Take Refuge in Shakyamuni Buddha 皈依 本師 釋迦牟尼佛

Gautama Buddha (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम बुद्ध; Pali:Siddhattha Gotama), also called Shakyamuni, was a sage from the ancient Shakya republic, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. He is also referred to as "the Buddha" or most commonly simply as "Buddha."

Buddha means "awakened one" or "the enlightened one." "Buddha" is also used as a title for the first awakened being in an era. In most Buddhist traditions, Siddhartha Gautama is regarded as the Supreme Buddha (Pali: sammāsambuddha, Sanskrit: samyaksaṃbuddha) of our age, Gautama Buddha may also be referred to as Shakyamuni Buddha ( 釋迦牟尼佛), Śākyamuni (Sanskrit: शाक्यमुनि "Sage of the Śākyas") or "The Awakened One of the Shakya Clan."

Gautama Buddha taught a Middle Way compared to the severe asceticism found in the Sramana(renunciation) movement common in his region. He later taught throughout regions of eastern India such as Magadha and Kośala.

The time of Gautama Buddha's birth and death is uncertain: most historians in the early 20th century dated his lifetime as circa 563 BCE to 483 BCE, but more recent opinion dates his death to between 486 and 483 BCE or, according to some, between 411 and 400 BCE. However, at a specialist symposium on this question held in 1988 in Göttingen, the majority of those scholars who presented definite opinions gave dates within 20 years either side of 400 BCE for the Buddha's death, with others supporting earlier or later dates. These alternative chronologies, however, have not yet been accepted by all other historians.

Gautama Buddha is the primary figure in Buddhism, and accounts of his life, discourses, and monasticrules are believed by Buddhists to have been summarized after his death and memorized by his followers. Various collections of teachings attributed to him were passed down by oral tradition, and first committed to writing about 400 years later.

Various Buddhist traditions teach different accounts of the Buddha's life. Their differences indicate how each tradition conceives of a Buddha and what we can learn from his example.

• The Hinayana ((हीनयान) is a Sanskrit term literally meaning: the "Inferior Vehicle", "Deficient Vehicle", the "Abandoned Vehicle", or the "Defective Vehicle", applied to the Śrāvakayāna, the Buddhist path followed by a śrāvaka who wishes to become an arhat) versions speak only of the historical Buddha. By showing how Buddha worked intensely on himself to reach enlightenment, we learn to put in effort ourselves.

• According to the general Mahāyāna (Sanskrit: महायान mahāyāna, literally the "Great Vehicle") is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice. Mahāyāna Buddhism originated in India, and some scholars believe that it was initially associated with one of the oldest historical branches of Buddhism, the Mahāsāṃghika) versions, Buddha had already attained enlightenment many eons ago. By manifesting a life with twelve enlightening deeds, he teaches us that enlightenment entails working forever for the sake of all.

• In the anuttarayoga tantra accounts, Buddha manifested simultaneously as Shakyamuni teaching The Sutras on Far-reaching Discriminating Awareness (The Prajnaparamita Sutras/般若波羅蜜多) and as Vajradhara/金剛總持 teaching the tantras. This indicates that tantra practice is fully based on the Madhyamaka (Chinese: 中觀派/refers primarily to a Mahāyāna Buddhist school of philosophy founded by Nāgārjuna/Devanagari: नागार्जुन, Telugu: నాగార్జున, Tibetan: ཀླུ་སྒྲུབ་ klu sgrub, Chinese: 龍樹 (one of the most important Buddhist philosophers after the historical Buddha) teachings of voidness/emptiness/nothingness.

Thus, we can learn many helpful things from each of the versions of the Buddha's life and gain inspiration on many different levels.
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All paintings on the video are from the wall at the Burmese Temple in
Georgetown, Penang.

I do not own any copyright of the audio track.

My purpose for up loading this on to YouTube is to share this
Great Mantra/Sutra with the world and for those who search for it.

My deepest sincere Thank You
to all for allowing me to accomplish this task in life.
May all be bless with merits ~

Amitabha
阿彌陀佛