Biography of: Buddha

I. Early Years

A. The Brahmins predict Prince Siddartha's future: he could rule the universe as a prince or leave the royal life to become enlightened.

B. Siddartha is born and supposedly already looks a few years and walks and ta

lks. He declares "I am the leader of the world and the guide of the world."

C. Siddartha's father wants his son to live the royal life, so he absolutely spoils his child and tries to hide him from the horrors in the world.

D. Siddartha marries, and once he has kids, is allowed to travel outside the royal palace.

II. Significant Events

A. Siddartha goes on three trips and learns about suffering. He learned that people grow weak as they age, people get sick, and that everyone will die.

B. Troubled because of his discovery of suffering, Siddartha goes on another trip and meets an ascetic, who tells him "I find peace by helping others find peace."

C. Siddartha gives up the royal life and tries to become enlightened like the acsetic.

D. Siddartha joins other ascetics in the forest. They meditate to try to find enlightment and try to find spiritual truth by denying themselves of human needs for periods of time.

E. Siddartha grows unhappy with the way of life and is still not enlightened. He decides the key to enlightment is to be in between a prince and ascthetic.

F. Siddartha is enlightened on his 35th birthday. He meditates and fights temptations and sees how to gain freedom from the cycle of suffering and finds and spreads the Four Noble Truths.

III. Personal Attributes

A. Curious- Siddartha constantly questions the world around him.

B. Kind- Instead of selfishly being the only enlightened one, he tries to spread enlightment to others.

IV. Contributions to History

A. Created the basis for buddhism

B. Through teaching it to others, he and his followers spread buddhism through India and Asia.

V. My Impressions

Siddhartha was right to be curious and persevered through his efforts to try to find enlightment. He was then kind when he tried to spread enlightment to others instead of selfishly keeping it to himself. I perceive him as a good person.