The Life Of The Buddha Flashcards
What is the Buddha’s name?
Siddhartha Gotama
What was Gotama’s life like at birth?
Prophecies were made saying Gotama would become and holy man and should give up his wealth.
What was Gotama’s life like growing up?
He had everything he wanted and was sheltered from bad inside the palace.
What happened when Gotama left the palace?
He experienced THE FOUR SIGHTS. These are:
Old age
Sickness
Death
The Holy Man.
He had never seen these things before. He he was upset because he knew that one day he would experience old age, death and sickness.
What did Gotama do after experiencing the four sights?
He decided to try a simple life as an ascetic. He starved himself with 5 Hindu masters. They taught him to meditate but Gotama found no answers.
How did Gotama eventually reach enlightenment?
Siddhartha sat under the Bodhi tree and vowed to meditate until he achieved enlightenment.
A demon called Mars tried to stop him but he overcame the temptations.
What are the four stages to Gotama’s enlightenment?
1) He thought about his past lives.
2) He understood dependent arising.
3) He realised the causes of suffering.
4) He achieves nibanna - a complete sense of peace.
What did Gotama do after enlightenment?
He taught the ascetics he had been with.
He began teaching anyone. This shows that Buddhism is for everyone.
What are THE THREE WATCHES OF THE NIGHT?- the three realisations the Buddha made on the night of his enlightenment?
1) he gained knowledge of his previous life
2) the realisation of the repeating cycle of life, death and rebirth. That how we are reborn depends on Kamma (our actions) and the importance of anatta (no fixed self).
3) why suffering happens and how to overcome it.
