over 86 million copies of over 400 titles sold …...over 86 million copies of over 400 titles sold...

Illustra ted Classics From India

Over 86 million copies of over 400 titles sold worldwide!

Am ar Chitra Katha is a collection o f illustrated classics that retell stories from Indian mythology, h is tory folktale and legend through the fascinating medium o f comics. Over 4 3 0 stories from all over India have been to ld in this series that has been endorsed by educationists and recommended by teachers the world over.

Through a masterful blend o f commentary, dialogue and illustration, Am ar Chitra Katha presents complex historical facts and intricate mythology in a format that would appeal to children. They not only entertain, but also provide a fitting introduction to the cultural heritage o f India. In a country so vast and varied, the series also serves as a medium fo r national integration, by in troducing young readers to the rich cultural diversity o f the country and highlighting the achievements o f local heroes.

Am ar Chitra Katha comics are like family heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation. These timeless illustrated classics are now also available online on www. AmarChitraKatha.com. Start yo u r own collection today!

No. 510 • Rs 30

j£HIN D IA B O O K HOUSE

© India Book House Pvt. Ltd. 1971 Reprinted: February 2006 ISBN: 81-7508-154-6 Published and Printed by India Book House Pvt Ltd, Mahalaxmi Chambers,

5th Floor, 22 Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai 400 026, India.

/N THE H/MALAW/V EO0TH/LLQ, MP/LAVASTV WAg / j &AMLL S(JT P&OSPE&OOS K/N60OM. THE SAKWP #ULE£> Ot/E& /T.

SUDDHOD/WA WAS T/VE/tf K//VG.

O/VHE.A&W3 THE A/EWQ, THE K//UG &/GHE0 TO U//V7SM A/VP &ZCW6HT THE MOTHE& A/VO THE CH/LO TO THE PALACE. SAGE AS/TA CAM E TO THE PALACE TO QEE THE 8ABV. r~ Z Z Z -----------B Q y

BE A KING OF KINGS—OR A GREAT SAIN T,

i AM CRVIN6 BECAUSE

I W ILL NOT LIVE TO

HEAR HIS GREAT W ORPS.

80TH THE K/ZV6 A/VO THE GUEE/V WE/RE HAPPV. O/V THE E/PTH DAY—

ANP WE W ILL SEE TH AT HE BECOMES A KING

OF KINGS AND NOT A SA IN T

/MMED/ATE/V APTEP- WA&PQ THE QVEE/V BECAME &EP/OV&/.V /LL.

SISTER PRAJAPATI, I SHALL SOON LEAVE THIS WORLD. WHEN I AM GONE, PLEASE 8E

A KINP MOTHERI h S It o s ip p h a r t h a .

PROMISE ME.

I PROMISE

3

/)<? S/£?Dm&TH/) GPEW, THE WNG 8ECAME 4/VJMMP A8CX/T THE PPOPWECV.

HE SPENDS 9 0 MUCH TIM E ALONE, UNDER TH A T JAM BU TREE.

DON’T LIKE THAT.

HE SAYS, HIS* PLAVM ATEG PLAV CRUEL

GAM ES.

* £

APTEP A < /E /)& PAD PASSED—

YOU HAVE BEEN A

MOTHER TO HIM,

PRAJAPATI.

O/VE DA'S AS S/DDPAPTPA WAQ W ALW A/G A/O/VG //V 77/E G APDE/V-

POOR BIRD!I WONDER WHOSE

ARROW HAS HURT HIM.

/TW A Q P E M P A T T /}, COV9//V.

APATTA! IT IS 7 ^ ^ g ] S U C H A LOVELy

p T BIRD. WHY DO

5

THANK YOU, NOBLE JUDGES.

VSEARS' ROLLED 6V. D /W P /?& W /3 /) SAACVA/V /VO £LE AR/?A/V6£D THE QW AVAMf/ARA O EH /P DAUGHTER, VAS'HOOHARA. PR/W CEP FROM EAR /W O A/EAR CAM E TO THE &W AVAM I/ARA.

THE AQQEM8LEP PR//VCE& WERE HURT & / 7HEVAPPROACHED DAMDAPAW. SHOULD NOT

MARRIED TO SIDDHARTHA

BESIP,V0U SHOULD HOLD A TEST IN ARCHERY. THE

PRINCESS SHOULD BE GIVEN IN MARRIA6E TO THE WINNER.

DAHPAPAN/ T&ED TV PERSC/APE H/P DAUGHTER.yASHOPHARA!CHOOSE SOMEONE ELSE AS YOUR HUSBAND.

FATHER, I HAVE MADE MV CHOICE.

PLEASE A6R EE

TO IT.

M/E/V THE A/EIA/P REACHED W M6SUDDHOO/MA , H E P E L T QAP.FATHER,

W HY AR Ey o uSAD ?

M M V GATHCREP 7V W/TA/ES'Q THE TEQT.

t t \ T IS SIPCHARTHA M H O HAS WON

, N■m M m f V I HORSE-

RIDING.

0/DPH/)PTH/l m o WSHQDPAPA WERE M/fPP/ED M TU GPEAT POMP.

THE K//VG TP/ED H/Q BEST TO PPO(//DE ALL THE COMFOPTQ O f LfEE TO S/ODPAPTHA.

800/Vy A 90/V WAQ SOR/V TO THEM. K//V6 PUDDHOD/im W /)& PLEADED WHE/V HE HEARD THE A/EW&. SOODJ NOW

SIDDHARTHA W ILL NEVER

TWINfeT OF

ONE DAV-FATHER, I WOULD LIKE TO 6 0 OUT OF THE PALACE AND GEE MORE OF THE WORLD.

I W ILL ORDER A CHARIOT FOR YOU.

AFTER IT IS REACV, VOU

CAN GO OUT IN IT.

A EEW DAVS* LATER, //V /? 8E/U/T/EI/L CHAR/OT m T H EOC/R HORSES' p r /i/e /v e v c h a n w a , q/d d h a r th a d r o i/e THROUGH THE S 'TR E E T?

T

/N THE C/TV, A7/VG SUDDHODANA HAP ORDERED ALL 2/GHTg OA (S/VHAPP//VES& TO BE KEPT A WAV E^OM S/PDHARTHA. BUT AS HEDROVE FURTHER- V * ' « W ^ ' j HE (S A N OLD M A N , M A S TE R !

HE IS B E N T W ITH AGE

HE IS A

SAINT: HE HAS GIVEN UP A LIFE OF PLEASURE AND PAIN IN SEARCH OF TRUTH.

IN THE M/DDLE OE THE N/GHT, HE MAOE THE 0EC/S/O/V.

I MUST FIND A WAV TO END SORROW. I W ILL 6 0 IN SEARCH

OF TRUTH, LIKE TH AT

S A IN T.

C T

BEFORE LEAWN6, THE PR/MCE RETURNED TO THE BEDROOM OE

I CAN’T KISS RAHULA GOODBYE; TH A T

W ILL AW AKEN VASHODHARA.

I M U ST GO.

CHANNA GET MV n tfv'zi HORSE READY!

1 WISH

RIDE OUT

Y E S MASTER!

AT THE PALACE-

S ID P H A R TH A ! PLEASE TE LL ME THE CAUSE OF

YOUR ■ UNHAPPINESS!

MOTHER, I HAVE LEARNT

TH AT ALL THINGS ALIVE AND

BEAUTIFUL KEEP CHANGING. MEN GROW OLD. MEN

FA LL ILL AND DIE. I FEEL U N -

LOOK AT THAT SAINT HE LOOKS SO

HANDSOME. FINP OUT WHO HE IS.

ANP GIVE ME i YOURS.

OA/CE THEY WE&E OUTS'/DE 77/E C/T</s SLDDHAPTHA GOTDOtV/V F/ROM THE HO&CE. CHANNA,

FAKE ALL MY JEWELS ANP RETURN TO KAPIL AVASTU.

HE THELV COT OFFH/& LOA/G HA/& AND WALKED ALOA/E.

LATER HE &AW A SEGGAR.HALT, M y 6 0 0 0 M A N /TA K E

■" g ^ k M Vf V J c lo th e s , w & M WITH

PLEASURE,

MASTER

e/DDH/)#TH/) MOO/VTED HAS' HOR&E AMD RODE OUT, ACCOMMVSED OA/LV

£OOA/ HE REACHED PAUAG&/HA, THE CAP/TAL OF MAGADHA. HE WE/VT PROW HOU&E TO HOUSE g/LE/VTLV WA/T/A/G T/LL THE PEOPLE OFFERED H/M FOOD. R/A/G 8/M8/&ARA 08QER(/ED H/M PROM H/O PALACE.

13

AQ SOO/V AS TH E MES>6'EA/6ERS> S R O //6H T NEWS ABOUT 9/DDHARTM , K/A/e 8 /M B /W R /) W E/VT TO M E E T M M .

VOU SEEM TO BE - LONG TO A NOBLE FAMILY VOUR HAND SHOULD NOT HOLD A BEGGING BOWL, BUT THE REINS OF AN EMPIRE. I W ILL GIVE VOU A HIGH POSITION IN MY KINGDOM. COME.

0 KING, YOU ARE KIN P. BUT I CANNOT ACCEPT YOUR INVITATION.1 FEEL THAT LIFE IS FULL

IF TH AT IS VOUR WISH, I PRAY

THAT YOU FIND IT

PLEASE COME AND TEACH ME WHEN VOU HAVE FOUND THE SOLUTION.

FRO M RSM /)G R/H/?, S /D D H /)R TH /) W EN T //V SEARCH O ETH E G RE/9T SAGES' OE THOSE D M S . W OT SAT/SE/ED W /TH TH E /# TE/)CH/NGS.. H E ENTERED THE TH/CR JC //V 6LE S OE t/R L /E /L M , A /£/?R GE</A OE

7N£R£ W ERE F /t/E HER M /T P / /V THE JUNG LES' OF U R U 8/LI/A .

S/ODHAR7HA DRANK ONLY W ATER AND ATE ONLY FR U /T& A/VO HER8S. //£ SLEPT 0/V THE HARP GROUND. AFTER SOME T/M E HE STARTED EAT/HG ONLY O/VE HEM P 6R A /N E l/E R Y DAY TH/Q M ADE H /M l/E R V W EAK. OA/E DAY; fV H E /V H E HAD GO/VE TO 8A TH E //V THE R /l/E R -

H E CAUGHT HOLD O F A LOW 8R A/VC H OF A TREE A/VO R A/Q ED H /M O E LF W /TH /T & SUPPORT.

IS

LATER- B&W B

HOW IS IT TH AT VOU HAVE START-! ED EATING

FOOD A G A IN ?

I HAVE COME TO BELIEVE

THAT STARVING DOES N O T HELP

IN REACHING T H E

T R U T H .

BUT AQ HE BE6A/V TO WALK A WAV FROM THE BAA/R, HE FELT WEAR A/VP FELL DOl/V/V.

S'LOl/UL'Y HE GOT UP.

THE FtVE AS'CET/C€> WERE D/&APPO//V TED.

VES, HE W ANTS THE PLEASURES

OF LIFE.

TH A N K VOU FOR ccrcn iM C

S/DDH/JRTH/? /VOW L /(/E D A LO NELY L /F E .

H E M O l/E D TOW ARDS /? B O D /// TREE A A /D & /)T 8E /V EAT/Z /T .

Y ,

lP o

THEY HAVE LE FT ME. LET THEM 60 . BUT STARVING THE BODY 16 NOT GOING TO HELP

1 AM NOW SURE OF

THAT

HEAT A/VD COLD, HO/VGERA/VD TH/R ST TROUBLED H /M . R /)//V LASHED OH H /M .

V/Q/O/VS OF THE L/FE OF PLEASURE FLOATED BEFORE H/O EVES. BUT /V0TH//V6 COULD TEMPT H/M.

LIGTEN!

fa/s ffi/lW /Ft,

b u t a s coo/v a s p e c a m s a /e a r,THEY GOT UP A A /D R E C E /t/E D P /M W /TH RESPECT.

HE SPEN T SEVEN W EEKS UNDER TH E TR EE ENJO Y/NC P /S STATE OE PER EEC T PAPP/NEPP. THEN M E W EN T OUT /A/TO THE W ORLD TO TEACP OTHERS1. E/R ST, P E W EA/T TO &ANARAS, /N SEARCP OE T //E E /V E ASC ET/C S, WHO W ERE W /T P P /M /A / U R U S /Ll/A . P E EOU/VD TPEA/7 /A / D EER PAR K.

WHEN THEY HEARD TPE BUDDHA, THEY BECAME H/S 0/SC/PL ESI THE SANGHA THUS CAME /NTO BE/NG.

I HAVE COME T O T E LL VOU i W HAT I HAVE

FOUND.

THERE IS GREAT SORROW IN THIS WORLD. THIS SORROW IS BECAUSE OF DESIRE. IF VOU CAM FREE YOURSELF FROM DESIRE, VOU WILL BE FREE FROM SORROW.I WILL SHOW

YOU THE WAY TO REMOVE SORROW

AETER THAT, HE RETURNED TO URUB/Ll/A AND WEPT TO THE HOUSE OE KASSHYAPA* A GREAT BEAHMAN.

WHAT DO l & l i 1 W A N T T O 1YOU m / Sp E/VD A NIGHT

W A N T ?mi m fZX\ sir—, > g --- " c *Hm n h e r e .

yo uARE

WELCOME.PLEASECOME

IN.

MAY I STAY IN

THE ROOM,

WHERE VOU KEEP

K A S S H M P /) W AS /) WORSH/PPER OF W THE 600 OF F/RE

HAVEN’ T VOU HEARP THAT THE SACREP FIRE IS 6UARPEP BY A SERPENT A T NIGHT? TH E SERPENT W ILL BITE VOU IF YOU GO NEAR THE FIRE.

t n >

A T LA S T W /V W /3 /? AGREED. eC/DOH/) S /)T S/LE/VTLV BEFORE THE F/RE.KASSHWPA WE/VT TO SLEEP OUTS'/OF.

EARLV NEXT MORM/VG-

LE T ME GO A N P LOOK FOR HIM.HE MUST BE

PEAP. POOR

W HEN H E W EN T /N Q /D E THE ROOM, WE SAW SODOHA S/TT/NG PEACEFULLY. THE L/G H T FROM THE E /P E SHONE ON H /S FAC E.

8UDOHA TAUGHT KASSHVAPA A/VO MANU OTHERS //V URUS/Ll/A.

i

M m xh h k k i

i f ( u f t ^11. 1% fe y m y Q fg j

i l l l i l

ONE OA</- M A S T E R ,------------------- I HAVE HEARPTH A T KING BIM BISARA W ILL BE CELEBRATING AGREATVAGNA 'L E T US SO

TO RAJAGRIHA.

ON THE/R W AV TV PAJAG P/H A, THEU SAW A HERO O F CHEER THEPE WAS A LA M E LAM E. 8UOPHA L/F T E D IT //V H /S AR M S'.

/ . - i A v

AM GOING TO R A JA - . THESE SHEEP

8 ELOWS TO THE KIN S. THEV ARE

GOINS TO BE SACRI- FICEP IN THE

VASNA - IN THE SACREP FIRE.

BfMB/S'AEA HE/fED TM9T EC/DDH/9 W/?S O/V H/S W/9V TO EHJAGe/HA, HE WENT EO M M ffP W/TH H/S M//V/STE&&7V MEET H/M.

HE IS IN THE COMPANY OF

URUBILVA KASSHYAPA. POES

TH AT MEAN BUDPHA IS

(A/HEN THEV CAME HE/?#, EOPDHA GE/VTLV PLACED THE LAME DOWN.

VOU HAP EXPRESSEP T H E WISH

TO SEE ME AFTE R I HAP FOUNP THE WAY

HERE I A M .

HOLY ONE! I AM ABO U T TO BE6IN A YASNA. GREAT

KASSHYAPA AN P YOU ARE ALSO WELCOME

TO TAKE PART IN IT.

T H E K/HG TURNED 70 AM8SWMM9.

WHAT MAS TH E GREATk a s s h y a p a t o SAy? y o uARE KNOWN AS A WORSHIP

PER OF

BUPPHA HAS SHOWN ME THE RIGHT WAY NEITHER THE WORSHIP OF FIRE NOR THE SACRIFICE OF PUMB ANIMALS CAN MAKE US FPEE

FROM l SORROW

77/E K/M G THR/VED TO 8C /D D //A .MASTER, LE T

US HEAR VOUR WORPS

OF WISPOM.

AND BUDDHA TAUGHT THEM.

LORD, I HAVE GIVEN UP THE ID EA OF

PE R FO R M IN G VAGNA I T A K E REFUGE fN BUDDHA.

MEXTDAV, THE K/A/& /HW/TEO BUDDHA AND H/9 D/9C/PLE& FOR/) MEAL ATH/9 PALACE. AFTER TH6 MEAL WAP Ol/ER.

ONE DAV, RR/PHA GOTAMf BROUGHT BEFORE BUDDHA HER DEAD CH/LO. ---------------M A S T E R , PLEASE BRING IT BACK TO LIFE . IT IS MY O N LY CHILD.

CONTROL YOUR GRIEF. DO AS I SAY. G ET ME A FEW M U STAR D SEEDS FR O M A N Y HOUSE, WHERE NO

DEATH HAS TA K E N PLA C E . AND I W ILL BRING BACK TO LIFE YOUR CHILD.

FR O /2? H O U SE TO HOUSE KR/&HA GOTAMf CVE/VT

I LO S T V TW O CHILDREN.

V

D/SAPPO//VT£D G O TAM fC /9M E BAC K 70 BUDD/J/9.

LORD! / COULD N O T FIND A PLACE WHERE NO DEATH HAS OCCURRED.

M V CHILD A L L T H A T IS BORN,M l 1ST DIE ONE DAV. THERE IS ULTIM ATELY NOTHING B U T SORROW IN LIFE . [ / n IT IS FREEDOM r/ ^FROM DESIRE TH A T FREES FROM SORROW.

6 0 TO SIDPHARTHA AND T E L L HIM

TH AT I A M GROWING OLD AND WISH 7 0 SEE HIM BEFORE

I DIE.

A FTE R A EEW V E /)& S ,A T Q l/D D t/O D /)/V /l*S CO (/£T-

LORD! OUR PRINCE HAS BECOME FAMOUS. M ANY HAVE BECOME HIS DISCIPLES. TH E V ARE SPREADING HIS TEACHINGS.

A/EXT MORN/NG-LORP, THE P R IN CE IG GOING FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE

25

SC/OOHA /VOT/CEO THAT YASHOOHARA WAS WOT PRESE/VT

SHE HAS R EFU SED TO COME

SHE HAS BEEN VERV UN HAPPV EVER SINCE VOU LEFT SHE HAS CUT HER H A IR , W EARS S IM P LE CLOTHES A N P EATS SPARINGLY JU S T AS VOU PIP.

W/TH TWO OF H/S D/SC/PLESi Bt/DP//A WENT TO YAQHODHARAV CHAMBER.

WHEW YASHOOHARA SAW 8VPPHA, SHL FELL

ATH/S FEET A/VO WEPT

THE/V REMFM8FR/A/Q THAT OTHERS WERE RRESE/VTy SHE GOT UP A/VO SAT AT A L/TTLE O/STA/VCE.

6C/OOHA SPOKE WOWS'OF CO/VTm.26

&/i//U L/) WE/VT TO 8UDD///).FATHER! M Y

MOTHER SENT ME TO ASK VOU FOR

MY SNARE OF VOUR PROPERTY

---------~ "€ /

&UPD///) TUR/S/EP TO $/?#/- PUT&A, /V/9 P/9C/PCE.

AFTER R /)//U L/i UO//VEP THE S/MG///), M/W V UOU/VG MEN OF T//E ROM/. F/)/W/L</ ALSO U0//VEP. /1MO/VG&T T//EM W/)Q OEl//)D/)TT/). //E /?/90 MO(/EP /tEOUT W /T// Si/DP//#.ONE U M

NO , PEV/A— PATTA THE

SANG HA S T IL L

NEEDS M V GUIDANCE.

DEVADATTA FECI JEALOUS1 OE SUDDHA. HE WE/VT 7V &AJA(SG/HA A/VD MET AdAT/Q&AT&Cf> SO/V OE XY/VG 8 /M 8 /S1/)/?/). -----FPRINCE AJATASATRU!HOW LONG CAN VOU W AIT TO BECOME A K IN G ?PUT VOUR FATHER IN PRISON ANP BE A KINGVOURSELF.

A JA TA SA TRU D/D AQOEVA- D A TTA ADI//QED H/M.

IT IS NICE TO 8E A KING. TH ANK VOU, DEVADATTA!IF VOU W ANT | MV HELP IN A N YTH IN G , ASK FOR IT.

I NEED VOUR HELP,

KING AJATASATRU.

HELP ME KILL BUPDHA.

I HATE H IM .

D EV A D A TTA TR/ED M A/W WAVS' TO K /LL SUDD///).

THE ROCK &PL/T //V7V TWO AND A P/ECE FELL O/V E/THER Q/DE of eapom .

MAN'S OF DEMDATTA'g FOLLOWERS CAME TO JOLNth e SArvemOF 80DDHA.

THE ROCK DID NOT KILL HIM.

HEFR AIL, BUT HE

IS GREAT LET US GO TO HIM.

V E TANOTHER ORDER FRO M A JA TA -s a t r u

INTOXICATE T H E E LE -, P H A N T N A LA G IR I,

AN P TH EN L E T

RUN, RUN, NALAG IRI IS FREE. HE HAS RUINEP

H ALF THE TOW N ALREADY. T W E N T / MEN

HAVE BEEN KILLED.

M ASTER, LET US HIDE.

A W ILD ELEPHANT

IS COMING THIS WAV.

NO, HE W ON’T H AR M

US.

MALAGA/ CAME THC/MPW6 ALOHG AHD PUSHED TOWAPDS BUDDHA

BUDDHA SM/LED WVD PA/SED H/S HA/VD. THE ELEPHA/VT,

AUATASATPU WAQ A/V U/VHAPPV MA/V. HE FELL ILL OETEH. J/l/AKA WASH/S PHVSYC/A/V. tM W ---------' VQUR

A ILM E N T IS NO T

PHYSICAL BU T

SPIRITUAL ONLY

BUDDHA CAN H E LP VO U.

LE T US GO 'TO HIM ,THEN.

WHERE W ILL HE BE NOW?

IN T H E AM R AVAN A , AT V A IS H A LL

.WHICH BELONGS T O A M R A P A L/* THE COURTESAN?

yE S ,M V LORPJ AM RAPALI HAS GIFTED

IT TO BUDPHA.

IA/HEA/ A JA T A S A T P a PEA CH - E D AM PAl/A/V A - | HE |g

HERE W IT H OVER TW ELVE

HUNPREP DISCIPLES

HE ARP NO SOUNP. WHERE IS BUPDHA?

30

AJATASATRUS M/ND TROUBLED H/M.

TW ELVE HUNDRED PEO PLE! N O T A

SOUND OF H U M AN HABITATIO N HER E// HAVE YOU BROUGHT

M E HERE TO BE KILLED ? IS IT A PLOT OF VOURS?

IVIV LORD! TRUST M E. LE T US GO

AHEAP.

s i

rw L l

AND AOATASATRC/ WAS SPELL-BOUND WHEN HE SAW THE ASSEMBLY OEMEN L/STEW/VG QU/ETLV TO THE GREAT TEACHER.

ALL SUFFERING AND PAIN, FEAR ANP HATREP, COME FROM DESIRE. THE M AN WHO IS FREE FROM ALL DESIRE, NEED NOT WORRy. WHOM

AJATASATRU BECAME A D/SC/PL E OE BUDDHA.

NOT MUCH LATER,\ DEUADATTA ALSO REPE/VTED. O/VE DAY, HE SA/D TO H/S FOLLOWERS-1

THE ME/V CARF*////6 DEl/AMTTA KEPT DOW/V THE UTTER /9/VP WE/VT TO REFRESH THEMSELVES.

/BEFORE //E COULD REACH BUDDHA, //E TOTTERED A/VDf £LL . W M | AM DVING

BUT NOW I KNOW THAT BUDDHA IS fNPEEP THE

ENLIGHTENED O N E -T H E TEACHER O F A L L . I

TAKE REFUGE IN H IM .

8UDDHA L/VED TOE) R/PE OLD AGE. M/LL/O/VS TOOK REFL/GE //V H/M A/VD //V ///S ' TEACH//VGS. PEOPLE, WHO SPORE D/FFERE/VT LANGUAGES A/VD SELO/VGED TO D/STA/VT

LA/VDS BECAME H/S FOLLOWERS.32 '

Illustrated Classics From India

Buddha

Gautama Buddha w as one of the most exceptional of free thinkers and religious leaders. Buddha was born as Prince Siddhartha to King Suddhodana and Queen Mayadevi in the Himalayan kingdom of Kapilavastu in 5 4 4 BC. Sage Asita visited the palace and predicted that the baby will live to be either the greatest of kings or the greatest of saints. Frightened by the prophecy, Suddhodana took great care to ensure that the young prince w as surrounded only by beauty, luxury and happiness.

Years later, restless in his gilded cocoon, Siddhartha set out to explore his kingdom and w as greatly moved at the state of human suffering. One fine day, he renounced the world and began a life of severe asceticism to seek an answ er to life and sorrow, to seek the ultim ate truth.

His search led him to enlightenment that liberated and illuminated him as he pondered under a Bodhi tree. He became the Buddha at the age of 3 5 . He realised that the body need not suffer or starve to seek the truth. He adopted the “m iddle-path", that of m oderation. He returned to preach w hat he had learnt and experienced, and did it w ith compassion for his fellow beings.

The noble Buddha then form ed his first sangha and travelled through numerous lands for several years spreading his wisdom , reforming many kings and nobles and winning hundreds of followers. Buddha's gospel slowly spread further east, to the Asian countries, and became fam ous throughout the world. Today, the Buddha has followers across the world, but the largest numbers are concentrated in the South East Asian countries.

Founder Editor: Anant Pai Script: S.K. Ramachandra Illustrations: Souren Roy Cover: P.D, Chopra

Related TitlesAngulim ala • Ashoka • A jashatru • Bimbisara • Battle o f W its • Am rapali

King Kusha • The Deadly Feast • The Acroba t - Buddhist Tales • The Priceless Gem

The Cowherd o f A law i • Vasavadatta

The Fearless Boy and O ther Buddhist Tales

The Queen's Necklace • Jataka Tales: Monkey Stories

9 7 8 8 1 7 5 0 8 1 5 4 3

ISBN 8 1 - 7 5 0 8 - 1 5 4 -6

IN D IA B O O K HOUSE

over 86 million copies of over 400 titles sold …...over 86 million copies of over 400 titles sold...

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