Copyright of BMSMThe Buddha's Greatness
Despite the fact that the Buddha was
born, lived, preached and died in India,
his greatness and attainment have
overcome geographical and historical
barriers. On his Enlightenment, he
discovered the Truth which was
beyond allthat was taught by former
religiousteachers.
The Buddha didnot claim that he was a
god. To call the Buddha a god is to
discredit him of his attainment. As
described in the sacred texts of various
sects, certain gods show characteristics
of anger, jealousy, love for praises,
prejudice and various other human
failings.
The Buddha is beyond all such failings.
In his innumerable births, he had
developed to perfection the ten
transcendental virtues of generosity,
morality, renunciation, wisdom,
energy, patience, truthfulness,
determination, loving-kindness and
equanimity.
He had eradicated all greed,hatred and
delusion. It has beensaid:
The Buddha
- taught the egocentric, power-
seeking world, the noble ideal
of selfless service.
- protested against the evils of the
caste- system that hampered
progress and advocated equal
opportunities for all.
- declared that the gates of
deliverancewere open to all, in
every condition of life, high or
low, saint or sinner, who would
but care to turn into a new leaf
and aspire toperfection.
- raised thestatus of down-trodden
women, and not only stressed on
their importance in society but also
founded the first religious order
for women.- attempted to abolish slavery for the
first time in history. - pointed out the cruelty and futility
of the sacrifice of animals and
brought them within his ambit of
compassion. - granted complete freedom of thought
to his followers and urged them
to regard for him but only
after discovering the truth in them. - comforted bereaved women like
Patacara who went insane after
losing her husband, two children
and parents on the same day, and
Kisa Gotami at the death of her only
son. - with his own hands ministered the
deserted sick like Putigatta Tissa
Thera who had a contagius disease. - helped the poor and neglected like
Rajjumala and Sopaka and saved them
from an untimely and tragic death. - transformed the lives of criminals like
Angulimala who was about to kill his
mother for his one-thousandth victim. - ennobled courtesans like Ambapali.
What Can We Learn from His Life
Story?
The Buddha was a truly admirable figure: a
man of quiet majesty, of wisdom and
pleasant humour, consistent in thought, word
and deed. He was of perfect equanimity
and moral fervor, was free from every
prejudice, overcame evil with good and
was full of tenderness for all beings.
Even if the virtues of the Blessed One are
infinitely superior to those of ordinary
men, still the ideal can serve as a
pattern and guide. We can always take
the Buddha as our model so that the
recollection of his heroic and saintly life
may assist us to be a hero and saint as
well.Known are the things to be known,
Cultivated are the things to be cultivated,
Destroyed are the things to be destroyed,
Therefore, Brahman, I am theBuddha.8