Updated By: LatestGKGS Desk
Buddhism: Gautam Buddha, principles, teachings, classification
The discovery of Buddhism and Gautam Buddha
Buddhism is technically called ‘Buddha Dharma’ and they are the teachings of Gautama Buddha. Gautama Buddha is also called Buddha Shakyamuni and he discovered the teachings after an intense meditative quest.
His primary discovery was the freedom from suffering and the teachings he gave were all focussed on removing suffering, forever. These teachings of removing suffering forms the entirety of the Buddhas teachings which have been collected by his disciples and form the Buddhism that we study and follow today.
Gautam Budha was born as Siddhartha, a prince of the Shakya clan of Northern India. When he was born, it was prophesied that he would either be a great king or a great spiritual teacher. The king Shuddhodhana, wanting his progeny to continue and expand his rule, wanted prince Siddhartha to become a king. Thus he exposed the young prince to all types of material comforts which would make him attached to the royal life. However, it had the opposite effect on the young prince who was very spiritually inclined from a very young age.
At the age of 29, he left the palace, his wife and young son to search for an end to suffering. After six years of intense search, he found it. And this he taught, not as a message from God, but rather as a way of life that is accessible by all.
The first teachings were given by the Buddha cover what is known as the Four Noble Truths. The truths firstly lead you to the recognition of suffering. It then explains the causes of the suffering. Finally, it explains that one does not have to keep suffering and goes on to explain how one can escape suffering.
Buddhism has a number of classifications of Buddhism. The primary and most often cited one is Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism. This is a classification based on motivation. There are other classifications based on chronology, the content of teachings and philosophical tenet.
