Synopsis of his Life, Chapter-II.

Chapter-II (Synopsis of his Life)

(Copy right protected by Dr. G.S. Tripathy)

In the seventh century B.C. the civilized parts of India was divided into sixteen rulers out of which eight were kingdoms and the remaining were republics. At that time the most powerful kingdoms were Kosal and Magadha.

In olden days Kosal was divided into two parts. One was Uttar Kosal having its capital at SAKETA and the other was Dakshin Kosal with its capital at Sravasti. The little Sakya Jamindari was under Dakshin Kosal which was a part of the great Kalinga Empire. Subsequently towards 6^th century B.C. Suddhodhan was the chief of Sakya Rajya with its capital at Kapilvastu which is identified as Kapileswar at present. This Kapileswar is situated towards the south of Lingaraj Temple at a distance of one and half kilo meters in Bhubaneswar which is the capital of ODISHA now.

Hence the people who are telling that Sakya Rajya was in modern Nepal, they are absolutely wrong both historically and factually. The Sakyas were Kshatriyas of Solar race. In 569 B.C. the queen “Mahamaya” was going from Kapilvastu to Devadaha, her parents home to have her first child. This system is still in vogue in ODISHA till to day which is a dream in this world at present including Nepal. The queen gave birth to a divine son on her way in the Lumbini Garden between two Sal trees. At the birth place of Gautam, a monument was erected by Chandasoka in 249 B.C. which was the twelfth year of his victory over Kalinga. The child was nicknamed as Siddharth also.

On its delicate limbs, seeing the mark of greatness an old sage named Asita visited the place of Suddhodhan and expressed a desire to see the new born child. It is said the sage laughed first and shed tears afterwards.

That a saviour had come to the earth for the salvation of the people for which he laughed and shed tears because king would not live long to see the achievement of the child.

Queen Mahamaya turned away sevendays after the birth of the child while the Sakyas were celebrating the birth day of the baby.

Kapileswar village observe Buddha Purnima

Though two thousand and six hundred years have passed in the current of time, the tiny village of Kapileswar wears a festive look every year during Buddha Purnima till today. Every person of the village takes a dip in the sacred pond inside the campus of the Kapileswar temple and offers pooja to Buddha deva as the morning breaks. According to them Gautam Buddha was their ancestor. The villagers claim proudly till date that Siddharth Gautam was born in this village and spent his childhood.

Driving down a narrow road from Prabhu Lingaraj Temple, One reaches this place and gets to see people observing Buddha Purnima with traditional fervour.

Over the birth place of Gautam Buddha, Presently there is a debate going on among the scholars in view of the inscription found in this area in 1928 with the availability of literature which gives a profound and right direction that Buddha was born here in the then Kapilvastu identified as Kapileswar only.

Every household here prepared ARISHA, a special cake at home on Monday and offer the same to the lord Buddha keeping up the tradition started by ODIA merchants TAPASU and Bhallick at Buddha Gaya.

These two merchants offered “ARISHA” to Gautam after he attained enlightenment at Buddha Gaya.

There is another unique feature found in this Kapileswar village from time immemorial.

The matrimonial alliance is restricted to the village itself in the belief that marrying into families of other villages could destroy their identity of being Buddha’s descendents.

This firm belief reinforced with a group of scholars claiming that Buddha was the son of the soil of Kapileswar only.

Since he believed Buddha was born here, King Ashok came here to Kapileswar village in order to worship Lord Buddha and erected a Sthamba in his memory with epigraphical literature available today.

This stone inscription has been taken to Asutosh Museum which is at Calcutta. ODISHA Govt. should take steps to bring back this epigraph to be preserved in Orissa Museum.

By his mother’s sister “Mahaprajabati Gautami”, Gautam was mothered in his childhood and afterwards. She became also the step mother of Gautam. To the frolics and pranks natural to his age, the child preferred solitude and thoughtfulness. His spiritual inclination was observed by his father who tried his best to protect the child from mundane sufferings which he has grown up.

A beautiful girl of the same clan, Jasodhara was married to Gautam, the young man. They had been blessed by the birth of a son in course of time. The baby be named Rahul subsequently.

Unknown to anybody in the house, Gautam one day tore himself away and rode away towards the forest.

First he went to his teacher Adara Kalama and then to Udraka Ramaputra. All that they had to teach him, Gautam imbibed. But as the thirst far truth remained unquenched he moved on place to place. Near Bodh Gaya, ultimately he reached a picturesque land which was surrounded by luxuriant trees through which gentle stream were passing with banks of silver land.

By emaciating the body Gautam resorted to different kinds of self-torture in accordance with the belief. It was of no avail for him as the mind could not be elevated by this process.

That physical torture alone did not lead an elevation of the mind, had been taught by whatever little experience he had gained, however. Although in moderation, thereafter he began to eat and sleep like a normal man. At the end of six years of penance he would became a Buddha, an awakened one, by attaining Bodhi or Supreme knowledge at the age of thirty six only.

A bowl of milk pudding was offered to Buddha by Sujata who was devoted to him at noon. A few bundles of dry grass were given to Buddha in the evening, on which he could sleep at night.

In contemplation under the tree he spent for a month now called the bodhi which has been set out by him on his travels.

The newly awakened Buddha met two ODIA merchants on the way who offered him ARISA pitha, gruel of barley and honey by name Tapussa and Bhallika who became the first disciples of Buddha.

To impart his knowledge to the world his momentary dejection gave way to a keen desire. He thought of visiting his old teachers with new determination. But unfortunately both of them had died a little while ago.

For setting fourth in motion on his Dharma Chakra for the first time Buddha addressed the five monks near Banaras. On the middle path to be chosen by every human being for ascetic life and should avoid the two extremes- was his advice.

The five monks Converted to Gautama’s view after a long discourse and they laid the foundations of the Buddha’s Sangha.

The Sangha was enriched by the addition of the two intelligent Brahmans by name Sariputra and Maudgalyayanas who became the chief disciples of the master.

Important additions continued to be made to the congregation of disciples. A rich merchant of Sravasti which was the capital of Dakhin Kosala bought a large park for as many gold pieces as would cover the whole ground from the prince and made a gift to the Sangha by erecting a monastery by name Jetavana Vihara .

Prasanjit, the king of Dakshin Kosal became the disciple of Buddha along with a rich lady by name Visakha. Jivak, the royal physician also became his disciple.

About the water of the river separating their territories between Sakya and Koliyas, there arose a quarrel. The quarrel would have grown into a fierce battle had it not been for Buddha’s intervention. By the death of Sudhodana, this event was followed.

Gautami wanted to join the Sangha of Buddha which was granted by the master. King Bimbisara of Magadha was murdered by his son Ajatsatru, who was an admirer of Devadutta - a monk of the Sangha. On the life of the master these two had their designs and exposed. They fell prostrate at his fact instead of doing him any harm subsiquently.

From the height of a hill, Devadutta arranged to hurl a piece of rock at the master but only a splinter hit him.

By letting loose a mad elephant on the master, a last effort was made by Devadutta, but the animal bowed down before Buddha. He brought about a schism in the brotherhood and organized a rival Sangha after being frustrated in his murderous attempts. He died of bleeding from the mouth before he could commit more such attempts, of course, afterwards.

His clan met with a great misfortune a few years before passing of the master. Virudhak or Vidudabha was the son of the king Prasanjit of Kosal was on a visit his mother’s family along with the daughter of one of the Sakya rajas where he was insulted for his low birth. He took a vow to take revenge on Sakyas enraged. After the death of his father Prasanjit he marched against the Kapilvastu undeterred by the expostulations of the master, and put to the sword of the whole Sakya clan.

In spite of his sermons on peace, great must have been the distress of the old master to receive the news of this massacre.

From place to place, still Buddha kept moving delivering his sermons on morality, peace, universal love and purity.

The famous courtesan, Amrapali presented her mango-grove to the Sangha. This was the last great gift during the master’s life time.

Buddha felt that his end was at hand when he approached his eightieth year and he explained to Ananda on matters concerning Dhamma (Law) and discipline. The master told his pupils that he had unfolded all that a good & benevolent to them and his words should be their teacher henceforth.

By the death of Sariputra & Maudgalyayana the massacre of the Sakyas was followed within a very short period. At that time the master was at Pava. A black smith of the town invited him far a meal of rice, cakes and Sukarmaddava by which the master fell ill of health. About the meaning of the word Sukarmaddava, there is no agreement among the scholars. It may be some kind of edible herb or may be a boar’s tender flesh.

Whatever it might have been, it was difficult to digest. Buddha was taken ill with, dysentry. Though he was ill of health he went to Kusinagar.

Before two Sal trees Anand was as usual to spread a cloth for the master as he was to die in a similar place on the ground while he took his birth.

Like a lion he lay down and gave his last admonitions to thousands of monks who had assembled to have a last glimpse of the master.

With honour, his mortal remains were cremated.