On the
fullmoon
day of May, in the year 623 B.C., there was born in the
district of
Nepal an Indian Sakya Prince named Siddhartha Gotama, who
was destined
to be the greatest religious teacher in the world. Brought
up in the
lap of luxury, receiving an education befitting a prince, he
married
and had a son.
His
contemplative
nature and boundless compassion did not permit him to enjoy
the fleeting
material pleasures of a royal household. He knew no woe, but
he felt
a deep pity for sorrowing humanity. Amidst comfort and
prosperity,
he realized the universality of sorrow. The palace, with all
its worldly
amusements, was no longer a congenial place for the
compassionate
prince. The time was ripe for him to depart. Realizing the
vanity
of sensual enjoyments, in his twenty-ninth year, he
renounced all
worldly pleasures and donning the simple yellow garb of an
ascetic,
alone, penniless, wandered forth in search of Truth and
Peace.
It was
an unprecedented
historic renunciation; for he renounced not in his old age
but in
the prime of manhood, not in poverty but in plenty. As it
was the
belief in the ancient days that no deliverance could be
gained unless
one leads a life of strict asceticism, he strenuously
practiced all
forms of severe austerities. "Adding vigil after vigil, and
penance
after penance," he made a superhuman effort for six long
years.
His
body was
reduced to almost a skeleton. The more he tormented his
body, the
farther his goal receded from him. The painful, unsuccessful
austerities
which he strenuously practiced proved absolutely futile. He
was now
fully convinced, through personal experience, of the utter
futility
of self-mortification which weakened his body and resulted
in lassitude
of spirit.
Benefiting
by
this invaluable experience of his, he finally decided to
follow an
independent course, avoiding the two extremes of
self-indulgence and
self-mortification. The former retards one's spiritual
progress, and
the latter weakens one's intellect. The new way which he
himself discovered
was the Middle Path, Majjhima Patipada, which
subsequently
became one of the salient characteristics of his teaching.
One
happy morning,
while he was deeply absorbed in meditation, unaided and
unguided by
any supernatural power and solely relying on his efforts and
wisdom,
he eradicated all defilements, purified himself, and,
realizing things
as they truly are, attained Enlightenment (Buddhahood) at
the age
of 35. He was not born a Buddha,[1] but
he became a Buddha by his own striving. As the perfect
embodiment
of all the virtues he preached, endowed with deep wisdom
commensurate
with his boundless compassion. He devoted the remainder of
his precious
life to serve humanity both by example and precept,
dominated by no
personal motive whatever.
After a
very successful
ministry of 45 long years the Buddha, as every other human
being,
succumbed to the inexorable law of change, and finally
passed away
in his 80th year, exhorting his disciples to regard his
doctrine as
their teacher.
The
Buddha was
a human being. As a man he was born, as a man he lived, and
as a man
his life came to an end. Though a human being, he became an
extraordinary
man (acchariya manussa), but he never arrogated to himself
divinity.
The Buddha laid stress on this important point and left no
room whatever
for anyone to fall into the error of thinking that he was an
immortal
divine being. Fortunately there is no deification in the
case of the
Buddha. It should, however, be remarked that there was no
Teacher,
"ever so godless as the Buddha, yet none so god-like."
The
Buddha is
neither an incarnation of the Hindu God Vishnu, as is
believed by
some, nor is he a savior who freely saves others by his
personal salvation.
The Buddha exhorts his disciples to depend on themselves for
their
deliverance, for both purity and defilement depend on
oneself. Clarifying
his relationship with his followers and emphasizing the
importance
of self-reliance and individual striving, the Buddha plainly
states:
"You should exert yourselves, the Tathagatas[2]
are only teachers." The
Buddhas point out the path, and it is left for us to follow
that path
to obtain our purification.
"To
depend
on others for salvation is negative, but to depend on
oneself is positive."
Dependence on others means a surrender of one's effort. In
exhorting
his disciples to be self-dependent the Buddha says in the Parinibbana
Sutta: "Be ye islands unto yourselves, be ye a refuge
unto
yourselves, seek not for refuge in others." These
significant
words are self-elevating. They reveal how vital is
self-exertion to
accomplish one's object and, how superficial and futile it
is to seek
redemption through benignant saviors and to crave for
illusory happiness
in an after life through the propitiation of imaginary Gods
or by
irresponsive prayers and meaningless sacrifices.
Furthermore,
the
Buddha does not claim the monopoly of Buddhahood which, as a
matter
of fact, is not the prerogative of any specially graced
person. He
reached the highest possible state of perfection any person
could
aspire to, and without the close-fist of a teacher he
revealed the
only straight path that leads thereto. According to the
Teaching of
the Buddha anybody may aspire to that supreme state of
perfection
if he makes the necessary exertion. The Buddha does not
condemn men
by calling them wretched sinners, but, on the contrary, he
gladdens
them by saying that they are pure in heart at conception. In
his opinion
the world is not wicked but is deluded by ignorance. Instead
of disheartening
his followers and reserving that exalted state only to
himself, he
encourages and induces them to emulate him, for Buddhahood
is latent
in all. In one sense all are potential Buddhas.
One who
aspires
to become a Buddha is called a Bodhisatta, which, literally,
means
a wisdom-being. This Bodhisatta ideal is the most beautiful
and the
most refined course of life that has ever been presented to
this ego-centric
world, for what is nobler than a life of service and purity?
As a Man
he attained
Buddhahood and proclaimed to the world the latent
inconceivable possibilities
and the creative power of man. Instead of placing an unseen
Almighty
God over man who arbitrarily controls the destinies of
mankind, and
making him subservient to a supreme power, he raised the
worth of
mankind. It was he who taught that man can gain his
deliverance and
purification by his own exertion without depending on an
external
God or mediating priests. It was he who taught the
ego-centric world
the noble ideal of selfless service. It was he who revolted
against
the degrading caste system and taught equality of mankind
and gave
equal opportunities for all to distinguish themselves in
every walk
of life.
He
declared that
the gates of success and prosperity were open to all in
every condition
of life, high or low, saint or criminal, who would care to
turn a
new leaf and aspire to perfection.
Irrespective
of
caste, color or rank he established for both deserving men
and women
a democratically constituted celibate Order. He did not
force his
followers to be slaves either to his teachings or to himself
but granted
complete freedom of thought.
He
comforted the
bereaved by his consoling words. He ministered to the sick
that were
deserted. He helped the poor that were neglected. He
ennobled the
lives of the deluded, purified the corrupted lives of
criminals. He
encouraged the feeble, united the divided, enlightened the
ignorant,
clarified the mystic, guided the benighted, elevated the
base, dignified
the noble. Both rich and poor, saints and criminals loved
him alike.
Despotic and righteous kings, famous and obscure princes and
nobles,
generous and stingy millionaires, haughty and humble
scholars, destitute
paupers, down-trodden scavengers, wicked murderers, despised
courtesans
-- all benefited by his words of wisdom and compassion.
His
noble example
was a source of inspiration to all. His serene and peaceful
countenance
was a soothing sight to the pious eyes. His message of peace
and tolerance
was welcomed by all with indescribable joy and was of
eternal benefit
to every one who had the fortune to hear and practice it.
Wherever
his teachings
penetrated it left an indelible impression upon the
character of the
respective peoples. The cultural advancement of all the
Buddhist nations
was mainly due to his sublime teachings. In fact all
Buddhist countries
like Ceylon, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos,
Nepal, Tibet,
China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, etc., grew up in the cradle
of Buddhism.
Though more than 2500 years have elapsed since the passing
away of
this greatest Teacher, yet his unique personality exerts a
great influence
on all who come to know him.
His iron
will,
profound wisdom, universal love, boundless compassion,
selfless service,
historic renunciation, perfect purity, magnetic personality,
exemplary
methods employed to propagate the teachings, and his final
success
-- all these factors have compelled about one-fifth of the
population
of the world today to hail the Buddha as their supreme
Teacher.
Paying a
glowing
tribute to the Buddha Sri Radhakrishnan states: "In Gautama
the
Buddha we have a master-mind from the East second to none so
far as
the influence on the thought and life of the human race is
concerned,
and, sacred to all as the founder of a religious tradition
whose hold
is hardly less wide and deep than any other. He belongs to
the history
of the world's thought, to the general inheritance of all
cultivated
men, for, judged by intellectual integrity, moral
earnestness, and
spiritual insight, he is undoubtedly one of the greatest
figures in
history."
In The
Three
Greatest Men in History H.G. Wells writes: "In the
Buddha
you see clearly a man, simple, devout, lonely, battling for
light
-- a vivid human personality, not a myth. He too gave a
message to
mankind universal in character. Many of our best modern
ideas are
in closest harmony with it. All the miseries and discontents
are due,
he taught, to selfishness. Before a man can become serene he
must
cease to live for his senses or himself. Then he merges into
a great
being. Buddha in different language called men to
self-forgetfulness
500 years before Christ. In some ways he is nearer to us and
our needs.
He was more lucid upon our individual importance and service
than
Christ and less ambiguous upon the question of personal
immortality."
St.
Hilaire remarks
"The perfect model of all the virtues he preaches, his life
has
not a stain upon it."
Fausboll says -- "The more I know of him, the more I love
him."
A humble
follower
of his would say -- "The more I know him, the more I love
him;
the more I love him, the more I know him."