Lezlie Laws gives us background on the historical period that shaped the Buddha’s early life up to the point of his Enlightenment in 528 BCE.  She reviews the predominant characteristics of what is now called the “Axial Age” and show how this unique time in history created a context for the Buddha to shun the political life that was planned for him and to take up the life of a “renouncer,” a spiritual seeker.  By examining his early life,  we see how his core teachings were taking form in his mind long before he became one of the most influential spiritual teachers of his age.

Here are the notes prepared for this talk:  Buddha’s Early Life