Siddhartha sat beneath the Bodhi tree, determined to see whether suffering could end. By morning, he was called the Buddha, the Awakened One. What did he get?
1. Beneath the Bodhi tree
At dusk, Siddhartha sat down. He was determined to stay until he saw clearly.
2. Through the night
The wind moved through the leaves. The night deepened. He stayed.
3. The morning star
As dawn approached, he opened his eyes. Beyond the leaves, the morning star was shining.
4. Daybreak
The light reached the roots of the tree. He sat there a while longer, his eyes open.
5. “I’m awake.”
Later, a traveller stopped him on the road and asked what sort of being he was. The Buddha answered, “I’m awake.”
6. Look up
Tonight, look up. If you see a point of light, give yourself a moment before naming it. See it as if for the first time.
This storyboard brings together the Zen account of the morning star and the Buddha’s later encounter with Doṇa in the Doṇa Sutta.
Continue exploring. Read Self and No-Self for a closer look at the Buddhist teaching of not-self and the Advaita understanding of the Self, or return to Truth Recognized in the Spiritual Awakening Journey.
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