Why is Buddha called the ‘Enlightened One’?

Do you know the real name of Buddha? Are you aware of his teachings that were taught thousands of years ago? Do you know that these teachings came from wide-ranging and immaculate wisdom? Is it true that these ancient teachings have eternal significance? Can you believe that these teachings are relevant in our modern life? And is it possible to follow the path as demonstrated by Buddha even now?

Well, these are serious questions that you and I have faced already or they may prop up in life sooner or later. All these questions have greater importance in life and when we find the right answers, we can surely be drawn to a better way of living. We would be, perhaps, more enlightened to lead a happy and peaceful life. In fact, this is the reason why Buddha is called the Enlightened One; he found the real answers to these profound questions.

Buddha was the son of King Suddhodhana and his real name was Prince Siddhartha. He lived in the kingdom of Kapilavastu about 2,500 years ago. Kapilavastu was a rich kingdom located somewhere along the India – Nepal border in ancient times.

Prince Siddhartha, not surprisingly, led a luxurious life — he could eat, drink and sleep the way he wanted. He could also roam about in his kingdom anywhere at his free will. In his rich and lavish life of 30 years, he is said to have never experienced pain, poverty or misery. However, one night, he was swayed by some serious questions about life and death, diseases, pain and suffering. In order to find real and genuine answers, the prince left the palace at night giving up all pleasures. He did not even tell about this renunciation to his wife and son who were sleeping at that time.

As he traveled in darkness, the inner light of wisdom started dawning. In his long and tiresome journey, the prince was forced to live a life of poverty; he saw the pain and misery of the people around and it drove him gradually to the path of self-realization. He was involved in deep meditation until one day he realized that the path of luxury and poverty are both dangerous to mankind; there was a need to follow a middle path. The moment when this delightful and divine realization came, he started preaching it to all people and came to be called the ‘Enlightened One’. His name also changed from Siddhartha to Gautam Buddha. Buddha received this amazing realization while sitting under a Bodhi tree at Bodhgaya.

In the course of time, Buddha’s teachings gained more popularity. As more and more people became his followers, Buddhism became a way of life. Buddhism highlights an eight-fold path: Right view, Right thought, Right speech, Right conduct, Right livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness and Right concentration.

Soon Buddha’s statutes were erected everywhere; many amulets associated with Buddha were created worldwide. You can view them in many countries even today.

Buddha, Buddha amulet; Distance Travel Information.