The History of Buddhism

The Life of Shakyamuni

uddhism arose from the teachings The Buddhist scriptures recount that one of a man called Shakyamuni, who is day Shakyamuni exited the palace through the also known as Siddhartha Gautama eastern gate and saw an old person; then, at the Band referred to throughout the world by his south gate, he saw a sick person. At the west honorific title, the Buddha. Shakya is the gate, he observed a funeral procession. These name of the clan to which his family belonged; encounters affected him greatly, causing him Shakyamuni means “sage of the Shakyas.” to ponder deeply the impermanence of life. According to Buddhist scriptures, Shakya- When he arrived at the north gate, he came muni was born near the ancient city of Kapila- upon a religious seeker and was immediately vastu in Lumbini Gardens in southern Nepal. inspired to find the answers to humanity’s His father was Shuddhodana, the king of the fundamental sufferings: birth, aging, sickness Shakyas. His mother, Maya, died soon after and death. This series of encounters is called Shakyamuni’s birth and his maternal aunt the “four meetings.” Mahaprajapati raised him. At age nineteen, or by some accounts Several theories regarding his birth age twenty-nine, Shakyamuni renounced his suggest that he was born in 463, 566 or 624 privileged existence and embarked on a search BCE. During Nichiren Daishonin’s lifetime for life’s truth, devoting himself to spiritual in thirteenth-century Japan, it was generally seeking. accepted that Shakyamuni lived much earlier, from 1029 BCE to 949 BCE, based on accounts in the Chinese text Record of Wonders in the The Awakening Book of Chou.1 uring Shakyamuni’s time, many religious schools flourished in India. In addi- The Renunciation of a tionD to traditional Brahmanism (or classical Privileged Life Hinduism), new schools of thought and belief gained prominence. The founders of the six s a prince of the Shakya clan, Shakyamuni most important among these schools later grew up amid relative material wealth. came to be known in the Buddhist tradition HeA is said to have been exceptionally gifted in as the “six non-Buddhist teachers.” These new his studies and in the martial arts, and to have schools were further divided into some ninety- been handsome as well as wise for his years. five factions, each one vying for dominance. But in his heart there was always a vague Shakyamuni sought out some of the feeling of discontent. practitioners of these new schools in order

6 ESSENTIALS EXAM, PART 2 to learn about their teachings. He also prac- turning of the wheel of the Law.” Five ascetics ticed various religious austerities. Neverthe- who were formerly the Buddha’s companions less, even after spending considerable time were converted soon after, and became his mastering such practices, he still was not first disciples. Thereafter, for the rest of his satisfied with what he had achieved. life, Shakyamuni traveled far and wide to He then endeavored to practice on his preach the truth and wisdom of his enlight- own in an effort to find the answers to the enment; he never settled permanently in one four sufferings of birth, aging, sickness place. He encouraged his disciples to follow and death. At the age of thirty (other his example and spread the Law for the sake of sources suggest thirty-five), Shakyamuni people’s happiness. entered into a deep meditation under a Shakyamuni had many outstanding pipal tree (later known as a bodhi tree). He disciples who excelled in the understanding struggled with and ultimately conquered and practice of Buddhism. Representative his doubts, illusions and worldly cravings, of these were the “ten major disciples.” Each and became awakened to the Dharma, the was known as foremost in a particular ability fundamental Law or truth that enables all or capacity among all the Buddha’s disciples. people to overcome their sufferings. The Shariputra, for example, was recognized as the place of Shakyamuni’s awakening is known foremost in wisdom. as Buddhagaya (also Bodh Gaya). Having realized the true nature of life and all phenomena, Shakyamuni became known as The Great Ordeals the Buddha, or “Awakened One.” After his awakening, however, Shakyamuni s Shakyamuni and his disciples worked considered how best to share the wisdom to spread the Buddhist teachings, many of his enlightenment with others. He was people,A including influential aristocrats concerned whether people could understand and merchants, took faith. But some were the underlying truth of life to which he had jealous of the Buddha’s influence, including awakened. But once Shakyamuni resolved to other spiritual leaders whose followers had teach others, he did so wholeheartedly for the converted to Buddhism. They tried to obstruct rest of his life. Shakyamuni’s efforts and even made attempts In India during the Buddha’s lifetime, on his life. The Buddha’s major hardships are the rigid caste system placed limitations called the “nine great ordeals.” on learning and spirituality. But Shakya- The details of these ordeals differ according muni broke through the bonds of societal to various Buddhist traditions, but all include restrictions and began sharing his teachings Devadatta’s attempt to murder Shakyamuni. with everyone he could. This openness to Devadatta, Shakyamuni’s cousin, had become all people is a distinctive characteristic of the Buddha’s disciple but later betrayed Buddhist philosophy. him. Jealous of Shakyamuni, he schemed to usurp his position by luring monks to his side. He even goaded the prince of Magadha, Turning the Wheel of the Law Ajatashatru, into overthrowing his own father, King Bimbisara, a devout follower and esolved to share his enlightenment with patron of Shakyamuni. With Ajatashatru at others, Shakyamuni went to Varanasi, the throne and supporting him, Devadatta Rthen the cultural and religious center of India. made several attempts on the Buddha’s life. He preached for the first time at Deer Park His gravest offense, however, was his attempt near Varanasi, an event known as his “first to create division in the Buddhist Order.

THE HISTORY OF BUDDHISM 7 Overcoming these and many other obsta- Bringing closure to his life of eighty years cles, Shakyamuni and the Buddhist Order near the city of Kushinagara, Shakyamuni’s continued to spread Buddhism among the last words were, “Work out your salvation people. with diligence.” 4

The End and the Beginning This article is based on the book Kyogaku no kiso (Essentials of Study) published by the Soka Gakkai Study Department. fter preaching for more than four decades, Shakyamuni, sensing his life wasA drawing to an end, declared to his chief 1. The Record of Wonders in the Book of Chou: A Chinese work often cited for the information it contains disciple: “I have preached the truth without pertaining to Buddhist events, such as the dates of making any distinction between exoteric and Shakyamuni’s birth and death. These place Shakya- muni Buddha’s birth in 1029 BCE, the twenty-fourth esoteric doctrines [between what was taught year of the reign of King Chao of China’s Chou dynasty, publicly and privately]; for in respect of the and his death in 949 BCE, the fifty-second year of the reign of King Mu of the same dynasty. This account was 2 truths, Ananda, the Tathagata has no such traditionally adopted in China and Japan. It is generally thing as the closed fist of a teacher, who keeps agreed that this work was written before the early sixth 3 century CE. some things back.” Shakyamuni conveyed 2. Tathagata: The Thus Come One, an honorable title of a the full depth of his enlightenment to many, Buddha. 3. Dialogues of the Buddha [Digha-nikaya], vol. 2, fourth encouraging his disciples to rely upon the edition, trans. T.W. Rhys Davids, 107. Dharma, or Law, and upon themselves. 4. Ibid., 173.

Marc Giannavola

8 ESSENTIALS EXAM, PART 2