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Chapter Six<br />
Beneath a Rose-Apple Tree<br />
When he was nine years <strong>old</strong>, Siddhartha was t<strong>old</strong> about the dream his mother had before giving birth to him. A magnificent <strong>white</strong> elephant<br />
with six tusks descended from the heavens surrounded by a chorus of beatific praises. The elephant approached her, its skin <strong>white</strong> as<br />
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,<br />
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<br />
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<br />
dream still echoed in her ears. She t<strong>old</strong> her husband, the king, of the dream, and he, too, marvelled at it. That morning, the king summoned<br />
all the holy men in the capital to come and divine the meaning of the queen’s dream.<br />
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<br />
leader. He is destined to become either a mighty emperor who rules throughout the four directions, or a great Teacher who will show the<br />
Way of Truth to all beings in Heaven and Earth. Our land, your majesty, has long awaited the appearance of such a Great One.”<br />
King Suddhodana beamed. After consulting the queen, he ordered that provisions from the royal storehouses be distributed to the ill and<br />
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<br />
son.<br />
Siddhartha’s mother was named Mahamaya. A woman of great virtue, her love extended to all beings—people, animals, and plants. It<br />
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<br />
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<br />
with flowers and singing birds. Peacocks fanned their splendid tails in the morning light. Admiring an ashok tree in full bloom, the queen<br />
walked towards it, when suddenly, feeling unsteady, she grabbed a branch of the ashok tree to support her. Just a moment later, still<br />
h<strong>old</strong>ing the branch, Queen Mahamaya gave birth to a radiant son.<br />
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<br />
to Ramagama, the queen and the newborn prince were carried home in their four-horse carriage. When they arrived home, the prince was<br />
again bathed in warm water and placed next to his mother.<br />
Hearing the news, King Suddhodana hurried in to see his wife and son. His joy was boundless. His eyes sparkled and he named the<br />
prince “Siddhartha,” “the one who accomplishes his aim.” Everyone in the palace rejoiced, and one by one they came to offer their<br />
congratulations to the queen. King Suddhodana wasted no time in summoning the soothsayers to tell him of Siddhartha’s future. After<br />
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<br />
that spread in all four directions.<br />
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<br />
descend the mountain where he lived. When the palace guards announced Master Asita’s arrival, King Suddhodana personally came out to<br />
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<br />
began to weep, his trembling body supported by his cane. Streams of tears fell from his eyes.<br />
King Suddhodhana’s joy was boundless, as he hurried in to see his wife and newborn son.