Reading Notes: Life of the Buddha, Part B

 The Life of Buddha by Andre Ferdinand Herold (1922)

Buddha (Source)

I know most sects of Buddhism have supreme respect for animals to the point they don't eat them. There is one sect, I can't recall its name, that has its devotees become nomadic beggars. Because they are begging, they took whatever food they can get. Siddhartha talking to his horse, Kanthaka, like a human being reminds me of this respect. I also forgot how Siddhartha abandons a wife and a child. This version of the story doesn't make that super obvious. I wonder if he ever sees them again? 

Siddhartha's mission is to defeat death and old age. Dang the horse dies just like that. The king was so sad, and yet he couldn't help but appreciate his son's virtue. That's pretty cool. That's the same kind of feeling I've had when I broke up with someone. I was sad, but I knew it needed to happen, so I was grateful. 

Siddhartha refusing to teach Arata Kalama's doctrine is really cool. Reincarnating is the evil that must be stopped in the Buddha's mind. Those who suffer for a better life in the next are doing so for the reward of a better life. That life is also ended with death. Those who gratify their flesh also die and brought down to a lower caste for their misdeeds. 

Mara, the evil one. I know there's evil gods in Hinduism, but I didn't know there was a bad guy in this story other than death and old age. 

I have an idea I could write about. Two actually. The first I had centered around the gods interventions when Siddhartha visited the city. I wanted to make those visions instead Siddhartha had instead of the gods creating actual events. My second idea is to start out a traditional story, but then have it revealed that the story being told is about a guy writing a story about the Buddha. The connection for me is the Tree of Knowledge. This writer would be saying the Buddha deceived himself by his awakening under the tree. That he tricked the world or something. Gosh, it would be so ridiculous. I don't want to think about actually writing it now, but I could make something out of it.

Mother Earth was a character I wasn't expecting in this story. Mara's attempt at trying to destroy Buddha because he'll be robbing him of his subjects in his kingdom is cool. I don't remember how that works in Hinduism/Buddhism. Is there a hell or a Hades? Isn't an existence in a lower caste hell?

I have trouble tracking his causes and effects. 

"Who drinks salt water increases his thirst; who flees from desire finds his thirst appeased."

Meeting one desire makes a person want to meet the next. It's an endless cycle. Drinking salt water has a similar effect. 

ab·ste·mi·ous: not self-indulgent, especially when eating and drinking.

obdurate 

You find some great words when reading these. 

Reading Notes: Life of the Buddha, Part A

 The Life of Buddha by Andre Ferdinand Herold (1922)

    The story of the Buddha is more similar to Christ than I realized. His mother had a dream instead of being visited by an angel, but his father was spoken to by the gods. His mother was also venerated for being the mother of a savior type. I haven't read this in the story yet, only in the introduction, but it's interesting how he awakens under the Tree of Knowledge. I wonder if original meaning of that word can be compared to the Tree of Knowledge (of Good and Evil) in the Bible. That would be an interesting story direction, but I have no interest in saying Buddhism is a deception or something. I learned in a religious studies class that some Hindus upon hearing about the Buddha and Christ say that these two people sound like incarnations of Vishnu. Or maybe it was Krishna... Oh, haha. The next story introduction says it's Vishnu. My memory does work!

    I know there's multiple sects of Buddhism just like in most religions, but I've always associated Buddhism with a lack of belief in divinity in the traditional sense. That gods are so wrapped up in

 the Buddha's origins are interesting. 

"This child will have his thoughts; they are gems of a purer water."

I should probably write these words down if I'm going to tell a story:

Kingdom: Kapilavastu

King Suddhodana 

It would seem Siddhartha has an innate knowledge inside of him. The greatest teacher cannot teach him anything. John is similar to him in saying he's only worthy to sit at his feet. The Buddha is prideful about what he already knows.

His father wanted to protect him from any stimulus that would disturb his mind, and yet that disturbance is the very thing that leads him to fulfilling what the gods said he would do. So are the gods really jealous when they send the old man during the parade, or are they intervening to set in motion what is meant to happen?

I was confused about Siddhartha being taken to see all these women, and then he returns to a wife he already had. I guess his father and the priest were trying to bring him some temporary pleasures to distract him his discontent. 

This is the first time I've finished a story chunk and not had an idea for a story... I don't think I'll do a traditional retelling here. I would go in a different direction. 

Buddha (Source)