Lord Buddha: The Greatest Son of India and World Peace Emblem By: Raj Kumar Oshoraj

Buddhism is also known as Buddha Dhamma, which means ‘teachings of the Awakened One’ in Sanskrit and Pali: languages of ancient India . Buddhism began around the 5th century BCE in India with the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who is also known as ‘The Buddha’ which means the one who is awakened.

Siddhartha Gautama was his name before he left home in search of ultimate truth at the age of twenty eight and after seven years of continuous painful laborious search; he attained enlightenment and was called ‘The Buddha’ whom we also know today as ‘The Lord Buddha’. He is also referred with other names as Bhagwan Buddha, Gautama Buddha, Tathagata and Sakyamuni Buddha etc. Buddha died at the age of eighty and preached Dhamma daily for forty five years. Buddha: Siddhartha Gautama, the historical founder of Buddhism, was born in Lumbini - a place situated in modern Nepal .

The historical Buddha lived around the sixth century BCE. Emperor ‘Ashoka the Great’, who converted to Buddhism and made it a popular religion in India and beyond. It could be said here that he was the first revivalist of Buddhism. Today, Buddhism is the fourth largest religion of the world.

Full moon day of May is the most important day for practicing Buddhists all around the world. Three important events are related to this day: Visakha: Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing away. Each year it is celebrated on full moon day of May and this year it’s on May 19, 2008 in Canada . It is called ‘Visakha’ in Pali language (Buddha preached in Pali) which is also known as Vaisakha in Sanskrit and Vesak in Sinhalese (Sri Lankan) language.

After attaining enlightenment; Buddha preached daily for forty five years for the welfare of the humanity. Here is what Buddha realized and preached after attaining enlightenment.

Four Noble Truths

The Eightfold Path

The Buddha created The Eightfold Path as a way to end the suffering of humanity. These eight aspects help the seeker of truth to become aware about the reasons for these sufferings. As the seeker is becoming more and more aware about his consciousness it helps him to achieve the final goal of Nirvana (ultimate state of peace and happiness).

Eightfold Path:

Panchsheel

All religions of the world have fundamental teachings for their followers. Panchsheel in Buddhism is the basic teachings of The Buddha to help all to behave in the society such a way that no one harms anyone including themselves.

The Five Precepts:

Tripitaka

Buddhism has religious scriptures like other religions of the world. It is formally called Tripitaka simply because it is divided into three categories. In the ancient days the writings of Tripitaka were memorized and recited orally by Buddha’s disciples. They are traditionally classified in three baskets ( tri-pi ṭ ak a ) in the following order:

Dhammapada (path of the dhamma) is part of Sutra Pitaka which contains 423 verses in 26 categories spoken by Buddha on various occasions.

Buddha’s India

India is proud of her great son ‘Lord Buddha’ and applauded by world community on international platform for Buddha’s contributions to the humanity. India has embraced his teachings and remembered Lord Buddha by having him on most important symbols of the nation: National Emblem of India and Dhamma Chakra in Indian Flag.

National Emblem of India

The national emblem of India is an adaptation of Buddhist Lion which is on Indian currency also. The original sandstone-sculpted Lion Capital of Ashoka preserved at Sarnath Museum which was originally erected around 250 BCE atop an Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath. The angle from which this picture has been taken, minus the inverted bell-shaped lotus flower, has been adopted as the National Emblem of India showing the Horse on the left and the Bull on the right of the Ashoka Chakra in the circular base on which the four Indian lions are standing back to back. On the far side there is an Elephant and a Lion instead. The wheel "Ashoka Chakra" from its base has been placed onto the centre of the National Flag of India . (www.wikipedia.org)

Dharma Chakra

This Dharma Chakra (Ashoka Chakra) depicted the "wheel of righteousness" in the Sarnath Lion Capital made by the 3rd-century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (a Buddhist King). The ‘Ashoka Chakra’ in the centre of the white is the wheel of the law of dharma. Truth or dharma or virtue ought to be the controlling principle of those who work under this flag. Again, the wheel denotes motion. There is death in stagnation. There is life in movement. India should no more resist change, it must move and go forward. The wheel represents the dynamism of a peaceful change. (www.wikipedia.org)

Teachings of Lord Buddha

Buddha preached and taught based on logic and rational. His Kalama Sutta is staunch evidence of this. The Kalama Sutta ( Sanskrit: Kalama Sutra) is a Buddhist sutta in the Anguttara Nikaya of the Tipitaka. Kalama sutta is also called Buddha's charter of free inquiry. After observation and analysis, when it agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.

In this sutta, Gautama Buddha passes through the village of Kesaputta (in ancient Kurukshetra state and presently known as Haryana state in India) and is greeted by the people who live there: the Kalamas. The Kalamas greet the Buddha and ask for advice. According to the Kalamas, many wandering holy men and ascetics pass through the village, expounding their teachings and criticizing others'. The Kalamas ask the Buddha whose teachings they should follow. In response, he delivered a sutta that serves as an entry-point to Buddhist beliefs to those unconvinced by revelatory experiences.

The Buddha instructs the Kalama People on which basis one should decide which religious teaching to accept as true. The Buddha tells the Kalamas to not just believe religious teachings because they are claimed to be true by various sources or through the application of various methods and techniques. He urges that direct knowledge from one's own experience should be called upon. He notably does not, however, say (contrary to popular misconception) that his own teachings should not be accepted or not accorded trust: rather, he counsels that the words of the wise should be heeded and taken into account when deciding upon the value of a teaching.

Do not believe in traditions merely because they have been handed down for many generations and in many places; do not believe in anything because it is rumoured and spoken of by many; do not believe because the written statements of some old sage is produced; do not believe in what you have fancied, thinking that because it is extraordinary, it must have been implanted by a deva or a wonderful being.

Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness," enter on and abide in them.' (www.wikipedia.org)

Buddhists are reminded to live in harmony with people of other faiths and to respect the beliefs of other people as the Buddha had taught. May all living beings be happy! These were the very last words Buddha spoke:

"Behold, O monks, this is my last advice to you. All component things in the world are changeable. They are not lasting. Work hard to gain your own salvation. Do your best. "

(Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com May 19, 2008 )