Buddhism & Siddhartha Gautama

Chapter 3 Section 2

Buddhism spread fast and attracted many followers who set up monasteries and convents for meditation and study. Missionaries and traders spread Buddhism across India to many parts of Asia. Eventually, Buddhism spread into two sects; Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism was hard-core and stuck to Buddha's original message. Mahayana Buddhism was easier and not as strict. Buddhism declined to the Muslim leading up to the 1100's.

In 563 BC, Siddhartha Gautama, later to be known as Buddha, grew up a prince. Her mother saw an image of a radiant white elephant descend to her from heaven. Worried that this meant he would be a prophet, Gautama's father locked him in a palace surrounded by comfort and luxury to assure that he would become the next ruler. When he was 16, when he got married and lived happily with his beautiful wife. When he was 29, he took a ride and saw an old man. Repeatedly, he took these trips and discovered a sick person and a dead body. He became extremely saddened and left his family to find answers to why suffering existed. After wandering for years, seeking answers and fasting and meditating he sat under a tree. He was determined not to leave until he understood the meaning of life. Throughout the night, evil spirits tried tempting him to stop meditating. He shunned them, awoke and realized the true meaning of life. He was now the "Enlightened One" more popularly known as Buddha.