Buddha; A Story of Enlightenment

The book is written as a fictional story and is Chopra's depiction of what Buddha's life would've been like based on generally accepted events or facts in his life based on what scholars or history may say. The novel is separated into 3 sections and likely represent the 3 main stages of his life: Siddhartha the Prince, Gautama the Monk, and Buddha.

Siddhartha the Prince:
- Father Suffhodana was a great King who ruled the kingdom like a tyrant. Had no control over his emotions and would kill and execute on a whim. He loved his wife dearly and the day Siddhartha was conceived was the day Maya had said make love to me like a God.
- Maya Devi, Siddhartha's mother gave birth in a forest on the way to her homeland. The boy was born in the moonlight. She died several days after giving birth to him.
- The respected religious leaders at the time had prophesied that little Siddhartha would 'rule the 4 corners of the world' and his father would take this as a sign that he would be a great leader. However, they had also prophesied that the king would have no control over his son unless he refrained from seeing any suffering until he became a man. So the king raised him to see no pain or suffering.
- Siddhartha eventually came across this anyways when he saw a horse killed and his father in pain when he sneaked to his quarters.
- Channa, who was the son of a stable boy was Siddhartha's best friend growing up and they trained together. Channa was aggressive and an attacker while Siddhartha was patient and always on the defense conserving energy.
- Devadatta, Siddhartha's older cousin would bully him as he grew up and eventually fight him in front of a very large audience (somewhat of a spectacle thrown by the king to prove Siddhartha was a man in battle). when Devadatta's failed attempt to stab him in the back and take his birthright to the throne, Devadatta became bitter and ruthless and started killing men and raping women across the town. Because he was royalty still he could do whatever he wanted. He initially raped and killed Sujita who was the young peasant girl whom Siddhartha was very attracted to. Her body was dumped in a lake and never found. Eventually Siddhartha needed to find out how to rid himself of his guilt and suffering when he visited an old abandoned town full of people with disease. He later married and had a child but had to leave them in search for the answer.
- There was a demon that had always wanted to destroy Siddhartha ever since he was born and would continue to haunt him during all of his days at every stage of his life. The demon's name was Mara and could take any form to tempt him. Siddartha was curious in life why Mara was so interested in him. This meant that Mara was threatened by him and Siddhartha later realized this.

Gautama the Monk:
- Gautama was Siddhartha's family name and took this name on because he didn't want to be recognized as the prince any longer. He would follow around many other wiser monks and philosophers in search for enlightenment.


Quotes:
- "The eyes have the longest memory, followed by the nose. Who doesn't remember the blinding white snows of yesterday, the swooning scent of a rose, the brilliance of an unfurled peacock tail? But try to imitate a robin's song, something you've heard a thousand times. Few people can. Still less can we remember anything told us that was wise. "
- "When babble is like music, love can't be far away."
- "Devadatta trembled in despair. He had no doubt that the gods didn't exist. But at that moment, he understood why, when the horror of life finally reveals itself, somebody had to invent them."
- (after Gautama helps a very frustrated man who is beating his wife help get an ox cart off the road a discussion takes place between Ganaka, a wise monk who just sat by and idly watched and Gautama who is exhausted from helping the couple):
Ganaka:"Those people didn't love you for what you did" Ganaka pointed out.
Gautama: "I didn't expect them to" Gautama replied.
Ganaka: "If you didn't want them to love you , at least you wanted gratitude. You're just too proud to admit it. And angry that i laughted at you. Imagine, here you are being a saint, and a monk, no less, riduclues you for it."
Hearing the truth stung, but Gautama wa too exhausted to work up heavy resentment. Instead he said
Gautama: "Was I ridiculous in your eyes?"
Ganaka: "Why would it matter? A saint has to rise above ridicule. Maybe i was trying to teach you that."
Gautama: "Are you my teacher now? i thought you hated teachers?"
Ganaka: "I'm part of the world. If you want a teacher turn to the world."
Gautama: "The world's wisdom is contained in you?. Congratulations."
Ganaka: "Not all the world's wisdom but a piece of it. The piece you need to hear.
Gautama: "And what is that?"
Ganaka: "Are you free enough of anger to listen?..... i didn't think so. "
Gautama: ".....Everything you say is true"
Ganaka: "Only it shouldn't be. That's your position isn't it? That when you act like a saint, you should be loved, and whoever sees you doing good works should be inspired to join you."
Gautama: "Alright, yes. What's your position? That you can be my teacher by standing around and letting me do all the work?."
Ganaka: "There was no work to do".
Gautama: "i think there was".
Ganaka: "Then tell me where i'm wrong. The man would have calmed down eventually and figured out how to unyoke his animal and empty cart. He and his wife were strong enough to push the cart out of the ditch, and if they weren't, they could walk back to their village and get help. So by helping them, you kept them from helping themselves."
Gautama: "Go on..."
Ganaka: "If you thought you were preventing violence because the man stopped beating his wife, all you really did was shame him. He will not only resent you for that; he will beat his wife extra hard tonight to make a point that he is master and she is slave."
Gautama: " And no one should try to show them a better way then?"
Ganaka: "Maybe, why should it be you? They had parents and priests who taught them right from wrong. They must know families where the wife isn't beaten every time the husband loses his temper. Or maybe they don't. Why should it be up to you? You are a wandering beggar".
Gautama: "I'm sorry you feel that way"
Ganaka: "You can do better than that. I can tell what you're thinking. You're born of higher class so that makes you right. No question about it".
Gautama: "Do you always goad people like this?"
Ganaka: "Is there any other way to learn? If you don't want the world to have more shame, helplessness, slavery then stop doing what you did today. All you did was increase it."
Gautama: "Thank you for the bread and the company".
Ganaka: "I may not be enlightened enough to suit you, my idealistic lad, but i'm far from being a fool. Don't pretend you're a saint. Exprerience tells me that they might not even exist."

Quote: "How can freedom be taught except by someone who is free?"
Similarly:
How can honesty be taught, except through someone who is honest?
How can courage be taught, except through someone who is courageous?
How can kindness be taught, except through someone who is kind?


Quote: "There is one thing that Mara, the demon, can never let you find out: .... The Truth about who you really are."
(IS THIS NOT TRUE IN EVERY RELIGION AND THE CORE OF THE SOURCE OF EVERY PHILOSOPHICAL IDEA?)