The Prince Who Had Everything
In the royal city of Kapilavatthu,
a son had come to the great King Suddhodana and his lovely Queen Maya. They
named the boy Siddhartha, which means “He Who Reaches His Goal.”
a son had come to the great King Suddhodana and his lovely Queen Maya. They
named the boy Siddhartha, which means “He Who Reaches His Goal.”
Soon after the birth, the king was
visited by a great seer named Asita. The baby was brought for him to see. To
the king’s alarm, the holy man burst into tears.
visited by a great seer named Asita. The baby was brought for him to see. To
the king’s alarm, the holy man burst into tears.
“Sir, what is wrong?” asked the
king. “Do you foresee some disaster for my son?”
king. “Do you foresee some disaster for my son?”
“Not at all,” said the seer. “His
future is supreme. Your son shall become a Buddha, an Enlightened One, and free
the world from its bonds of illusion. I weep only for myself, for I will not
live to hear his teachings.”
future is supreme. Your son shall become a Buddha, an Enlightened One, and free
the world from its bonds of illusion. I weep only for myself, for I will not
live to hear his teachings.”
Now, the king was distressed that
his only heir might turn to a life of religion. He called upon eight Brahmin
priests, all skilled in interpreting signs, and asked them to prophesy for the
prince.
his only heir might turn to a life of religion. He called upon eight Brahmin
priests, all skilled in interpreting signs, and asked them to prophesy for the
prince.
When the priests had conferred,
their spokesman addressed the king. “Your majesty, if your son follows in your
footsteps, he will become a Universal King and rule the known world. But if he
renounces home and family for the life of a seeker, he will become a Buddha and
save the world from its ignorance and folly.”
their spokesman addressed the king. “Your majesty, if your son follows in your
footsteps, he will become a Universal King and rule the known world. But if he
renounces home and family for the life of a seeker, he will become a Buddha and
save the world from its ignorance and folly.”
The king asked, “What would cause
my son to renounce home and family?”
my son to renounce home and family?”
The priest answered, “Seeing the
four signs.”
four signs.”
“And what are the four?”
“An old man, a sick man, a dead
man, and a holy man.”
man, and a holy man.”
“Then none of these shall he see,”
the king declared. And he placed guards around the palace to keep all such
persons away.
the king declared. And he placed guards around the palace to keep all such
persons away.
As Siddhartha grew to manhood, the
king sought ways to strengthen the prince’s ties to home. He married him to the
lovely Princess Yasodhara, who in time bore a son. And he surrounded him with
dancing girls to while away his hours. The prince became a creature of pleasure
and seldom left his luxurious apartments in the palace’s upper stories.
king sought ways to strengthen the prince’s ties to home. He married him to the
lovely Princess Yasodhara, who in time bore a son. And he surrounded him with
dancing girls to while away his hours. The prince became a creature of pleasure
and seldom left his luxurious apartments in the palace’s upper stories.
But one day Siddhartha thought he
would visit a park outside the city. The king arranged the outing, with strict
orders to his guards to keep the road clear of the old, the sick, the dead, and
the holy.
would visit a park outside the city. The king arranged the outing, with strict
orders to his guards to keep the road clear of the old, the sick, the dead, and
the holy.
As the prince passed through the
city in his royal carriage, people lined the road to admire him. The guards
followed the king’s orders as best they could. But even so, the prince spied in
the crowd a man with gray hair, weak limbs, and bent back.
city in his royal carriage, people lined the road to admire him. The guards
followed the king’s orders as best they could. But even so, the prince spied in
the crowd a man with gray hair, weak limbs, and bent back.
“Driver,” said Siddhartha, “what
is wrong with that man?”
is wrong with that man?”
“He is old, my lord.”
“And what is ‘old’?” asked the
prince.
prince.
“‘Old’ is when you have lived many
years.”
years.”
“And will I too become ‘old’?”
“Yes, my lord. To grow old is our
common fate.”
common fate.”
“If all must face old age,” said
the prince, “then how can we take joy in youth?”
the prince, “then how can we take joy in youth?”
Not long after, the prince spied a
man yellow-faced and shaking, leaning on a companion for support. “Driver, what
is wrong with that man?”
man yellow-faced and shaking, leaning on a companion for support. “Driver, what
is wrong with that man?”
“He is sick, my lord.”
“And what is ‘sick’?”
“‘Sick’ is when your health has
left you.”
left you.”
“And will I too become ‘sick’?”
“It is likely, my lord. To be sick
is our common fate.”
is our common fate.”
“If all must face sickness,” said
the prince, “then how can we take pride in health?”
the prince, “then how can we take pride in health?”
Before long, the prince spied a
stiff, motionless man being carried along by four others.
stiff, motionless man being carried along by four others.
“Driver, what is wrong with that
man?”
man?”
“He has died, my lord.”
“And what is ‘die’?”
“‘Die’ is when your life is
finished.”
finished.”
“And will I too ‘die’?”
“You will, my lord, without a
doubt. Of all our fates, death is the most certain.”
doubt. Of all our fates, death is the most certain.”
“If all must face death,” said the
prince, “then how can we delight in life?”
prince, “then how can we delight in life?”
At last the prince spied a man
with shaved head and saffron robe.
with shaved head and saffron robe.
“Driver, what is that man.”
“He is a seeker, my lord.”
“And what is a ‘seeker’?”
“A ‘seeker’ is one who renounces
home and family to wander about, living on what he begs. Avoiding pleasure, he
subdues the passions; meditating, he controls the mind. And so he strives for
freedom from this world of tears and the endless round of rebirths.”
home and family to wander about, living on what he begs. Avoiding pleasure, he
subdues the passions; meditating, he controls the mind. And so he strives for
freedom from this world of tears and the endless round of rebirths.”
“Driver, return to the palace. No
more do I care for parks or pleasure or anything that may pass away. Soon I too
will be a seeker, renouncing this life that binds me.”
more do I care for parks or pleasure or anything that may pass away. Soon I too
will be a seeker, renouncing this life that binds me.”
That very night, Siddhartha
slipped into the women’s quarters for one last look at his sleeping wife and
son. Then quietly he descended to the courtyard, mounted a white steed, and set
out.
slipped into the women’s quarters for one last look at his sleeping wife and
son. Then quietly he descended to the courtyard, mounted a white steed, and set
out.
The city gate, too heavy for a
single man, swung open by itself at his approach. And as the prince passed
through, he made this vow:
single man, swung open by itself at his approach. And as the prince passed
through, he made this vow:
“Never shall I enter this city
again, till I’ve seen the farther shore of life and death.”
again, till I’ve seen the farther shore of life and death.”