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LORD BUDDHA |
The birth of the prince Siddhartha over 2545 years ago to King Suddhodhana, the ruler of Kapilawastu in Northern India was a significant event in the history of mankind, in spite of the fact that the father brought up the young prince with luxurious pampering and amidst surroundings away from all cares and affections of world , three ominous sights, one after the other-Old age, disease and death-convinced the prince of the futility of worldly pleasure. |
| At the age of 21 years he resolved to
seek for the true knowledge which could end misery. He then left the royal
palace leaving his wife, only child and the family and set himself to a long
tireleass quest for salvation, not merely for himself but for the entire
mankind may along with a beggers bowl in his hand. Siddhartha wandered about
as an ascetic seeking guidance from the- then religious leaders. But nothing
could satisfy him. At Uruwela near Gaya, he practiced the most frigid
austerities, but the TRUTH still eluded him . He realized that
self-mortification was not the means to Enlightenment . |
| On the full moon day of the way to
the Vaishakha or Vesak when the evening came Siddhartha wended his way to
the Bodhi Mandala the sight of the Tree of Enlightenment (SRI MAHA BODHI
TREE) spreading kusa prass at the foot of the tree , the spot which was to
be the VAJRASANA or DIAMOND SEAT, Siddhartha sat facing the east with the
strong determination “LET MY SKIN SINEWS AND BONES SHRIVEL AND WITHER LET MY
FLESH AND BLOOD DRY UP. I WILL NOT STIR FROM THIS SEAT UNTILL . I HAVE
ATTAINED SUPREME AND ABSOLUTE INSITHT” |
| He resolutely resisted temptation of
evil forces and thus attained SUPREME ENLIGHTENMENT OR BODHI thereafter he
came to be known as the Buddha of the Enlightened one and his noble teaching
as BUDDHISM ASSOCIATED WITH THE LIFE OF THE BUDDHA AND BUDDHISM. |
| The Tibetan pilgrim, Dharmaswaminm, who visited the spot in the 13th century refers to the place as Vajrasana or Diamond Seat. |