GAUTAMA BUDDHA – THE PRINCE OF HUMANITY

बुद्धं शरणं गच्छामि

BUDDHAM SHARANAM GACHAMI

I TAKE REFUGE IN LORD BUDDHA

A very long time ago, in the year 623 BCE, King Suddhodana and Queen Maya of Kapilavastu were blessed with a handsome, healthy, baby boy. They named him Siddhartha Gautama.

The king was ecstatic because now he had an heir to his throne. The royal sage was summoned to the palace and he predicted, “Your Majesty, your son is destined to become a great man and a renowned ruler.” Naturally the king was delighted to hear this. But the learned seer had more to say. He continued, “Your Majesty, Prince Siddhartha is destined to be either a world ruler or else he is fated to renounce the world and become a universal spiritual leader.”

The king was extremely disturbed by the thought that there was a chance that his son might become a spiritual leader instead of becoming the King of Kapilvastu. He did not wish his son to become a spiritual leader as this would mean he might leave his parents and family and perhaps the kingdom too. King Suddhodana was determined not to let this happen. He decided to ensure that the prince lived a very sheltered and protected life. The King believed that if Siddhartha experienced only the royal life and nothing else it was more than likely that he would willingly ascend the throne after his father and become, as destined, a powerful and renowned ruler.

Everything that prince Siddhartha desired was provided for him within the palace grounds. The high walls of the palace kept the outside world out of the young prince’s vision. His teachers taught him at the palace and his playmates played with him within the palace grounds. Siddhartha had every luxury available to him. It is said that he even had different palaces for the different seasons. The prince grew up knowing no other world than the one he experienced within the palace’s four walls.

Siddhartha was a very intelligent boy and his teachers found that he learnt whatever they had to teach him in no time at all. They came to the King and said, “Your Majesty we have taught the young prince all that we could possibly teach him. There is nothing more we can teach.”

Having completed his studies the prince was now left with more free time to play with his cousins and friends. Siddhartha however preferred to spend his time alone in solitude; he would sit under the shade of a tree and be found in deep contemplation. Siddhartha also loved to spend time with the deer, monkeys, horses, rabbits, birds and the various other animals that wandered through the palace grounds.

One day as he was walking through the gardens he noticed a flock of geese flying through the sky. To his consternation, all of a sudden, a beautiful, white goose came plummeting down onto the grass close to where Siddhartha was standing. The prince rushed to the bird and noticed that an arrow was embedded in its wing. Picking up the fluttering bird Siddhartha gently removed the arrow as he, in a soft voice, whispered comfortingly to the bird, “Do not be scared little bird. I will take care of you till you are well. You are safe with me.”

Just at that moment Siddhartha’s cousin came rushing up and seeing the goose in the prince’s arms shouted, “Hey, that’s my bird I saw him first, took aim and shot him with my arrow. He belongs to me. Give him back to me right now.”

Siddhartha was not willing to return the injured bird and replied, “He is certainly not yours. I found him first and he is now in my possession. I will nurse him back to health and release him. He does not belong to either of us. He belongs in the skies.”

His cousin was absolutely indignant and shouted, “What utter nonsense! He does not belong to the skies or you. He is rightfully mine and I intend to have him.”

Their argument went on for a while until Prince Siddhartha finally said, “Since this argument cannot be settled by us let us proceed to the court and ask the King and his ministers for a judgement. His cousin agreed and both boys headed for the King’s palace, with Siddhartha still cradling the bird in his arms.

At the palace the King agreed to give the boys a hearing and summoned his ministers to the court. However, even after lengthy discussions, they could not arrive at a decision. Just then a very old man walked into the court. No one knew him. The ministers surprised at the intrusion were about to ask him to leave when the King said, “Let him come in. He looks like a wise man. Perhaps he will help us come to a judgement.”

The old man was brought before the King and the King asked him, “Kind Sir, could you help us decide who this bird should be given to?”

The Ministers explained the case to the old man but almost before they could finish their explanation the old man looking directly at the King said, “The one thing that every living creature values the most is its life. The Prince saved the bird’s life. Hence the bird should be given to him.”

All the Ministers agreed with the wise man and the argument was settled. As a decision had been taken, the King turned to thank the stranger but he was now nowhere to be seen.

It became apparent to the King that his son, Prince Siddhartha was different to other children his age. He preferred spending time, quietly and peacefully. His father began to worry that his son would end up all alone and hence began his search for a beautiful bride for Siddhartha. When he was sixteen years old Siddhartha was married to Princess Yashodhara. Later they had a child who they named Rahula.

As time passed Siddhartha yearned to see more and wanted to venture beyond the palace gates. After a lot of persuasion, the King, unable to deny his son anything, finally agreed. However King Suddhodana called all his Ministers and cautioned “Make sure that the whole city and wherever my son goes, everything is perfect. All the people must appear happy and content. Siddhartha must never see anything unpleasant. I want to make sure that he sees the world as idyllic. He will then be happy to accept the crown and become a great ruler.”

The next morning Siddhartha left in his golden chariot with his trusted charioteer to see the world beyond the palace walls. As they drove through the city Siddhartha was delighted to see the streets decorated with flowers and colourful buntings. All around him were happy, smiling faces. People were waving to him and greeting him with joy. Siddhartha was excited to see all this. Then all of a sudden in the distance he spotted something unfamiliar and asked his charioteer to stop. Siddhartha stood up in the chariot and pointing to the distant figure asked the charioteer, “Who is that? Why does he look so frail? Why is he bent over and using a cane to balance?”

The charioteer though despairing at the prince having spotted this had to provide an explanation. Reluctantly the charioteer said, “That my revered prince is an old man.”

“Does everyone become old?” asked Siddhartha.

“Yes,” replied the charioteer.

“Will I too become old? Will my father become old?”

The charioteer hesitatingly replied, “Yes all of us will eventually become old.”

Siddhartha fell silent and signalled for the chariot to move on ahead.

As they covered some distance Siddhartha heard a man coughing violently. He was wrapped in a thick blanket but yet seemed to be shivering. He was walking slowly holding on to a young woman who, from her facial expression, seemed deeply worried. Once again he ordered the chariot to be stopped. Pointing to the man Siddhartha enquired, “What has happened to that man? Why is he coughing so violently and shivering even though it is a warm summer day?”

The charioteer knowing he had to provide an answer said, “Noble prince that man is very sick. He needs to receive treatment from the vaid. His wife is helping him as he is too weak to walk.”

“What does it mean to be sick? asked the Prince. Does everyone fall sick?”

The charioteer explained, “Sickness is when a person loses his good health and yes all of us are likely to fall sick at some time in our life.”

Siddhartha shook his head in concern and looking away helplessly asked the charioteer to move on.

Unfortunately, just a little ahead a group of people were seen carrying a corpse to the cremation site, Though the charioteer tried to speed past, Siddhartha had already seen the sad procession and noticed all the crying relatives. Once again he asked, “What is that procession? Why are these people so distressed?”

The charioteer having no alternative explained, “The people are carrying the dead body of a member of their family to the funeral pyre. They are crying because he is dead.”

“What is a dead body? Why does the dead body leave so many people sad?” asked Siddhartha.

The charioteer spoke calmly and trying to diffuse the seriousness of the matter answered kindly, “Death is when we lose our life force and leave this earthly body. All of us must die someday. When we die those who love us mourn our loss.”

Siddhartha was now thoroughly depressed. He said to the charioteer, “I have seen enough for today. Let us return to the palace.”

As they headed back Siddhartha spotted an ascetic sitting cross legged out in the open completely calm and quite undisturbed. He seemed to be content and at peace. Immediately he had the chariot stopped, jumped out and walked to the ascetic. He asked the holy man, “Sir you appear tranquil and so at peace. How do you manage to remain this way at all times?”

The ascetic replied, “I have realized that this life can only be filled with pain. It is my endeavor to find the cause of all suffering so that we can all go beyond this suffering and pain.”

Instantly Siddhartha realized that he wanted to search for an end to all suffering.

Returning to the palace the Prince began to discover that his search for the end to suffering could not be found within the palace confines. He also knew that his father would never agree to him leaving the palace and living outside of it. He felt sad at the thought of leaving his wife and child behind as he embarked on his search. But he knew he must.

Late one night, Siddhartha, took a long, loving look at his wife and son who were fast asleep in their beds and then crept silently out of the palace. He entered his charioteer’s quarters and whispered to him to rein his horse. Siddhartha straddled his horse and asked his charioteer to follow him on a second horse. The two reached the palace gates which mysteriously opened as the guards fell into a deep stupor. The prince and his charioteer rode out unnoticed. Once they had ridden way beyond the outskirts of the city, Siddhartha alighted from his horse and giving over the reins to the charioteer ordered, “Go back to the palace with these horses. Tell my father and family that I love and respect them but that I have left in search of my destiny. Tell them I will certainly return one day and not to worry or fear for my safety.”

The obedient and loyal charioteer returned to the palace and did exactly as his prince had ordered.

Prince Siddhartha’s search for enlightenment was by no means an easy one. At first he sought out yoga gurus and one after another he mastered all that they taught him. He achieved mastery over his body but his question of the means to ending all suffering, remained unanswered.

He travelled to several religious pilgrim centers in his search for enlightenment. But to no avail.

Siddhartha then embarked into a journey of severe penance and asceticism. He fasted for so many days that his ribs and bones were clearly visible beneath his skin. He had achieved so much body control that he held his breath for days. Yet all this rigorous tapasya did not give him what he was searching for – enlightenment. After five or six years of this punishing penance Siddhartha realized this was not going to provide him with any answers. Just as he came to this conclusion a young girl approached him with a pot of rice. By now being weak and exhausted and unable even to focus steadily, he knew he needed sustenance to continue his search. Siddhartha accepted the bowl of rice and ate it hungrily.

A while later, as if in a flash, he recalled, that as a boy he had sat under a Jambu tree and experienced an immense feeling of tranquility and bliss. Instinctively, Siddhartha felt that in quietude he would find his answers and enlightenment. He decided that he would practice mental purity and not physical punishment.

By this time in his travel he had reached Bodh Gaya. Finding a Pipal tree he sat beneath its shade. He spent the next 49 days under the tree meditating. Even during his meditation he was faced with temptations that could have disrupted the process but Siddhartha remained resolute. It is said that the demon Mara tried to distract Siddhartha by bringing his most beautiful daughters to seduce him. When there was no reaction from Siddhartha, Mara sent his army of demons but Siddhartha remained absolutely motionless and in deep meditation. Mara in order to anger Siddhartha and shake him out of his quietude claimed loudly, “The seat of enlightenment belongs to me and not to any mere mortal,”

His soldiers then proclaimed, “Yes the seat of enlightenment belongs to the great Mara and we stand witness to this.”

Mara immediately said, “See these valiant soldiers speak for me and affirm what I say. Who will speak for you?”

At that point Siddhartha’s right hand touched the earth and the earth spoke, “I bear witness.”

Finally after trying his best to distract Siddhartha from his meditation, Mara had no alternative but to accept that Siddhartha’s resolve to gain enlightenment could not be broken. Mara left defeated.

As the morning star arose in the sky Siddhartha Gautama realized enlightenment and became a Buddha – the enlightened one. His quest for answers had ended.

LIFE LESSONS

1, Like Prince Siddhartha we should be kind to all animals.

2. Like Prince Siddhartha we should try to help end the suffering of others in whatever way we can

3. Like Prince Siddhartha we should be prepared to face difficulties and even undergo hardship if we wish to achieve any kind of success.

4. Like Prince Siddhartha we must always remain positive about attaining success.