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Chapter Six
Beneath a Rose-Apple Tree
When he was nine years old, Siddhartha was told about the dream his mother had before giving birth to him. A magnificent white elephant
with six tusks descended from the heavens surrounded by a chorus of beatific praises. The elephant approached her, its skin white as
mountain snow. It held a brilliant pink lotus flower in its trunk, and placed the flower within the queen’s body. Then the elephant, too,
entered her effortlessly, and all at once she was filled with deep ease and joy. She had the feeling she would never again know any
suffering, worry, or pain, and she awoke uplifted by a sensation of pure bliss. When she got up from her bed, the ethereal music from the
dream still echoed in her ears. She told her husband, the king, of the dream, and he, too, marvelled at it. That morning, the king summoned
all the holy men in the capital to come and divine the meaning of the queen’s dream.
After listening intently to the dream’s content, they responded, “Your majesty, the queen will give birth to a son who will be a great
leader. He is destined to become either a mighty emperor who rules throughout the four directions, or a great Teacher who will show the
Way of Truth to all beings in Heaven and Earth. Our land, your majesty, has long awaited the appearance of such a Great One.”
King Suddhodana beamed. After consulting the queen, he ordered that provisions from the royal storehouses be distributed to the ill and
unfortunate throughout the land. Thus the citizens of the kingdom of Sakya shared the king and queen’s joy over the news of their future
son.
Siddhartha’s mother was named Mahamaya. A woman of great virtue, her love extended to all beings—people, animals, and plants. It
was the custom in those days for a woman to return to her parents’ home to give birth there. Mahamaya was from the country of Koliya, so
she set out for Ramagama, the capital of Koliya. Along the way, she stopped to rest in the garden of Lumbini. The forest there was filled
with flowers and singing birds. Peacocks fanned their splendid tails in the morning light. Admiring an ashok tree in full bloom, the queen
walked towards it, when suddenly, feeling unsteady, she grabbed a branch of the ashok tree to support her. Just a moment later, still
holding the branch, Queen Mahamaya gave birth to a radiant son.
The prince was bathed in fresh water and wrapped in yellow silk by Mahamaya’s attendants. As there was no longer any need to return
to Ramagama, the queen and the newborn prince were carried home in their four-horse carriage. When they arrived home, the prince was
again bathed in warm water and placed next to his mother.
Hearing the news, King Suddhodana hurried in to see his wife and son. His joy was boundless. His eyes sparkled and he named the
prince “Siddhartha,” “the one who accomplishes his aim.” Everyone in the palace rejoiced, and one by one they came to offer their
congratulations to the queen. King Suddhodana wasted no time in summoning the soothsayers to tell him of Siddhartha’s future. After
examining the baby’s features, they all agreed that the boy bore the marks of a great leader and would no doubt rule over a mighty kingdom
that spread in all four directions.
One week later a holy man named Asita Kaladevela paid a visit to the palace. His back was bent with age, and he needed a cane to
descend the mountain where he lived. When the palace guards announced Master Asita’s arrival, King Suddhodana personally came out to
greet him. He ushered him in to see the baby prince. The holy man gazed at the prince for a long time without uttering a word. Then he
began to weep, his trembling body supported by his cane. Streams of tears fell from his eyes.
King Suddhodhana’s joy was boundless, as he hurried in to see his wife and newborn son.