HE

Many kings came and left this world. And nobody remembers
them till many, many years but he will live till the end of the
world. He was born in the Lumbini Village of Nepal in 600 BC.
His name was Siddhartha. His father, Suddhodana was the ruler
of Kapilvastu. However, unfortunately, his mom’s name was
Maya Devi, who died soon after his birth.
Time elapsed. The little boy grew into a handsome boy. He
became royal prince whose father had protected him from any
kind of suffering. He lived in a beautiful palace with all luxury
items of the world. He was a child prodigy, with a contemplative
bent of mind. Even his teachers were surprised as he knew so
much without being taught. But his father was troubled because
he was not like other princes. He didn’t like shooting and
hunting though he was a brave prince and experts in using
weapons as well. He used to spend his time in wandering alone.
Sometimes, he would sit in meditation under a tree and ponder
over the questions of life and death. His father feared that
Siddhartha might leave home and so, kept tried to insulate him
from the harsh realities of the world outside by keeping him
inside the palace all the time.
When he was 18, he married to Yashodhara, a princess in order
to divert his mind. Soon, they had a son named Rahula but all
these could not transform the mind of young boy.
When he encountered an old man, a sick person and a dead
body, he realized how short lived is worldly passions and
pleasures. One dark night, he left his home and went to the forest
in search of peace and truth while everyone was sleeping
completely.
He wandered from place to place to gain knowledge. He met
many scholars and saints but he was not satisfied. No one was
able to give him the answer he wanted.
He did not stop his search for truth and knowledge. After six
years of wandering and meditation, he got enlightenment when
he was sitting in meditation under a pipal tree. Six years elapsed.
Siddhartha now got transformed into the enlightened one at the
age of the thirty-five. He understood the miseries of life and
death. Now he decided to share this knowledge with the world.
He gave the message of truth, peace, humanity and equality. His
teachings and sayings became the basis of Buddhism, one of the
world’s leading religions which are followed in some countries
like Myanmar, Japan and China, etc.
After gaining enlightenment, his name became “Gautama
Buddha”. Nowadays, we know him as “Lord Buddha”.