π Topic 03 of 6 Β· Chapter 04 Β· Mahajanapadas, Jainism & Buddhism
Buddhism β Gautama Buddha & Teachings
Life of Buddha, Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, Nirvana, Buddhist councils, spread of Buddhism.
π Life of Gautama Buddha
| Event | Details | Place |
|---|---|---|
| Birth | 563 BCE; born as Siddhartha Gautama | Lumbini (Nepal) |
| Parents | Shuddhodana (Shakya chief) and Mahamaya | Kapilavastu |
| Clan | Shakya clan β hence called Shakyamuni | β |
| Four Sights | Old man, sick man, dead man, wandering monk β led to renunciation | β |
| Great Renunciation | At age 29; left palace, wife Yashodhara, son Rahula | Kapilavastu |
| Enlightenment (Bodhi) | At age 35; after 49 days of meditation under Bodhi tree | Bodh Gaya (Bihar) |
| First Sermon (Dhammachakkapavattana) | “Turning of the Wheel of Dharma”; to five disciples | Sarnath (UP) |
| Death (Mahaparinirvana) | 483 BCE; at age 80 | Kushinara (UP) |
β Key Fact: Buddha’s first sermon at Sarnath is called Dhammachakkapavattana (Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dharma). His five disciples who heard the first sermon were: Kondanna, Vappa, Bhaddiya, Mahanama, and Assaji. This event is called the Dhamma Chakra Pravartana.
βΈοΈ Buddha’s Teachings
1. Four Noble Truths (Arya Satya)
- Dukkha β Life is suffering/unsatisfactory
- Samudaya β Suffering has a cause (desire/craving β tanha)
- Nirodha β Suffering can be ended (by eliminating desire)
- Magga β The path to end suffering (Eightfold Path)
2. Eightfold Path (Ashtangika Marga)
| Category | Path |
|---|---|
| Wisdom (Prajna) | Right View, Right Intention |
| Morality (Sila) | Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood |
| Meditation (Samadhi) | Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration |
3. Other Key Teachings
- Middle Path (Madhyama Pratipad) β avoid extreme asceticism and extreme indulgence
- Ahimsa β non-violence; do not harm living beings
- Anicca β impermanence; everything changes
- Anatta β no permanent self/soul (unlike Jainism which believes in Jiva)
- Pratityasamutpada β dependent origination; everything arises in dependence on conditions
- Nirvana β liberation; extinguishing of desire; end of suffering and rebirth
- Rejected Vedic authority, caste system, and animal sacrifice
π Buddhist Texts
- Tripitaka (Three Baskets) β main Buddhist scriptures in Pali:
- Vinaya Pitaka β rules for monks and nuns
- Sutta Pitaka β Buddha’s discourses and teachings
- Abhidhamma Pitaka β philosophical analysis
- Jataka Tales β stories of Buddha’s previous lives; valuable for social history
- Milindapanha β dialogue between King Menander and monk Nagasena
ποΈ Buddhist Sects
| Sect | Meaning | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Hinayana | Lesser Vehicle | Original Buddhism; individual salvation; no idol worship; Pali language; Theravada |
| Mahayana | Greater Vehicle | Universal salvation; Bodhisattva ideal; idol worship; Sanskrit; spread to China, Japan |
| Vajrayana | Diamond Vehicle | Tantric Buddhism; spread to Tibet; Nalanda and Vikramashila centres |
π Exam Tip:
β’ Birth = Lumbini; Enlightenment = Bodh Gaya; First Sermon = Sarnath; Death = Kushinara
β’ Four Noble Truths = Dukkha, Samudaya, Nirodha, Magga
β’ Middle Path = avoid extremes
β’ Anatta = no permanent soul (key difference from Jainism)
β’ Hinayana = individual salvation; Mahayana = universal salvation
β’ Birth = Lumbini; Enlightenment = Bodh Gaya; First Sermon = Sarnath; Death = Kushinara
β’ Four Noble Truths = Dukkha, Samudaya, Nirodha, Magga
β’ Middle Path = avoid extremes
β’ Anatta = no permanent soul (key difference from Jainism)
β’ Hinayana = individual salvation; Mahayana = universal salvation