The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.113)

2019 • 08 48 harma “T he first turn of the Dharma-wheel transformed Ajnata Kaundinya.” Prince Siddhartha was born in the palace and lived in prosperity and splendour. He later travelled through the city gates in the four directions and gained understanding of human suffering in the world. He therefore decided to abandon the throne for spiritual practice. Initially, his father was worried about the prince and hoped someone could convince him to come back, so they dispatched five attendants. Although they found the prince, they were unable to persuade him. Instead, they were moved by the prince’s wisdom and decided to follow him. Together they travelled to seek answers and engaged in spiritual practice. Although they experienced all kinds of suffering, the five of them all followed the prince to engage in spiritual practice. In the Uruvilva forest, they spent six years in ascetic practice, testing themselves mentally and physically. Eventually, the prince realized that he could not attain realization of the truth of life through ascetic practice, so he decided to give up this extreme path. He therefore left the Uruvilva forest and went to the Phalgu river to bathe. There he collapsed, weak from malnutrition. A shepherd girl who saw this emaciated man faint, hurried to his side and poured some goat milk into his mouth. After he woke up and regained some strength, he told the shepherdess about his determination to engage in spiritual practice. The girl was very moved and said, “Please find a good place to recuperate and practise. I’ll come to offer you food every day, so you can practise in peace and recover your strength.” The prince found a large rock under a Bodhi tree, and next to the rock he made a vow. “This is my spiritual training ground. Until I become enlightened, I will not leave this tree. I must engage in spiritual practice until my wisdom is awakened and I understand the truth.” When the five attendants could not find the prince in the Uruvilva forest, they anxiously looked all around for him. When they saw the shepherdess nurse the prince with goat milk, they mistakenly thought the prince had lost his will to engage in spiritual practice, so they left him to find another spiritual training ground. CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION