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Siddhartha Gautama – The Buddha
Biography
Who Was Siddhartha Gautama?
Today, Buddhism is one of the world’s five
major religions. Although it is often associated
with China, it actually started in India. It began
with a man named Siddhartha Gautama. It is
thought that he lived from approximately 563 to
483 BCE. However, scholars now argue that he
may have lived up to a century later. There is
some confusion about the dates because the
first written accounts of Siddhartha’s life were
written about 500 years after his death.
Throughout his life, Siddhartha sought spiritual
enlightenment. Once he reached this stage, he
became known as the Buddha. The word
Buddha means “awakened one” in Sanskrit.
One of countless statues
depicting Siddhartha
Gautama, the Buddha.
The Buddha is not considered a god, though
some stories tell of his supernatural powers and contain supernatural elements.
Because storytelling was such an important part of the culture, the written
accounts are interwoven with myth. Nonetheless, the accounts shed light on
how one man became such a revered religious figure. They tell of a man
transformed—one who would eventually inspire followers all over the world.
Becoming the Buddha
Siddhartha was born near Nepal into the warrior caste. His father was a tribal
chief of the powerful Sakya clan. Many accounts call Siddartha Gautama a
prince. Historical details about Siddhartha’s life are vague, but legends have
been passed down through the centuries about his life. According to legend, he
was miraculously conceived when his mother, Maya, dreamed that a white
elephant vanished into her right side. In the legend, she gave birth to
Siddhartha while reaching for a blossoming tree in a garden. After being born,
he immediately stood and took seven steps. Astrologers were summoned to help
predict the boy’s future. One astrologer predicted he would become a great king
or a religious teacher. He was given the name Siddhartha which means "he who
achieves his goal.”
However, Siddhartha’s father did not want him to be a religious leader. For this
reason, according to legend, Siddhartha was restricted to the palace. His father
tried to shield him from suffering and make his life as pleasant as possible. His
father surrounded him with pleasures and arranged a marriage for him.
Siddhartha married a woman named Yasodhara, and together they had a son.
At the age of 29, Siddhartha decided he wanted his life to change. He asked his
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Siddhartha Gautama – The Buddha
Biography
father for permission to leave the palace, and his father allowed him to take a
chariot ride ouside the palace gates. On this chariot ride he encountered a sick
man, a dead man, and a poor man—in that order. He had never seen such
suffering before. He asked the driver of his chariot, Channa, about the meaning
of these sights. Channa told him that sickness, death, and poverty are a
common part of life. Siddhartha then encountered a wandering ascetic,
someone who gives up all possessions. Siddhartha was inspired to do the same.
He left his family behind and set off on a journey. On this journey, Siddhartha
hoped to learn more about why humans suffer and to learn what happened after
death.
For six years, he traveled around northern
India, studying under various teachers. He
lived a very strict and simple life, without
luxuries, and refused to eat or bathe. It was
only when he was near starvation that he
realized that excessive fasting and selfmortification, or denial, was not the way to
truth. He ate and felt nourished, but was
determined to meditate until he found the
right path. Meditation is the practice of
The bodhi tree is an important and
often depicted symbol in Buddhist art.
sitting still and quieting one’s mind, with the
hope of finding spiritual truths about life and
death. Siddhartha sat under the bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya and meditated all
night. Triumphing over Mara, the evil demon of desire, Siddhartha reached
nirvana, or enlightenment. Enlightenment refers to a spiritual awakening
through which one abadons all desire and becomes content and at peace.
Thereafter, Siddhartha became known as the Buddha, or “the awakened one.”
After being tempted again by Mara, who encouraged him to keep his
enlightenment to himself, the Buddha decided instead to help others reach
enlightenment, too.
Dharma and Truth
The Buddha traveled, teaching what he called the Middle Way. He encouraged
people to live their lives in balance and not to give in to extremism, or radical
views about religion or politics. He delivered his first sermon at a deer park in
Sarnath, near modern Banares in northern India, to his first five followers. And
for the first time, he proclaimed the Four Noble Truths:
1) Human suffering is universal. In other words, everybody suffers.
2) Suffering is caused by desire. We suffer because we cannot have
everything we want.
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Siddhartha Gautama – The Buddha
Biography
3) Suffering can be ended by ending desire.
4) The way to end desire, and thus suffering, is by following the
Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path, like its name suggests, has eight different parts.The eight
parts are right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, right concentration, right attitude, and right view. These elements
of the path provide guidelines for living and encourage all Buddhists to be
respectful of others. These Noble Truths help Buddhists live ethically, be active
learners, and respect the environment. They became the central ideass of
Buddhism. The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path still guide Buddhists
today as they seek to live better lives and understand the human condition.
The Buddha continued to travel across northeastern India, teaching and
sharing his wisdom. He organized his disciples into a sangha, a kind of
Buddhist monastic order. Missionaries set out across Asia spreading the
religion.
The Buddha is thought to have died around the age of 80. His body was
cremated and the remains distributed among groups of his followers. His
remains and relics were placed in large circular mounds called stupas. These
shrines became important pilgrimage sites throughout Asia. The site at Bodh
Gaya, where the Buddha achieved enlightenment, is the most important
pilgrimmage site today. Followers still come to Bodh Gaya, where a temple now
stands, to learn more about the founder of their faith.
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Siddhartha Gautama – The Buddha
Biography
After reading the passage, answer the following questions:
1. What does the name Siddhartha mean?
A. “he who achieves his goal”
B. “the enlightened one”
C. “he who will never suffer”
D. “royal prince”
2. How did Siddhartha become the Buddha?
A. An astrologer gave him a new name.
B. He achieved enlightenment through meditation.
C. He became a monk and was renamed.
D. He changed his name after learning about human suffering.
3. What is the Middle Way according to the Buddha?
A. the steps required to become a Buddhist monk
B. a habit of meditating in the middle of a worship hall
C. the path that the Buddha traveled through India
D. living a balanced life and avoiding extremism
4. Buddha’s teachings were inspired by the suffering he witnessed. How
do you think the Buddha’s early life led him to preach the Four Noble
Truths? Support your answer with details from the reading passage.
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