The life of Lord Buddha

Pranams at the lotus feet of Lord Buddha!

Chapter – 13

Buddha visits his Kingdom Kapilavasthu after achieving enlightenment; went on begging for alms.  One day his father met him “Son, Why are you bringing shame to me go on collecting alms? You are born in the royal lineage, you are the heir of the throne of Kingdom of Kapilavasthu, and these people are your subjects.  Are you in an opinion that I cannot provide enough food for you and your disciples?” Buddha replied “ Dear Father, the moment I have achieved enlightenment, I have discarded all the relationship with the Sakhya royal lineage, I am Buddha, a monk who lives on the alms, I am following the traditions of a Monk.  Father, kindly listens to me, when people cling on to the feelings, perception, mental formations, and sense consciousness is under the snare of Maya/illusion, which brings mental and physical afflictions.  A person who is not under the influence of delusion remains free from sufferings and illnesses.”  Buddha’s father was highly impressed with the teachings of his son, invited him for alms with his disciple to Royal Palace.

Buddha accepted the invitation to Royal Palace and arrived with the monks.  He continued to stay for three days giving lectures on Dharma, his father and his mother Queen Mahaprajapathi listened to his teachings with great respect, they were drawn to the path of Dharma more and more each day.  His father said “ Buddha, your wife did not come out of her chamber all these years, you have not seen her or your son all these years.  She is in utter misery spends her whole life in that chamber,  I would like to invite you to her chamber, kindly make a visit to her and speak to her. Your teachings may help her to come out of the grief.”  Buddha replied “Yes Father, I will visit Bimba with my disciples.”

Buddha paid a visit to his wife who was in extreme grief and agony all these years, not willing to come out of her chamber.  She came out of the chamber with her son Rahula, she prostrated at the feet of Buddha, shedding tears of pain; she enquired “Why have you been so unkind to me all these years? I am your wife; you have chosen spirituality as your path and left in silence. Did I do anything wrong to leave like that way?  If I have done something wrong, what was the wrong of Rahula born on that very day? You have left him without attending your child.”  Buddha said “ Bimba, don’t be  miserable, What I did was to help my loved ones and all the human beings, let you know the way out of suffering, we have born in this world to acquire merit together, after several births.  We all are subject to aging, illnesses, and death, none of us can deny this truth.  All the things around us have fleeting nature, everything has a temporary nature.  Everyone has to go through happiness and miseries, the pain of separation, etc.. Every one of us is owners of our own Karma.  We are heir to Karma, born to Karma, abide by our Karma.  We will be the heir of our good and bad deeds,” For the first time Bimba was soaking in the nectar-like speeches of Buddha, she overcame from the grief and pain of separation instantly.