Prince Siddhartha’s birth Gautama or Prince Siddhartha was born in the Shakya Kingdom to the head of the clan, King Shuddhodhana and Queen Maya. This warrior kingdom is below the foothills of Himalayas. It is believed that Prince Siddhartha’s mother, Maya Devi conceived him in a very unique way after she had a dream on a full moon night, that a white elephant with six tusks has entered her right side of the womb. When Maya Devi realized that she was pregnant, after a few months, she decided to go to her father’s house. On the way to her maternal home, the queen’s procession passed a garden in Lumbini Park, in Nepal. When they were crossing the garden, she felt labour pains and gave birth to the divine baby boy in a standing position while leaning against a tree in this garden. The birth was truly divine with the Saal trees, scented flowers, birds and bees accompanying. The delivery was painless and the baby boy who emerged from Maya devi’s right side was born in a fully formed avataar. As soon as he was born, the Prince started taking seven steps. Whenever he took a step, a white lotus flower bloomed. Wise sages and saints came to bless the baby prince and predicted that the child was a divine kid and would become a great secular or religious leader.   Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s birth Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s childhood Buddhist Mythology The Prophecy by the Sages Buddhist Mythology The First Sight of the Old Man Buddhist Mythology The Second Sight of the Sick Man Buddhist Mythology The Third Sight of the Dead Man Buddhist Mythology The Fourth Sight of the Monk Buddhist Mythology Gautama’s Renunciation Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha becomes Gautama Buddha Buddhist Mythology The First Five Monks Buddhist Mythology The Story of the Serpent King Buddhist Mythology Angulimala, The Bandit Previous Next

When Prince Siddhartha was seven days old, Queen Maya Devi expired. King Shuddhodana married Maya Devi’s younger sister, Prajapati Gotami who raised Siddhartha as her own son. Prince Siddhartha was sent to school by the King where he studied with children from noble families and learnt not only education-based subjects

The Prophecy by the Sages When Prince Siddhartha was born, King Shuddhodhana had celebrated in a very grand way and has invited everyone for the naming ceremony. Five sages attended the ceremony and they also predicted that it was written in Prince Siddhartha’s destiny that he would become a sage after seeing a sick man, an old man, a dead body and a monk. They warned the King that his son would leave all the worldly pleasures to seek salvation. This warning got the King worried. To add to his worries, Queen Maya Devi expired when Prince Siddhartha was just an infant. The King decided to shield his son and hence built a big palace and ensured that his son would never leave the palace and hence would not see the sick man, the old man, the dead body and the monk. He ensured that the palace had all the worldly pleasures and had many servants who would protect the Prince. Every person that the Prince would interact with was healthy and young. The King did not allow any saints or monks to meet the Prince. To prevent Prince Siddhartha from boredom, he also built three different palaces for him- first one for summer, second one for the rains and third one for winter season. Parks, lakes, forests, hunting ground were all built inside the palace fortress. When Prince Siddhartha became sixteen years old, he got married to a beautiful princess, Yashodhara. Inside the palace, the prince and his wife led a life of luxury. Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s birth Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s childhood Buddhist Mythology The Prophecy by the Sages Buddhist Mythology The First Sight of the Old Man Buddhist Mythology The Second Sight of the Sick Man Buddhist Mythology The Third Sight of the Dead Man Buddhist Mythology The Fourth Sight of the Monk Buddhist Mythology Gautama’s Renunciation Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha becomes Gautama Buddha Buddhist Mythology The First Five Monks Buddhist Mythology The Story of the Serpent King Buddhist Mythology Angulimala, The Bandit Previous Next

The First Sight of the Old Man To avoid the prophecy of the sages from coming true, King Shuddhodhana had tried to keep his son, Prince Siddhartha in captivity and gave him all the worldly pleasures and happiness within the four walls of the palaces. But despite all the pleasures, Prince Siddhartha was not happy. One day, he requested his father to allow him to go outside and explore. The King ordered all the people to decorate their homes and welcome the Prince with happiness. As the Prince was travelling, he came across an old hut and saw an old beggar who was very weak and wearing torn and dirty clothes. The old man could barely walk and he had no teeth in his mouth and was partially blind. While he was walking slowly with the help of a stick, it was evident that he did not have any strength in him. The old man was so hungry that he had no option but to beg to the people for a small morsel of food.  The Prince was confused at this sight as he had never seen an old person and had never seen anyone in tattered clothes. He asked his charioteer and loyal servant, Channa to explain and that is when he understood that the cycle of life makes all young people become old someday. Old age cannot be stopped or altered if one lives on.  The Prince realized that old age was a common phenomenon, where the body becomes weak and frail and this thought made him very sad. He went back to the palace with a heavy heart and confused thoughts in his mind. Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s birth Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s childhood Buddhist Mythology Gautama’s Renunciation Buddhist Mythology The Prophecy by the Sages Buddhist Mythology The First Sight of the Old Man Buddhist Mythology The Second Sight of the Sick Man Buddhist Mythology The Third Sight of the Dead Man Buddhist Mythology The Fourth Sight of the Monk Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha becomes Gautama Buddha Buddhist Mythology The First Five Monks Buddhist Mythology The Story of the Serpent King Buddhist Mythology Angulimala, The Bandit Previous Next

The Second Sight of the Sick Man After the first sight of old age, Prince Siddhartha wanted to experience the real world for some more days. He requested his father to allow him to visit the capital city. The King unwillingly allowed him to visit the city for the second time. This time, the king did not forewarn the people and thought that it would be best if Prince Siddhartha gets to know the reality. The Prince and his charioteer, Channa walked in disguise on the streets. The Prince saw simple people, usual shops, people doing their daily work. While they were walking, they saw a man who was crying in pain holding his stomach. His face had gotten blue and he was gasping for breath. This was the second sight that made the Prince very sad. Being a kindhearted person, the Prince could not bear the agony of the sick person and he ran towards him to help him. After giving him some water, the Prince got up and asked Channa what was happening to this person. That is when he came to know that the man had plague and his face and body was blue because of the illness and the poison that was running in his blood.  The Prince also came to know that there are many illnesses in the world and for most of them, people suffer till they die. This knowledge saddened the prince even further and returned in a very depressed state back to his Palace. The King saw the sad Prince and got very worried. Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s birth Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s childhood Buddhist Mythology The Prophecy by the Sages Buddhist Mythology The First Sight of the Old Man Buddhist Mythology The Second Sight of the Sick Man Buddhist Mythology The Third Sight of the Dead Man Buddhist Mythology The Fourth Sight of the Monk Buddhist Mythology Gautama’s Renunciation Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha becomes Gautama Buddha Buddhist Mythology The First Five Monks Buddhist Mythology The Story of the Serpent King Buddhist Mythology Angulimala, The Bandit Previous Next

The Third Sight of the Dead Man After the second sight of sickness, Prince Siddhartha wanted to explore more and understand the ways of the world. He requested his father, King Shuddhodhana to allow him to visit the kingdom one more time. The King did not have any option and so allowed the request and asked Channa, the charioteer to accompany Prince Siddhartha. Prince Siddhartha disguised himself as a common man and roamed the different lanes of their Kingdom. He kept observing people and learning about their daily life and occupations. When he entered one lane, he saw a big crowd of people who had assembled together. The crowd looked dejected and many people were crying. Prince Siddhartha wondered what the issue was. That is when he saw four men carrying a wooden plank. On the plank, there was a very thin who was lying still. The man was not moving at all and the four men were lifting him and taking the man on the plank somewhere. Siddhartha followed the crowd and kept observing the man on the plank who did not move an inch and did not say anything too. At one point, the crowd stopped walking and the four men put the plank on the ground. They then lifted the man and put him down on a pile of wood which was then set on fire. Despite the fire and the flames, the man on the wooden plank did not move at all. Eventually the entire body was burnt, but Prince Siddhartha did not hear a word of pain. Surprised and confused, he asked his loyal servant, Channa what this entire episode was about. Channa explained about death.  Prince Siddhartha learnt that all living beings, including Kings and Queens, are meant to die someday and that death cannot be avoided. Prince Siddhartha was shocked and sad to hear that everyone who is born meets with death. After witnessing this horrific sight, the prince returned to his Palace but couldn’t sleep the entire night. The visions troubled him. Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s birth Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s childhood Buddhist Mythology The Prophecy by the Sages Buddhist Mythology The First Sight of the Old Man Buddhist Mythology The Second Sight of the Sick Man Buddhist Mythology The Third Sight of the Dead Man Buddhist Mythology The Fourth Sight of the Monk Buddhist Mythology Gautama’s Renunciation Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha becomes Gautama Buddha Buddhist Mythology The First Five Monks Buddhist Mythology The Story of the Serpent King Buddhist Mythology Angulimala, The Bandit Previous Next

The Fourth Sight of the Monk After the three sights, Prince Siddhartha spent a few days in his Palace and was lost in serious thoughts. He then decided to go to the city one more time and informed his father. While passing through the city, he saw a contended man walking down the street. The man had a smile on his face and was wearing an orange-coloured robe. The man’s head was clean shaven. Prince Siddhartha decided to follow him. The man walked in a peaceful stride and went from one house to another and got food and other alms from the residents. This sight was unique and unusual for the Prince. He asked Channa, his faithful charioteer for explanation and came to know that this person was a monk who lives in a monastery. His main goal is to worship God and the monks are always happy and contended as they are always close to God. The Prince was happy to hear this and he got motivated to become someone like the monk as he couldn’t forget the contended look on the monk’s face. The other three sights also came to his mind at the same time and that is when it dawned to Prince Siddhartha that to achieve happiness and peace, it was important to leave the life of pleasure and lead a life which has a quest for salvation and enlightenment. Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s birth Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s childhood Buddhist Mythology The Prophecy by the Sages Buddhist Mythology The First Sight of the Old Man Buddhist Mythology The Second Sight of the Sick Man Buddhist Mythology The Third Sight of the Dead Man Buddhist Mythology The Fourth Sight of the Monk Buddhist Mythology Gautama’s Renunciation Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha becomes Gautam Buddha Buddhist Mythology The First Five Monks Buddhist Mythology The Story of the Serpent King Buddhist Mythology Angulimala, The Bandit Previous Next

Gautama’s Renunciation Prince Siddhartha and Yashodhara were blessed with a baby boy who was named Rahul. King Shuddhodhana was delighted to have a grandson and he invited the best artists and had the best food for everyone. The King thought all this abundance and celebration would distract Prince Siddhartha from his misery after his four sightings of the old man, sick man, dead man and the monk. The legend says that Prince Siddhartha attended the celebration only out of respect for his father, but eventually fell asleep as his mind was pre-occupied. By the time the celebration was over, Prince Siddhartha had made his mind up to leave all these luxurious pleasure and wealthy life and become a monk or a sage. Once the celebrations were over, Prince Siddhartha went to see his new-born son and wife. As Queen Yashodhara had her hand on the baby, he did not even cuddle the baby as he feared waking his wife who could prevent him from leaving.  Quietly, he left the palace at midnight and took his favourite white horse, Kanthak and his faithful servant, Channa. He also took his sword and cut his long hair, wore clothes that are worn by monks, took a bowl for alms and took a last look at his city, Kapilavatthu and rode away. He removed his jewellery and princely clothes and gave everything to Channa so that he could return to the king. He then asked Channa to go back with Kanthak as he did not want Channa to go through the hardships. It is also said that his faithful horse Kanthak died once his master left him. Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s birth Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s childhood Buddhist Mythology The Prophecy by the Sages Buddhist Mythology The First Sight of the Old Man Buddhist Mythology The Second Sight of the Sick Man Buddhist Mythology The Third Sight of the Dead Man Buddhist Mythology The Fourth Sight of the Monk Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha becomes Gautama Buddha Buddhist Mythology The First Five Monks Buddhist Mythology The Story of the Serpent King Buddhist Mythology Angulimala, The Bandit Previous Next

Prince Siddhartha becomes Gautama Buddha Prince Siddhartha’s or Gautama’s search for enlightenment introduced him to many teachers. He also made five friends who had also given away the life of luxury and all of them practiced the ascetic life for six years. He practiced fasting and meditation to gather wisdom. Prince Siddhartha lived on one grain of rice every day. After some years, he stopped eating. He became thin like a bamboo stick and his eyes sank inside and with all the fasting, he looked like a living skeleton. But his desire to attain moksh (salvation) and enlightenment was so strong that he suffered his pain and hunger but did not break his fast and meditation. Prince Siddhartha would also hold his breath for a long time and many a times he fainted. He would meditate wherever he would roam in the forest and was not even scared of the wild animals. After six years, he realized that this pain and suffering was not giving him the desired wisdom and he then decided to visit the villages and beg for alms. When Gautama was travelling from one village to another, there is a famous story associated with him becoming Buddha (which means the enlightened one). A rich girl called Sujata wanted to marry and one priest told her to go to certain banyan tree near the Neranjara river and pray to the tree-god. Sujata acted on this and got married and also was blessed with a son. As the tree-god had fulfilled her wish, she made a delicious rice kheer from the milk of her cows and went to the tree. There she saw the Gautama meditating and took him to be the tree-god. She was delighted that the tree-god had come in person to accept her food which she had carried in a golden bowl. When she came closer to the tree, she realized that Gautama was a saint who was in meditation. She bowed with respect and requested him to accept her rice kheer. Gautama ate the kheer and then threw the golden bowl in the river. He said, if I have become a Buddha, the bowl will go upstream. And when the bowl was thrown, exactly the same happened. That is how the ascetic Gautama became Gautama Buddha. Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s birth Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s childhood Buddhist Mythology The Prophecy by the Sages Buddhist Mythology The First Sight of the Old Man Buddhist Mythology The Second Sight of the Sick Man Buddhist Mythology The Third Sight of the Dead Man Buddhist Mythology The Fourth Sight of the Monk Buddhist Mythology Gautama’s Renunciation Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha becomes Gautama Buddha Buddhist Mythology The First Five Monks Buddhist Mythology The Story of the Serpent King Buddhist Mythology Angulimala, The Bandit Previous Next

The First Five Monks Once Prince Siddhartha became Gautama Buddha, he wanted to share his life learnings with other people. He went to Sarnath in Varanasi to meet his five friends who had also become monks. Initially, when they saw Buddha, they decided not to entertain him as he had given up a life of self-mortification and they thought that this was against the principles of worship. But when Buddha came closer to them, they saw a very different aura and could not stop themselves from wanting to be his disciples. These five monks are said to be Lord Buddha’s first disciples to whom the supreme knowledge was imparted at the Deer Park in Sarnath. This is how the first sangha or the first community of followers of Lord Buddha was formed.  The Buddha’s first teaching was called the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. This discourse means Turning of the Wheel of Truth and was not only listened to by his five friends, but also by the other Gods. Buddha’s preachings were to give up extremes that were followed by many ascetic. He advised against self-indulgence as well as self-mortification. Spiritual development comes by following the middle path and he preached the four Noble Truths: the truth of suffering; its cause; its end; and the way to its end. He also preached the noble eightfold path to attain Nirvana or Salvation.  Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s birth Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha’s childhood Buddhist Mythology The Prophecy by the Sages Buddhist Mythology The First Sight of the Old Man Buddhist Mythology The Second Sight of the Sick Man Buddhist Mythology The Third Sight of the Dead Man Buddhist Mythology The Fourth Sight of the Monk Buddhist Mythology Gautama’s Renunciation Buddhist Mythology Prince Siddhartha becomes Gautama Buddha Buddhist Mythology The First Five Monks Buddhist Mythology The Story of the Serpent King Buddhist Mythology Angulimala, The Bandit Previous Next