It was at Bodh Gaya in India that Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment, which is a state of liberation known as Nirvana.
Buddha Purnima 2025 will be observed on Monday, May 12. And the day marks the birth anniversary of Gautama Buddha. However, are you aware of Siddhartha Gautama and how he became Gautam Buddha? Well, Siddhartha Gautama, who is known as Gautam Buddha, was born as a prince in Lumbini (present-day Nepal) around the 6th or 5th century BCE. Despite having a privileged lifestyle, he had a desire to know more about human suffering, and his quest made him renounce his royal life and set off on a spiritual journey.
With a burning question 'how to overcome suffering?,’ he embarked on a path of self-discovery, and spent years practicing meditation and asceticism. Eventually, it was at Bodh Gaya in India, he attained enlightenment, which turned him into the Buddha, the Enlightened One. He reached a state of liberation known as Nirvana.
The untold story of Siddhartha Gautama
Do you know that Siddhartha was married with a son and witnessed the opulence of the palace as his father's heir? However, when he encountered the Four Signs, he questioned his charioteer, "Am I also subject to this?" The four signs were that of seeing the old man, the sick man, the dead man, and the ascetic. It is not clear if he saw it all during a single carriage ride, or over four days, is not sure. Nonetheless, his charioteer told him that aging, sickness, and death were inevitable for all.
Soon, Siddhartha realised that everything he cherished is not completely his own as he was not immune to aging, illness, and mortality. He observed the serene ascetic and when he asked him contentment, he explained his commitment to spiritual introspection and called the world and its allurements as mere illusions. He mentioned how he was indifferent to loss, and hence, has relinquished all possessions.
While Siddhartha was aware that his father would not let him go on a spiritual quest, the idea of enduring a life set for suffering was insufferable. Hence, one night, observing his wife and son asleep, Siddhartha left the palace, donned an ascetic's robe, and set off into the forest.
He then dedicated the rest of his life to discovering wisdom, and finding a middle path between indulgence and self-denial. His core teachings remain the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, and they offer a roadmap to escape suffering.
