How Buddha Became an Enlightened Teacher of Law - Essay Example

The harsh realities of old age, death, and disease sickened Buddha. Finally, he also came across an ascetic (Fiero 23). It was explained to him that the ascetic had renounced the world and that he had sought release due to fear of suffering and death. Once he was back to the palace, he wandered alone reflecting on old age, death, and disease. He was no longer contented in living the life of a prince and shaved his head, wore a beggars robe in exchange for the prince's gown. He then began the quest for enlightenmentSiddhartha began the search for renowned teachers who taught him religious philosophies as well as to meditate.

The six companions were in search of ending suffering through enduring pain and fasting to a point of nearly starvation. One day when he needed to build up his energy and accepted milk from a bowl and some rice from a young girl, his companions sent him away thinking that he had given up his quest. He sat under a sacred fig that was referred to as a Bodhi tree. He started meditating and was in a battle with Mara a demon whose name means destruction.Mara brought numerous armies of monsters to attack him and sat there untouched.

Mara’s daughter, a very beautiful girl tried to seduce him but to no avail (Fiero 24). The demon claimed that the seat of enlightenment belonged to him and his monstrous soldiers were his witness. Buddha raised his right hand so that he would touch the ground and the earth itself roared that it bared him the witness. Mara then disappeared, Siddhartha thus realized that he gained enlightenment and hence became a Buddha.In conclusion, Buddha had gained enlightenment and became a teacher of the law.

At first, he was reluctant to teach since what he had realized could not just be communicated in words alone but through discipline and clarity of mind. He went to Deer Park where he found the five companions and he preached his first sermon to them. He later united with his family and his wife became a nun and his son a novice monk. Lastly, his advice to everyone was that all things in the world could be changed and that they are not lasting and people should work hard to gain salvation.