Religion 101 (24 page)

Little consensus can be found among scholars on the historical facts of the Buddha’s life. This is due in part to the lack of biographical detail he shared in his teachings that later became the Pali Canon. A few key moments in the Buddha’s story are known. Up until recently the year of the Buddha’s death was taken to be either 483 or 486
B.C.
However, new evidence suggests that it might have been as late as 400
B.C.
His birth would have been eighty years prior to the earlier or later date (either 566 or 563
B.C.
or as late as 480
B.C
.). Many of the details of the Buddha’s biography come from the poem,
Buddhacharita
by Ashvogosa that was written in the second century.

Myth and Metaphor

As with the man himself, the life story of the Buddha can likewise be seen from different perspectives. Taken literally, it speaks of magic, wonder, and prophecy; viewed metaphorically it is a parable of sacrifice in the service of ultimate attainment. Certain elements of the narrative appear to provide drama to the story, but probably little in the way of historical fact. Siddhartha Gautama was born to a noble family in the Himalayan foothills, on the border of northern India and southern Nepal. Siddhartha’s mother was Mahamaya, his father Suddhodhana, and he was a blessing to the childless couple as they would now have a prince and an heir to rule over the Shakya clan, their small but prosperous region of the kingdom. They named their son Siddhartha, which means “every wish fulfilled.”

Noble but Not Kings

While Siddhartha Gautama is often described as a prince and his parents Queen Mahamaya and King Suddhodhana, it is more likely that his parents were part of the nobility but not monarchs. His father was a magistrate of a smaller state in the Himalayan foothills. The elevation of the family to the highest royalty may be part of the mythology that has developed around the life of the Buddha.

The Birth of the Buddha

There are many mythologies and stories surrounding the birth of the Buddha. His mother, Mahamaya, dreamt of a white elephant who entered her womb from the right side of her body. According to the legend, Mahamaya experienced a virtually pain-free delivery with the assistance of a tree that bent to offer its branches. The future Buddha exited the womb unbloodied and able to walk and talk. In some accounts, Siddhartha emerged from her right side, avoiding the “pollution” of the birth canal.

It is generally agreed upon (with some variation) that when Siddhartha was but days old, his father, Suddhodhana, invited a large group of Brahmins to a feast at the palace so that they could tell the future of the newborn baby. Eight of the Brahmins concurred on the prediction that Siddhartha would either become a great and powerful ruler of all the land, or a great spiritual teacher.

What Is a Brahmin?

The Brahmins were the priests, the highest class in the hereditary caste system of India. According to the caste system of Hinduism in ancient India, there were four classes of people: rulers and warriors (the Kshatriyas), business people and artisans (the Vaishyas), the Brahmins, and finally the unskilled laborers or untouchables (the Shudras).

They warned that if Siddhartha left the palace and saw what the real world was like he might have an existential crisis and turn toward a spiritual life. If he remained within the cloistered palace walls, he would become a great ruler of the world. One of these Brahmins, Kondanna, was convinced, however, that the young boy would become an enlightened one and warned of four signs that would influence the young Siddhartha and spur him to leave his home and commence a spiritual journey.

The Raising of the Would-Be King

According to the legend, young Siddhartha was surrounded by beautiful things and kept captive within the palace grounds so he would not be subjected to the sicknesses and poverty of the people of the kingdom. Guards were posted all around the palace grounds and Siddhartha was discouraged from leaving and protected from seeing anything distressing to his young life.

One afternoon, when Siddhartha was eight years old, he sat under the shade of a rose apple tree watching the plowing of the fields as the town prepared for the new crop. He noticed that the plowing had upset the ground and that insects had been harmed in the process. The young boy felt sadness come over him as if he were attached to the insects, as though he had experienced a personal loss. And yet the day was beautiful and the shade of the rose apple tree wonderfully cool. Joy rose up inside him and he experienced a moment of meditative bliss. The compassion and love he felt for the insects took him outside himself and he was momentarily free.

The Four Signs

Siddhartha begged his father to allow him to go beyond the palace walls. Suddhodhana hated to deny his son anything so he quickly tried to ensure that life outside the palace gates was just as perfect as life inside. When Siddhartha wandered outside, everywhere he went he saw happiness, health, and good cheer. Then suddenly an old decrepit man with white hair, withered skin, and a staff to lean on crossed his path. Leaning over to his companion and servant, Chandaka, Siddhartha asked, “What is this?”

Chandaka explained that before them was an old man and told Siddhartha that everyone would age similarly one day. Siddhartha was saddened and shocked by the sight of the old man and wondered how he could continue to enjoy such sights as his garden when such suffering was to come later.

What’s It Mean?

Buddha is also sometimes referred to as
Shakyamuni
, which means “Sage of the Shakya Clan,” as he hailed from Shakya.

He decided to “go forth” into the world the night he was born. Legend has it that he snuck out of the palace when everyone fell asleep, including, mysteriously, the palace guards. He vowed to live an unfettered existence. Family was not part of the life of a spiritual seeker, he had to go forth alone. The thought of losing his family forever to old age and death must have been a very powerful catalyst for such dramatic change. He was motivated to go forth to find an end to suffering, by whatever means necessary, for the benefit of his family and for all of humanity.

Finding the Way

Siddhartha became a seeker of truth, called a
shramana
. These ascetics were not seen as beggars and dropouts; to seek a holy life was a worthy cause. The young prince set out to find himself a teacher, and wandered far and wide over the Ganges plain, learning what he could from the available
gurus
(teachers).

Siddhartha was a meditation prodigy and quickly reached very high states of meditation (called
dhyanas
or
jhanas
in Pali). However, once he left the profound state of meditative absorption he found himself back in the realm of suffering. In an attempt to go beyond it, he adopted a severe asceticism, taking only a grain of rice or drinking mud for sustenance each day. He wore little or no clothing, slept out in the open no matter the weather, starved himself beyond measure, and even ingested his own waste matter. He lay on the most uncomfortable surfaces possible and inflicted severe deprivation on himself, convinced that external suffering would banish the internal suffering forever. But still he was plagued with desires and cravings. After seven long years of effort he was close to death.

Moderate effort over a long time is important, no matter what you are trying to do. One brings failure on oneself by working extremely hard at the beginning, attempting to do too much, and then giving it all up after a short time.

— The Dalai Lama

Fortunately, a young girl named Sujata offered him some rice porridge and he took it, breaking his vows of asceticism. This was the beginning of his awakening and finding the middle path between the extremes of sensual indulgence and dangerous denial of his physical needs. He recalled his meditation experience under the rose apple tree and realized there was another way to accomplish his goal. With the strength gained from that meal, the emaciated Siddhartha sat beneath a pipal tree and made a new vow: to not get up until he had found what he was looking for.

The Tree of Awakening

The pipal tree — the tree under which Buddha sat — comes from the Asiatic fig tree, and became known as the Bodhi Tree, the tree of “awakening.” Today, a descendant of the original Bodhi Tree sits just where Buddha sat approximately 2,500 years ago. Followers of Buddhism visit the tree and meditate, hoping to achieve an enlightened mind just like Buddha.

Awakening

As he nursed himself back to health, Siddhartha became very conscious of his movements in the world and paid close attention to how he reacted to his environment, watching his thoughts as they passed through his mind. He became aware of the movements he made while he ate, slept, and walked. Siddhartha slowly became mindful of his every gesture and thought. Mindfulness is the process of bringing attention to the present moment, away from thoughts of the future or the past or judgments about the present. It’s making contact with the lived experience of now. Mindfulness made Siddhartha aware of every craving that passed through him and of how transitory these cravings were. Everything changed: Everything came and everything passed.

He began to notice that all things were interrelated. The fruit was attached to the tree that was attached to the earth that received nutrients from the sky when it rained. The earth nourished the insects and animals, which ate the berries that came from the trees that came from the earth that were nourished by the sky. The animals died, the plants died, and so would Siddhartha. Life was filled with interconnectedness and change. And impermanence. Everything that existed would die. He would die, his thoughts would die, his desires would die. The moment would die, and another would be born in its place.

Whether or not he worried about loss, loss was inevitable as change was inevitable. With change came fear. And with fear came
dukkha
.

A Man of Many Names

Siddhartha is known by many names, including: Siddhartha Gautama (in Pali his name his Siddhattha Gotoma), his birth and family name; Shakyamuni, Sage of the Shakya Clan; Buddha, the Fully Awakened One; and Tathagata, the Thus-Perfected One or the One Who Has Found the Truth.

Enlightenment

As he sat under the Bodhi Tree, meditating and watching his thoughts come and go, his mind started to break free of the constraints of his ego. He entered each moment fully present as his thoughts dropped away.

During his time under the tree, the Buddha was tempted by his enemy Mara, who can be seen as a metaphor for desire. Undeterred, Siddhartha persisted with his meditation, transforming Mara’s forces into flowers that rained petals down upon his head.

The legend says that after his time under the pipal tree, Siddhartha had changed. When he encountered other people they could sense this change. Soon after the Buddha attained enlightenment, he walked by a man, a fellow traveler. The man was struck by the Buddha’s unusual radiance and peaceful demeanor.

“My friend, what are you?” he asked the Buddha. “Are you a god?”

“No,” answered the Buddha.

“Are you some kind of magician?”

“No,” the Buddha answered again.

“Are you a man?”

“No.”

“Well, my friend, then what are you?”

The Buddha replied, “I am buddho (awake).

And so the name stuck and Siddhartha became the
Buddha
.

CHAPTER 8
OTHER FAITHS

Beyond the five major world religious traditions lies a vast sea of belief and practice. Some religious groups have begun as obscure sects and risen to worldwide faiths with millions of committed followers. Others have remained small and isolated, never gathering more than several hundred or thousand adherents, yet deeply convinced of their spiritual message.

The religious impulse has been part of the human psyche from its earliest evolution. From the cave drawings in Lascaux, France, to the Great Pyramid of Giza, from Haitian Vodou to Sikhism, Jainism, and Swedenborgianism, religion shows human creativity and spirituality in all its many facets.

MORMONISM

The Message of Moroni

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the principal formal body embracing Mormonism. It has a membership of nearly 15 million members and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. The next largest Mormon denomination is the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which is headquartered in Independence, Missouri. It has a membership of more than a quarter of a million.

Joseph Smith (1805–1844) founded Mormonism in upstate New York after he translated his revelation of
The Book of Mormon
, which recounts the history of certain tribes of Israel that migrated to America before Christ was born. They apparently underwent experiences similar to those written in the Old Testament. Mormons accept the Bible only “as far as it is translated correctly,” because Joseph Smith did not finish his translation. However, he did produce another scripture called
The Pearl of Great Price
.

A major difference between the two sects is that the Reorganized Church, while holding to
The Book of Mormon
, rejects certain parts of it, in particular the evolutionary concepts of deity and polytheism, the new covenant of celestial marriage, baptism on behalf of the dead, polygamy, and tithing. They also reject
The Book of Abraham
because they do not believe it is of divine origin.