Life of Lord Budhdha –
India has been the land of
diversified beliefs and faith, Buddhism was initiated from Lumbini, a sacred place close to the border of Nepal
which is the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama who was born in 623 B.C. in
the Kingdom of Kapilavasthu. He was born
to Queen Mayadevi and King Sudhdhadhana of the Kingdom of Kapilavasthu.
Queen Mayadevi had a dream in that a white elephant was moving on the sky, which is considered as highly auspicious during
the days of pregnancy, it was a part of their tradition to give birth to the
child in the paternal homeland, hence Queen Mayadevi decided to travel to
Devadhaha while she was fully pregnant, but she had to give birth to the child
in the Lumbini grove on the way to Devadhaha.
Thus, Supreme Being took the form
of a human, later became the source of liberation/Nirvana for the entire clan
of Sakhya/branch of Ikshvaku dynasty and the living beings on Earth. King
invited many scholars, priests; astrologers for the naming ceremony of the
child, one of the astrologers prophesied that the child would discard all the princely
status and will attain enlightenment.
In
the early years of childhood, Siddhdhartha was under the supervision of
excellent Masters in various field of knowledge, he was a studious child, he
mastered all the subjects, he has grown up into a talented and brave young man. He
was extremely caring, compassionate, loving, and kind to all the people and
living creatures on the Earth. King
Sudhdhadhana was anxious about the prophecy of the astrologer in his whole
life, therefore he has arranged all the comforts and luxuries within the palace
, not giving any room for Sidhdhartha
to practice the sense of abandonment, he has arranged superior attendants
to fulfill all his requirements, and charming young courtesan girls distract
him from any sort of renunciation. There was one incident, his visit to the
country people, witnessing their poor living standards, illness, sufferings,
poverty and death made Sidhdhartha contemplate upon the cause for sufferings. It ignited the spark in him for the search of
absolute truth and the cause for sufferings and miseries of worldly
existence.
At the
age of 16 he was married to his first cousin princess Yasodhara. Siddhartha Gautama and Yasdhara were same age;
at the age of 29, this couple had a son Rahula, on the 7th night after
the birth of the child Siddhartha Gauthama abandonment the material
life and conducted search for enlightenment, while Yasodhara was asleep. When Prince Siddhartha left the chamber, Yasodhara
who was pretending to asleep, moved close to the window watching her husband
leaving the palace once for all, she sincerely wished that her husband should
achieve all the comforts in the forest life, he had chosen over the princely
status. Siddhartha renounced the princely living and
went in search of the ultimate truth, the next six years he underwent extreme austerities and penances, it caused physical weakening. During this period of time, Yasodhara who
came to know that her husband is leading a supremely ascetic life, she renounced
her royal comforts, she abandonment royal costume, and jewelry embraced saffron
robe, and consumed meal once in a day, during these six years of rigorous
penance of her husband, Yasodhara has closely followed the news of his development
in asceticism. He
proceed his journey to Gaya, on the way he met a farmer who offered a bundle of
Kushagrass, he sat under a Bodhi/awakening tree for 49 years and contemplated
upon causes of sufferings in the material existence, on a full moon night
Siddhartha gained enlightenment, this sacred place has come to know as Bodha
Gaya/Buddha Gaya which is situated 150 km south of the city of Patna. Buddha Purnima is the day commemorates the
birth of Siddhartha Gautama, and enlightenment of Buddha.
When Budhdha visited Kapilavasthu after
enlightenment, Yasodhara did not go to meet him; she had a faith that if she is
having any virtues, her Lord would definitely come to meet her, as expected,
Budhdha met Yasodhara and praised her patience and sacrifices. Later, Yasodhara and Rahula became devoted
disciples of Budhdha. Yasodhara attained
the supreme abode at the age of 78, just two years before the Mahanirvana of Lord
Budhdha.
