THE LIFE OF THE BUDDHA: CHAPTER I – INVITATION OF THE GODS

THE LIFE OF THE BUDDHA: CHAPTER I – INVITATION OF THE GODS

Our Bodhisatta (1) was born in Tusita Heaven (2) as a Deva (3) by the name of Svetaketu. The Devas in Tusita Heaven were happy. The time had come for the Bodhisatta to be born in the world for the last time. The Devas invited the Bodhisatta to be born on earth.

The Bodhisatta looked down at the world to make sure that the five requirements necessary for His final birth in the world were met. These five requirements are as follows:

1. The right time – The life span of human beings at a time a Buddha is born is between 100 and 100,000 years. If the life span is very short, human beings want to enjoy their short life to the fullest and tend to be very fond of material things. If the life span is very long, they tend to forget the impermanence of life. At this time the Bodhisatta found that the life span was one hundred and twenty years.
2. The right continent – All Buddhas are born in India (known as Jumbudipa at the time of the Buddha). This is because the people of India are spiritually more advanced than people in other countries, and so are more ready for a Buddha.
3. The right area – The city of Kapilavatthu was chosen as the city of the future Buddha, as there was a just and good king and many righteous people living there.
4. The right caste – A Buddha is always born in a high caste – Either a royal caste or a priestly caste. This is necessary, as often persons born in a low caste are not accepted by society.
5. The right mother – The mother of a Buddha has to be very pure. She is a person who has resolved to be a mother of a Buddha and observed the five precepts for many countless past lives. The chosen mother was Queen Mahaa Maayaa, wife of King Suddhodana of Kapilavatthu.

The Bodhisatta saw that the five requirements were met.

(1). Bodhisatta – One on his way to perfection. This is the name given to a person who is trying to be a Buddha.

(2). Tusita Heaven – One of the seven happy planes of life. The Devas in the Tusita Heaven have a life span of 576,000,000 human years. All Bodhisattas who have completed the ten perfections await the right time for their last birth in Tusita Heaven. The next Buddha, the Maithreya Buddha, is at present a Deva by the name of Natha in the Tusita Heaven.

(3). Devas – Heavenly beings known in English as gods or divine beings.