Why is Buddha called the ‘Enlightened One’?

Do you know the real name of Buddha? Are you aware of his teachings that were taught thousands of years ago? Do you know that these teachings came from wide-ranging and immaculate wisdom? Is it true that these ancient teachings have eternal significance? Can you believe that these teachings are relevant in our modern life? And is it possible to follow the path as demonstrated by Buddha even now?

Well, these are serious questions that you and I have faced already or they may prop up in life sooner or later. All these questions have greater importance in life and when we find the right answers, we can surely be drawn to a better way of living. We would be, perhaps, more enlightened to lead a happy and peaceful life. In fact, this is the reason why Buddha is called the Enlightened One; he found the real answers to these profound questions.

Buddha was the son of King Suddhodhana and his real name was Prince Siddhartha. He lived in the kingdom of Kapilavastu about 2,500 years ago. Kapilavastu was a rich kingdom located somewhere along the India – Nepal border in ancient times.

Prince Siddhartha, not surprisingly, led a luxurious life — he could eat, drink and sleep the way he wanted. He could also roam about in his kingdom anywhere at his free will. In his rich and lavish life of 30 years, he is said to have never experienced pain, poverty or misery. However, one night, he was swayed by some serious questions about life and death, diseases, pain and suffering. In order to find real and genuine answers, the prince left the palace at night giving up all pleasures. He did not even tell about this renunciation to his wife and son who were sleeping at that time.

As he traveled in darkness, the inner light of wisdom started dawning. In his long and tiresome journey, the prince was forced to live a life of poverty; he saw the pain and misery of the people around and it drove him gradually to the path of self-realization. He was involved in deep meditation until one day he realized that the path of luxury and poverty are both dangerous to mankind; there was a need to follow a middle path. The moment when this delightful and divine realization came, he started preaching it to all people and came to be called the ‘Enlightened One’. His name also changed from Siddhartha to Gautam Buddha. Buddha received this amazing realization while sitting under a Bodhi tree at Bodhgaya.

In the course of time, Buddha’s teachings gained more popularity. As more and more people became his followers, Buddhism became a way of life. Buddhism highlights an eight-fold path: Right view, Right thought, Right speech, Right conduct, Right livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness and Right concentration.

Soon Buddha’s statutes were erected everywhere; many amulets associated with Buddha were created worldwide. You can view them in many countries even today.

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Buddha amulet

Buddhism and its relevance today

Is Buddhism relevant in the modern world? Are the teachings of Gautam Buddha who lived over 2,500 years ago useful to us today? If you are asked these seemingly simple questions, you would turn inward and first try to recollect the teachings of Buddha.

Well, before we find answer, let us note what Buddha himself is reported to have said during his lifetime.“Do not accept my teachings simply because I am called Buddha”. More often he used to tell his disciples and followers not to have blind faith in principles and concepts. He wanted them to believe in what was realistic and right.

As a result, Buddha preached the ‘Right’ path:

1. Right understanding

2. Right intention

3. Right speech

4. Right action

5. Right livelihood

6. Right effort

7. Right mindfulness

8. Right concentration

However, in reality, Buddha preached what is called the ‘Middle path’. This is because he never believed in a life of either extreme luxury or utter misery.

Let us learn more about Buddha’s teachings as it would help us to correctly answer the main question about the relevance of Buddhism today.

Prince Suddhodhana, who later became famous as Buddha, renounced his life of luxury from the Kapilavastu kingdom when he was just 30 years old. During this period, he was weighed down by some serious questions like:

• What is the meaning of life?

• Why is a person afflicted with pain and poverty?

• What is the ultimate truth?

Buddha found the genuine and eternal answers to all these questions and much more. Buddha was sitting under a Bodhi tree at Bodhgaya when he suddenly got enlightened and received the divine realization. And this is why he is called Buddha, the Enlightened One.

In this enlightened condition, Buddha taught his disciples to understand four Noble Truths. They are:

1. Truth of suffering – meaning that all life is suffering.

2. Truth of suffering’s beginning – cravings lead to suffering.

3. Truth of ending suffering – giving up all cravings and attachments.

4. Truth of the way to end suffering – the Middle Way.

Buddha wanted the suffering in the world to end and, therefore, taught the ‘Right path’ as mentioned above. He propagated that every person has the capability to know what is happiness and misery. However, when that person analyzes it, the path becomes clearer and it can usher in peace and bliss.

He wanted all people to give up sensual pleasures as it the main reason for inviting unhappiness in life. He also wanted that people should give up negative thoughts and emotions. By committing negative actions, man becomes miserable. In order to tide over these problems, Buddhism highlights positiveness in thought and actions. And you can achieve this by performing meditation every day.

Buddha’s teachings are divided into Hinayana and Mahayana. In Hinayana, Buddha teaches us how to get freedom from suffering while in Mahayana, we learn about the way to receive enlightenment.

All these teachings brought enormous respect to Buddha during his lifetime and ever after in many countries. The followers of Buddhism increased. Statutes and amulets of Buddha were created worldwide. The teachings of Buddha have eternal value. All people can follow these principles as they are highly relevant today to bring in happiness and joy.

Buddha amulet

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