1. Life of the Buddha presentations

2. Birth  Some stories tell of the Buddha’s miraculous conception, when his mother Mahamaya dreamed that Gotama entered her through her right side in the form of a white elephant.  The dream was interpreted to mean that the child would grow up to be either a great ruler or religious teacher.  She gave birth to him in a beautiful grove of trees, and died shortly afterwards.

3. Life as a young man  As the son of a clan chief Gotama was well schooled in philosophy and the study of religion, yet existed in a state of noble separation from the rest of society  His father’s intentions were to keep him away from the difficulties and problems faced by other people.  This was to protect his future as a warrior who in turn would protect the people

4. The Four sights or signs  Although he had every material comfort, Gotama felt that there had to be more to life.  He persuaded Channa, his chariot driver to take him for a ride outside the palace walls on four consecutive days.  Despite the fact that his father had filled the streets with young, healthy people, by chance (or intervention of the gods) the young Gotama saw four sights – old man; sick man; dead man and wandering holy man or samana

5. Ascetic life  Gotama spent six years learning meditation techniques and living with very little.  His health deteriorated, he suffered terrible headaches and stomach cramps as the result of living on one grain of rice a day (some traditions suggest three sesame seeds).  He abandoned these techniques when he realised he was no nearer the truth of our existence.

6. Enlightenment or the Great Awakening  Gotama ate a meal before meditating under a pipal tree, later named after his experience as the Bodhi tree.  He was tempted by Mara, god of desire and death, but by concentrating on the morning star he was able to overcome the temptations of worldly comforts.  In his meditations (jhana) he saw all his previous lives, and then the rebirth of all things according to their kamma before realising that he had overcome his desires (tanha) and reached enlightenment (nibbana).

7. Death of the Buddha  The Buddha had been teaching since he was 35 and by 80 he was very ill.  He told his cousin and loyal follower, Ananda that there was no need to appoint a successor to lead the order (Sangha) after his death as the Dhamma was the only guide they would need.  Lying on his right side between two trees outside Kusinara he asked the monks whether they had any final questions to ask him. They had none.  Some traditions record he ate poisoned pork or poisoned mushrooms.  He is said to have passed through several levels of meditation before entering final nibbana (parinibbana), the state of deathlessness.