TALES DE

BUDDHA Gautama is one of the greatest religious leaders the world has

known. Born a prince, he turned his back on worldly pleasures which he realised, hid the sources of human misery. He .was convinced that pen­ance and meditation as mere rituals without the accompanying sincerity and, contemplation were futile. After ' years of search he became the Buddha, the Enlightened One. He realised that fear and misery spring from attachment and desire and liberation lay in freeing oneself from the bonds of desire · and attachment. A supreme compassion for his fellow beings prompted him to propagate his view.

Amrapali and Vasavadatta were two women-disciples of Buddha who gave up a life of pleasure and took to asceticism.

The compassionate benevolence of Buddha was potent enough to bring about a change of heart even among the condemned and the fallen. Angultmala, the d~eaded highway robber who plundered and killed travelling traders, was one such sinner who was transformed into a saint.

© India Book House 'Education Trust. Bombay-400 039.

All rights reserved. August 1 982

Published by H .G. MirchanClani for India BOok Houso Education Trust, Rus i Mansion, 29 Nathalal Parekh Marg, Bombay 400 039 and printed by him et IBH Printers. Marol Naka, Mathuredas Vissanji Road. Andheri (East). Bombay' 400 059.

Editor: Anant Pai Cover: Madhu Powle

Buddha Script: Prof. S. K . Ramachandra Rao Artworks: Souren Roy

,(\ngulimala

Script: Subba Rao Artworks: Pratap Muli.ck

IN THE HlMALAYAIV FOOTHILL61 KAPILAVASTO WAO' A .9MALL BOT PROSPER(}(/S KIN60OM. THE SAKYA.9 RLlL€O OVER IT. t

.svOOHODANA WAS THEIR KIIVG'. . ,~----------------~

""EDITOR:ANANT PAl RETOLD B~ : f'1otlb ·5.K.RAMACHANDRA RAG ARTWORK:SOUREN RO\J..2

TEN MONTIf6' L-4TER TIfE &UEBV u/-4~ ON IIER ,w-4V TO IIER ~-4TIIER'S' IfOUSE. A$' .WE ,w/loo PAl6'S'ING' TIlRObI:W AI 8MUT/FilL 6ROUE ON 711£ U//IV 70 LOMBINI ~~~R.rl

CHANNA,WHO 18 THIS? HIS

HEAD IS ' WHITE. HE SEEMS VERY WEAK,HIS SKIN IS WRINKLED.

MOTHER. I HAVE LEARNT

THAT ALL Tf-UN6S ALIVE AND

BEAUTIFUL KEEP CHANGIN6. MEN GROW OLD. MEN

FALL ILL AND DIE . I FEEL UN­HAPPV WHEN I THIN K OF THESE

THINGS.

//S' 6'OOIV /16' TilE ME6'6'EM5'ER6' BROQ6IIT IVEW., AB()(IT SIOOII;t}RTIf/l, KIIVG' BIMBI..,/IR/l WEIVT TO MEET 111M.

YOU SEEM TO BE - ~~~!!~ LONG TO A NOBLE r FA/VIILY. 'lOUR HAND SHOULD NOT HOLD A BEGGING BOWL, BUT THE REINS OF AN EMPIRE. I WILL GIVE YOU A HIGH POSITION IN /VIV KINGDOM. COME.

BUT AS' H£ BE6AN 7lJ WALK AWAV FROfIIl THE BANK, fI£ FELT W£AK ANt) FELL DOWN.

,------------------------, r----------------------- ~ ,)'IOOHI9RTHIl NO/ll/ LIVED 19 LONEt.YUFE.

HE MOt/EO TO/ll/I9ROS> 19 800111 TREE I9IVO ~I9T BENEI9TH IT.

I~----------------------------------~ NE O'PENT O'EI/EN WEEKS' CINDER TilE TREE ENv'O<;llN6' 1116' O'T/lTE OF PERFECT II""PPINE¢'¢'. TNEN liE WENT OCIT INTO TNE WORLD TO TE/ICII OTIIERS'. FIRO'T, NE WENT TO Bt9IV""R.4,9. IN f)'EI1RC'N OF 71IE FII/E I1f)'CE77C,9. WNO WERE WITII 111M IN URCIBILI/t9. liE FOUND TIIEM IN DEER 49RK.

t----::~~~~~ HERE COMES SIDDHARTHA.

HE RETURNED TO A LIFE OF EASE. LET US NOT TALK

TO HIM.

HAVEN'T 'IOU , HEARD THAT THE SACRED FIRE GUARDED BVA SERPENTAT NIGHT? THE SERPENT WILL 1:I!.!=~l!!I!!'!..l:,: BITE 'IOU IF YOU GO NEAR THE FIRE.

WileN liE WENT IM'IOE TilE ROOM, HE [;/IW 8(/0011/1 SITTINe PE/ICEFULLV. Tile LleIIT FROM TilE FIRE S'IIONE GW 111[;' F/iCE.

NEXT ~v. TltE KING' INVITE-£) BtlaJll/i AWO H'lS £¥SC'lPtES FOR /I ME/IL /IT illS PI'IL/ICE. /I/CTER mE ME.4L WAS OIlER_

MY CHILD ALL THAT IS BORN. MUST DIE ONE DAY. THERE IS ULTIMATELY NOTHING BUT SORROW IN LIFE. IT IS FREEDOM V FROM DESIRE THAT FREES US FROM SORROW.

GREAT KING, YOU CLAIM

DESCENT FROM KINGS. MY DESCENT IS FROM THE BUDDHAS OF OLD. THEV ALWAYS BEGGED FOR THEIR FOOD AND LIVED ON ALMS.

DEW/DATTA F ELT <./E/ILOt/,f> OF Bt/DD/I/I. /IE WENT 70 /lND /VIET /I<.//lT.4S.4TRU, SON OF K,wG' BIMBIS-.4R.4.

TWELVE HUNDRED PEOPLE! NOT A

m~;t;:l~" SOUNO OF HUMAN HABITATION HERE!! HAVE YOU BROUGHT

ME HERE TO BE KILLED? IS IT A PLOT 9F YOURS?

TItE MEN C'IIRRWIV6' OEVIIMTT/1 KEPT OOWN TItE UTTER ,<7NO WENT TO REFRESIt TItEMSELVE.9.

I AM DI/ING. BUT NOW I KNOW THAT BUDDHA IS INDEED THE

. ENLIGHTENED ONE-THE TEACHER OF ALL. I

TAKE REFUGE IN HIM.

B(/OOIl,<7 LtVEO T O,<7 RIPE OLO 1leE. MILLlOIVS TOOK REFtI6E IN I{/M IINO IN illS TE,<7ClIllVe6'. PEOPLE. WIIO SPOKE o/FFERENT LIIN6(//lBES ,<7IVO BELOlVeEO TO OIST,<7NT

LAN OS BEC'IIME illS FOLLOWERS-