The Life of Lord Buddha
Pranams at the lotus feet of Lord Buddha!
Chapter - 1
It was Siddhartha's wife
Yasodhara full pregnant with their only son.
One dark night Siddhartha was watching over the sky standing in the
palace balcony, his father King Shudhodhana joined with him. “ Son, are you awake in the late night? Is there anything bothering you? Is
there anything you want to share with me?”
Siddhartha said, “ Yes father, I wanted to ask permission to go out of
the Royal Palace and see the beautiful sights nature has to offer.” Shudhodhana said, “ Siddhartha, there is
nothing is charming and attractive to see outside the royal palace.” Siddhartha said, “ Father, since childhood I
have not stepped out of the Royal Palace, I wanted to see how the life out of
the palace, I have seen all that sparkling and cheerful life inside the four
walls of this Palace.” His father tried
to put off the very idea of Siddhartha to go out of the palace, but he could
not convince him for long. Siddhartha
said “ Father, you may be right, there is nothing much attractive in the
outside of the Palace, still I wanted to see that with my own eyes. Kindly give
me permission to visit outside the palace.”
Finally, King Shudhodhana gave permission to Siddhartha to visit outside the world
of the palace, he also arranged a royal chariot
for him to conduct a visit.
The next morning sky was
bright, a grand chariot was ready to pick Siddhartha with the charioteer
Channa/Chandaka and they left the great walls of the palace. It was for the first time Siddhartha being
out in the open, fresh air, soothing morning wind, trees, and numerous flowering
plants, ponds, chirping of birds, lush green fields, streams, etc.. It was a marvelous sight for Siddhartha. The chariot started rolling through the harsh pathways of the villages. Siddhartha kept his eyes and ears wide open;
he watched each and every sight with awe.
Finally, they arrived in a village where he could see small huts, cattle,
and people busily walking over the street and engaged in various
activities. It was the most captivating sight for him. Siddhartha thought why did my father stop me going out of the palace, was unaware of the reason for being not letting him go out in the open.
