#60 CAN YOU PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE LIFE OF SHAKYA MUNI BUDDHA

#60 - CAN YOU PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE LIFE OF SHAKYA MUNI BUDDHA?
Answer: GAUTAMA BUDDHA (SHAKYA MUNI) Gautama Buddha, also known as Sakiya Muni, was born on the full moon day of April in 563 BCE when His mother, Queen Maya, was passing through the Lumbini Garden on her way from the capital Kapilavastu to Devadaha. He was a prince named Siddhartha, the son of King Suddhodana, belonging to the Gotama clan, in the Kingdom of Sakiya. From a young age, He displayed extraordinary wisdom and boundless compassion. He excelled in both literature and martial arts, had vast knowledge in various fields, philosophies and doctrines. However, He was deeply concerned with finding the ultimate enlightenment and liberation for all beings. To keep Siddhartha tied to worldly life, His father, the king, arranged for Him to marry Princess Yasodhara (Baddhakaccānā) when He was 16 years old. However, at the age of 29, just after the birth of His son Rahula, Siddhartha secretly left the palace and renounced worldly life on the 8th day of the second lunar month. For six years, He sought out teachers and practiced extreme asceticism, but he did not find success. He then chose the path of meditation. After 49 days and nights of sitting motionless under the Assatha (Bodhi) tree in Gaya, in the village of Uruvela, He attained Buddhahood, with full achievement of the Threefold Knowledge. He was 35 years old at the time. From then on, He traveled to many places to teach the profound path of enlightenment and liberation to both humans and celestial beings. Many kings, ministers, Brahmin priests, merchants, and even the lowest castes became His lay followers or monastic disciples. Many of his disciples also attained extraordinary enlightenment. On the full moon day of the 12th lunar month in 483 BCE, at the age of 80, he entered Nirvana. After his cremation, many relics were left behind and enshrined in stupas, some of which still exist today. His saintly disciples compiled his teachings into the Three Baskets of Scriptures (Tripitaka), preserving them for posterity. Today, after much suffering, grief, wars, and violence, the United Nations has recognized Buddhism as a religion of peace and designated the Buddha's birthday as an international day of religious and culture. The United Nations officially celebrated the Buddha’s birthday, known as Vesak, in a grand ceremony at its headquarters in the year 2000. Many prominent intellectuals around the world have also embraced Buddhism.
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