LIFE OF THE BUDDHA
1. The State of Sakka
Copy from The Buddha's Teachings In Commemoration of Somdet Phra yannasangvorn
1.1 During one hundred years before the Buddist Era the region called Jambudipa in ancient times which is presently the locations of Nepal, India and some parts of Pakistan used to be inhadited by a people by the name of Ariyaka or Aryan for thousands of years. The Jumpudipa was bordered in the North by the Himalayan range, in the South by the Indian Ocean. Its borders extended in the East to the forest of Mahavan in the state of Assam, whereas in the West to the basin of Indus River. However, the parts on the Ganges basin and of other rivers emptying its water at the Ganges estuary called Maddhayamapadesa, literally the 'Middle or Central Country', were far more prosperous than the rest, which were called Paccanta Janapada, the external country. Most of the people at the times professed Brahmanism, with the Yoga discipline winning contemporary popularity to a certain, although lesser, extent. All in all, the public temperament being then focussed on spiritual lnowledge and psychical feats.
1.2 North of the Jampudipa there was a small state by the name of Sakka, generally called Sakka Janapada, situated in the basin of Rohini River. At present it is in the country of Nepal. It was a prosperous state which abounnded with teak and was also rich in vegetation. Located on the foothills of the Himalayan, it was governed by a form of abminstration based on unity and harmony, with its chieftains by the name of Sakya lineage. This ruler, or we may call him king, of this clan or state was called Suddhadana, with the capital city called Kapilavatthu. As such, he was chief of all the Sakyan nobles. His state, including his capital city, wa noted for its progress and prosperity in a variety of arts and knowledge, of that time. All the Sakyan leaders made it a rule to give priority to agriculture, with a large portion of their time devoted to its improvement and development, and with all the Sakyan leaders directly overseeing the farming activities. The people were then dlessed with happiness and peace.
2. Birth of the Buddha
2.1 Eigthty-one years before the Buddhist Era, Suddhodana's queen, Mahamaya Devi, was pregnant for the first time. At the approach of delivery, which was close to ten months' time, she decided, as was the then custom of married women, to give birth to the child ing Devadaha her own hometown. Thus on the fullmoon day of the Vesakha Lunar month, she left Kapilavatthu in the morning together with her retinue. It was almost noon when she arrived at a grove called Lumbini, midway between Kapilavatthu and Devadaha. Here she stopped to have a rest under in the shade of a Sala tree where she was suddenly in labour and before long gave birth, while standing and holding an overhanging branch of the Sala tree, and infant boy. Her labour was without any difficulty whatever. When this was made known to King Suddhodana, he had his queen, together with the infant son, return to the city of Kapilavatthu.
Five Days after that, the king arranged a naming ceremony for his son in which the name 'Siddhattha' (literally 'having the wish fulfilled') was chosen as token of his wish (for a son) having been fulfilled. Druing the ceremony 108 distinguished Brahmins were invited to have a meal in the palace and also to determine the characteristics and destiny of the royal infant. Of the 108 Brahmins, all but one, having seen all the major and minor characteristics of a great man on the royal infant, predicted that should the infant choose the sevular life when he grew up, he would be a Universal King or ruler of the world, but in case he should prefer a religious life instead, he would certainly become the greatest religious founder of the world. However, there was, as mentioned above, only one as the exception since he appeared to have an exceptional pre-cognitive power. He was called Kondanna, who prephesied confidently, and thus unconditionally, that the infant was to lead a religious life and as such to become the foremost religious teacher of the world.
Seven days after giving birth to her infant son, queen Mahamaya passed away. King Suddhodana then placed Siddhattha his infant son under the care of Mahapajapati, the queen's younger sister or the infant son's aunt, who later became his second queen.
2.2 When Siddhattha grew up and reached his childhood, the king, following the royal tradition of the times, had his son educated, under the most famous teacher available by the name of Visvamitta, in all the martial and administrative arts and disciplines befitting one, whom be intended was to become a world-ruler, as predcted by the 108 Brahmins. At the age of 15, Siddhattha was able to absorb whatever had been taught him by his able teacher. In a display of his prowess in archery amidst his relatives, he was regarded as unequalled. Even in other arts and branches of knowledge he came out the top of other competitors, --to the rapt amazement of all who witnessed the events.
2.3 After the marriage he was nominated as heir to the throne of Kapilavatthu. Then his father had three palatial residences buil for the prince’s comfort and pleasure, one for each season, in all of which he was kept surrounded by whatever entertainments and pleasures he wished for. This until 13 years later, when he was 29 and his princess consort was pregnant.
3. The Great Renunciation
3.1 It was also in this year that he became convinced of the nature of the world (or the secular life) and, with such a disillusionment, was often pre-occupied with the manner by which he would be delivered from its bondage. Finally, he came to a conclusion that renunciation, or a homeless life, was to be a respite by which he would be freed of the bonds or cocoon of the worldly life. With that resolution he had waited for an opening for some time until one night when, at the first watch (i.e. during the first three hours) he was informed of the birth of his infant son. Whereupon he exclaimed, on the spur of the moment, "Rahulam jatam bandhanam jatam", which meant, "A noose is born, a tie is born." It was because of this exclamation that the infant son was called Rahala, the noose.
He arrived, that night, at the final decision. Pretending to start the rites called Asvamedha, where in a ceremonial horse was to be released, letting it roam freely into other territories, he ordered his personal attendant to harness the white stallion by the name of Kanthaka for himself. At the second watch of the night (i.e. between 9 p.m. to 12 o’clock, by midnight) he entered his chamber, gazed at his wife and child while they were sleeping. Then turned back and hurried to where Channa, his attendant, had prepared the stallion waiting for him, they sped out of the city under that pretex, the prince with the "Great Renunciation" as his ulterior, ultimate aim.
3.2 That night both proceeded Southward to the state of Magadha, and at dawn reached the river called Anoma, which bordered the states of Sakka and Malla. Crossing over to the other side, the prince stood on the shore while ordering Channa to take back the horse, together with its decorations. He then cut off the tuff of his hair with his sword and, solemnly taking the vow of monkhood, dressed himself in the form of a recluse called 'Bhikkhu'. Channa having left, he proceeded alone, from that time onwards, heading for the state of Magadha in his quest for the Dhamma of Deliverance from spiritual Defilements.
3.3 Arriving in Magadha, the first of all sought admission into the denominations of two famous hermits or Yogis at the time viz. Alara and Uddaka. There he had stayed for instructions from both hermits until he finally achieved the fulfilment of their teachings i.e. the eight Samapatti (Attainments). However, having realized that ever such Attainments were not yet the full-final goal of his quest, he departed, going on alone until he reached the district of Uruvela, with river Neranjara meandering its way not far off, together with a village wherefrom the almsfood could be obtained. Seeing the favourable conditions the pleasant, lush green surroundings, he decided to stay there and then started the traditional practice of self-mortification in a variety of ways and degrees unexcelled by others before him. Nevertheless, the way or Dhamma of Deliverance still cluded him.
While undertaking the rigid, highly austere practices, the price-monk was attended upon by five Brahmins viz. Kondanna, Vappa, Bhaddiya, Mahanama and Assaji, who were among the Brahmins invited by King Suddhodana to predict the future of his royal infant a few days after his birth. Of course, having learnt about the prince-monk's renunciation, they were encouraged by the faith of their own prediction and, forming the group of five called Pancavaggiya, followed his example and attended upon him in the hope that, should he attain the Dhamma of Deliverance, they would be able to be his disciples and share with him that Dhamma. Thus, while the prince-monk was experimenting upon the rigorous practices of self-mortification, he was faithfully watched and reverently looked after by tense five Ascetics.
3.4 It had been six arduous years from the time of his Great Renunciation to that of his great, unexcelled self-mortification, when he finally realized that, having followed out its course and left no stones unturned, he had every reason to conclude that such a practice was not one to lead him to Enlightenment. With such decision, he stopped his fast and started to partake of food once again. This came as a shock to the Five Ascetice, who naively concluded that he had reversed to self-indulgence, being thereby a failure. Thus they departed, to dwell in the der-park of Isipatana, in the city of Benares. Mean-while the prince-monk, blessed with more seclusion and more strength of the body due to the partaking of food to a moderate degree, diverted his exertion process, sublimating it steadily and progressively towards spiritual efforts. The successful culmination of his long quest came on the fullmoon day of Vesakha lunar (sixth) month when, in the cool, opalescent morning, he seated himself under the shade of an Assattha tree some distance from Neranjara river. At that moment a young girl by the name of Sujata, daughter of the wealthy village headman of the district of Uruvela Senanigama, had a dish it on a golden tray, intending to offer it as obligation to a tree-god in accordance with the tradition of her religious belief. Carrying the tray to the Assattha tree, she saw the great recluse seating himself there in meditative silence, looking radiant and dignified like a celestial being himself. Concluding that he was the tree-god, she was deeply impressed and, placing the golden tray before him, expressed her wish to offer him the tray along with the rice gruel thereon. After the girl had left, the prince-monk accepted the offer and proceeded to the landing place nearby. He took a bath in the river before partaking of the rice gruel. Thereafter he floated the tray down the river and retired he the rest of the day in the Sala grove by the riverside.
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Buddhism was originated in Northern India by Siddhartha Gautama. Gautama was born around 563 BCE (Before Common Era) in Lumbini which is known in modern day as Nepal. At the age of 29, Gautam departed his wife, children and political involvements in order to seek truth. At that particular time it was an accepted way for men to leave their family and lead into the life of an abstinent. Gautama studied Brahmanism, but eventually rejected it. In 535 BCE, he attained enlightenment and assumed the title Buddha, meaning the one who has awakened.
Gautam is also referred to as the Sakyamuni, (sage of the Sakya clan). He promoted The Middle Way, rejecting both extremes of the mortification of the flesh and of hedonism as paths toward the state of Nirvana. His means lead to many disciples and accumulated a large public following by the time of his death in his early 80's in 483 BCE.
250 years later, a council of Buddhist monks collected his teachings and the oral traditions of the faith into written form, called the Tripitaka. The collections included large commentaries and traditions; most are called Sutras (discourses). Buddhism later expanded across Asia with two main forms:
Theravada Buddhism (called Southern Buddhism; sometime spelled Therevada) is the major school of Buddhism in most of Southeast Asia since the 13th century, such as Thailand, Burma, Cambodia and Laos.
Mahayana Buddhism (called Northern Buddhism) is largely found in China, Japan, Korea, Tibet and Mongolia. The added Tibetan Buddhism was developed in segregation from Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism because of Tibet being isolated.
THAILAND BUDDHISM
About 94% of Thailand populations are Buddhist. The Lord Buddha, The Dhamma, (the way he taught) which can lead to Enlightenment and Nirvana, and the Noble Order of Enlightened. Religion plays a central part of community life and the temple offers refuge for those seeking consolation. Often the father of the family retires to the temple after the death of his wife. Practically most male Buddhist will become a monk for at least a short period. Some males even commend for life.
The monks follow a simple life which starts early in the morning. They walk around the areas adjacent to the temple to receive alms from the local community. This is where practically all of their food comes from.
Young boy cannot become a monk until he reaches the age of twenty. He can then continue as a monk for as long as he wishes, even for just one day.
All monks are given specific duties in running and maintaining the temple. After being in the monkshood for several years and demonstrating extreme commitment to both social work and spiritual study, a monk can be promoted gradually until he reaches the Sangha Supreme Council; the governing body presided over by the Supreme Patriarch.
All monks must follow 227 strict teachings of conduct, many of which concern his relations with members of the opposite sex. When a monk is ordained he is said to be reborn into a new life and the past no longer counts - not even if he was married.
Women are forbidden to touch a monk, not even staying alone in the same room. If a woman wishes to offer something to a monk, she must pass through piece of cloth. Monk always carries a piece of cloth for this purpose. The monk will lay the cloth on the ground or table, holding on to one end. The woman places the offering on the cloth and the monk then draws it away.
Thai monks can be seen wearing diverse shades of robes, from dark brown to the familiar brilliant saffron. There are no rules, but the darker shades are preferred by monks in the Dharmmayuth faction and Thu-dong or forest monks.
To read more about Thailand Buddhisim go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_Thailand/
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