There are four principal forms of suffering in this world — birth, death, aging, and illness. Yet, Prince Siddhartha knew nothing of these. All he had known was the grandeur, luxury, pleasure, and indulgence of palace life — these, he believed, were the essence of existence. But he cannot be blamed for this ignorance. His father, King Suddhodana of Kapilavastu in present-day Nepal, had taken every possible measure to shield the young prince from life’s harsher truths, particularly from the reality of suffering.
At his birth, royal astrologers prophesied that the child would either become a great emperor, whose domain would transcend time and space, or a monk who would abandon the world in search of truth. The first possibility greatly excited King Suddhodana, but the second filled him with anxiety. If the heir to the throne were to turn a renunciant, who would inherit the kingdom?
This was a grave concern. Thus, the king ensured that Siddhartha be lacked for nothing — food, clothes, pleasures, entertainment — everything was provided in abundance. At just the age of sixteen, Siddhartha was married to Princess Yashodhara. Life seemed perfectly fine.
However, when indulgence exceeds all limits, even pleasure begins to feel like poison. Siddhartha, who had never stepped outside the palace walls, began to yearn for a glimpse of the world beyond. But leaving the palace was forbidden. So, in secret, he requested the royal charioteer, named Channa, to arrange for an excursion.
Riding through the city, Siddhartha encountered crowds of people — rich and poor, men and women, high-caste and low. There was noise in some places, serenity in others. Yet none of this truly touched him — until his eyes fell upon an old man. Siddhartha had never before seen old age; all he knew was youth.
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He asked the charioteer, “What is this?”
The charioteer replied, “My prince, this is old age. The body passes through childhood and youth and eventually reaches this state.”
Siddhartha asked, “Will I also grow old one day?”
“Yes, my prince. We all will.”
As the chariot moved on, Siddhartha then saw a frail, sick man.
“What is that?” he asked.
“That, my prince, is illness. When the body is afflicted by disease, it becomes like this.”
“Will I also be like that?”
“Yes, my prince. There is a strong possibility. The very presence of a body is an invitation to illness.”
They rode further, and Siddhartha saw a corpse.
“What is this?” he asked.
“That is a dead body, my prince. When life ends, the body takes on this form.”
“Will I die too?”
“Yes, my prince. So will I. So will all of us.”
These revelations, these sufferings that had been hidden from him all his life, shook Siddhartha to the core. Even upon returning to the palace, the images haunted him day and night. He felt an urgent need to seek their resolution. All pleasures now seemed hollow.
One day, on another outing with the charioteer, Siddhartha saw a wandering monk — serene and radiant amidst the world’s sorrow.
He asked, “Why does this man’s face shine with such peace? Why does he seem untouched by the world’s suffering?”
The charioteer answered, “My prince, he has renounced all worldly desires and pleasures. That is why sorrow cannot touch him.”
Further along the path, Siddhartha saw another man deep in meditation.
“Who is he?”
“He is an ascetic, my prince. Through deep contemplation, he seeks answers to life’s complex questions — for the welfare of all beings. He strives to gain the inner vision that can conquer the impermanence of the world.”
The Birth Of Buddha
Siddhartha returned to the palace, his thoughts growing more profound. Finally, at the age of twenty-nine, he silently left the palace at night — bidding a final look at his sleeping wife and infant son, Rahul, without turning back. His purpose: to seek truth, to find a way to end the world’s suffering.
After forty-nine days of intense meditation beneath the Bodhi tree, he attained the supreme truth, an Enlightenment. Siddhartha became Gautama Buddha.
Yes, the Buddha — the one who gave to the world the Eightfold Path to alleviate the sorrows of birth, death, aging, and disease. These are: 1. Right View 2. Right Thought 3. Right Intention 4. Right Speech 5. Right Action 6. Right Livelihood 7. Right Effort 8. Right Mindfulness.
Buddha devoted his entire life towards the welfare of humanity. His teachings were meant not only for monks but for householders as well. Throughout his life, he often engaged in dialogues and debates, frequently besting orthodox Vedic Brahmins who were steeped in ritualism. Among his most noted disciples were the reformed bandit Angulimal and the courtesan Amrapali.
The Buddha later returned to Kapilavastu, his birthplace, to see his dying father one last time. Upon seeing his son, King Suddhodana realized that the astrologers’ twin prophecies had both come true: Siddhartha had indeed become an emperor — a king who ruled not over land, but over human hearts across time and space.
Yashodhara and Rahul both eventually accepted the Buddha’s path and joined him in his wandering quest. After spending some time in Kapilavastu, Buddha travelled to Saranath and later, in his eightieth year, to Kushinagar, presently near the Uttar Pradesh-Nepal border. There, he chose to give up food and water and entered Mahaparinirvana — the final liberation from his human body.
The poet Jayadev, in his poetry collection ‘Gita Govindam’, described Buddha as the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
And so, even today, in this 21st century, regardless of caste, creed, or faith, we bow our heads before his statue with flowers and incense and say softly in our hearts: “Buddham Sharanam Gacchami — (I take refuge in the Buddha)”. A very Happy Buddha Purnima to all.
