The young prince had lost his interest in everything. Everyone was sad to see the changes in their beloved Siddhartha. One day, the prince went to the king and asked for his permission to leave the palace and go somewhere else, as he was very disturbed. He felt a change of place might be good for him. The king had also been worried about Siddhartha and readily agreed to the request to please him and to again make him happy. He sent some of his most trusted ministers along and asked them to stay near him and to take care of him. The prince set off on Kantaka by himself and explored the countryside for some scenic area. He was followed by the ministers. Near a farm, he got off his horse. The ministers’ s idle talk did not interest the prince and they soon left him alone. Siddhartha saw a man and his oxen ploughing the field; chirping birds, the blazing sun, After a long time, he felt relaxed and sat down there. But taking a closer look at the scene before him, he noticed things he had not seen before. The places where the plough had cut across the soil, he could see its blade had killed hundreds of tiny insects. He also could see hundreds more running here and there, as the plough had destroued their homes. The birds were also not singing happily. Some were hunting for food, smaller birds were being hunted by the larger ones. The oxen were being whipped to plough faster and harder. The farmer too was working very hard and was covered with sweat. His heart was filled with concern after seeing all the suffering that they were going through. He did not like see all of them so sad and miserable. He sat under a rose apple tree and started to meditate on all that he had seen. As he went deeper into the suffering he had seen, his mind became more at peace. For the very first time in his life, he could feel a sense of peace and serenity. His mind was now relaxed and at ease. He started to think that he was now no longer interested in the worldly things. He now wanted to discover something that would bring lasting peace and contentment. He wanted to seek a way to help all the other living being also. Then he would reveal this knowledge and understanding to them. When the prince opened his eyes, he saw a man dressed as a poor beggar, whose eyes were bright and calm. The prince wanted him to tell him who he was. The man told him that he had grown tired of the so-called pleasures that were to be found in the company of others. So now he had left his home and lived in the forest caves and now wandered around in his search to end the suffering of the world. Siddhartha was so impressed by what the man had said that he felt that he had now found the true meaning of his life. He would now start on a search for true happiness and to find cure for the suffering of the world. Still meditating, he returned back to the palace.
The Luminous Life of Buddha ( မဟာလူသား မြတ်ဗုဒ္ဓ ) Edited by SHYAM DUA TINYTOT Publication