All things have a story...
After the Buddha reached enlightenment, he set out west in the direction of the city of Benares. There he delivered his first sermon as the enlightened one. The sermon, also known as a discourse, was given at Deer Park in July, on the outskirts of Benares. A small band of five ascetics were the Buddha's audience. These men had abandoned the Buddha when he renounced the ascetic lifestyle, before he became enlightened. The first sermon that the Buddha preached was called the "Sutra of Setting in Motion the Wheel of Righteousness." The sermon mainly focused on the Middle Way, which means neither living a life of severe asceticism or mere self-indulgence. By living in accord with the Middle Way, bliss can be found, said Buddha. In order to live on the middle path, the first thing to understand is the Four Noble Truths, which is the core of Buddhist philosophy. By "noble," the Buddha meant that this truth holds for true for everyone and not just the wealthy or fortunate. In Buddha's time, as can be seen in some places today, it was thought that only the males and the fortunate could achieve spiritual realization. The Buddha knew better and claimed that everyone could. He was one of the first great religious figures to recognize that women were equal to men and could become Buddhas as well. The Four Noble Truths are in effect simple but a very powerful and cogent message that lies at the heart of the Buddha's teachings. Today, the image of a Buddhist statue helps us to remember the message of the Buddha and the perfect realization that he reached and which is possible for us. The Buddha never wanted his followers to idolize him with statues and images, although it has happened in some countries. Most Buddhists who follow the teachings of Buddha carefully know that all the images and icons they see of Buddha are for inspiration and to acknowledge his teachings, not the man himself. After all, the Buddha said, "If you see me walking towards you on the path to realization, kill me and keep on going."
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