Slide 1:LIFE OF THE BUDDHA


Slide 2:The Buddha descended from Tusita Heaven after preaching Abhidhamma to his mother (Queen Maya)


Slide 3:Queen Maya’s dreamt of a white elephant entering her side and she became pregnant The White Elephant was the Buddha-to-be resided as an ‘enlightened existence’ in one of the six deva-heavens


Not long after Queen Maya’s Dream, she conceived. Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini 623 B.C. :Not long after Queen Maya’s Dream, she conceived. Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini 623 B.C.


Slide 5:Siddhartha’s Birth took place on a Vesak Full Moon Day. The Baby began to walk 7 steps forward and at each step, a Lotus flower appeared.


“I am the Chief in the world. There is no equal to Me. I amsupreme. This is My last birth . No more Rebirth for Me.” :“I am the Chief in the world. There is no equal to Me. I amsupreme. This is My last birth . No more Rebirth for Me.”


Slide 7:Asita at the Naming Ceremony in the Palace


Slide 8:The Ploughing Festival : Siddhartha meditating when he was 7 years old


Slide 9:Siddhartha Gautama, unlike his cousin, Devadatta, was full of loving-kindness and compassion.


Slide 10:At 16, Prince Siddhartha married Princess Yasodhara


An old man, a sick man, a dead man and a monk :An old man, a sick man, a dead man and a monk Age 29, Gautama goes on four trips out of the castle and sees four sights that change his worldview


Siddhartha leaves the wife and child :Siddhartha leaves the wife and child


Slide 13:Siddhartha leaves the Palace with Channa and his horse.


Slide 14:The Great Renunciation


Prince Siddhartha cuts off his hair :Prince Siddhartha cuts off his hair


Slide 16:For 6 long years Siddhartha practised Ascetism Asceticism pleasure is bad Extreme fasting Holding one’s breath Exposure to bodily pain Gautama nearly starves himself to death without getting any closer to enlightenment


Mara’s Forces Invade The Mind Literal belief that Mara was a demon :psychological darkness within each of us to make our own worst fears real 3 Lusty Daughters of Mara Delight Desire Discontent was neither attracted nor disgusted by these three things they remained powerless over Gautama Defeated Mara, Gautama enters deeply into an inward spiritual journey Mara’s Forces Invade The Mind Literal belief that Mara was a demon


Slide 18:Conquering The Evils Of Greed, Hatred and Delusion


Slide 19:Sujata offer food to the Bodhisattva


Slide 20:The Bodhisattva attained Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree – He was 35. The Bodhisattva attained Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree – He was 35. It was on Vesak Full Moon that the Bodhisattva Attained Supreme Enlightenment


Slide 21:Bodhi or Fig Tree Revived from near-death by young girl, dedicates himself to meditation. Mindfulness of breathing to purify oneself of defilements and as a way to nirvana Lotus position under fig tree, vows not to leave until he found “complete and perfect fulfillment” (Brodd, 72).


Slide 22:Enlightenment Gautama realized, after nearly dying, that asceticism is actually counter productive. Self-hating practices that brought little spiritual benefit One becomes stuck on self while the goal is to transcend one’s self. Middle Way is a way of proceeding that exercises moderation between self-indulgence and self-mortification Middle Way


The Mucalinda Lake Where The Buddha Meditated in The Sixth Week After Enlightenment :The Mucalinda Lake Where The Buddha Meditated in The Sixth Week After Enlightenment


Three Watches under the Fig Tree :Three Watches under the Fig Tree First Watch – “Gautama perceived his own previous lifetimes…[his] continuous journey of suffering” Second Watch – “acquired the divine eye, ability to perceive the deaths/rebirths of all living things” Third Watch – Discovers Four Noble Truths With this Gautama attained enlightenment – reached spiritual perfection and had thus won his salvation Became the Awakened or Enlightened One


The Buddha Passed Away at Kushinagar at the age of 80 :The Buddha Passed Away at Kushinagar at the age of 80


Slide 30:Vesak Day Celebration


Vesak Day Celebration :Vesak Day Celebration