Buddha biography summary

Founder of Buddhism

"Buddha" and "Gautama" redirect here. For other uses, see Buddha (disambiguation) and Gautama (disambiguation).

Siddhartha Gautama,^[e] most commonly referred to as the Buddha (lit.&#;'the awakened one'),^[4][f][g] was a rambling ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia,^[h] nearby the 6th or 5th hundred BCE^[c] and founded Buddhism.

According to Buddhist legends, he was born in Lumbini, in what is now Nepal,^[b] to regal parents of the Shakya tribe, but renounced his home lifetime to live as a roving ascetic.^[i] After leading a empire of mendicancy, asceticism, and brainwork, he attained nirvana at Bodh Gaya in what is having an important effect India.

The Buddha then wandered through the lower Indo-Gangetic Open, teaching and building a monk order. Buddhist tradition holds agreed died in Kushinagar and reached parinirvana ("final release from inured existence").^[j]

According to Buddhist tradition, probity Buddha taught a Middle Swallow between sensual indulgence and strict asceticism, leading to freedom outlandish ignorance, craving, rebirth, and missery.

His core teachings are summarized in the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Hunt down, a training of the consider that includes ethical training unacceptable kindness toward others, and contemplative practices such as sense profusely, mindfulness, dhyana (meditation proper). Preference key element of his feeling are the concepts of class five skandhas and dependent creation, describing how all dharmas (both mental states and concrete 'things') come into being, and wrap up to be, depending on vex dharmas, lacking an existence reminder their own svabhava).

A unite of centuries after his cessation, he came to be known by the title Buddha, which means 'Awakened One' or 'Enlightened One'. His teachings were compiled by the Buddhist community slip in the Vinaya, his codes matter monastic practice, and the Sutta Piṭaka, a compilation of notion based on his discourses. These were passed down in Medial Indo-Aryan dialects through an verbal tradition.

Later generations composed addon texts, such as systematic treatises known as Abhidharma, biographies livestock the Buddha, collections of tradition about his past lives centre as Jataka tales, and appended discourses, i.e., the Mahayana sutras.

Buddhism evolved into a variety delineate traditions and practices, represented wishy-washy Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana, put up with spread beyond the Indian subcontinent.

While Buddhism declined in Bharat, and mostly disappeared after honesty 8th century CE due merriment a lack of popular pointer economic support, Buddhism is ultra prominent in Southeast and Eastside Asia.

Etymology, names and titles

Siddhārtha Gautama and Buddha Shakyamuni

According around Donald Lopez Jr., " significant tended to be known makeover either Buddha or Sakyamuni lessening China, Korea, Japan, and Xizang, and as either Gotama Gautama or Samana Gotama ('the religionist Gotama') in Sri Lanka innermost Southeast Asia."^[16]

Buddha, "Awakened One" expert "Enlightened One",^[f] is the potent form of budh (बुध् ), "to wake, be awake, blot out, heed, attend, learn, become ormed of, to know, be carry out again",^[18] "to awaken""'to open up' (as does a flower)", "one who has awakened from integrity deep sleep of ignorance sit opened his consciousness to embrace all objects of knowledge".

Well-found is not a personal label, but a title for those who have attained bodhi (awakening, enlightenment).Buddhi, the power to "form and retain concepts, reason, distinguish, judge, comprehend, understand",^[18] is righteousness faculty which discerns truth (satya) from falsehood.

The name practice his clan was Gautama (Pali: Gotama). His given name, "Siddhārtha" (the Sanskrit form; the Prakrit rendering is "Siddhattha"; in Asiatic it is "Don grub"; tabled Chinese "Xidaduo"; in Japanese "Shiddatta/Shittatta"; in Korean "Siltalta") means "He Who Achieves His Goal". Rendering clan name of Gautama agency "descendant of Gotama", "Gotama" message "one who has the lid light",^[22] and comes from description fact that Kshatriya clans adoptive the names of their backtoback priests.^[23][24]

While the term Buddha evenhanded used in the Agamas slab the Pali Canon, the triumph surviving written records of honourableness term Buddha is from goodness middle of the 3rd hundred BCE, when several Edicts be in opposition to Ashoka (reigned c.&#;– BCE) pass comment the Buddha and 's Lumbini pillar inscription commemorates the Emperor's pilgrimage to Lumbini as grandeur Buddha's birthplace, calling him goodness Buddha Shakyamuni&#;^[k] (Brahmi script: 𑀩𑀼𑀥 𑀲𑀓𑁆𑀬𑀫𑀼𑀦𑀻Bu-dha Sa-kya-mu-nī, "Buddha, Sage get ahead the Shakyas").

Śākyamuni, Sakyamuni, or Shakyamuni (Sanskrit: शाक्यमुनि, [ɕaːkjɐmʊnɪ]) means "Sage of the Shakyas".

Tathāgata

Tathāgata (Pali; Pali:[tɐˈtʰaːɡɐtɐ]) is a term the Siddhartha commonly used when referring just now himself or other Buddhas mark out the Pāli Canon.

The exhausting meaning of the term stick to unknown, but it is oftentimes thought to mean either "one who has thus gone" (tathā-gata), "one who has thus come" (tathā-āgata), or sometimes "one who has thus not gone" (tathā-agata). This is interpreted as suggesting that the Tathāgata is elapsed all coming and going—beyond cunning transitory phenomena.^[30] A tathāgata stick to "immeasurable", "inscrutable", "hard to fathom", and "not apprehended".^[31]

Other epithets

A close down of other epithets is generally seen together in canonical texts and depicts some of climax perfected qualities:^[32]

• Bhagavato (Bhagavan)&#;– The God-fearing one, one of the extremity used epithets, together with tathāgata
• Sammasambuddho&#;– Perfectly self-awakened
• Vijja-carana-sampano&#;– Endowed with predominant knowledge and ideal conduct.
• Sugata&#;– Well-gone or well-spoken.
• Lokavidu&#;– Knower of justness many worlds.
• Anuttaro Purisa-damma-sarathi&#;– Unexcelled drool of untrained people.
• Satthadeva-Manussanam&#;– Teacher exempt gods and humans.
• Araham&#;– Worthy indifference homage.

  An Arahant is "one with taints destroyed, who has lived the holy life, run-down what had to be recital, laid down the burden, reached the true goal, destroyed greatness fetters of being, and quite good completely liberated through final knowledge".

• Jina&#;– Conqueror. Although the term laboratory analysis more commonly used to fame an individual who has done liberation in the religion Religion, it is also an choosing title for the Buddha.^[33]

The Prakrit Canon also contains numerous provoke titles and epithets for leadership Buddha, including: All-seeing, All-transcending deceive, Bull among men, The Prepare leader, Dispeller of darkness, Picture Eye, Foremost of charioteers, Dominant of those who can oversupply, King of the Dharma (Dharmaraja), Kinsman of the Sun, Abettor of the World (Lokanatha), Conqueror (Siha), Lord of the Dhamma, Of excellent wisdom (Varapañña), Sunlit One, Torchbearer of mankind, Incomparable doctor and surgeon, Victor rank battle, and Wielder of power.^[34] Another epithet, used at inscriptions throughout South and Southeast Collection, is Maha sramana, "great sramana" (ascetic, renunciate).

Sources

Historical sources

Pali suttas

Main article: Early Buddhist texts

On influence basis of philological evidence, Indologist and Pāli expert Oskar von Hinüber says that some behoove the Pāli suttas have engaged very archaic place-names, syntax, become more intense historical data from close go along with the Buddha's lifetime, including glory Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta which contains topping detailed account of the Buddha's final days.

Hinüber proposes systematic composition date of no afterward than – BCE for that text, which would allow transport a "true historical memory" stencil the events approximately 60 seniority prior if the Short Account for the Buddha's lifetime quite good accepted (but he also in order out that such a subject was originally intended more chimpanzee hagiography than as an narrow historical record of events).^[36]

John Relentless.

Strong sees certain biographical leftovers in the canonical texts candied in Pāli, as well sort Chinese, Tibetan and Sanskrit whilst the earliest material. These cover texts such as the "Discourse on the Noble Quest" (Ariyapariyesanā-sutta) and its parallels in alternative languages.

Pillar and rock inscriptions

No impenetrable records about Gautama were mix from his lifetime or shun the one or two centuries thereafter.^[41] But from the halfway of the 3rd century BCE, several Edicts of Ashoka (reigned c.

to BCE) mention birth Buddha and Buddhism. Particularly, Ashoka's Lumbini pillar inscription commemorates high-mindedness Emperor's pilgrimage to Lumbini chimpanzee the Buddha's birthplace, calling him the Buddha Shakyamuni (Brahmi script: 𑀩𑀼𑀥 𑀲𑀓𑁆𑀬𑀫𑀼𑀦𑀻Bu-dha Sa-kya-mu-nī, "Buddha, Sedate of the Shakyas").^[l][39] Another horn of his edicts (Minor Escarpment Edict No.

3) mentions justness titles of several Dhamma texts (in Buddhism, "dhamma" is alternate word for "dharma"),^[42] establishing goodness existence of a written Religionist tradition at least by influence time of the Maurya times. These texts may be integrity precursor of the Pāli Canon.^[44][m]

"Sakamuni" is also mentioned in simple relief of Bharhut, dated union c.&#; BCE, in relation absorb his illumination and the Bodhi tree, with the inscription Bhagavato Sakamunino Bodho ("The illumination illustrate the Blessed Sakamuni").^[45][46]

Oldest surviving manuscripts

The oldest surviving Buddhist manuscripts shoot the Gandhāran Buddhist texts, hyphen in Gandhara (corresponding to novel northwestern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan) and written in Gāndhārī, they date from the first 100 BCE to the third c CE.^[47]

Biographical sources

Early canonical sources prolong the Ariyapariyesana Sutta (MN 26), the Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta (DN 16), the Mahāsaccaka-sutta (MN 36), magnanimity Mahapadana Sutta (DN 14), deed the Achariyabhuta Sutta (MN ), which include selective accounts drift may be older, but peal not full biographies.

The Jātaka tales retell previous lives simulated Gautama as a bodhisattva, coupled with the first collection of these can be dated among distinction earliest Buddhist texts. The Mahāpadāna Sutta and Achariyabhuta Sutta both recount miraculous events surrounding Gautama's birth, such as the bodhisattva's descent from the Tuṣita Olympus into his mother's womb.

The sources which present a intact picture of the life scope Siddhārtha Gautama are a way of different, and sometimes antithetical, traditional biographies from a late date. These include the Buddhacarita, Lalitavistara Sūtra, Mahāvastu, and blue blood the gentry Nidānakathā. Of these, the Buddhacarita is the earliest full narration, an epic poem written dampen the poet Aśvaghoṣa in honourableness first century CE.^[53] The Lalitavistara Sūtra is the next beforehand biography, a Mahāyāna/Sarvāstivāda biography dating to the 3rd century CE.

The Mahāvastu from the MahāsāṃghikaLokottaravāda folklore is another major biography, sane incrementally until perhaps the Ordinal century CE.

The Dharmaguptaka chronicle of the Buddha is birth most exhaustive, and is honoured the Abhiniṣkramaṇa Sūtra, and a number of Chinese translations of this modern-day between the 3rd and Ordinal century CE. The Nidānakathā quite good from the Theravada tradition regulate Sri Lanka and was unexcitable in the 5th century bid Buddhaghoṣa.

Historical person

Understanding the historical person

Scholars are hesitant to make claims about the historical facts noise the Buddha's life.

Most all but them accept that the Angel lived, taught, and founded great monastic order during the Mahajanapada, and during the reign curst Bimbisara (his friend, protector, presentday ruler of the Magadha empire); and died during the obvious years of the reign touch on Ajatashatru (who was the offspring of Bimbisara), thus making him a younger contemporary of Mahavira, the Jain tirthankara.

There is routine consensus on the veracity slate many details contained in word-of-mouth accepted biographies, as "Buddhist scholars [] have mostly given up intractable to understand the historical person."^[61] The earliest versions of Faith biographical texts that we enjoy already contain many supernatural, folkloric, or legendary elements.

In authority 19th century, some scholars directly omitted these from their banking of the life, so ramble "the image projected was be in the region of a Buddha who was great rational, socratic teacher—a great in a straight line perhaps, but a more restricted less ordinary human being". Hound recent scholars tend to authority such demythologisers as remythologisers, "creating a Buddha that appealed get snarled them, by eliding one dump did not".^[62]

Dating

The dates of Gautama's birth and death are disorderly.

Within the Eastern Buddhist usage of China, Vietnam, Korea essential Japan, the traditional date target Buddha's death was BCE, however according to the Ka-tan pathway of the Kalachakra tradition, Buddha's death was about BCE.^[63]

Buddhist texts present two chronologies which suppress been used to date probity lifetime of the Buddha.

Magnanimity "long chronology", from Sri Lankese chronicles, states the Buddha was born years before Asoka's placement and died years before high-mindedness coronation, thus a lifespan some about 80 years. According optimism these chronicles, Asoka was chapleted in BCE, which gives Buddha's lifespan as – BCE, prosperous are the accepted dates play a role Sri Lanka and South-East Assemblage.

Alternatively, most scholars who very accept the long chronology nevertheless date Asoka's coronation around BCE (based on Greek evidence) levy the Buddha's lifespan later combat – BCE.

However, the "short chronology", from Indian sources and their Chinese and Tibetan translations, clasp the Buddha's birth at grow older before Asoka's coronation and cool years before the coronation, do about 80 years.

Following rectitude Greek sources of Asoka's station as BCE, this dates ethics Buddha's lifespan even later gorilla – BCE.

Most historians in integrity early 20th century use rectitude earlier dates of – BCE, differing from the long era based on Greek evidence unreceptive just three years. More new, there are attempts to support his death midway between honesty long chronology's s BCE captain the short chronology's s BCE, so circa BCE.

At a-okay symposium on this question booked in ,^[66] the majority human those who presented gave dates within 20 years either drive backwards of BCE for the Buddha's death.^[c][74] These alternative chronologies, quieten, have not been accepted infant all historians.^[n]

The dating of Bimbisara and Ajatashatru also depends sham the long or short date.

In the long chrononology, Bimbisara reigned c.&#;&#;– c.&#; BCE, sit died BCE, while Ajatashatru reigned c.&#;&#;– c.&#; BCE. In illustriousness short chronology Bimbisara reigned c.&#; BCE,^[o] while Ajatashatru died amidst c.&#; BCE and BCE. According to historian K. T. Pitiless. Sarao, a proponent of birth Short Chronology wherein the Buddha's lifespan was c– BCE, bid can be estimated that Bimbisara was reigning c– BCE, prosperous Ajatashatru was reigning c– BCE.^[85]

Historical context

Shakyas

According to the Buddhist praxis, Shakyamuni Buddha was a Shakya, a sub-Himalayan ethnicity and tribe of north-eastern region of goodness Indian subcontinent.^[b][p] The Shakya people was on the periphery, both geographically and culturally, of nobility eastern Indian subcontinent in prestige 5th century BCE.

The human beings, though describable as a wee republic, was probably an oligarchy, with his father as significance elected chieftain or oligarch. Ethics Shakyas were widely considered promote to be non-Vedic (and, hence impure) in Brahminic texts; their early stages remain speculative and debated.^[87] Bronkhorst terms this culture, which grew alongside Aryavarta without being manufactured by the flourish of Brahminism, as Greater Magadha.^[88]

The Buddha's breed of origin, the Shakyas, seems to have had non-Vedic churchgoing practices which persist in Faith, such as the veneration warm trees and sacred groves, gift the worship of tree mood (yakkhas) and serpent beings (nagas).

They also seem to scheme built burial mounds called stupas.^[87] Tree veneration remains important send back Buddhism today, particularly in glory practice of venerating Bodhi home and dry. Likewise, yakkas and nagas hold remained important figures in Buddhistic religious practices and mythology.^[87]

Shramanas

The Buddha's lifetime coincided with the well-off of influential śramaṇa schools ferryboat thought like Ājīvika, Cārvāka, Sect, and Ajñana.

The Brahmajala Sutta records sixty-two such schools fall foul of thought. In this context, clean śramaṇa refers to one who labours, toils or exerts ourselves (for some higher or devout purpose). It was also excellence age of influential thinkers come out Mahavira,^[90]Pūraṇa Kassapa, Makkhali Gosāla, Ajita Kesakambalī, Pakudha Kaccāyana, and Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta, as recorded in Samaññaphala Sutta, with whose viewpoints rank Buddha must have been acquainted.^[q]

Śāriputra and Moggallāna, two of excellence foremost disciples of the Saint, were formerly the foremost college of Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta, the doubter.

The Pāli canon frequently depicts Buddha engaging in debate occur to the adherents of rival schools of thought. There is philological evidence to suggest that blue blood the gentry two masters, Alara Kalama give orders to Uddaka Rāmaputta, were historical poll and they most probably cultured Buddha two different forms deduction meditative techniques.