Before attaining sambodhi, Prince Siddhartha had learned meditation practice from many sadhaks. The last of them was Acharya Udrak Ramputta. As the fundamental question of freedom from suffering was still unanswered, he began austerities on the banks of the river Niranjana.

At that time, when a deer walked by, he was afraid that someone had come to kill him. When someone broke a dead branch, the mind was terrified, like a dragon coming down from the tree to devour it. Unmoved by any situation, he remained absorbed in penance. Thus he conquered material fear. He felt that if the mind can be freed from the bondage of fear, it is possible to overcome the pain. At times, sitting in kumbhaka (breath control) pranayama for a long time felt like a thunderous roaring in the ears. Sometimes it felt as if someone had split his head in two with an ax. Sometimes the body felt like it was on fire. Through these practices of Hatha Yoga, he wanted to strengthen courage and self-discipline. Thus he was able to endure indescribable pain but his heart was still restless. In the practice of self-purification and ragatit, he did 6 months of body torture. 

He was alone for the first three months. Later, five disciples of Udrak Ramaputta, led by Kaudanna, began to practice rigorous sadhana with him. Every day one of these 6 went to the village to beg for alms. When divided into 6 portions, each portion barely contained a handful of food. Gradually his body dried up. Siddhartha's sadhana became more rigorous. According to Thik Nyat Hanh's famous book 'Old Path, White Cloud', he stopped bathing and eating. Sometimes they ate fallen mangoes, dried dung. Stomach stuck to the back, touching the head made the hair stand up all over the hands. While sitting at Masanghat doing sadhana, one day he suddenly felt as if lightning flashed, this way of torturing the body to gain knowledge is wrong. He realized that the body and the mind are part of the same existence, to torture the body is to torture the mind. He came to the conclusion that he would take care of his health and continue meditation. 

The next morning after bathing, he washed the scissors he had brought from the ghat and dried them in the sun. When he tried to go to the village to beg in the village, his emaciated body fell down and fainted. At that time Sujata, a young girl who was bringing milk and food to offer to the forest deity, lifted Siddhartha's head and put a bowl of milk on his lips. The milk licked Siddhartha's tongue and throat and had an immediate effect. He drank the whole bowl of milk. After taking a long breath, he was able to sit up in a moment. Sujata drank another bowl of milk. Knowing the power of milk, on the same day he vowed to meditate on the coolness of the forest without torturing his body. He started eating normally. After Siddhartha renounced severe austerities, the five sadhak friends abandoned him, thinking that he had gone astray. Meanwhile, Sujata from Urubela village, buffalo shepherd Swasti and other children became his friends. 

Attainment of Sambodhi

Sitting under a peepal tree, Siddhartha focused all the mental energy he had gained through meditation on his body. He saw that there was no atom of the body which was unchanging and independent. Through meditation he learned that fear, anger, hatred, arrogance, malice, greed, ignorance are various mental states. The seed of all mental states is ignorance, which can only be liberated by penetrating it. Knowledge gained from direct experience, not rote learning, is the right knowledge. His vision reached the peepal leaves fluttering in the sky. Looking deeper, he saw that the sun and constellations were all present on the leaves. Without the sun, without light, without fire, the existence of leaves was not possible. Human body is also like peepal leaf. It has no separate existence and that existence is not permanent. The sun is there and the earth is warm. As there is earth, there are plants and crops. Because there are crops, there is food. There is food and animals are alive. Independent and separate existence of any creature and element of the world is not possible. 

are the most essential elements of life - impermanence and anatma ie changeability and dependence. Paddy would not have evolved as a plant if it was not eternal and eternal. The cloud would not turn into water. The child was not an adult. Adults were not old. The root of all suffering is that we consider our existence to be permanent and ourselves to be a separate entity. If a person understands this truth, he will be freed from all the vicious cycle of suffering.

The mind immersed in meditation suddenly told him, 'Kindness and love are the same thing. Love is not possible without compassion. The nature of each creature is shaped by its physical makeup, emotional and social status. After realizing this truth, he does not hate even those who treat him unkindly. Truthfulness is necessary to love. The path to salvation is compassionate knowledge. A person should be aware to gain knowledge. He should have direct contact with the present moment of life. That is, he should be able to accurately see what is happening inside and outside of the person. Awareness is such a secret dictionary, which brings in people the ability to think and understand deeply. Life can be ignited only by the Ashtanga path, i.e. right knowledge, right thought, right speech, right action, right conduct, right effort, right awareness and right memory, i.e. centralization of the mind.' When he opened his eyes, the morning star was shining like a huge diamond on the horizon. 

Gyan Dan

The next morning, addressing Sujata, Swasti, her siblings and the other children, Siddharth said, 'Friends, when you eat anything, be in full consciousness. Absorb its aroma and taste completely. While releasing the fruit, focus your full attention on removing the peel. When you put the saffron in your mouth, give full attention to its taste. The orange given to me by Nanda Bala had nine kesras. I ate all nine ksera with full awareness and experienced how delicious and nutritious it was. When you eat the fruit unconsciously, you do not get to experience the beautiful taste and aroma and enjoy eating the orange. Life is like an orange. Our mind and body must always be focused on the present moment. A person in a conscious state can avoid any thoughts, actions and speech that are harmful to others and to himself. Those who have mutual knowledge in their hearts love each other. How are you? What do you think?'

'Dear Gurudev, you are right. Love is impossible without knowledge. Once my sister Bhima kept crying all night. Bala, the other sister, angrily slapped his cheek. Bhima started crying even more. I took Bhima in my arms. He had a fever. I made Bala put his hand on Bhima's forehead. Bala knew the reason for Bhima's crying. Her eyes were filled with love and she began to sing lullabies while rocking her in her arms. Bhima kept quiet, even then he had a fever. Bala understood Bhima's pain as to how this was possible. Gurudev! So I think love is not possible without knowledge.'

'Swasti's point is correct. Love is possible only if there is mutual understanding. Acceptance comes from love. Parents, practice awareness. This will deepen your thinking and understanding. And you get to understand yourself and others. Then your heart becomes loving. This is the subtle knowledge I got.' 

On the same day, Sujata named him 'Buddha' and Nalak named the peoplebot he gained enlightenment as Bodhivriksha. Siddharth readily accepted both proposals.

After the children of Urubela, on the day of Asar Purnima, he gave a discourse to the former ascetics Kaudanna, Mahanam, Bhaddiya, Bappa and Assaji about the knowledge he had acquired at Sarnath. At first they showed disdain for the Buddha. "Siddhartha, you have given up the austerities of body torture", Kaudanna said, "you have eaten food, spent time with the youth and children of the village." How did you get Sambodhi?'

In a calm voice, the Buddha said, 'Friends, all followers of the path of enlightenment must avoid extremes. Indulging in sensual pleasures is one extreme, depriving the body of basic needs is another extreme. Too much only leads to failure. There is no place for excess in the knowledge I receive. After taking the food, my health improved and sadhana became successful. My way is the middle way. It leads man to the path of knowledge, liberation and peace. People are sad, there is a reason for suffering, you can get relief from suffering and there is a solution for it. These are the four Arya Truths.'

According to the Buddha, the first Arya Truth, birth, root (old age), disease, death, grief, anger, malice, anxiety, agitation, fear and despair are all sufferings. Separation from loved ones and association with unpleasant people are also sorrows. The second Arya truth, ignorance is the root of suffering. The third Arya Satya, the realization of the true knowledge of life, is the end of sorrow and grief. The fourth Arya Satya is the remedy for suffering. The Ashtanga path means right knowledge, right thought, right speech, right action, right living, right effort, right consciousness and right memory (concentration).

The Great Human Philosophy

Buddha is such a great teacher of the world who did not say his thoughts as the ultimate truth like other religious leaders. I am not a savior, but a guide. This is the best way I have ever seen. By reaching the depth of meditation, sadhana and experience, you can find the right path than me,' he said.