The Buddha, unlike Jesus and Muhammad, seems, from the start, to have been a universalist. The Buddha ignored the barriers of caste, by which the Hindu society was already partitioned in his time, and his successors did not halt at the confines of India. He and they were consciously addressing themselves to all human beings everywhere.
Buddhism was not only the most unhesitatingly world-minded of the three missionary higher religions; it was also the earliest of the three. It is 500 years older than Christianity, and 1,100 years older than Islam.
Arnold J. Toynbee
The founder of Buddhism, Sakyamuni Buddha, was born over 3,000 years ago in what is now Nepal. He came into this world for the purpose of teaching and helping sentient beings, so his name describes his teaching objective.
“Sakyamuni” translated into Chinese means “being benevolent and silently still. “Sakya” means ‘being benevolent,’ which is treating all living beings with impartial benevolence. Modern people are self-centered and lack compassion, and so the teaching emphasis is on being patient and benevolent. “Muni” means pure nirvana. We must cultivate our own purity and stillness. Modern people are commonly distracted with an impure mind. By looking at images of Sakyamuni Buddha or saying his name, we remind ourselves of these: Have we been compassionate to others? Is our mind pure? These are the merits of the Buddha’s name.
The eight phases of the Buddha’s life—descending from the Tusita Heaven, being born as the crown prince of a royal palace, renouncing the throne and becoming a monastic, practicing austerely in search of the truth and other expedient virtues—were shown for the living beings of our World of Endurance.
The Buddha’s teachings throughout his life can be categorised into five periods. First, the Avatamsaka Period. This refers to the first twenty-one days after his attainment of Buddhahood, during which he taught the Avataṃsaka Sutra, which details his enlightened state. Second, the twelve years of the Agamas period, which is equivalent to primary education with the objective of ceasing misdeeds and practising virtue. Third, the eight years of the Vaipulya Period, which is equivalent to secondary education with the objective of transforming delusion into enlightenment. Fourth, the twenty-two years of the Prajna Period, which was the core of Buddhist teachings with advanced science and philosophy, and the objective of attaining supreme enlightenment. Fifth, the eight years of the Lotus-Nirvana period, which was equivalent to graduate study, with the goal to attain a doctorate degree in Buddhism, to transform ordinary beings to be sages, and to perfectly achieve Buddhahood. All five periods of Sakyamuni Buddha’s teachings were based on the aptitude of students, advancing gradually according to their understanding.
The Buddha made teaching the first priority, and throughout his life he did so tirelessly. He demonstrated this to us. Through his actions as highlighted in the eight phases and giving teachings with lectures, he set the best example for all people.
