Reading Notes: The Life of Buddha, Part B

The second part of the reading begins with Siddhartha leaving the city of Kapila. He also leaves on his horse Kanthaka. Siddhartha wants to discover life and death all together and feels like he must go out and venture. He wants to find good or evil. I think if I could tell it from the horses point of view that would be neat. I could also make up something along the lines that his father holds him at his palace like he is in prison. His father wants to ultimately be the greatest.

Siddhartha's leaving was very heartfelt and emotional. He talked with Chandaka and realized that he wanted to discover more. Leaving his family would be hard for them, but if he was to stay they might leave him (in death). Gopa realized that Siddhartha has left to become a hermit. The people are not happy and wonder if he can be persuaded to come back and rule. The horse also returned from Siddhartha and was silent and then died. I thought that was really sad and brought out a new emotional side. Maybe the horse was so heartbroken that their next prince who was so divine was straying away from his "path".

King Vimbasara set out looking for Siddhartha. He was told by a man that a God was wandering the streets of the city. He went to help Siddhartha. I thought this part of the story really stood out. Siddhartha had everything he could have ever wanted and chose to give it up to be poor. Maybe my story could have something more meaningful like that. Siddhartha was trying to find enlightenment.

Siddhartha went to Nairanjana where he for a moment was thought to be "dead". His mom Maya appeared among that Gods thinking that he was dead. She uttered powerful words to him. Siddhartha then meditated for SIX years on the banks of the river. What a long time. I wish I could meditate and stay concentrated for that long. He was also followed by five disciples who left him because he could not teach them the correct path of knowledge.

(Buddha Meditating) 

The tree of knowledge was another good part of the story. Siddhartha realizes he has the knowledge and some interesting things happen with an evil soul, Mara. Siddhartha eventually becomes the Buddha. In his time meditating and discovering, he finds that there is no life without death. I think it would be cool to add my own twist of life and death. I want to maybe do a story where something is reborn into something else after death.


Bibliography: "The Life of Buddha" by Andre Ferdinand Herold; Web Source