Notes on the life of Shakyamuni Buddha
written by Vova, a layman and yogi.
Translated from Russian by Sasha Suvorkov,
illustrated by Vova Pyatsky,
and edited by Dorey Glenn.
A note from the editor:
I met Vova in the fall of 2004, while pursuing my medical studies in Haifa, Israel. Working on the text with him was an important part of my meditation practice for many months. The following work is not a complete telling of the life of the Buddha; many such books already exist. [1] Nor does it reveal any unknown information or expound on any undiscovered insight. Rather, its purpose is to warm the reader’s heart and inspires the reader’s mind with glimpses from the Buddha’s extra-ordinary life.
It was my intention when editing this text that this translation not only convey accurate portraits from the life of the Buddha, but that it also remain true to the simplicity and humility of its author. It is my wish that this short work, and its accompanying illustrations, finds itself at the feet of those interested in the Buddha’s life and those ready to tread his path. I offer my sincere thanks to Sasha Suvorkov who diligently translated the text from Russian.
May 2008
Massachusetts, USA
About the author:
Vova Pyatsky, originally from Odessa, Ukraine, immigrated to Israel in 1991 with his wife Olga. They currently live with his parents and their two children in Yavne, Israel. Vova teaches the Dharma in Hebrew, Russian, and English to a small group of students.
The reader interested to view larger versions of the illustrations is directed to http://www.freewebs.com/dharmabook/
For further inquires please contact Dorey Glenn at dag1111@yahoo.com
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A very long time ago dense forests covered the earth several times over. There were fewer towns and villages then today, and to their inhabitants they seemed more distant than the stars that filled the night sky. Human beings in different parts of the world put so much trust in their own beliefs and customs that even their neighbor -nations and tribes seemed half human to them. And people who lived faraway appeared to be completely different creatures altogether.
In India at that time, the rich and powerful rode chariots and were waited on by servants and slaves. Enormous elephants fought battles over kingdoms which were relatively small.
While the nobility and priests knew how to read and write, the tribe-folk relied on traditions and legends inherited from their clan. They either settled land together or lived in close proximity to one another; seeking protection in each other’s company. The sacred fire burned in their homes, and at their alters -oils, sweetmeats and ghee were offered to the Gods. Other types of sacrifice were presented to the Gods as well - oxen, horses, goats and sheep. Such offerings took place in specially designated places. The bigger and more frequent the offering from the worshiper, the longer and more prosperous would be their life, boon, and success.
If a king fortified the walls of his township, other rulers perceived his actions as a threat. To render justice, kings relied on their own fairness and good judgment, bequeathed upon them by their noble birth.
At night, while flowers and herbs filled the silent earth with aroma, expert astrologers observed the movement of celestial bodies and cast predictions about the future of the universe and its peoples. Every high-born and well-to-do man in India generously recompensed a fortune teller for a horoscope reading, especially for one foretelling a newborn heir.
A desire to live a long and comfortable life, and prevent misfortune in advance is characteristic to both people and animals. But humans lifted their gaze to the sky and beheld in it a power that surpassed their collective experience.[2] That is why they gladly employed the art of the fortune-tellers.
One newborn at the time was the son of the King of Shakyas. The Shakya tribe descended from the Sun Dynasty of ancient Indian kings.[3] The child was named Siddhartha which means “he who has attained his goals.” Though, they say Siddhartha’s horoscope foretold glory; choice was always under his control.
Philosopher-ascetics at that time often spoke about the existence of two main paths: downward and upward. Good and commendable acts and knowledge took people on the upward path to the sky, towards freedom, and light. Disgraceful acts and ignorance led people on the downward journey to darkness.
Ascetics were mostly men who, living in groups in the woods[4] , devoted long hours to meditation and self- analysis in pursuit of salvation. At the moment when little Siddhartha was born in the royal palace, the ascetic life was far from his consciousness; as if on a different planet. Their paths were yet to cross.
[1] Mitchell, R.A. The Buddha: His Life Retold, Paragon 1989
[2] Perhaps, for this reason, astrology was able to establish itself in Egypt and Babylon and spread to the Mediterranean world and India. Although astrology adapted itself to the local belief system, it still maintained constancy in its methods of prediction.
[3] Ancient Indian kings descended from two major dynasties, the Sun Dynasty and the Moon Dynasty. Krishna, Bharat, Rama, and Buddha Shakyanumi are notable examples. In Sanskrit India is named after Bharat.
[4] Not all ascetics lived in the woods. Some resided in mountainous areas and others near rivers. Indeed, some traveled from one place to another in groups or alone. There were a few ascetics who devoted their lives to practice residing in only one cave or forest hut, most traveled between multiple locations throughout the year.