break and if they were not strung tight enough, the music couldn't play beautifully. It has to be just in between for the music to play most beautifully. It was at this moment, it hit him that the way to enlightenment was not through austerity, it was through moderation. At this time a woman offered him food and he ate it. When he did, the five others that had been his companions left him because they thought he had become weak and given in.
When this happened he decided that he was going to meditate under the Gambu tree until he got the answers he needed. After 49 days of meditation under the Gambu tree (now often called the Bodhi tree after Buddha's experience there) at the city of Bodh Gaya, in northeast India, he finally gained enlightenment while meditating in the Lotus yoga posture.
"Lotus posture" (padmasana), in which the person meditating is seating with the legs crossed, each foot touching the opposite leg," (Molloy 94). The type of yoga that he was practicing upon his bodhi was Kundalini Yoga. "Combining elements of both raja yoga and hatha yoga, Kundalini Yoga teaches that there are seven psychic centers, called chakras ("wheels"), that exist, one above the other, along the spinal column. Meditation and physical exercises (as described below) help the meditator lift spiritual energy-- called kundalini and envisioned as a coiled serpent-- from one center to the next. (Literally kundalini means "she who lies coiled.") Each chakra is like a gateway through which the kundalini passes, bringing increased insight and joy. When the kundalini reaches the topmost and seventh center of energy at the crown of the head, the practitioner experiences profound bliss. The topmost center of energy (sahasrara) apppears in imagery as a lotus flower, and reaching it is compared to the opening of a lotus,"(Molloy, 95). He "took on the new name "Buddah", "the Awakened One, taken from a Sanskrit word meaning "to wake up,"" (Molloy, 129). He told his previous followers about his experience and they became his first disciples.
The lotus posture once again fulfilled the dream his mother had about the white elephant offering her a lotus flower. Also an elephant has a great memory and are known to "never forget," an interesting thing about that is that as the Buddha was entering bodhi, he had an experience where he remembered his past lives. The Buddhist literature that gives account of this is called the Jataka Tales. "Jataka Tales" are a part of the Dammapada which is a portion of early Buddhist scriptures written in the Pali language. These stories tell of his previous lives in different forms. Jataka tales similar to Aesop's Fables "The tales are about human beings and animals, and each tale teaches a moral lesson about a particular virtue, such as friendship, truthfulness, generosity, or moderation. In Theravada Buddhism the tales are often put wihtin a Buddhist context. Typically, the tale begins with the Buddha telling the tale. The tale then ends with the Buddha saying that in a past life he was one of the animal or human figures in the story. The Jataka Tales are frequently the subject of art, plays, and dance in Southeast Asia," (Molloy 147). Encyclopedia Britannica states, "Jataka is the technical name in Buddhist literature for a story of one or other of the previous births for the Buddha. THe word is also used for the name of a collection of 547 of such stories included in the Buddhist Pali canon. The form of most of these tales is a very common Indian of one known as shyana. It may be a beast fable, a story of common life or a folk tale told in prose, with the climax or essential part of the dialogue inverse. It is this verse or verses which, as being the utterance of story of the Bodhisattva or future Buddha, constitutes the cananical portion of the Jataka. The Jataka itself (the story of the past) is of thh historical Buddha, which is the occasion for his telling the story of the past, and followed by the identification, in which the chief characters are declared to be the previous births of persons who appear inthe story of the present. There is also a verbal commentary explaining the archaic language of the verses. A few of the tales are almost identical with some of the beast fables of Aesop, and a larger number with the tales of the Panchtanatra. It is especially among these where evidence of adaptation from non-Buddhist sources appears, the Bodhisattva in some of them being merely a spectator, but necessarily introduced in order to turn the story into a jataka. The last ten are long romances and the last of all, the Vessantara-jataka, is a favourite subject of dramatic respresentatoin in Burma. The ethical teaching is mostly that of the virtues of secular life and moral retribution is emphasized by doctrines of karma and rebirth."
Upon his bodhi, the Buddha reached nirvana (or nibbana in Pali) which was freedom from fear, suffering and the cycle of death and rebirth. This nirvana was liberation of the samsara, they are no longer enslaved to the world, through the cycles of rebirth or to the pain and suffering it brings. Upon reaching nirvana, he went back to the ascetics who mocked him when he embraced the "Middle Way", not self-mortification or self-indulgence. He told them of his experience and they became his first disciples. The doctrine that the Buddha taught is referred to as the "Wheel of Doctrine" in the early Buddhist literature that was not actually written down until about 236 years after Buddha's death.
Buddah taught that "The Four Noble Truths are a linked chain of truths about life: (1) suffering exists; (2) it has a cause; (3) it has an end; and (4) there is a way to attain release from suffering- namely, by following the Noble Eightfold Path," (Molloy, 134). "The Blessed One said, 'What, monks, is the Noble Eightfold Path? Right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration...'" (Van Voorst, 82). "The eight "steps of the path actually form a program that Buddha taught will lead us toward liberation from the impermance and suffering of reality." (Molloy, 136).
Encyclopedia Britannica states, "His remaining 45 years spent as a wandering teacher among his own and neighbouring tribes earned him the title Sage of the Sakyas (Sakyamuni)." After his enlightenment, he did go back to his home. He told his father about what he had discovered and his father saw the wisdom in what the Buddha had shared with him and left his kingdom. The Buddha also went to his wife and brought his son with him, cut his hair and let him into the Sangha Brotherhood as a novice monk. She wanted his inheritance and the Buddha said he would give him a far greater inheritance.
After leaving Kapilavistu, they came upon the Buddha's cousins in the gardens of Gorakpur, among them was Ananda and Devadatta. Ananda became his greatest friend and Devadatta became his greatest enemy.
When his wife Princess Yasodhara and his aunt Prajapati Gotami were discovered to be with the women who wanted to follow the Buddha, he finally relented and created the Sisterhood of Bhikshunis.
"Devadatta became notorious in later days by attempting to found a new sect of his own with severer and stricter rules than those prescribed by the Buddha. He acquired great skill in magic of a worldly kind, including hypnotisim..." (Kerouac 130). He hypnotized prince Ajatasuru to murder his father and had a special monastery built for him. He also got the king to help him try and oust the Buddha from the leadership of the Sangha Brotherhood, claiming he was too old. When that didn't work, Devadatta plotted against the Buddha's life. The hitmen hired to kill the Buddha were won over by his teachings. Devadatta proceeded to try and kill his cousin by having a large rock roll down a hill towards him, but there was no damage done. Devadatta also had a drunken elephant let loose as the Buddha was coming, but the Buddha was good with animals and was able to tame the elephant. Other leaders got jealous and even had a false nun try to accuse the Buddha of adultery with her infront of the Brotherhood assembled. Another woman called Sundari was persuaded to spread rumors that she had passed the night in the bedchamger of the Buddha. Both times, the slander was refuted. The conspirators had Sundari killed to make it look like a cover up for a scandal and loud voices were raised to take legal action against the Buddha. While drunk, however, one of the conspirators leaked the secret and the conspirators were arrested. They admitted their guilt before the king. There were a few other attempts on his life, but the would-be assassins were won over by the Buddha's teachings.
At the age of 80, 45 years after his enlightenment, he got food poisoning and before his death he offered his final teaching: "'You must be your own lamps, be your own refuges. Take 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.' In other words, the Buddha's final instruction was this: Trust your own insights, and use self-control to reach perfection and inner peace," (Molloy, 131). He is believed to have died while his head rested on his right arm and his left arm was on his side... statues of him are often depicted this way. Upon death he experienced parinibban, a term used to mean the passing on to his final death. This occured in the town of Kushinagara, in northeastern India.
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