Written by: Dhendup Norphel Sherpa - 23020, Grade XII
Posted on: 09 September, 2022
Gautam Buddha, popularly known as the Buddha,an ascetic,a religious leader and teacher who was born in Nepal.He is also regarded as the founder of world religion of Buddhism.He taught for 45 years and built a large following both monastic and lay.His teaching is based on his insight into arising of suffering or dissatisfaction and it’s ending called Nirvana state.Buddha was born in Shakya clan in Nepal.According the buddhist tradition after several years of meditation he awakened to undersdand the working of cycle of rebirth and how it can escaped.Beside Bhuddha ,Light of Asia he was aslo named as Siddharta gautama .In early time there was many discrimination in the world going on,so he decided to a way to solve all problem and went here and there.Buddhism was founded by Gautama in 566 B.C. He was the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Mayadevi.Buddha was born in around 623 B.C. in Lumbini, the southern region of Nepal. It is situated in Rupandehi district, Lumbini (Province No. 5) of Nepal. His father was king of Sakhya republic.Gautama was shocked at the sight of an old man, a diseased person, a dead body. Thereafter, he was attracted by the saintly appearance of it. One night he renounced the worldly life and left his home, wife, son and his kingdom at age 26.After leaving home, Gautama studied for some time in the philosophical schools of two renowned teachers. Thereafter after six years of meditation led him to the discovery of truths. Gautama became the ‘Buddha’ i.e. the enlightened one.Buddha died in the year 486 B.C. at Kushinagar at the age of 80. Buddhism had become prominent in merchant communities and then spread throughout the Mauryan empire through commercial connections and along trade routes. In this way, Buddhism also spread through the silk route into central Asia.The remains of Buddhist monasteries of 3rd century BC to 5th century AD as well as the remains of Buddhist stupas from the 3rd century BC to 15th century AD provide the evidence of the birth of Lord Buddha and Lumbini being Buddhist center from a very ancient time in Nepal.He died at the age of 80 at Kushinagar.Every religion always impacted positively or negatively to any society. And, it does this through its teachings. However, Buddhism is merely a way of life. Even in present time India tries to claim that Buddha was born in India,it is true that Siddhartha Gautama was born in Nepal. Buddha got enlightenment at the age of 35 in Bodhgaya, India beneath a Bodhi tree. When Buddha was born there was no country called “Nepal” or “India”However the place Prince Siddhartha was born belongs to Nepal today.Nepal has a strong Buddhist background and has played a key role in spreading Buddhism to Tibet and all over the world.
