SHAKYAMUNI

(SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA)

The first historically recorded Buddha

The Founder of Buddhism

Shakyamuni Buddha was born in Lumbini in Northern India (in what is now Nepal) about 2500 years ago. He was born as Prince Siddhartha and, in the normal course of events, would have become King of the Shakyas upon the death of his father, King Shuddhadana.

Siddhartha is said to have left his Father's palace successively by the North, South, East and West gates, where he observed human suffering among his Father's subjects. He was profoundly affected by this suffering. One day he left the palace to solve the problems of suffering for the sake of all beings.

For six years, he carried out all manner of austere practices in accordance with the religious tradition of his time but still did not come to any satisfactory conclusion. One day he sat beneath a tree (the Bodhi Tree) and put himself into a state of deep meditation, determining not to rise before he had found the solution to suffering.

Under this tree, he became awakened to the absolute truth of all phenomena (the Dharma). This great event became known as Shakyamuni's enlightenment. Thereafter he was referred to as "The Buddha" (the enlightened one). For 49 days he enjoyed the bliss of his enlightenment and then, out of his supreme compassion, he set about teaching his fellow human beings how to overcome suffering and achieve absolute happiness by means of their own enlightenment.

His first sermon was delivered to five ascetics with whom he had practiced austerities. They became his first disciples (the beginning of the Sangha). This first sermon included the Buddha’s fundamental teaching, known as “The Four Noble Truths” and upon which the entire body of Buddhist philosophy is based.

Shakyamuni preached for the next forty five years. He skilfully adapted his teachings to the capacity of whomsoever happened to be seeking his guidance at the time in question. His teachings ranged from simple advice on practice to detailed philosophical discourses. After his death his teachings were passed on by the Eastern tradition of recitation and eventually were written down. These teachings, or sermons, are known as the SUTRAS, of which there are many. They were written in the Pali language and they form the original canon of Buddhist scripture.

Much later, with the rise of Mahayana Buddhism, many other sutras, written in Sanskrit, appeared. One of these was the LOTUS SUTRA. This sutra is recognised by millions of Mahayana Buddhists as containing the supreme teaching of Shakyamuni (the Buddha is often referred to as “Shakyamuni”, meaning “The Sage of the Shakyas”). In particular, it is this sutra upon which Nichiren Daishonin based his entire philosophy.

Shakyamuni died at the age of eighty. His last words were, "Work out your own salvation with diligence".