The man who would become Buddha was born under the full moon of May. Tonight there is a full moon, and although in most observant places his birthday was celebrated on May 15th, I am thinking of Buddha tonight.

At the age of twenty-nine (or thirty, according to some sources), Siddharta Gautama, gave it all up. Everything. He walked away from riches unimaginable. He walked away from power. He walked away from a life with no want and no suffering. He gave up a wife.
He tried different extremes and then, realizing with infinite wisdom that they were no good, he meditated under a tree until he achieved enlightenment.

And I honestly wish I could just be fully aware and sit under a fig myself and become enlightened, but I think I am too cowardly. Then again, talk about a Saturn return for Mister Gautama! I mean… somewhere in his mind and soul he realized that he had to do the thing he must do, and there was no way around it.

He knew his purpose and did not shy away from it. He could have hidden. But he didn’t.

My wish for myself and anyone who reads this on Buddha’s Birthday is that we may all know our purpose and fulfill it, without hesitation and without fear.

Namaste. No more me; just you.

24 May This entry was published on May 24, 2005 at 1:13 am and is filed under Religion. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.