Course Overview
Buddha: Life and Biography Course
1. Early Life and Background
- Born as Siddhartha Gautama around 563 BCE in Lumbini, present-day Nepal.
- He belonged to the Shakya clan and was a prince, shielded from the sufferings of the world.
2.The Four Sights
- Encounters with old age, illness, death, and an ascetic that made Siddhartha question life's luxuries and compelled him to seek truth.
3. Renunciation
- At 29, he abandoned royal life and family to become an ascetic in search of enlightenment and the truth about life.
4. Years of Asceticism
- Siddhartha underwent rigorous practices and meditation. He tried multiple paths, including extreme asceticism, which he later abandoned.
5. Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree
- At around age 35, after meditating for 49 days under a Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India, Siddhartha attained enlightenment and became 'Buddha', the 'Awakened One'.
6. The First Sermon at Deer Park
- Buddha delivered his first teachings, setting in motion the 'Wheel of Dharma'. He talked about the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.
7. Formation of the Sangha
- Buddha's followers, including monks and laypersons, formed the Buddhist community called Sangha, which played a crucial role in spreading his teachings.
8. Teachings and Travels
- Over the next 45 years, Buddha traveled, taught, and transformed many lives. Key teachings include the concepts of impermanence, no-self, and the middle way.
9.Passing Away (Parinirvana)
- At the age of 80, in Kushinagar (present-day India), Buddha passed away, entering 'Parinirvana', a state beyond all births and deaths.
10. Legacy and Spread of Buddhism
- Following his death, Buddha's teachings spread throughout Asia and later worldwide, leading to the establishment of various Buddhist schools and traditions.
This course would provide an in-depth understanding of each of these points, exploring the profound teachings of Buddha and the significant impact of his life on spirituality and philosophy.