Years before, a prince was born in the land of Nepal, by the name of Siddhartha Gautama. By tradition, he is said to have been destined by birth to the life of a prince, and had three palaces (for seasonal occupation) built for him.
When he reached the age of 16, his father reputedly arranged his marriage to a cousin of the same age named Yaśodharā . According to the traditional account, she gave birth to a son, named Rāhula. Siddhartha is said to have spent 29 years as a prince in Kapilavastu. Although his father ensured that Siddhartha was provided with everything he could want or need, Buddhist scriptures say that the future Buddha felt that material wealth was not life's ultimate goal.
At the age of 29 Siddhartha left his palace to meet his subjects. Despite his father's efforts to hide from him the sick, aged and suffering, On these he encountered a diseased man, a decaying corpse, and an ascetic. These depressed him, and he initially strove to overcome aging, sickness, and death by living the life of an ascetic.
King Siddhartha Gautama decided to leave the palace and pursue his calling. So he left the kingdom and searched for several spiritual teachers to learn from them.
After realizing that meditative Dhyana (Arhatic Dhyan Meditation) was the right path to awakening, but that extreme asceticism didn't work, Gautama discovered what Buddhists call the Middle Way, a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification, or the Eightfold Path, as described in the first discourse of the Buddha.
Following this incident, Gautama was famously seated under a pipal tree—now known as the Bodhi tree—in Bodh Gaya, India, when he vowed never to arise until he had found the truth. Kaundinya and four other companions, believing that he had abandoned his search and become undisciplined, left.
Through meditation, his mind became calmer and his concentration deepened. In this calm and peaceful meditating state, Siddhartha Gautama sat his mind to realize his true nature and the true nature of life.
Everything seemed so connected, happening with a cause and an effect on everything else in this whole.
He then, realized his true nature and how his latest life as Prince Siddhartha was but a bead in the series of lifetimes. at the time of his awakening he realized complete insight into the Four Noble Truths, the endless cycle of rebirth, suffering and dying again. He realized that death is nothing but changing the physical vehicle, enabling the soul to gain a whole new experience every time it is born again.
He saw how all the pleasures and pains are but a temporary worldly experience teaching man lessons to make him grow. Rich in one lifetime can be poor in another; king in one lifetime can be a beggar in another!
He then looked at the suffering of the world and how people create their own misery and joy. He realized then, the causes of suffering, and that attachments and physical possessions can never bring man the everlasting joy.
And Finally at the Full Moon of Taurus, the Vesak (Wesak) after a reputed 49 days of meditation, at the age of 35, he discovered the means to end this suffering, which made his body filled with a radiant light. His mind became so peaceful and calm. With a pleasant smile he arouse from his meditation and looked up, when he saw the morning star. At this holy moment, a great understanding came to him. He saw himself, all the life, the world and the planets as one. He experienced all the past and all the future simultaneously and realized the meaning of life, the existence, and why we are born on this earth and where do we come from. He thus found the truth and he is said to have attained Enlightenment, and became known as the Buddha or "Awakened One" ("Buddha" is also sometimes translated as "The Enlightened One").
Prince Siddhartha became the Lord Buddha who is now also known as Gautama Buddha or Śhakyamuni Buddha.
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