The Story of the Awakened, and Fully Liberated One

About 600 years before Lord Christ, a prince was born in the land of Nepal, by the name of Siddhartha Gautama. He became a king at the age of 16, soon after finishing his education and marrying Princess Yasodhara, when his father handed over the kingdom to him. Upon reaching the age of 29, King Siddhartha decided to leave the palace and pursue his calling. So he left the kingdom and searched for several spiritual teachers to learn from them. As their teachings and practices did not satisfy his yearn for truth, he set out to find his own path.

After 6 years of searching and seeking the truth, he started sitting under a tree near the River of Niranjana, and meditated.

Through meditation, his mind became calmer and his concentration deepened. In this calm and peaceful meditating state, Siddhartha sat his mind to realize his true nature and the true nature of life.

He had questions in mind about life, the cause of suffering and the path to experiencing everlasting joy. Soon his consciousness expanded, and he saw the sun, planets and how the universe and galaxies are linked together. He experienced how everything in the universe, from the smallest speck of dust to the largest planets and stars are connected and evolving as one united whole; and how everything in the universe follows a same rhythmic system: growing, decaying and growing again.

Everything seemed so connected, happening with a cause and an effect on everything else in this whole.

He then, realized his true nature and how his latest life as Prince Siddhartha was but a bead in the series of lifetimes. He realized that death is nothing but changing the physical vehicle, enabling the soul to gain a whole new experience every time it is born again. He saw how by ending of one life time, another begins and in this way the wheel of life and death keeps spinning over and over again; and how karma is not ceased but carried over from one life to another.

He saw how all the pleasures and pains are but a temporary worldly experience teaching man lessons to make him grow. Rich in one lifetime can be poor in another; king in one lifetime can be a beggar in another!

He then looked at the suffering of the world and how people create their own misery and joy. He observed how people lie, steal, kill and take advantage of each other, unaware of the Law of Change and the instability of the physical possessions. He realized then, the causes of suffering, and that attachments and physical possessions can never bring man the everlasting joy.

And finally he discovered the means to end this suffering, which made his body filled with a radiant light. His mind became so peaceful and calm. With a pleasant smile he arouse from his meditation and looked up, when he saw the morning star. At this holy moment, a great understanding came to him. He saw himself, all the life, the world and the planets as one. He experienced all the past and all the future simultaneously and realized the meaning of life, the existence, and why we are born on this earth and where do we come from. He thus found the truth and achieved enlightenment.

As the search of 6 long years was ended, Siddhartha became the Lord Buddha, the awakened, and fully liberated one.

When the Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, it was the day of Full Moon; the Full Moon of Taurus, the Vesak (Wesak)…