Four sights
The four sights are four events described in the legendary account of
The Legendary Account of the Four Sights
Background
Siddhartha, belonged to the Kshatriya gana(clan) of the Sakya. He was born in
Śuddhodana, who was determined that his son should be a great king, confined the prince within the palace and surrounded him with earthly pleasures and luxury, thereby concealing the realities of life that might encourage him to renounce these pleasures and become an
Observing the sights
After leading a sheltered existence surrounded by luxury and pleasure in his younger years, Prince Siddhārtha ventured out of his palace for the first time at the age of 29.[2][3] He set off from the palace to the city in a chariot, accompanied by his charioteer Channa (Sanskrit: Chandaka).[4]
According to the more elaborated accounts such as the Lalitavistara Sūtra, a Mahayana text originally in Sanskrit, probably from the 3rd century, the Four Sights were placed on his route by the gods, to encourage the development of Siddharta's thinking. The 9th-century Borobudor reliefs illustrate this account.
1st sight: senescence
On this journey he first saw an old man, revealing to Siddhārtha the consequences of aging.[5] When the prince asked about this person, Channa replied that aging was something that happened to all beings alike.[4]
2nd sight: disease
The second sight was of a sick person suffering from a disease. Once again, the prince was surprised at the sight, and Channa explained that all beings are subject to disease and pain. This further troubled the mind of the prince.[4]
3rd sight: death
The third sight was of a dead body. As before, Channa explained to the prince that death is an inevitable fate that befalls everyone.[4] After seeing these three sights, Siddhārtha was troubled in his mind and sorrowful about the sufferings that have to be endured in life.[6]
4th sight: asceticism
After seeing these three negative sights, Siddhārtha came upon the fourth sight, an ascetic who had devoted himself to finding the cause of human suffering.[7] This sight gave him hope that he too might be released from the sufferings arising from being repeatedly reborn,[3] and he resolved to follow the ascetic's example.[4]
Aftermath
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After observing these four sights, Siddhārtha returned to the palace, where a performance of dancing girls was arranged for him. Throughout the performance, the prince kept on thinking about the sights. In the early hours of morning, he finally looked about him and saw the dancers asleep and in disarray. The sight of this drastic change strengthened his resolve to leave in search of an end to the suffering of beings.[8][9]
Some time after this incident (the accounts differ considerably as to the timing) and realizing the true nature of life after observing the four sights,
In the early Pali suttas, the four sights as discrete encounters were not mentioned with respect to the historical Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama.[10] Rather, Siddhārtha's insights into old age, sickness and death were abstract considerations.
Even though I was endowed with such fortune, such total refinement, the thought occurred to me: 'When an untaught, run-of-the-mill person, himself subject to aging, not beyond aging, sees another who is aged, he is horrified, humiliated, & disgusted, oblivious to himself that he too is subject to aging, not beyond aging. If I—who am subject to aging, not beyond aging—were to be horrified, humiliated, & disgusted on seeing another person who is aged, that would not be fitting for me.' As I noticed this, the [typical] young person's intoxication with youth entirely dropped away.[11]
Analogous passages for illness and death follow.
Similarly, the Ariya-pariyesana Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 26) describes rather abstract considerations:
And what is ignoble search? There is the case where a person, being subject himself to birth, seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to birth. Being subject himself to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, he seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to illness... death... sorrow... defilement.[12]
These passages also do not mention the fourth sight of the renunciant. The renunciant is a depiction of the
Buddha followed a simple path and inspired people to lead a simple life. His religious philosophy is called 'Buddhism'. He preached in 'Pali'- a language that everyone could understand. In the early Pali sources, the legendary account of the four sights is only described with respect to a previous legendary Buddha Vipassī (Mahāpadāna Sutta,
Different versions
Some accounts say that the four sights were observed by Siddhārtha in one day, during a single journey. Others describe that the four sightings were observed by him on four occasions, or the three bad sights were seen in one trip, and the ascetic on another. Some versions of the story also say that the prince's father had the route beautified and guarded to ensure that he does not see anything that might turn his thoughts towards suffering.
Lesson learned
After his ascetic experience, the Buddha chose the Middle Way.
References
- ISBN 0-19-860560-9.
- ^ a b "A Young People's Life of the Buddha by Bhikkhu Silacara". AccessToInsight. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
- ^ ISBN 0-275-99313-2.
- ^ ISBN 0-19-517398-8.
- ISBN 978-0-415-95214-9.
- ^ "Siddhartha Gautama". Washington State University. Archived from the original on April 3, 2008. Retrieved 2009-04-29.
- ^ Cooler, Richard. "Buddhism". Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Northern Illinois University. Archived from the original on 2020-09-20. Retrieved 2009-04-29.
- ^
- ISBN 0-02-864170-1.
Siddharta+dancing girls.
- ISBN 978-0754653691.
- ^ Sukhamala Sutta (AN 3.38), translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
- ^ Ariya Pariyesana Sutta (MN 26), translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
- ISBN 0-02-865910-4.