Life of the Buddha

Yesterday I led a discussion about the life of the Buddha. This was an interesting challenge for me, because the Buddha has always seemed sort of a remote figure, and his life more abstract history than something living and relevant to me now. The good thing about teaching/facilitating is that it forces you to do some studying beforehand. I discovered several things of interest:

• Buddha's parents, King Shuddhodana and Queen Maya, had very well defined notions about how he should live his life and what he should do, like any parents. They did everything they could do protect him and steer him the way they wanted him to go (to be the new king).
• Of course, Siddhartha ended up doing exactly the opposite of what they had in mind, like most kids.
• I forgot that after taking three visits from his castle, during which he saw old people, sick people, and dead people, he took a fourth trip. On this journey he saw a spiritual practitioner. He was lucky to have people in India who had devoted themselves to a spiritual lifestyle and who seemed to be at peace compared to the other people he saw. So we are lucky too to have teachers in our midst, especially the Tibetans. It's awful that they had to leave their home and are still being persecuted now, but we are benefiting from it.
• He went through a period of seeking during which he tried out different approaches--including dieting to extremes. Moderation turned out to be the key.

Having raised my own children I can appreciate this story better now. It doesn't seem so abstract. We too try to distract ourselves with amusements and toys. But examples of another path to follow are all around us.

I can't understand how Buddha could leave his wife and child, however. I don't know if I would be able to do that myself.