Page 34 - Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism (Illustrated) and Symbols

week after his birth, his mother died and he was brought up by

his aunt, Mahaprajapati. At a name giving ceremony he was

given the name Siddharta which means One Whose Aim Is

Accomplished.

Ancient Pali commentaries relate a significant incident which

occured during the Ploughing Ceremony, when as a young child

and left alone in a tent under a rose-apple tree, his nurses later

found the prince to be seated in a lotus posture and having en-

tered one-pointedness of mind known as Samadhi.

e young prince grew up in the midst of luxury and splendour

and at the age of 16, was married to his cousin, the beautiful

Yasodhara. For almost thirteen years after his marriage, he led a

blissful life unaware of the ever changing nature and misfortunes

of life outside the palace.

When he was 29 years old Gautama encountered four significant

sights which marked the turning point of his life. First he saw a

weak and frail old man leaning on a staff, next a diseased person,

then a corpse and finally, a shaven-headed hermit in yellow robe

moving around with a peaceful and serene countenance. e first

three sights convincingly showed him the inexorable nature of

life, and the universal ailments of humanity; the fourth showed

the means to overcome the ills of life and to attain to calm and

peace. Realising the worthlessness of sensual pleasures and the

value of renunciation he decided to leave home in search of Truth

and Eternal Peace.

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