Page 33 - Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism (Illustrated) and Symbols
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e uddha
Buddhism is a way of life, a religion which is based on the practice
of discipline according to the teachings of the Buddha Siddharta
Gautama who is also known as the Buddha Sakyamuni. e word
“Buddha” derives from the root Sanskrit word “Budh” which
means “to know”. It is used as a title to denote an “Enlightened
Being” — one who has attained, by, his own personal efforts and
merit, the pinnacle of intellect and divine knowledge.
Buddhism is a religion of peace and loving kindness, in the
name of which no blood was ever shed in its long history, there
had never been any association with killing and destruction in
its manner of persuading people to walk its gentle path. It is a
religion of reason and meditation and its final goal is Deliver-
ance, meaning the Liberation of the Self from the cycle of birth,
old age, disease and death.
ho is e uddha?
Historically, this refers to Siddharta Gautama who was born
in 560 to Queen Mahamaya and King Suddhodanna of the
Sakya Kingdom in the vicinity of Nepal. e queen had, prior
to the birth of the child, a dream of a beautiful white elephant
entering her womb through her side. Gautama was born in
Lumbini Park on a full-moon day in the month of Vesakha. A
