Siddhartha Gautama ‘fact’ or ‘fiction

[REFER TO APPENDIX ONE FOR A SUMMARY OF SIDDHARTHA’S LIFE]

Historians debate not only the date of Buddha’s birth and death but also whether this man really existed or whether he is a ‘fiction’ a creation of legend. The sources I examined agreed that the birth and death was circa 566-486 BC, with more recent research suggesting that he lived later from around 490 until 410 BCE. First historical mention of Buddhism was in inscriptions of King Ashoka who ruled India between [1] 269-232BCE (200 years after Buddha’s death). R. Chowdhury claims that modern re-reading of Buddhist scriptures is evidence of his existence born circa 563BCE died 483BCE at 80 years of age.

A reason for the lack of historical facts according to Chowdhury and others[2], is due to Siddhartha’s belief that he was not a god and that any man via the dharma could achieve enlightenment. His priority was to teach his disciples the dharma, so that the teachings would be passed on.

The oldest texts are in Pali, an ancient form of Sanskrit once used in Northern India. These are considered by scholars to be the most useful in understanding the life of Buddha and are known as ‘Palicanon’. Initiated by the monk Mahakashapa , chief disciple who believed  that Buddhist scriptures were imperative to pass on teachings to future generations, and compiled after Siddartha’s death. His main focus was to give Buddha virtues such as compassion, wisdom and salvation, rather than details of his life.

Centuries after Buddha’s death, monks attempted to write a detailed chronology of Buddha’s life. Two were written in the third century, the other in the fifth century[3]. These old scriptures only account for Siddhartha’s early life, silent on the teaching years. Further, they glorify him to the status of divine being, giving him supernatural powers within supernatural events. This is also the view of B. Faure and in fact collaborates most of the information already discussed in this paper including the spread of Buddhism after king Ashoka’s conversion. In his view history was transformed and mystified. Buddha’s human form was now no more than “a white lie guiding people towards the truth”[4].

Scholars Chowdhury, Faure and Stephen Batchelor[5] however, believe that although Buddhist scriptures are confusing when put together they give details of Buddha’s birth, renunciation of normal life, his enlightenment, the beginning of his life as a teacher and his death. Also that  these texts are based on an ancient, but now lost account of Buddha’s life and accordingly contain some authentic material about key events in his life.

Importantly, the belief is that Buddha did in fact exist and is not just a ‘fiction’.[6] B. Faure asks the question “…is it fair to say he [Buddha] was born, he lived, and he died, …leaving the nitty gritty details behind and lost in ‘mists of myth and legend’.”[7] In order to establish that Buddha did in fact exist historians have focussed on his death and on the fact that he died as a result of eating contaminated pork and that this detail could not have been made up[8].

APPENDIX ONE

Siddhartha Gautama the Buddha

Story of Buddhism is one of a man’s spiritual journey towards enlightenment, the teachings and ways of living that allow this state to occur. Enlightenment once achieved ends the suffering that is an inevitable consequence of life.

Buddha means the “awakened one” his name prior enlightenment was Siddhartha Gautama. Born into a royal family in the village of Lumbini in present day Nepal, in his privileged life he was insulated from the suffering of life, including sickness, age and death. He married, had a child and for the first time he went out of the castle grounds where he was exposed to an old man; a sick man and a corpse. This is when he became aware of the inevitable fate of human beings.

Life of a Holy Man

On this occasion he also saw a monk which prompted Siddhartha to follow this example leaving his life of luxury for one of a homeless holy man. However in this lifestyle this was not the escape from suffering. Thus after encountering an Indian ascetic he adopted a life of extreme self denial and discipline; practising meditation. This lifestyle also did not lead to the end of suffering.

The Middle Way

 

Siddhartha neither returned to luxury nor extreme poverty but just lived in the middle.

Enlightenment

 

One day seated beneath the Bodhi tree, known as the tree of awakening Siddhartha became deeply engaged in meditation and reflected on his experience of life, determined to penetrate the truth. Finally he achieved enlightenment and became Buddha.

Buddha as legend tells was happy to dwell in this state until Brahma king of gods asked him to share with the world his understanding with life that leads to the end of suffering and rebirth to achieve happiness which all sort.

Teacher

Accordingly Buddha set in motion the wheel of teaching, which centres on the importance of the dharma (teaching), rather then worshiping gods or one god. For forty-five years Buddha taught disciples who became known as Arahants “noble ones”.

References: BBC – Religions-Buddhism The Buddha updated last 10 February 2002.

---

[1]  The Lord of Wisdom  Rohini Chowdhury 2011 © Penguin Books India 2011 Google Books Digital edition published 2012 Google Books

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=g2LCO1MCaZgC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge

[2] Testament of man series, Vardis Fisher. In his commentary he talks about the dharma (teachings)

being more important than the person. Further he asks the question, does Buddha need to be real to be influential. http://vridar.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/historical-existence-siddhartha-gautama/

[3] Lord of Wisdom As above

[4] Unmasking Buddhism B. Faure Published March 17th 2009 by Wiley-Blackwell (first published March 12th 2009) http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6399415-unmasking-buddhism.com

[5] Lord of Wisdom (as above)

[6] Voyages in world history to 1600  Valerie Hansen, Kenneth Curtis, Kenneth Robert Curtis 2010 Wadsworth printed USA http://books.google.com.au/books/harvard?id=-MLXDr0GRHQC&printsec=frontcover#v=o

[7] Unmasking Buddhism page 12

[8] Ibid, page 12.