Prince Siddhartha left palace and started searching the way to stop suffering, old age and death as a Ascetic (Bodhisattva Siddhartha). He searching and walking place to place to find out a teacher who can teach him all.
At this time there were many religious teachers lived in India. One of the best and most well-known was Alara Kalama. Prince heard about him but not seen him before. Siddhartha went to study under him as his First teacher. He stayed and was taught many things, including meditation. He worked hard and eventually equaled his teacher in learning.
At this time there were many religious teachers lived in India. One of the best and most well-known was Alara Kalama. Prince heard about him but not seen him before. Siddhartha went to study under him as his First teacher. He stayed and was taught many things, including meditation. He worked hard and eventually equaled his teacher in learning.
But Siddhartha was not interested in staying. Despite what he had learnt he could see that he was still subject to old age, sickness, and death and that his quest was not over.
The Search
Not satisfied with his teachings he wandered up and down in the land of Magadha from place to place and arrived near the town of Uruvela, the present Buddha Gaya. There he saw “a delightful piece of land with a beautiful forest and clear river suitable for bathing, a lovely place surrounded by meadows and fields.” Ascetic Siddhartha thought “this is indeed a delightful spot on Earth; this place will suffice for ascetic exercises”.
So ascetic Siddhartha started practicing “Attakilamataanu Yoga” or severe physically tormenting austerities to achieve enlightenment. He practiced fasting, which was thought to be one of the best ways to acquire wisdom. He lived on a grain of rice a day, and later, nothing at all. His body became so thin that his legs were like bamboo sticks, his backbone was like a rope, his chest was like an incomplete roof of a house, and his eyes sank right inside, like stones in a deep well. His skin lost its golden color and became black. In fact, he looked like a living skeleton — all bones without any flesh! He suffered terrible pain and hunger, yet continued to meditate. Soon five other ascetics who admired his determined effort joined him. They were Kondanna, Vappa, Bhaddhiya, Mahanamaand Assaji.
 |
| practicing “Attakilamataanu Yoga” with five ascetic |
He practiced this many years and finally the Siddhartha realized that these Ascetic exercises were not the right way to attain Salvation.
He leaved the path of pain (Attakilamataanu Yoga) and started to practice “Kamasukallikanu Yoga”. He started to get more food and having gained strength again. He practiced this opposite Attakilamataanu yoga. But when he started accepting food, his companies assumed he had given up his determination for enlightenment and do abandoned him. But Siddhartha practiced again and again.
.jpg) |
| Companies left Siddhartha when he started accepting food |
At last ascetic Siddhartha realized this way also not the way to Salvation, now considered of a middle way between those two extremes.
He remembered an experience from his childhood, on a festival ‘Vap Magul Day’; when he sat in mediation; his mined settled into a state of deep peace and entered the ‘First Jhana’, by practice the concentration in exhale and inhale (breath). He decided to practice ‘Anapanasathi Bhawana’, and he realized that to do that, he needed strength and for that nourishment.
Five Dreams before Enlightenment
The ascetic Siddhartha deeply practiced this ascetic exercises Six years. Previous day to enlightenment, while still a bodhisattva (a Buddha to be) he went for sleep and five great dreams appeared to him.
1. He dreamt that this might earth was his great bedstead; the Himalaya, king of mountains, was his pillow; his left hand rested on the eastern sea, his right hand rested on the western sea; his two feet on the southern sea.
2. He dreamt that from his navel arose a kind of grass called tirrya and continued growing until it touched the clouds.
3. White worms with black heads crawled on his legs up to his knees, covering it.
4. Four birds on different colors came from the four directions, fell at his feet and turned their color to all white.
5. He saw a huge mountain of dung and he pace without being soil by the dung.”
The Buddha-to-be then reflected on his dreams. He explained:
1. The first dream meant that he would awaken to unsurpassed enlightenment (spreading the body of teachings throughout the Indian sub-continent).
2. The second dream meant he would fully understand the noble eightfold path and teach it to all and people will assign the way to Nirvana.
3. The third dream meant millions of householders would go for refuge in the Buddha.
4. The four castes, named Khattiya Caste (Rulers), Brahmin Caste, Vessa (Traders) and the Sudda (Hunters) come united and would go into homelessness to explore the Dharma and reach Nirvana.
5. He would receive Respect, concessionary, acceptation, thanks, but without getting those he will become a holy person.
The ascetic Siddhartha (Bodhisattva Siddhartha) very happy about this dreams and he knew that was the prognostic before get Enlightenment.
