Essay, Biography or Paragraph on “Gautam Buddha” complete biography for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Gautam Buddha

Essay No. 01

Gautam Buddha was born on a Baisakhi Purnima in 607 B.C. at the foot of the Himalayas, on the borders of Nepal at Kapilavastu. His father’s name was Suddhodana and mother’s name was Mayadevi. On the seventh day after his birth, he was named Siddhartha. At his early age his mother died. As he grew up, he was often found to seek solitude and sit for long hours. His father became anxious and consulted his ministers, who suggested early marriage for him. Accordingly, he was married to his cousin Yasodhara.

Some years later, he wished to see the world outside the palace. The king granted his prayer and at the same time ordered his attendants to see to it that no unpleasant and untoward sights cross the prince’s path. But man proposes and God disposes. On the way, the

Prince first saw a sick man, then saw an old man and then saw persons carrying a bier. He questioned his charioteer who told him that the persons were carrying the dead body of a man, and thus for the first time in his life the Prince came face to face with Death. At last he saw a Sannyasin and came to understand that he was one who was beyond all the miseries of life.

At the age of twenty nine, a son was born to him, named Rahul. At this time, he passed a very restless life and when his wife asked him the cause of his unrest, he said, “When I see suffering all round and find men grow old, sicken and die, it is enough to take away the last hope of life and the love for pleasure in life”. After that he had a vision of a holy man who seemed to tell him, “You are the blessed one, come to the world to save mankind. Now is the time to fulfil your mission.”

Then one night when everybody was asleep, he left the palace forever and came to Rajagriha, the capital of Magadha. Siddhartha first came to two renowned teachers, Alara and Udraka, who taught him the philosophy. Then he came to “Bodh-Gaya” in Bihar and sat for meditation under the Aswattha tree, where he attained enlightenment. Gautama Siddhartha became the Buddha and that tree is called the Bodhi tree. He worked incessantly for the salvation of mankind. He came to Sarnath near Varanasi to expound and preach his doctrines. His teachings, later on was published in the book called “Dhammapada”.

In his eightieth year, the Buddha visited Vaisali where he accepted the invitation to dinner of Ambapali, a courtesan. Here he fell seriously ill. After that he reached Kusinara (Kusinagar near Gorakhpur) with great difficulty and here he breathed his last.

Essay No. 02

Gautam Buddha

India : Founder of ‘Buddhism’

Birth :563 B.C. Death : 483 B.C.

Among the greatest religious teachers of the world who gave the message of truth, peace, humanity and equality, Gautama Buddha is the foremost. He founded ‘Buddhism’, one of world’s leading religions. It is followed in China, Japan, Burma and the countries of South East Asia.

Buddha’s childhood name was Siddhartha and he was a child with a contemplative bent of mind. His father feared that Siddhartha might leave home, and so, kept him busy in, pleasurable activities. He even arranged his marriage with a beautiful princess Yashodhera when he was 18. But all these failed in changing the mind of young Siddhartha. Passing on the road he once sighted, a sick person, an old man and a dead body which produced a prfound reaction on his mind. So, one night at the age of 29, Siddhartha left his home quietly leaving his wife, son and all the royal comforts behind in search of peace and truth. He visited many places, met many scholars and saints but he was not satisfied. Then he started hard meditation bearing great physical suffering. After six years of wandering and meditation Siddhartha got enlightenment when he was sitting in meditation under a pipal tree in Gaya. Siddhartha now got transformed into ‘Buddha’ or ‘enlightened’ and the pipal tree under which he got enlightenment became Bodhi Tree.  

Buddha delivered his first sermon in Samath (near Varansi) before his five disciples who had earlier deserted him. Buddha taught that the root cause of mankind’s suffering was desire. People could get rid of the torment of desires by following the Eightfold Path: right belief, right thought, right. Speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right memory and right meditation. The rest 45 years of Buddha’s life were spent in spreading his new faith. Buddha also attacked some religious and social practices of his times. He was also opposed to the caste system prevalent in the Hindu society. Buddha attained Nirvana in Kushinagar (U.P.) in 483 B.C.

Gautama Buddha was born in 563 B.C., in the Lumbini forests in Nepalese Terai. His father’s name was Suddhodana, who was the ruler of Kapilvastu and the chief of Sakya Clan. His mother’s name was Maya Devi. A son, Rahula, was also born to him.