Reading Notes: Life of Buddha, Part A
I really liked the interesting 'genesis' story of Buddha. Buddha was actually a prince! It was a very surprising discovery for me that Buddha was born as a royal prince of a kingdom. The birth dream story of Buddha was also fascinating. I found a common theme of Buddhism and Hinduism from Queen Maya's dream: Elephants are considered sacred and mythical animal. Queen Maya saw six tusks in the elephant, which resembles that of typical Hindu elephant paintings. Both religions originated in the subcontinent of India, so the similarities remain.
I really liked this vivid description of the king's (Buddha's father) nervous expectation of his new born son: "His limbs faltered, his hands trembled and tears welled from his eyes. And he thought: "Never, not even in the heat of battle when fighting my bravest enemies, have I felt as profoundly disturbed as at this moment. Why is it I can not enter the wood where the queen awaits me? Can anyone explain my agitation?"
Even the bravest warrior and king feels nervous when it comes to his own son's awaited birth.
Another thing that I was surprised by birth story of Buddha is that Buddha was wealthy and privileged person upon his birth: "Be happy, King Suddhodana, worthiest of the Sakyas! He who seeks supreme knowledge is about to come into the world. He has chosen your family to be his family because of its fame, good fortune and virtue, and for mother he has chosen the noblest of all women, your wife, Queen Maya. Be happy, King Suddhodana! He who seeks supreme knowledge would fain be your son!"
Although I come from a Buddhism practicing family, I've had no idea or clue about who Buddha really was. His name was Siddhartha, and he had doting parents who worshiped him upon his birth.
Buddha's further journey about enlightenment of human pain and suffering was another interesting part of the read. He later left his kingdom and basically went into the streets to see the average people, which is a rare thing for a royal figure to do.
I really liked this vivid description of the king's (Buddha's father) nervous expectation of his new born son: "His limbs faltered, his hands trembled and tears welled from his eyes. And he thought: "Never, not even in the heat of battle when fighting my bravest enemies, have I felt as profoundly disturbed as at this moment. Why is it I can not enter the wood where the queen awaits me? Can anyone explain my agitation?"
Even the bravest warrior and king feels nervous when it comes to his own son's awaited birth.
Another thing that I was surprised by birth story of Buddha is that Buddha was wealthy and privileged person upon his birth: "Be happy, King Suddhodana, worthiest of the Sakyas! He who seeks supreme knowledge is about to come into the world. He has chosen your family to be his family because of its fame, good fortune and virtue, and for mother he has chosen the noblest of all women, your wife, Queen Maya. Be happy, King Suddhodana! He who seeks supreme knowledge would fain be your son!"
Although I come from a Buddhism practicing family, I've had no idea or clue about who Buddha really was. His name was Siddhartha, and he had doting parents who worshiped him upon his birth.
Buddha's further journey about enlightenment of human pain and suffering was another interesting part of the read. He later left his kingdom and basically went into the streets to see the average people, which is a rare thing for a royal figure to do.
Buddha's Mother, Queen Maya. Source: Queen Maya's Dream
Bibliography:
The Life of Buddha by Andre Ferdinand Herold (1922)
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