ascetic life and enlightenment

• Ascetic


  One who leads a life of self-denial and contemplation; absent of luxury.
• Peepul tree


  Sacred fig tree.
• Meditation


  The calming and focusing of the mind, and reflecting on spiritual ideas to find their meaning.
• Dukkha


  Suffering.
• Mara

  A demon that represents spiritual obstacles, especially temptation. He unsuccessfully tried to tempt Siddhartha from his meditation.
• Vasundhara

  Earth goddess that witnessed Siddhartha was fit to achieve enlightenment.
• The Three Watches of the Night

  Siddhartha recalled his past lives, understood nothing is permanent, discovered the law of dependent arising. He achieved enlightenment at the end of the third night.
• Enlightened Being


  Fully awakened one.
• Three Poisons


  Greed, hatred, ignorance.
• The Five Ascetics

  The Buddha's first five students; five monks who followed ascetic practices.
• Renunciation

  To give something up.
• The Lotus Flower

  Symbol of enlightenment. It begins in the mud, rises up through deep water before finally opening up in the sunlight.