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,
Informative History on Buddha
Currently I'm enrolled in a class on buddhist philosophy and I am looking for information that gives more insite to what this philosophy entails. Your essay covers what we have been taught, but broke it down excellently for someone that doesn't yet have a strong understanding of all the concepts related to buddhism.A book that I think is well written and would cover many quotes you list here such as a 4 noble truths, the 8fold path and the 5 aggregates. "What the buddha taught." By Rahula. (I know the first name begins with Wap. ) Check it out, might be useful for revisions/additions etc.
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