Things like work, material possessions, and ideas of the self…. Even as long as 600 BC, people knew that mental attachments cause stress. That is why we must strive to release ourselves from attachments.

Many people now visit the Great Buddha Statues and follow Buddha. And we love to put beautiful Buddha statues in our homes and gardens, remembering the purity of the Buddha. But we need to remember Buddha’s struggle, too. To become Buddha, Guatama Sidhartha had to follow the path (Om Mani Padme Hum) and let go of attachments.

Buddha was born a royal prince in 624 BC in Lumbini. He had everything a man could ever want. He was pampered and lived a life of complete luxury and indulgence. But then, Buddha realized a vital truth. He realized that all those luxuries and indulgences were holding him back. He knew that there was more to life. And so he set out on a journey of discovery.

Buddha detached himself from everything. He no longer sought material possessions. He sought complete peace of mind. One day the Buddha sat by the Bodhi tree. He said he would not move until he found complete peace of mind. He wanted to feel complete freedom in life, just like you and I. He wanted freedom from a very specific thing: Mara (demon). Mara is one of the Buddhist demons. While Buddha was meditating by the Bodhi tree, Mara entered Buddha’s mind.