Paintings in Buddhist Architectural tructure

Tamamushi Shrine (national treasure)

Life of the historical Buddha

Historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, was raised as

a prince of the Shakya clan in a small kingdom of
present Nepal.
At the age of 29, he renounced his noble family and
devoted himself to solve a question of human
existence. After 6 years of meditation and austerities,
he went to Bodhagaya and stayed there for several
nights and days. And he attained enlightenment (悟
り）. Then he started his preaching at the Deer Park
(first preach).
He died at the age of 80 (5th century B.C.).
Jataka:
the tales of previous lives of Shakyamuni,
Buddha.

Jataka consists of over 500 stories about the

previous incarnations of the Buddha.
釈迦八相 Eight Major Events in Shaka’s biography

1. 下天:coming down from the Tuṣita heaven, Tosotsu-ten.

2. 託胎: entering his mother's body
3. 出胎: coming out of his mother's body. "I alone am the
honored one in the heavens and on earth"
4. 出家:leaving home
5. 降魔:subjugating demons, or conquest of Mara
6. 成道:attaining enlightenment
7. 初転法輪 : First Sermon, “Turning the Wheel of the Law”
8. 入涅槃 : entering Nirvana (death)