REL 150 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Four Noble Truths, Impermanence, Bodhisattva
4 Apr 2016
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The buddha"s real name is siddhartha gautama and he was born in the ksatrya caste (warrior caste) to the emperor shuddodana and queen mahamaya (maya). She had dreamt of a flying elephant with 6 white tusks puncturing her in her side, and 10 months later a baby sprang from her side (siddartha). At siddhartha"s name giving ceremony, the brahmins predicted he would either be a great leader or a holy man. His father feared he wouldn"t follow in his footsteps and become a great leader, so he forbid siddartha from leaving the palace walls. Siddhartha was very talented at everything he did, so his father made sure all his needs were met. At age 16, siddhartha married his cousin and they had a son. For 29 years, siddhartha would live as a prince in what is now present day nepal.
