About Shakyamuni Buddha

The Awakened One, Buddha Shakyamuni, is the prince who gave up the comforts of royal life to seek the truth. He was born Prince Siddhartha Gautama over 2,500 years ago. As an infant, holy men predicted that he would become a world-conquering ruler or a great saint. His father King Suddhodana provided every luxury to prevent him from a spiritual calling, but Siddhartha wasn't satisfied.

Venturing outside the palace, he saw old age, sickness and death. Overwhelmed by the suffering of the world, and spurred by his great love for all beings, Siddhartha gave up his kingdom and embarked on a journey of spiritual discovery. After a long search for the truth, he achieved full enlightenment under the Bodhi tree and eventually founded Buddhism — one of the world's greatest faiths.

By employing diverse skilful means, Buddha taught 84,000 methods to enlightenment, to suit all possible dispositions and spiritual levels of his students. Spiritual practice, as he taught it, was not mere words but a living example to inspire his disciples then and even now.

He is depicted sitting cross-legged in full meditation, with his right hand lightly touching the ground beneath him, symbolic of his invoking the earth to bear witness to the truth and virtue of his actions and words. His left hand cradles a begging bowl in a meditative pose. His image blesses anyone who sees it and plants the seeds of Buddhism in their minds.

Further Reading

• The Body of a Buddha: A Road Map to Liberation
• Homage to Shakyamuni the Great Sage
• Important Sites of Buddhist Pilgrimage – Kushinagar, India