Number 4 in Buddhism

Siddhartha and the Four Passing Sights

Siddhartha Gautama was the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Maha Maya. He was born in Lumbini, which is in modern day Nepal, in 563 BCE.

He died in Kushinagar, India in 483 BCE.

The name Siddhartha means: “he who achieves his aim”.

He is the founder of Buddhism.

Siddhartha grew up in luxury. He married Yasodhara. She gave birth to their son, named Rahula.

Shortly after their son was born Siddhatha left the palace and his family. He was deeply disturbed by the four sights he had seen.

1. A crippled old man 

2.  A sick man

3. A decaying corpse

4. An ascetic, a monk

Siddhatha left everything behind and started his quest to find the truth about suffering and how to end it.

It is told he achieved enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree.

He now knew the answer to suffering and how to end it. The answer was “The Four Noble Truths”.

Picture: Wat Phra Yuen Plutthabat Yukhon Amphoe Laplae, Uttaradit Province, Thailand

Number 4 in Buddhism – The Four Nobel Truths

The nature of suffering.

Birth, death, sorrow, grief, despair are all suffering – and the list goes on and on    

The origin of suffering.

One cause would be craving    

The cessation of suffering.

Freedom and cessation of craving.    

The way leading to the cessation of suffering. 

The way meaning the Noble Eightfold Way

Dukkha – Samudaya – Nirodha – Mãrga   

 

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” Gautama Buddha, Founder of Buddhism

“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so let us all be thankful.” Gautama Buddha, Founder of Buddhism