Shakyamuni Buddha is the historical founder of Buddhism who lived
approximately 3,000 years ago. Chinese and Japanese tradition set the
date of his birth on April 8, 1029 BCE and his death on February 15, 949
BCE. He was born in what is present day Nepal as a prince, the son of
King Shuddhodana of the Shakya tribe. According to Buddhist tradition,
at the age of 19 he renounced his princely life, and started his journey
as a religious ascetic seeking the truth. At the age of 30, having
realized that the severe austerities of ascetic life in India did not
lead to an awakening to the ultimate truth, he sat under a pipal tree
(also known as the “Bodhi Tree”) and meditated. He attained
enlightenment and embarked on a lifelong career of traveling through
India, preaching to many disciples and believers to lead them to the
same enlightenment.
During the last eight years of his life he
expounded the teachings of the “Lotus-Nirvana Period,” in which he
taught the principles of the Lotus Sutra, his highest teaching, and
instructions for its transmission. Shakyamuni’s teachings in the Lotus Sutra ultimately reveal in the depths of the passages that his status
was provisional, and that the True Buddha of kuon-ganjo would appear in the Latter Day of the Law (mappo) to reveal the Buddhism of the true cause that would lead all humankind to enlightenment.
