Essay on Gautama Buddha For Kids & Students
Gautama Buddha was one of the epic religious gurus in the world. He conveyed the message of peace, truth, equality and humanity. His sayings and teachings are the basis of one of the world’s best religions, Buddhism, followed in some countries like Burma, Japan, and China. According to the legends, he was born in Lumbini forests in 6th Century BC in Nepalese Terai. Before he became the enlightened Gautam Buddha, he was named Siddhartha Gautam. He was born to the ruler of Kapilavastu, Suddhodana, and Maya Devi, who was his mother died just after his birth. He got the Bodhi on the month of Vaishakhi Purnima on a full moon day.
He was a child with thoughtful bent of mind. He was inclined to spiritual and meditation pursuits, which were opposite to his father’s wishes. He was worried that Siddharth might leave him and his home. His father also tried to keep him out of the harsh realities of the world by restricting him to live inside the palace every time. When he turned 18, his father arranged his marriage with Yashodhara, who was a beautiful princess. They had a son “Rahul. But his marriage life couldn’t even change his mind.
According to the Buddhist traditions, when Siddharth has seen a sick person, an old man, and a dead body, he felt how temporary the pleasures and worldly passions are. So, he left his Kingdom and his family and went into the forest to search for truth and peace soon. To achieve knowledge, he wandered from one place to another. He met many saints and scholars but he was not fulfilled. Finally, he started strict meditation with huge physical sufferings. After 6 years of meditation and wandering, he got enlightenment when he was sitting one day under a banyan tree in a town of Bihar.
Then he got transformed into the enlightened Buddha when he turned 35. The tree under which he became enlightened is named as Bodhi Vriksha. He achieved what he desired and spoken his first lecture in Sarnath. What he taught is the world is full of sorrows and people face trouble due to their desire. We should follow the eightfold path to conquer our desires. The first three paths ensure physical control, next two are for mental control, and last two are for intellect.
According to the Buddha, the final goal is attainment of Nirvana in Buddhism. It could be achieved neither by sacrifice nor by prayer. Right kind of thinking and living is important to achieve this. Buddha didn’t talk about God. Most of his teachings are based on a system of ethics and philosophy instead of a religion. It affirms the law of Karma. In this law, the actions of a person in life determine his status in future. The principles of non-violence are the basis of Buddhism. The Tripitika is a collection of his life, teachings, and philosophical discourses on the commentaries and teachings. He achieved his Nirvana in 483 B.C. in Khushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.
