Biography of Buddha
Year of death: 486 Bc When naming Buddha as historical and religious character actually referring to Siddartha Gautama, also known as Siddartha, or Gautama Buddha, or the historical Buddha. Founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha was born in Lumbini in southern Nepal 566 BC, from a wealthy and powerful Warrior descended from a lineage (whose founder was King Iksyaku): the father, Suddhodana, King of one of the States that make up the northern India. After the birth of Siddhartha, at Court are invited ascetics and Brahmins for celebrations of good luck: during the event, the Sage Asita Announces child's horoscope, explaining that he is destined to become either a Chackravartin, i.e. a universal monarch or an ascetic forgoing. The father, however, is troubled by the possibility of being abandoned by his son, and then he takes everything you can do to prevent the materialisation of premonition.
Childhood
Siddhartha is bred by Pajapati, second wife of his father (the birth mother had died a week after giving birth), and as a boy shows a strong tendency to contemplation. He marries at sixteen with Bhaddakaccana, a cousin, that thirteen years later gave birth to her first child, Rahula. At that time, however, Siddhartha realizes the cruelty of the world he lives in, quite different from the magnificence of his palace.Meditation
Realizing human suffering after meeting a dead, mentally ill and a senior, understands that culture and wealth are destined to fade. While growing in him the feeling of living in a golden cage, decides to relinquish power, fame, money and family: one night, with the complicity of the charioteer, Chandaka forest escapes from realm on horseback. Since that time, he devoted himself to meditation, with the help of ascetic Alara Kalama. In the joint Kosala, is dedicated to asceticism and meditation, to get to the ultimate goal of nullity sphere corresponding to liberation. Remained unfulfilled, however, Gautama Buddha heads towards Uddaka Ramaputta (in Magadha), that meditation must lead to the sphere of perception nor non perception either. Even in this case, however, Siddhartha is not happy: choose, therefore, to settle in a village near the river Neranjara, where he spent some years in the company of five disciples together, which becomes a spiritual teacher. Later, however, he understands that the famous incident and extreme ascetic practices are unnecessary and harmful: for this reason, however, lose the esteem of his disciples, which leave it as weak.The maturity
About thirty-five years, he achieves theperfect lighting: sitting cross-legged under a fig tree, gets to nirvana. Thanks to meditation, touching levels of awareness increasingly important, taking knowledge of the eightfold path. After enlightenment, remains to meditate under the tree for a week, and twenty days is parked under three other trees. Then, he realizes that his purpose is to spread the doctrine at all, and so heads to Sarnath, finding his first five disciples. There she meets the ascetic Upaka and his former pupils: these initially would ignore it, but are immediately impressed by his radiant face and convince. Soon, welcome him as master, asking him to share in his joy. At which point Siddhartha condemns extremism due to Mortification and extremism due to gratification: what to search is the middle way, which leads to awakening.Preaching and conversions
In later years, Gautama Buddha is dedicated to preaching, especially along the Gangetic plain, addressing the laity and giving rise to new monastic communities willing to accept anyone, regardless of caste and social status; In addition, he founded the first female mendicant monastic order in the world. Meanwhile, begin the conversions: the first non-ascetic who joined the monastic community is the son of a merchant, Yasa, coming soon imitated by some friends, themselves descendants of wealthy families. Since that time, conversions multiply. Siddhartha back, among others, where he received enlightenment, where converts a thousand people, and then heads to Rajgir, where the mount Gayasisa exposes the Sutra of the fire. To convert, in this case, even the King Bimbisara, one of the most powerful of all northern India to show their devotion gave Gautama a monastery located in the bamboo forest. Later, he travels to the capital of Sakya, Kapilayatthu, near his birthplace. He visits his father and his stepmother, converting them, then go in Kosala, ruled by King Prasenadi, with whom he has several interviews. Gautam has an opportunity to pause in a plot of land given to him by a very rich merchant: here rises the monastery Jetavana. Subsequently, receives the gift of the Jivakarana monastery in Rajgir, near the Grove of Mangoes: a gift from the King's personal doctor Jivaka Komarabhacca, which wants to be as close as possible to Siddhartha. It is here that he exposes the Jivaka Sutta, which prevented the monks to eat the meat of animals killed specifically to feed humans. During this period, Gautama has to contend with an assassination attempt made by some Archers at the hands of Devadatta, who in turn tries to kill him propelling a Boulder from Vulture Peak and then get drunk an elephant in order to do this crush: in both occasions, however, Siddhartha manages to survive, although in the case of the assault of the archers is reporting some wounds serious enough , requiring in depth. After many wanderings, Siddhartha back to Rajgir, where he is asked a prophecy by the sovereign Small about the war that it intends to move to the Republic of Vriji. He replies that as long as the people would be glad the defeat will not come: then takes the vulture Peak and communicates to the monks the monastic rules to be observed to maintain the sangha in life. Heads, therefore, further north, while continuing to preach, Vaishali, where he decided to stay. Local people, however, must deal with a heavy famine: for this he ordered the monks to be distributed throughout the territory, while maintaining your side only Ananda.The last years of life
Later-is the 486 b.c.-Siddartha, now in his eighties, back to walking on the plains of the Ganges. As it heads towards Kusinagara, has taken ill, and asks for some water to Ananda; a noble gives him a yellow cloth for him to lie down. Then the Buddha, after giving provisions about what we must do his corpse (will be cremated), turns on his side, looking north, and dies. Since that day, his teaching- Buddhism -will spread around the world.Siddhartha or Siddharta
The correct name would want these to be Siddhārtha: incorrectly transcript Siddhartha instead of the correct Siddhartha has spread only in Italy for a mistake (never corrected) in the first edition of the famous novel by Hermann Hesse. [Source: Wikipedia: voice Gautama Buddha]Article contributed by the team of collaborators.