The child was
named Siddharth. But it was his clan name, Gautama, by which he came to be
known, and he attained fame as Gautama the Buddha, Gautama the wise. The
rejoicing at the birth of the prince was abruptly cut short because a week
later his mother Queen Mahamaya suddenly died. Gautama was brought up by his
mother's sister who was also her step mother.
Gautama was a
serious-minded child who instead of playing with other children would sit
alone, lost in his own thoughts. His father did his best to get him interested
in various pursuits, but to no avail. When Prince Gautama came of age, King
Suddhodana arranged his marriage to the beautiful Princess Yashodhara and saw
to it the prince was kept occupied with diverse amusements and pleasures of
life. None of these, however, succeeded in diverting Gautama's mind from its
quest for truth.
Prince Gautama
was a Kshatriya, who, like others of the warrior caste, was also expected to
hunt animals and birds. But Gautama was different from other Kshatriyas;
instead of killing animals and birds he wanted to protect them. Once his cousin
Dev Datta shot a flying swan which fell near Gautama. He picked up the bird,
took the arrow out of its body and dressed its wound. When Dev Datta came on
the scene and demanded the bird he had shot, Prince Gautama replied, "He
who saves life has a stronger claim to it than he who seeks to destroy
it."
The dispute
was referred to King Suddhodana. The king had the swan brought to court and put
on a platform in the center. He then told the two princes that the swan would
be awarded to the one to whose call it responded. First Dev Datta called the
bird. It began to squawk and tremble. Then Gautama called it too. The bird
waddled up to the prince and sat down in his lap. "The swan has chosen its
protector and belongs to him, "pronounced King Suddhodana.
