The History of Buddhism Part 2

The Life Of the Buddha


The Buddha utter soon after his Enlightenment ,he uttered a paean of Joy (Udana).
His First Paean Of Joy 

Anekajatisamsaram

sandhavissam anibbisam

gahakaram gavesanto

dukkha jati punappunam

Gahakaraka ditthosi

puna geham na kahasi

sabba te phasuka bhagga

gahakotam visankhatam

visankharagatam cittam

tanhanam khayamajjhaga

  

Many a  Birth in Samsara wandered I, Seeking , But not finding , the builder of this house. Sorrowful is repeated birth. 

Oh house-builder! You are seen, you shall build no house (for me) again. All your rafters are broken, your roof-tree is destroyed. My mind has reached the unconditioned ( Nibbana)the end of craving (Arahatta Phala) has been attained.

The Buddha live soon after the enlightenment he fasted for seven weeks ,was enjoying Nibbanic bliss.First week he sat under the bodhi tree enjoying the bliss of freedom and he meditated on the Wheel of Life.Second week he stood at a certain distance gazing at the bodhi tree with motionless eyes. He did so as a mark of gratitude to the tree. The first lesson the Buddha taught to the world gratitude .Third week he walked up and down a jeweled promenade ( Rathana Chamkamana).Fourth week sitting in a chamber,He meditated on the Higher Dhamma (Abhidhamma).Fifth week he sat under the Ajapal Banyan Tree.Sixth week under the Muchlinda tree. that week heavily rained and a serpent king sheltered him.After that two merchants named tapassu and Bhalluka offered him dried flour and honey and they become first Upasakas ,They sought refuge in the Buddha and Dhamma. they didn't seek refuge in the sangha because there was no Sangha then.They asked something to worship.the Buddha toucged his head and give them some hair relic.they enshrined now the Shwe Dagon Pagoda in Yangon ,Myanmar .

The Buddha thought how deep his dhamma was and how hard it would be for people to understand .That time Brahma Sahampati appeared before him and invited him to preach the Dhamma after that with his Divine eye he looked and saw that there were people who could understand the dhamma.then Buddha think of teaching the dhamma first to Alara Kalama his first teacher , he understood that he died a week ago.Also he thought of Uddaka Ramaputta who was his second teacher ,Buddha understood that he had also died the evening before.Finally he thought of the five monks who attended on him,they were staying at Isipatana,in Benares.They did not believe him though the buddha said so far the second and third time.The buddha able to convince them and they sat patiently to hear the Dhamma.

The First Sermon.
The name of the Buddha's first sermon Dhamma chakka sutta.It means the establishment of wisdom, or the wheel of truth.the day was this sermon preached on the Asala-Jully full moon day.At the deer park, in Isipatana near Benares.The buddha start the sermon by advising the monks to give up the two extremes ,the enjoyment of sensual pleasures and the tormenting of the body.He discovered the middle path.(Majjhima Patipada).

What is this middle path ? 

It is the noble eghtfold path and it leads to Nibbana.

Samma Ditthi            Right Understanding
Samma Sankappa     - Right thoughts
Samma Vacha           - Right speech
Samma Kammanta   - Right action
Samma Ajiva           - Right livelihood
Samma Vayama       - Right effort 
Samma Sathi           - Right Mindfulness
Samma Samadhi     - Right concentration 

Also he taught the four noble truths. it mean , Sorrow, Its Cause , Its end The way to its end. The Buddha said that he was an enlightened one , only after he understood these four noble truths.The eend of the discourse kondanna understood the dhamma and he became a Sotapanna.Sotappanna mean one who has attained the first stage of sainthood. It means a Stream -winner , one who has seen Nibbana for the first time.They became Arahats after hearing the Anattha Lakkana Sutta.An Arahath means a Worthy One.