Chapter 1

The Life Of The Buddha

The Birth

On the full-moon day of May in the year 623 B.C. there was born, in the Lumbini Park at Kapilavatthu, on the borders of Nepal, a noble Prince of aristocratic Sakya clan. His father was King Suddhodana and his mother Queen Maha Maya. Seven days after the birth of the child, the mother died, and Maha Pajapati Gotami, her younger sister, who was also married to King Suddhodana, became his foster mother.

Great was the rejoicing of the people over the birth of this illustrious prince. A certain ascetic, named Asita, also known as Kaladevala, was particularly pleased to hear this happy news and, being a tutor of the King, visited the palace to see the royal baby. The overjoyed King brought the child, to pay him due reverence, but, to the surprise of all, his feet turned and planted themselves in the matted locks of the ascetic. Instantly the ascetic rose from his seat and foreseeing the child’s future greatness, saluted him with joined hands. When he thus honored him, the royal father too saluted him in the same way.

The great ascetic at first smiled and then was sad. Questioned as to his mixed feelings, he replied that he smiled because the Prince would, eventually become a Buddha; and that he was sad because he, owing to his prior death and rebirth in a Formless Plane - Arupaloka, could not benefit by the superior wisdom of the Enlightened One.