Buddha

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This tells about Buddha's journey for enlightenment and his impact on the world. Just needs some more foot notes and sources

Buddha

The word Buddha means 'enlightened one.' It is used today as

a title to the one who has given us more religious beliefs than almost

any other human who lived in this world. However, he was not given

this name at birth; he had to earn it for himself by undergoing long,

hard hours of meditation and contemplation. Buddha has changed the

lifestyles of many cultures with new, never-before asked questions

that were explained by his search for salvation. He began an entirely

new religion that dared to test the boundaries of reality and go beyond

common knowledge to find the answers of the mysteries of life.

India

During the sixth century BC, India was a land of political and

religious turmoil. It was an era of great brutality with the domination of

Northwest India by Indo-Aryan invaders.

Many people, influenced by

the Aryan civilization, began to question the value of life and it's true

meaning. Schools were opened because of this curiosity where

teachers would discuss the significance of existence and the nature of

man and held programs to reconstruct one's spiritual self. (Pardue,

page 228)

Background

Near the town of Kapilavastivu, today known as Nepal, lived

King Suddhodhana and Queen Maya of the indigenous tribe known as

the Shakyas. (Encyclopedia Americana, page 687) Queen Maya soon

became pregnant and had a dream shortly before she gave birth. In

this dream a beautiful, white elephant with six tusks entered her room

and touched her side. This dream was soon interpreted by the wisest

Brahmin, or Priest of Brahmanism, that she was to give birth to a son

that would, if he were to remain in the castle,