The Power of Life (The Life of Buddha)

Geethanjali Kids - Rhyme and Stories, 10/7/13; Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

The Buddha Stories: The Power of Life (in the Life of the Buddha)

The calm and compassionate face of the Buddha is known the world over. He was a wise spiritual teacher from Scythia in proto-India (which only came into existence as a country or empire with the conquests of Buddhist Emperor Ashoka).

The Buddha's ideas on freeing devas and humankind from sorrow form the basis of Buddhism.

The Buddha was born in the sixth century BC., into a royal family [likely in Gandhara in modern Afghanistan (ranajitpal.com).

Known as Prince Siddhartha Gautama, he realized that life is full of happiness and disappointment. He rediscovered a path to enlightenment and fulfillment. He is then known as "the Buddha," which means the "Enlightened or Awakened One."

For 45 more years, the remainder of his life, he traveled great distances teaching devas and people the "Middle Path" that avoids the extremes of hedonism and extreme austerities as the way to end all suffering.

As part of this he taught the Four Noble (or Ennobling) Truths:

• Things disappoint.
• There is a cause of this disappointment.
• There is an end of (all) suffering.
• There is a Path to accomplish that.

Buddhism offers hope and access to spiritual understanding and satisfaction to everyone who will put these teachings into practice. Throughout the world today, people follow the Dharma of the Buddha.

Here the Buddha comes across a heartless serial killer on a spree. He confronts him and converts him to peace, eventually bringing him all the way to complete enlightenment.