"Mom said you needed a cushion," Laurie said, walking into Grandpa's study. "I brought two just in case."
"Yes, I do need a cushion. Thank you," Grandpa said.
He was sitting cross-legged on the floor.
"I'm giving up chairs and devoting myself to deep thinking for one week.
Maybe if I sit like Buddha and try to think like Buddha, I'll be able to write a great article on Buddha's life in ancient India."
He picked up a small statue of the famous monk.
"Wait—Buddha was a real person?" Laurie asked, sitting down next to Grandpa.
"Yes. He was a real prince, named Siddhartha Gautama.
He was born around the sixth century BC to the king and queen of the Shakya kingdom.
Back then, the areas we know as India and Nepal were made up of small, independent kingdoms.
Hinduism, which had been practiced in India for hundreds of years, divided society into four rigid classes, or castes.
There were priests, royalty, merchants and farmers, and laborers.
Since Siddhartha was born into a royal family, he enjoyed a life of luxury.
His father wanted to protect his son from all the unpleasant things in the world, so he forbade Siddhartha from leaving the palace.
But you know what happens when you tell people they can't do something.
That becomes exactly what they want to do!
So one day Siddhartha sneaked out of the palace.
And he was shocked by what he saw: old people, sick people, and dead people!
He saw great suffering and wondered why there was so much pain in the world.
Then he met a hermit who said he had given up wealth to search for truth.
Siddhartha decided he would do that too.
So he left his kingdom and set out to lead a hermit's life.
Siddhartha thought. And he fasted. And he walked.
Then finally he sat beneath a tree by a river and thought very, very hard.
After some time, he realized the truth about the world and why people suffer.
It was under that tree that he became a buddha, or an 'enlightened one.'
That means he truly understood the world."
Grandpa closed his eyes and put his hands back over his knees.
"Good story, eh?" he said. He sat very still.
"Yes, a very good story. But aren't you going to tell me what he found out?
And what happened after that? Did he get up or sit there forever?" Laurie asked impatiently.
Grandpa looked at Laurie. "He didn't stay there forever.
After he became enlightened, he set out to teach people what he had discovered, because he thought it would help them.
He had discovered that people suffer because they have desires.
They want things, and when they don't get them, they become upset or sad.
In order to avoid suffering, people must get rid of their desires.
This is what Buddha taught. He encouraged people to lead modest, moderate lives.
He also encouraged them to ignore the Hindu caste system, because he believed that all people were equal.
Hindus believed that only men in high castes could study religion.
But Buddha said everyone was free to learn his teachings.
Buddha had become enlightened in the powerful Magadha kingdom, which ruled northern India, and his story was famous there.
The Magadha king, Bimbisara, invited Buddha to his palace.
There Buddha taught King Bimbisara his knowledge of the world, and the king was so moved that he became a Buddhist.
He offered one of his gardens to the wise Buddha.
Siddhartha used the garden as a temporary home and teaching place.
Many people learned about Buddhism there, and the popularity of his religion increased.
He continued to teach until he died at age 80.
By that time Buddhism was firmly established in India."
"What happened to Buddhism after he died?" Laurie asked.
"Even after his death, Buddhism continued to spread throughout India, especially thanks to King Ashoka of the great Mauryan kingdom.
He was a vicious warrior and conqueror.
During his rule, from about 270 BC to 232 BC, he attacked neighboring kingdoms and led wars to expand his territory, unifying much of India.
After one particularly bloody war, however, he suddenly found himself horrified at his actions.
He asked himself whether a violent life was worth living.
Then he remembered the teachings of Buddha, which encouraged peace, equality, and harmony among all living things.
Ashoka decided this was how people should live.
He converted to Buddhism and declared his land a Buddhist kingdom.
He wanted everyone to learn Buddha's teachings and live in harmony.
Ashoka helped spread Buddhism throughout India, and for a while his kingdom flourished.
But as you may guess, being peaceful only works if you can convince your neighbors and the next king to be peaceful too.
After Ashoka's death political conflict and foreign invaders led to the end of the Mauryan kingdom and the end of a unified, peaceful India.
In the years to come, Christians and Muslims would come from the west, forever changing Indian culture.
Buddhism lost its power in India, but traveled north and east to take root in China, Korea, and Japan." Grandpa breathed deeply.
"Now let's think about life, suffering, desire, peace, and enlightenment." He pointed to the extra cushion.
"Like this?" Laurie sat cross-legged, placed her hands over her knees, and closed her eyes.
"Exactly. That is how Siddhartha sat, and so shall we," Grandpa said, closing his eyes.
Laurie opened one eye to peek at Grandpa. He appeared to be deep in thought.
"Grandpa, it's pretty cool that you know all this stuff," she whispered.
Then she closed her eyes and thought.