Siddhartha Gautama born approximately 560-480 B.

C during the
Indian Sage, he had many names but he is most known by the name
the Buddha. He was spoiled by his parents, born in what today is
Nepal. He was raised and protected, he was raised in isolation. His
parents wanted and were determined to keep him out from knowing
the real world. A world of ugly, they never wished for him to see the
poverty, sickness, and death. His parents worked hard in surrounding
him with pleasure and luxury. He was self-indulged and a philanderer,
he married his cousin but with all that he was given and how he lived
he was never satisfied. He was young and curious of the outside world,
and in his first trips into the city would change his perspective of life
forever. Siddhartha witnesses what life outside of his own luxurious
world (that he thought he only knew) was completely different and
untrue. Siddhartha witness death, disability, diseased, and poor
people, he had experienced his first four signs of suffering. Unaware
and not having any idea of the suffering of the body, mind, and soul,
Siddhartha was awaken by reality, he had many questions and was
limited by his family and servants to help answer all of them. He met a
monk (an ascetic) he learned about their practices and purpose was
as a monk and he left home and converted his life as a monk. Hopeful
and sure that he would seek answers to his questions and a method to
escape suffering through mediation. Years had past and after speaking
with numerous gurus and sages he was left with still dissatisfaction.

Siddhartha later found himself under a fig tree where he meditated for
49 days with out eating. Determined to meditate until he was
answered or until death would take him later on he was awakened in
what it is to be called enlightened. From there on under the Tree of
Wisdom Siddhartha had become the Buddha. After his awakening the
Buddha he had chosen to not stay in Nirvana but decided to help the
suffering and people in need of his help. The Buddha knew that his
experience from the awakening would be difficult to teach and to have
in doctrines. It is something that is impossible to explain but, must be
earned or achieved by great efforts. The Buddha decided to stay here
on earth and teach peoples the way. The Buddha is not some kind of
savior but more of a guidance who shows people the path. When he
awoke and returned from Nirvana he became the Bodhisattva, who is
an enlightened being who voluntarily leaves Nirvana and helps all life
forms to find a path.

The Buddha was the first to take in proper nourishment for his
body; he believed that if one is honoring their spirit they must do the
same with the body who houses it. Basically, there was a time when
the Buddha had touched his stomach and felt his spine and realized
that this is not healthy and can interfere with meditation and focus. He
believed that this is an instrument needed to seek wisdom. Monks
before the Buddha fasted and they respected and were very interesting

in helping him however, they did not appreciate him taking in regular
nourishment on a regular basis. The Buddha had no interest in what
monks wore, ate, or lived. He was pragmatic and only cares that as
long as you have the mindset of compassion, helpfulness, and
awareness it didnt matter to him. The Buddha focused more of the
way of life rather than political philosophical ideas. In away it is the
responsibility of each person to monitor his or her behaviors, thoughts
and actions to make a difference in society. The perfect society will not
exist here on earth; there will always be suffering and people who
cause it to one another. He didnt consider himself a philosopher but
more of a teacher of life. The Buddha influences meaning and purpose
for more two billion people. Died at the age of eighty his teachings are
one of the most respected and practiced to this day. For numerous
centuries after his death the teachings of Buddhism had spread
miraculously, in the third century B.C.E the king Ashoka converted to
Buddhism after heavy effects of conquest of humanity, he promoted
the expansion of Buddhism to show people and out side his kingdom in
which case it spread through out India and into Ceylon, Burma Nepal,
Tibet, Central Asia, China, Japan, etc. It was widely accepted. What was
traditional had been changed as well as the traditional philosophers
had become redefined. The Hindu Faith had also taken in some of
Buddhisms influences.

The Buddhas philosophy is very deep for the mind and soul. The
Eightfold Path has three vital components which steps are learned to
understand the Buddha way. Panna (wisdom) is the first component,
which must be learned to understand the first two steps:
Understanding, for example, understanding the there is always
suffering and that there is ugly in this world and nothing last forever.
Propose; learning what ones intention maybe or objective of our own
existence. The second component is Sila (conduct) the three steps are
speech, behavior, and life-style. Speech for example, you shall not say
things to that would hurt another. Behavior, the Buddha teaches five
behavior moral rules. The do not rules are: to not kill, steal, commit
adultery, use drugs, or gossip. Life-style is conductive for example
someones life-style choice may affect another or it may not (therefore
a life-style can be conduct). The third component is Samadhi
(contemplation) in which there are three steps. Effort: learning to
resist. Mindfulness: being aware or having control of your thoughts (its
intellect). Dhayana (deep meditation) is total self-control like God
Perfection (having total control).
The Buddha teaches about three forms of Karma that lead to a
destiny. He believes hat our thoughts, behaviors, and attitudes have
consequences, however, we can control them. There is always an
existence of cause and effect by action from our thoughts, behaviors,
and attitudes (this is Karma). The three forms of Karma are birth

karma, social life karma, and deathbed karma. The Buddha believes
that humans begin life in a mortal body but has an immortal soul and
is later reincarnated. In the universe the Buddha has two viewpoints of
the world. Nirvana cannot be explained but is more like an experience.
The world of physical things is described of an endless world of pure
thoughts of pure souls. Nirvana is heaven like where one will journey to
without a mortal body and consists of pure ideas and can only be
experienced. There is whats called Samsara in Buddhism, which
means the repetition of beginning and end life cycle. The rebirth also
known as reincarnation does not always take place in human form.
There are six realms of rebirth, there is Deva which is heavenly form,
Asura is demigod form, Manusya which is human, Tiryak is animal
form, Preta is ghost form, and there is Naraka which are residents of
hell form. These six rebirths are depending of what may be called
good or bad karma.

I really enjoy the Buddhas philosophy I would have to say he is my

favorite philosopher. While we may decide and teach our countries
what we believe is the best idea of the perfect society. There will never
be a perfect society, the perfect society only exist in Nirvana. Because
we have our own opinions and ideas like communist maybe considered

a perfect society, capitalism, or a democratic society and so forth. The

human species is never satisfied and their opinions will never change
or they will change. We can easily be changed by experience, new
information, education, and influences from where we live. I really
enjoy how the Buddhas teaching is for more of your own self worth. To
find a better way the can help change what you may cause. Knowing
that I have control in how I may affect people makes feel important
that I can make a difference simply by how I respond, think, or act. We
are all born with our own nature from birth, from ours parents through
genetics. However, how we are nurtured will have a great affect on our
lives possibly for the rest of our lives. My mother and father did not
have a good education, my father lived freely and my mother lived
poorly and with starvation. Both my parents have ADHD and education
was not for them. Growing up we learned how to be street smart the
expectations of my mother were two things: to finish high school and
not get pregnant until marriage. That is all she cared most about,
school was very difficult for me. My father kept his distance, even
though I am his only daughter, I see now as an adult the lack of love
from my father that he never showed has affected me. I realized that
not having compassion and respect was something I was missing from
him. I found a great husband after a hard journey to fill that missing
hole. Lack of support from school became a great struggle for and was
something my parents could not help me with because they didnt

know how and I cant blame them. I, soon enough had learned that I
need to take care of myself and what the Buddha philosophy helps me
with is that I can take all the lack of love from my father and lack of
education they could not provide me with and take it in and converted
onto my little brothers (in a more positive effect) and future children
with positive filled morals. I can help my brothers (something my
parents couldnt do); I can fill the hole of need of compassion for when
my brothers and future children need it. I was affected by karma, was it
good or bad? I dont know however people like how my father acted,
behaved, or thought towards me; while some of it may have been
negative impact I can be the suffering child and learn that there is also
good and that nothing is perfect. But I can make a difference to other
people and show them a better way. I way that I had found on my own
and how I perceived things. I am not perfect and I like to say that I try
my best most days to monitor how I act, think, or behave. I can
sometimes have an ugly attitude but, I like to try my best to respect
and show good monitoring act towards my family and friends as well
as strangers become what I say or do will have an affect on them.
Sometimes silence is a helpful key and when I am most needed after
listening those who come to seek my help and I am sure that I can. I
can lead, teach, and guide them to the right path. I try my best to not
judge quickly, listen and take all information that I see and make a
decision in how I want to carefully respond in order to not harm

anyone. I strongly believe that what you do on to others karma (or acts
of God) will find away back to you. I steal something from Wal-Mart
because I do not want to pay and one day I will lose 50 bucks and
someone who deserves it will find it and in the end who that finds it will
need it more than me. Like a chain reaction, another example I
disrespect my parents constantly later on my children will do the same.
Or lets say I was neglected by my parents that karma can be turned
around and instead of doing the same to my children I can do the
opposite of neglect change the chain reaction. Karma is neither good
nor bad.
Because I believe in God the Buddha is very influential. Many of his
teachings makes absolute sense, some days are hard that I realize that
I am human and imperfect and I slip. He makes me understand that
the path is never lost I just need to get back on it and that I have
control of my body, mind, and soul. I am in control with how I decide to
affect people I encounter with. He makes me want to be remembered
by being a compassionate and helpful person who did well onto others.
He teaches me that I am self worth.