For this week, I've made the transition from Arabian Nights to Buddha!
Maya's Dream: I'm struck by the similarities between this and the arrival of Gabriel in the Bible to tell Mary that she will carry God's son. Even though I'm not as familiar with Buddhism, I'm willing to be that the happiness and peace that Maya feels after her dream is a representation of achieving Nirvana.
The Birth of Siddhartha: I wonder how the tree from which Maya takes a branch works as a symbol. Something else to note here is how peacefully the birth went and the motif of healing upon the birth of Siddhartha.
Asita's Prediction: The analogy of the branch makes more sense now that Suddhodana has mentioned his fear of his son's withering before he blooms. The take home message here is that Siddhartha will be the vessel of true knowledge, which is way of salvation from reincarnation.
Siddhartha's First Meditation: The validation of Siddhartha as the one to bring true knowledge is based on observational proof such as the stand-still shadow and his impressive knowledge of the scripts. The way he will change the world seems to be describable only in metaphor based on what the hermits say.
Two More Enounters: I'm willing to bet that these encounters arranged by the Gods in the city will be the impetus that fuels Siddartha's desire to seek true knowledge and free the world from rebirth.
The Fair Maidens and Gopa's Dream: I feel pity for Siddhartha; his awareness of the world now prevents him from seeing the beauty in it. I guess one could say that knowledge is a double-edged sword. One cannot become enlightened without facing the cruelties of reality.
Siddhartha Leaves His Father's Palace: It's refreshing to see Siddhartha's confidence and enthusiasm as he leaves to fulfill his destiny. The cinematic events in the story, such as the silent opening of the gates, help depict the peace that Siddhartha feels as he begins his journey.
Siddhartha the Hermit: I love the wisdom that Siddhartha imparts as he tells Chandaka to travel back to his father. In particular, the line "but heirs to his virtues are rarely found, are never found" resonates with me.
Gopa and Suddhodana Grieve: The lamentations of Gopa and Suddhodana remind me of the reactions after Jesus was crucified. There's such a sense of loss with Siddhartha's absence, but I get the feeling that he will be back to ease his parent's grief.
Arata Kalama: I find myself agreeing with what Siddhartha says regarding the uselessness of perfect austerity. It almost seems selfish, as Siddhartha eludes to, because it only guarantees the self to ascend to the sky.
Siddhartha Deserted by His First Disciples: I like the change of pace in the perspective on Siddhartha's ability to fulfill his destiny. People seem to give him such doubt for changing his approach, but wouldn't everyone want a spiritual leader to admit when he's wrong and be willing to change his actions?
Siddhartha Becomes the Buddha: Talk about a long-winded explanation for the cause of old age and death! It reminds me how if one clicks on the first click of a Wikipedia page and repeats the action ad nauseam, they'll end up at the page for philosophy.
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