PREVIOUS LIVES OF BUDDHA

Before his life as Gautama, Buddha live many times in multiple different forms. One of the earliest lives in which he is mentioned is as a young boy named Sumedha. While he was born rich Sumedha gave away his the family fortune that was left to him to become a ascetic. When he met Dipamkara Buddha in this life Dipamkara is told to have seen who Sumedha would become and predicted his future life as a great Buddha with the words

This is one who will be a Buddha. In the future, after four incalculable aeons together with one hundred thousand aeons, be will be Buddha named Gotama. (Book Eighteen)

During the previous lives of Buddha this prediction was made by twenty three elightened Buddha's. These were Kondanna, Sumangala, Sumana, Revata, Sobhita, Anomadassi, Paduma, Narada, Padumuttara, Sumedha, Sujata, Piyadassi, Atthadassi, Dhammadassi, Siddhattha, Tissa, Phussa, Vipassi, Sikhi, Vessabhu, Kakusandha, Konagamana and Kassapa.

In each life Buddha was re-born into he became closer and closer to achieving his goal as a fully enlightened Buddha.





BIRTH OF BUDDHA

One night Buddhas mother had a dream. In it as white elephant came down from the heaven and entered into her womb. In there it placed a white lotus. Buddha's mother understood that the dream meant she had conceived a pure and powerful child who would come down from a previous life in Tushita heaven, the land of Maitreya.

Buddhas parents where the King and Queen of the land so they invited many seers to their palace to predict the life of Buddha. They predicted that he would either become a great king or a fully enlightened Buddha.

As it was the custom, not long before the Queen was due she began her journey to her parents house to give birth to the child. While on the way there she began to feel tired so she stopped to rest in a small grove of trees. It was here that she gave birth to Buddha. During birth the Queen did not experience pain, but instead had a pure vision in which she stood and held branch of tree with one hand while gods Brahma and Indra took baby from her side.

The King and Queen named the child Siddharthat Gautama, meaning 'one whose goal is acomplishable'




THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY OF BUDDHA BEGINS




When Buddha was about 12 a seer told the King that if Gautama ever saw old age, sickness, death or recluse then he would leave the palace and become an ascetic. The King wanted his son to follow in he foot steps so he did not let his son enter the city and got rid of all signs that would cause his son to leave from the palace.

As Gautama grew older he began to wounder about what was beyond the palace walls and decided to go out and explore the city. His father ordered that all signs of old age, sickness, death or recluse should be removed from his sight while in the city. However on the first day the prince saw old wrinkled man, On the second he saw someone suffering from an incurable disease and on the third he saw a funeral procession. Not long after that the prince also met an ascetic, who told him about his life. The prince was determined to become an ascetic too, and nothing that the King could do would convince his son to stay.

Gautama traveled long distances on foot and in his quest to find somewhere to attain enlightenment. On his way he begged for food. Once he found the perfect place to achieve enlightenment he stopped traveling and meditated for six years. Once he realised that he was very close to enlightenment he left the forest where he was meditating and traveled to Gaya where he sat under the Bodhi tree and vowed that

'I will not rise from this posture as long as my mind is not freed from the cankers without any reminder'
(Source Eighteen)

As dusk fell the chief of all daemons Devaputra Mara appeared and he conjured many fantasies to try and distract Gautama. Gautama ignored everything and concentrated even harder in achieving his goal. As the sun rose Gautama reached enlightenment and became a Buddha. Buddha stayed in the same position for the next seven weeks looking at the world from his new perspective. In the eight week the gods spoke to Buddha and instructed him to go out into the world and teach the people of the world. This began Buddhas spiritual journey as one who is enlightened.




HIS LIFE

Buddha spent his life traveling around India educating others about how to atain elightenment. Through his teachings he allowed thousands of people to become enlightened buddhas in future lives. He also peformed many miricles. He lessons were open to anyone who would listen, whatever age, race or gender. Stories remain today of him conversing with beggars on the streets and Kings that ruled huge areas of land, looking upon each of them as equals. It is this openess that meant so many people would turn to Buddhism, both during his life and in generations which would follow.




DEATH OF BUDDHA

Buddha lived for over 80 years and died peacfully as an old man from natural causes. Lying on his side between two sal trees Buddha began meditating and prepairing to complete the last stage of his existance. Surrounding him were his disciples and monks who he addressed just before his death, finishing with his last words

'All things composed are perishable. Now strive diligently'
(Source Six)

Buddha's body was cremated and distributed at multiple locations, in domed shaped funerary mounds named Stupas. This was his wish.