The Prince Who Became Buddha

Long, long ago, in a beautiful palace at the foot of the snowy Himalayan mountains, lived a young Prince named Siddhartha.

His father, the King, wanted Siddhartha to be a great ruler, so he gave him everything he could ever want. The Prince had delicious food, lovely music, and beautiful gardens. The King built high walls around the palace so Siddhartha would never see anything sad or ugly.

But as Siddhartha grew older, he became curious. “What is outside these walls?” he wondered.

One day, he persuaded his charioteer to take him for a ride outside the palace gates. What he saw changed his life forever.

First, he saw an old man, bent over and leaning on a stick. Siddhartha had never seen anyone old before. “Does everyone get old?” he asked. “Yes,” said his charioteer.

Then, he saw a sick man lying by the road, in pain. “Do people get sick?” asked the Prince, worried. “Yes, sickness can come to anyone,” was the answer.

Next, he saw a funeral procession. “What is that?” asked Siddhartha. “That is death, my Prince. It is the end of life for everyone,” explained the charioteer.

Siddhartha was very sad. He realized that no matter how rich or powerful you are, you cannot escape getting old, getting sick, or dying.

Finally, he saw a holy man dressed in simple orange robes. The man had nothing, but he looked so calm and peaceful. Siddhartha thought, “I want to find that peace. I want to find a way to end suffering.”

That night, Prince Siddhartha quietly left his palace, his crown, and his riches. He cut his long hair and put on simple robes. He wandered for many years, asking wise teachers for answers, but none could satisfy him.

One day, he sat under a large Bodhi tree. He closed his eyes and determined not to move until he found the truth. He sat there for a long time, meditating deeply. He faced many fears and doubts in his mind, but he stayed calm.

Suddenly, as the morning star rose in the sky, he understood. He saw how everything in the world is connected. He saw that kindness, love, and letting go of greedy wants are the keys to happiness.

At that moment, he was no longer Prince Siddhartha. He became the “Buddha,” which means “The Awakened One.”

Wait, he didn’t keep this wisdom to himself. He spent the rest of his life traveling and teaching others how to be kind, how to find peace, and how to live a good life.

Moral of the Story: True happiness comes not from what we have, but from understanding ourselves and being kind to others.