Page:Henry Mulford Tichenor - The Buddhist Philosophy of Life.djvu/7

Rh Buddhism, in its originality, was more philosophical than religious in its character, and therefore did not appeal to the masses; later Buddhism has popularized the teachings so that they are more readily received.

From time to time there appears on earth a Buddha—the Enlightened; such is the teaching of Buddhism; the last historical Buddha being Siddhattha Gotama, born 568 B. C., son of the Sakya chief, Suddodana, and his wife, Maha Maya. As with other great religious teachers, legendary stories of a miraculous character gathered around Gotama—stories remarkably similar to those related of Jesus.

In Kapilavatthu there reigned a Sakya king, a descendant of the Okkakas, who are called Gotama, whose name was Suddhodana. Suddodana had a wife named Maha Maya, beautiful as the water-lily and pure in mind as the lotus. Maha Maya was the Queen of Heaven, living on earth, untainted by desire, honored in her immaculate holiness by her husband. The Spirit of Truth descended upon her; and when she realized that she was about to give birth, she requested to be sent to her parents, which request Suddhodana granted.

Maha Maya, on her journey, came to a beautiful grove, whose trees bore fragrant flowers and in whose branches myriads of birds sang. She left her golden palanquin, and wandered