RELS 203 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Shakya, Middle Way
16 Jan 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
600 400 bce - influx of renunciation. Buddha lived in the beginning of that, 600-500. Unorthodox systems : buddhism and janism they don"t accept varna system. The one who comes and goes buddha, he has born into different places. Man who became the buddha, family name-that guy. There was a prophecy that the buddha would become a king or a religious leader. Thus his father steers him to become a king, earthly prosperity. Hides everything that would lead him to renunciation, any sad painful thing. His mother dies at a young age, it plants a seed of sadness. Though his curiosity leads him to an adventure. Sick man, elderly man, dead man and ascetic. First three reminds him the reality of the life, there is pain and death. He turned his back on everything that buddha had. He then becomes a renunciate, leaves his family and the palaces along with his name. He gets two teachers, doesn"t like their capacity.
