15. How did Gautama finally reach his supposed enlightenment?

¹⁵ Eventually he came to realize that his extreme course of self-denial was as useless as the life of self-indulgence that he had led before. He now adopted what he called the Middle Way, avoiding the extremes of the life-styles that he had been following. Deciding that the answer was to be found in his own consciousness, he sat in meditation under a pipal, or Indian fig tree. Resisting attacks and temptations by the devil Mara, he continued steadfast in his meditation for four weeks (some say seven weeks) until he supposedly transcended all knowledge and understanding and reached enlightenment.

The Enlightenment​—What Is It?

17. (a) Where and to whom did the Buddha preach his first sermon? (b) Explain briefly the Four Noble Truths.

¹⁷ Having attained enlightenment, and after overcoming some initial hesitation, the Buddha set forth to teach his newfound truth, his dharma, to others. His first and probably most important sermon was given in the city of Benares, in a deer park, to five bhikkus​—disciples or monks. In it, he taught that to be saved, one must avoid both the course of sensual indulgence and that of asceticism and follow the Middle Way. Then, one must understand and follow the Four Noble Truths (see box, opposite page), which can briefly be summarized as follows:

(1) All existence is suffering.

(2) Suffering arises from desire or craving.

(3) Cessation of desire means the end of suffering.

(4) Cessation of desire is achieved by following the Eightfold Path, controlling one’s conduct, thinking, and belief.

18. What did the Buddha say about the source of his enlightenment? (Compare Job 28:20, 21, 28; Psalm 111:10.)

¹⁸ This sermon on the Middle Way and on the Four Noble Truths embodies the essence of the Enlightenment and is considered the epitome of all the Buddha’s teaching.