From Prince to Buddha

Heavy with child, Queen Maya, Siddhartha’s mother, set out for her parents' home to give birth there. But whilst she was still underway the labour pains set in.

In a garden by the wayside, the baby prince emerged from the left side of her body. He immediately rose to his feet and took seven steps. After scanning the four cardinal points he exclaimed: “I have been born as the Buddha.”

The earth shook and the air was filled with the sweet scent of sandalwood. Blue and pink blossoms fell from the sky.

After the queen had returned home with her son, her husband summoned the sage Asita to read the boy’s future. Wise Asita realized immediately that the person before him was someone special. He predicted that the prince would become either a mighty king or a religious teacher.

Siddhartha’s father wished for his son to become a mighty king.

The prince was therefore not allowed to leave the palace so that he would not experience the ugly sides of life.

In this way, his father hoped to prevent Siddhartha from being overcome by doubts as to whether he was really meant to be king.

So the prince spent his youth at court and grew into a young man.

He received a proper education and proved himself as a talented warrior and huntsman.

When it came time to marry, the handsome young man wed the beautiful Princess Yashodhara. She soon bore him a son, whom they named Rahula.

Despite the many comforts and luxuries at court, the prince wished to learn more about life beyond the palace walls.

He travelled to the city three times. On his first outing he came across an old man hobbling on a stick. On his second visit he met a sick man writhing in pain. And on his third trip he encountered the body of a recently deceased man surrounded by his family in mourning.

Prince Siddhartha was deeply moved. For the first time in his life he had witnessed pain, sorrow, and suffering.

Like many people in India, Siddhartha believed that a person was born not just once but again and again. He decided to seek a way out of this painful and eternal cycle and to become a monk.

Since his family did not want to let him go, he stole away quietly one night. Heavenly beings raised the hooves of his horse to prevent any noise from waking the sleeping palace.

The prince cast off his possessions and dressed himself in a simple cloth. From then on he lived off what people placed in his alms bowl.

Under the guidance of two teachers, Siddhartha practised meditation day in and day out.

He began to understand that nothing in the world is permanent or unchangeable. What emerges one day will eventually pass. Nothing can be held onto forever – neither objects, nor people, nor pleasant situations. But since people crave these things and are not willing to let them go, suffering is inevitable.

Siddhartha now saw that suffering comes from craving and that only by eliminating craving could suffering be brought to an end.

The path to this insight was arduous and full of obstacles.

After a long period of practice and meditation, Siddhartha had almost reached his goal. Then Mara, the god of death, tried to startle him out of his contemplation and stop him from attaining supreme knowledge.

He first tempted Siddhartha with all kinds of riches. But as the prince had relinquished all worldly possessions and was free of all desires, he did not fall for this trick.

Prince Siddhartha had become the Buddha, the Awakened One. He was now ready to share his insights with others. He gathered followers around him and began to teach.

More and more people wished to hear the words of the Buddha. But of course, there were also some who were envious of his success.

His cousin Devadatta, in particular, was so full of envy that he repeatedly tried to kill the Buddha.

Once he even set a raging elephant upon him. The wild creature trampled everything in its path and no one could stop it.

When the Buddha came face to face with the animal, he gently raised his hand, at which the elephant immediately became calm and knelt before him.

At the age of 80, the Buddha died.

For him the death of his body meant that he had reached his ultimate goal. By attaining parinirvana, “complete extinction”, he stepped out of the eternal cycle of death and rebirth and was forever freed from human suffering.

The Buddha’s body was cremated and his ashes were distributed among his followers.

The followers then buried his remains in tombs known as stupas.

The stupa became a symbol of the Buddha, the Awakened One, but also of his teachings and complete awakening.