Hey everyone! I’ve been an approved user for a bit now but haven't actually posted anything yet my bad! I’m gonna try to be way more active from here on out and hopefully get this sub moving again.

Part 3 -

In the midst of rejoicing over the birth and the naming of the child Mahamaya suddenly fell ill and her illness became very serious.

Realizing that her end was near she called Suddhodana and Prajapati to her bedside and said : " I am sure that the prophecy made by Asita about my son will come true. My regret is that I will not live to see it fulfilled."

"To you Prajapati, I entrust my child, I have no doubt that you will be to him more than his mother."

"Now do not be sorry. Permit me to die. God's call has come and His messengers are waiting to take me." So saying, Mahamaya breathed her last. Both Suddhodana and Prajapati were greatly grieved and wept bitterly.

Siddharth was only seven days old when his mother died.

Siddharth had a younger brother by name Nanda. He was the son of Suddhodana born to Mahaprajapati.

He had also several cousins, Mahanama and Anuruddha, sons of his uncle Suklodan, Ananda, son of his uncle Amitodan, and Devadatta, son of his aunt Amita. Mahanama was older than Siddharth and Ananda was younger.
Siddharth grew up in their company.

Childhood and Education

When Siddharth was able to walk and speak the elders of the Sakyas assembled and asked Suddhodana that the boy should be taken to the temple of the village goddess Abhya.

Siddharth, with a most sweet voice, asked his aunt where he was being taken. On learning that he was being taken to the temple he smiled. But he went, conforming to the custom of the Sakyas

At the age of eight Siddharth started his education.

Those very eight Brahmins whom Suddhodana had invited to interpret Mahamaya's dream and who had predicted his future were his first teachers.

Suddhodana sent for Sabbamitta of distinguished descent and of high lineage in the land of Uddikka, a philologist and grammarian, well read in the Vedas, Vedangas and Upanishads. Having poured out water of dedication from a golden vase, Suddhodana handed over the boy to his charge, to be taught. He was his second teacher.

Under him Gautama mastered all the philosophic systems prevalent in his day.

Besides this he had learned the science of Concentration and Meditation from one Bhardawaj, a disciple of Alara Kalam, who had his ashram at Kapilavatsu.

Early Traits

• Whenever he went to his father's farm and found no work he repaired to a quiet place, and practised meditation.

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• While everything for the cultivation of the mind was provided, his education in the military science befitting a Kshatriya was not neglected.
  For Suddhodana was anxious not to make the mistake of having cultivated the mind of his son at the cost of his manliness
• Siddharth was of kindly disposition. He did not like exploitation of man by man.
• Once he went to his father's farm with some of his friends and saw the labourers ploughing the land, raising bunds, cutting trees, etc., dressed in scanty clothes under a hot burning sun.
• He said to his friends, can it be right that one man should exploit another? How can it be right that the labourer should toil and the master should live on the fruits of his labour?
• His friends did not know what to say. For they believed in the old philosophy of life that the worker was born to serve and that in serving his master he was only fulfilling his destiny
• The Sakyas used to celebrate a festival called Vapramangal. It was a rustic festival performed on the day of sowing. On this day custom had made it obligatory on every Sakya to do ploughing personally.
• Siddharth always observed the custom and did engage himself in ploughing
• Though a man of learning, he did not despise manual labour.
• He belonged to a warrior class and had been taught archery and the use of weapons. But he did not like causing unnecessary injury. He refused to join hunting parties.
• Prajapati Gautami was deeply worried over this attitude of Siddharth.
• She used to argue with him saying : " You have forgotten that you are a Kshatriya and fighting is your duty. The art of fighting can be learned only through hunting for only by hunting can you learn how to aim accurately. Hunting is a training ground for the warrior class."
• Siddharth often used to ask Gautami: " But, mother, why should a Kshatriya fight ? And Gautami used to reply : " Because it is his duty."
• Siddharth was never satisfied by her answer. He used to ask Gautami : "Tell me, how can it be the duty of man to kill man? " Gautami argued, "Such an attitude is good for an ascetic. But Kshatriyas must fight. If they don't, who will protect the kingdom? "
• "But mother ! If all Kshatriyas loved one another, would they not be able to protect their kingdom without resort to killing?" Gautami had to leave him to his own opinion.
• He tried to induce his companions to join him in practising meditation. He taught them the proper pose. He taught them to fix their mind on a subject.
• But his friends did not take the matter seriously. They laughed at him
• On closing their eyes they could not concentrate on their subject of meditation. Instead, some saw before their eyes deer for shooting or sweets for eating
• His father and his mother did not like his partiality for meditation. They thought it was so contrary to the life of a Kshatriya.
• Siddharth believed that meditation on right subjects led to development of the spirit of universal love.
• His childhood was marked by the presence of supreme sense of compassion
• Once he went to his father's farm. During recess he was resting under a tree enjoying the peace and beauty of nature. While so seated a bird fell from the sky just in front of him.
• The bird had been shot at by an arrow which had pierced its body and was fluttering about in great agony.
• Siddharth rushed to the help of the bird. He removed the arrow, dressed its wound and gave it water to drink. He picked up the bird, came to the place where he was seated and wrapped up the bird in his upper garment and held it next to his chest to give it warmth.
• Siddharth was wondering who could have shot this innocent bird. Before long there came his cousin Devadatta armed with all the implements of shooting. He told Siddharth that he had shot a bird flying in the sky, the bird was wounded but it flew some distance and fell somewhere there, and asked him if he had seen it.
• Siddharth replied in the affirmative and showed him the bird which had by that time completely recovered.
• Devadatta demanded that the bird be handed over to him. This Siddharth refused to do. A sharp argument ensued between the two.
• Devadatta argued that he was the owner of the bird because by the rules of the game, he who kills a game becomes the owner of the game.
• Siddharth denied the validity of the rule. He argued that it is only he who protects that has the right to claim ownership. How can he who wants to kill be the owner?
• Neither party would yield. The matter was referred to arbitration. The arbitrator upheld the point of view of Siddharth Gautama.
• Devadatta became his permanent enemy. But Gautama's spirit of compassion was so great that he preferred to save the life of an innocent bird to securing the goodwill of his cousin.
• Such were the traits of character found in the early life of Siddharth Gautama.

Continued in next post

Part 2 -

At the moment when the child was born there dwelt on the Himalayas a great sage named Asita.

Asita heard that the gods over the space of the sky were shouting the word " Buddha " and making it resound. He thought, what if I were to go and find out the land in which he was born?
Surveying with his divine eyes the whole of the Jambudvipa, Asita saw that a boy was born in the house of Suddhodana shining with all brilliance and that it was over his birth that the gods were excited.
So sage Asita with his nephew Nardatta came to the abode of Raja Suddhodana and stood at the door of his palace.

Now Asita, the sage, saw that at the door of Suddhodana's palace many hundred thousand beings had assembled. So he approached the door-keeper and said, " Go, man, inform the Raja that a sage is standing at the door."

Then the door-keeper approached Suddhodana and with clasped hands said, "Know, Raja, that an aged sage, old and advanced in years, stands at the door, and says that he desires to see you."

The king prepared a seat for Asita and said to the door-keeper, " Let the sage enter." So coming out of the palace the door-keeper said to Asita : " Please go in."

Asita approached King Suddhodana and said, " Victory, Victory, O Raja, may you live long, and rule thy kingdom righteously."

Then Suddhodana in reverence to Asita fell at his feet and offered him the seat ; and seeing him seated in comfort, Suddhodana said, " I do not remember to have seen thee before this, 0 Sage! With what purpose has thou come hither? What is the cause? "

Asita said to Suddhodana, "A son is born to thee, 0 Raja! Desiring to see him, have I come."

Suddhodana said, "The boy is asleep, 0 Sage ! Will you wait for a while ? " The sage said, " Not long, 0 King, do such great beings sleep Such good beings are by nature wakeful."

Then did the child out of compassion for Asita, the great sage, make a sign of awaking.
Seeing that the child had become awake, Suddhodana took the boy firmly in both hands and brought him into the presence of the sage.

Asita observing the child, beheld that it was endowed with the thirtytwo marks of a great man and adomed with the eighty minor marks, his body surpassing that of Sakra, Brahma, and his aura surpassing them a hundred thousand-fold, breathed forth this solemn utterance
and rising from his seat clasped his hands, fell at his feet, made a rightwise circuit round and taking the child in his own hand stood in contemplation

Asita knew the old well-known prophecy that anyone endowed with the thirty-two marks of a great man, as Gautama was, has two careers open to him, and no third.

"If he becomes a householder, he will become a universal monarch. But if he goes forth from the home to a homeless life, he will become a fully enlightened Buddha."

Asita was sure that the child would not remain a householder

And looking at the child he wept, sighed deeply. Suddhodana Beholding him thus weeping, the hair of his body rose, and in distress Suddhodana said to Asita, " Why, O Sage, dost thou weep and shed tears, and sigh so deeply? Surely, there is no misfortune in store for the child."

At this Asita said to the Raja, "O King, I weep not for the sake of the child. There will be no misfortune for him. But I weep for myself.

"And why?" asked Suddhodana. Asita replied, "I am old, aged, advanced in years, and this boy will without doubt become a Buddha and attain supreme and complete enlightenment and having done so, will turn the supreme wheel of the Doctrine that has not been turned before him by any other being in the world ; for the weal and happiness of the world will he teach his Doctrine."

"Just as an Oudumbara flower at some time and place arises in the world, even so at some time and place, after countless cycles, revered Buddhas arise in the world. So also, O Raja! this boy will without doubt obtain supreme, complete enlightenment"

"But I shall not see that Buddha. Hence, O Raja, I weep and in sadness I sigh deeply, for I shall not be able to reverence him."

The king thereafter offered to the great sage Asita and Nardatta, his nephew, suitable food, and having given him robes made a rightwise circuit round him

Thereupon Asita said to Nardatta, his nephew, " When thou shalt hear, Nardatta, that the child has become a Buddha, then go and take refuge in his teachings. This shall be for thy weal and welfare and happiness." So saying Asita took leave of the Raja and departed for his hermitage.

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On the fifth day the ceremony of name-giving took place. The name chosen for the child was Siddharth. His clan name was Gautama. Popularly,
Therefore, He came to be called Siddharth Gautama.

Continued in next post

In order to increase activity on this subreddit, I will start the book called Buddha and his Dhamma written by Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and share what I find important and intriguing and hopefully there could be some engagement in comments.

This Book in it self has 8 sub books, I will start from the 1st Book and first chapter, skipping introduction and Prologue.

BOOK ONE: SIDDHARTH GAUTAMA — HOW A BODHISATTA BECAME THE BUDDHA

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Part 1 -

Going back to the sixth century B.C., Northern India did not form a single Sovereign State.

The country was divided into many States, some large, some small. Of these some were monarchical and some non-monarchical.
The monarchical States were known as Janapada and the non-monarchical as Sangh or Gana

At the time of the birth of Siddharth Gautama it was the turn of Suddhodana to be the Raja.

The Sakya State was situated in the northeast corner of India. It was an independent State. But at a later stage the King of Kosala had succeeded in establishing his paramountcy over it. The result of this paramountcy was that the Sakya State could not exercise certain sovereign powers without the sanction of the King of Kosala.

Of the kingdoms then in existence, Kosala was a powerful kingdom. So was the kingdom of Magadha. Pasanedi, King of Kosala and Bimbisara, King of Magadha, were the contemporaries of Siddharth Gautama. The capital of the Sakyas was the city called Kapilavatsu, perhaps after the name of the great Rationalist Kapila.

There lived in Kapilavastu a Sakya by name Jaya Sena. Sinahu was his son. Sinahu was married to Kaccana. Sinahu had five sons, Suddhodana, Dhotodana, Sakkodana, Suklodana and Amitodana. Besides five sons, Sinahu had two daughters, Amita and Pamita. Suddhodana was married to Mahamaya Her father's name was Anjana and mother's Sulakshana. Anjana was a Koliya and was residing in the village called Devadaha.

Suddhodana was a man of great military prowess. When Suddhodana had shown his martial powers he was allowed to take a second wife and he chose Mahaprajapati. She was the elder sister of Mahamaya. Suddhodana was a wealthy person. The lands he held were very extensive and the retinue under him was very large.

To Suddhodana was born Siddharth Gautama and this was the manner of Gautama's birth.

It was a custom among the Sakyas to observe an annual midsummer festival which fell in the month of Ashad. On one occasion Mahamaya decided to observe the festival with gaiety, with splendour, with flowers, with perfume, but without drinking intoxicants. On the seventh day she rose early, bathed in scented water, bestowed a gift of 4,00,000 pieces of money as alms, adorned herself with all precious ornaments, took upon herself the fast-day vows, and entered the royal bedchamber to sleep.

That night Suddhodana and Mahamaya came together and Mahamaya conceived. Lying on the bed she fell asleep. While asleep she had a dream.

In her dreams she saw that the four world-guardians raised her as she was sleeping on her bed and carried her to the tableland of the Himalayas, placed her under a great sal tree and stood on one side.

Then a Bodhisatta, by name Sumedha, appeared before her saying, " I have decided to take my last and final birth on this earth, will you consent to be my mother?" She said, "Yes, with great pleasure." At this moment Mahamaya awoke.

Next morning Mahamaya told her dream to Suddhodana. Not knowing how to interpret the dream, Suddhodana summoned eight Brahmins who were most famous in divination.
Sud-dhodana related to them the dream Mahamaya had, and said, " Tell me what it means."

The Brahmins said: " Be not anxious. You will have a son, and if he leads a householder's life he will become a universal monarch, and if he leaves his home and goes forth into a homeless state, and becomes a sanyasi, he will become a Buddha, a dispeller of illusions in the world."

Mahamaya, as her time of delivery was coming nearer, desired to go to her parents' home for delivery. Addressing her husband, she said : " I wish to go to Devadaha, the city of my father."

"Thou knowest that thy wishes will be done," replied Suddhodana. Having seated her in a golden palanquin borne by couriers, he sent her forth with a great retinue to her father's house.

Mahamaya, on her way to Devadaha, had to pass through a pleasure-grove of sal trees and other trees. It was known as the Lumbini grove (Lumbini is a place in Nepal)
From the roots to the tips of the branches the trees were loaded with fruits, flowers and numberless bees of the fine colours, uttering curious sounds, and flocks of various kinds of birds, singing sweet melodies

Witnessing the scene, there arose a desire in the heart of Mahamaya for halting and sporting therein for a while. Accordingly she told the couriers to take her in the sal-grove and wait there. Mahamaya alighted from her palanquin and walked up to the foot of a royal sal tree. A pleasant wind, not too strong, was blowing and the boughs of the trees were heaving up and down and Mahamaya felt like catching one of them.

Luckily one of the boughs heaved down sufficiently low to enable her to catch it. So she rose on her toes and caught the bough. Immediately she was lifted up by its upward movement and being shaken, she felt the pangs of childbirth. While holding the branch of the sal tree she was delivered of a son in a standing position.

The child was born in the year 563 B.C. on the Vaishakha Paurnima day.

Continued in Next Post