Traditional accounts of the life of the Buddha are some of main instruments of teaching in Buddhism, especially those which involve and are related to his enlightenment, in order for one to properly articulate as to why these accounts are able to effectively illustrate Buddhist teachings one must describe certain events regarding his enlightenment and explain what teachings they are able to propagate.
The earliest events in Buddha’s life related to enlightenment which serve as teaching aids or those of his days as a wandering aesthetic where after living and shielded privileged life he chose to practice extreme aesthetic practices so as to discover spiritual truth but his failure to do illustrates the concept of the Middle Path as the most effective way to achieve enlightenment, however this period in his life also show that meditation although sometimes creating a false sense of enlightenment and being a distraction can be a contributing factor on the journey of spiritual progress. In order for one to find the most valuable lessons in Buddha’s life one must look at his enlightenment because is there in which the imagery and the events occurred have had the most impact on Buddhist teachings.
First the distractions and temptations of Mara and the Buddha’s ability to resist them illustrate what kind of discipline is necessary for one to follow the eightfold path so as to achieve enlightenment. Also his ascension through the four Jhanas and the moment which he remembers all past lives and manages to obtain an all encompassing view of Samsara put on display Buddhist ideas about dependent origination and rebirth. One can also look at the Deer Park sermon which he held after his enlightenment so as to teach to his disciples what he had learned is also important in illustrating Buddhist teachings as it clearly lays out the Four Noble Truths which remain essential to Buddhism. Finally the last lesson taken from Buddha’s enlightenment is his death where is able to comprehend what exactly occurs during the death of an Arhat and what it will be like when one enters Para-Nibbana.