Reading Notes Week 14: Buddha Part C

For this week I decided to read more abut Buddha because I still have not come to the point where he becomes the actual Buddha. This week was interesting because it started off with Siddhartha going away on a pilgrimage away from home to learn the teachings of peace basically. However, when he gets there, he realizes that the man who is teaching him may not know what he is talking about. I was a bit confused by this because the teachings seemed like what I know Buddha for. Subjecting yourself to harsh treatments, but still being able to survive and be calm throughout them. Siddhartha did not agree with these teachings and decided to leave to start his own teachings with meditation.

Eventually he came across the Tree of Knowledge and started to meditate there. This caught the eye of the King of Evil, Mara. Mara started to become afraid that he would not be more powerful than the Buddha if he continued to gain wisdom from the tree. The way Mara is described is almost like a beast, but I pictured him more like a man. He has a lot of personified features and I think Mara was a really cool character. He sounded smart and cleaver, but his lust for power is what caused his downfall. How he talked about Siddhartha like he did not deserve any of the wisdom he was receiving was great to read. The passion in his voice made it sound more real than a lot of the other stories I have read.

When Mara keeps questioning the power of Siddhartha, the Earth itself eventually comes forward to defend the Buddha. Saying that he truly is deserving of the wisdom and power he is acquiring. In the end, Mara was defeated and cried. Supposedly, in the next part of the reading, Siddhartha actually becomes the Buddha, so I am excited to read that.

(Siddhartha under the tree of knowledge. Source: Wikipedia)

Bibliography: The Life of Buddha

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