The Story of Gautam Buddha
This is the story of Gautam Buddha or Prince Siddhartha, who was born to King Suddhodana and Queen Mahamaya in the royal grove of Lumbini between Devadaha and Kapilvastu. Their kingdom Kapilvastu was between the Nepalese foothills and the river Raptu. There was happiness spread in the whole kingdom on the birth of a Prince who would become the next King of Kapilvastu. On the fifth day of the birth of the Prince, the naming ceremonies were performed and it was predicted that the newly born baby was destined to be either a universal monarch or a supreme enlightened one, i.e., a Buddha. King Suddhodana was shocked by this prediction and enquired, "What will my son see that will be the occasion of his becoming the supreme enlightened one?" The predictor said, "Three signs" and described them as "old age, a sick man, and a dead body."
He took special care to protect him from any negative sight. He did not allow him to go out of the palace as he wanted to protect his son from any of the three sights as described by the predictor that would make him leave his kingdom and become the enlightened one. He even removed all the old men, diseased men, and corpses from his kingdom. He did not want Siddhartha to become the supreme enlightened one and leave his kingdom behind. In his youth, Prince Siddhartha was married to Princess Yashodhara. She bore him a son who was named Rahula. The King provided his son with all luxuries, and ensured a comfortable and pleasure-filled childhood with the best education. He took special care to protect him from any negative sight.
Then one day, out of curiosity, Siddhartha went out with his coachman to see his kingdom and he saw three things, which opened his eyes towards the harsh realities of life.
He saw an old man suffering ceaselessly, a sick man suffering from a disease, and he saw a dead body being carried by the dead man’s relatives who were crying profusely evoking a pitiful sight.
All these events affected him immensely and Siddhartha finally came to the conclusion that nothing is permanent in life. All these events in his life forced him to leave his house and search for truth that eventually changed his life
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