Brass Blessing Sitting Buddha Statue

Buddha, popular as the Enlightened one, was the philosopher, spiritual teacher, meditator, protector, mentor and the founder of Buddhism on earth. He is the one who was not born as a god but as an ordinary person, named Siddhartha. He got his name owing to his several years of meditation and the life of asceticism which eventually awakened him. His entire life story is the store flooded with many inspiring events that became the part of his journey towards renunciation.

According to the history, Buddha was born into a Sakya clan somewhere in North India, Lumbini towards southern borders of Nepal. He spent his childhood in Kapilavastu. Buddha was born to Suddhodana and Maya, and initially named Siddhartha Gautam. Suddhodana was the king of the local Sakya tribe where Siddhartha was the prince surrounded by all materialistic pleasures of life.

As we dive back into the life of Buddha, we would see that strong predictions about his life were already made by the priests. As per the common ritual, after the birth of the child a ceremony was kept to announce the name of the child. Suddhodana invited Brahmin priests for the ceremony during which one of the priests declared that he would become Buddha in future and renounce the world. After hearing such words from the priest, Suddhodana became careful and surrounded Siddhartha with all forms of luxuries.

He was always kept under the shadow by one man in his service. The best of food, clothes and things were served to him. The palace was well equipped with all sources of best entertainment from music to dance by prominent artists. Suddhodana assured that Siddhartha was kept away even from the thought of misery in every possible way.

At the age of sixteen Buddha was married to Yasodhara, who gave birth to his son named Rahul. His first encounter with misery was at the age of 29 when he went out of the palace in his chariot. Four events took place which transformed the life of Siddhartha. He saw an old age, a diseased body, a corpse and an ascetic. This was the time when his journey as Buddha began and he left the palace in search of a solution to all miseries.

After attaining Enlightenment Buddha started preaching others and spreading spiritual knowledge. His images as an ascetic sitting under Bodhi Tree with different postures of hands like blessing, teaching and touching the earth are very common as a symbol of peace and purity.