Андрей Киряков
Последните дни на Сидхарта Гаутама (26) (Българската сутра)

„The last days of Siddhartha Gautama“
Synopsis of the book:

The story begins with a small chapter, playing the role of introduction. It represents prince Siddhartha Gautama during the final stage of his austerities. There is actually one thing ahead of him—a starvation death.

Then in the next three chapters, the story goes back to the early years of the prince, spent in the capital city of Kapilavastu. The first part ends with the decision of the prince to forsake the palace, in quest of salvation from the earthly suffering.

Part two describes the wandering of the prince through the lands of Magadha, a big kingdom in North India. It represents his meetings with the king of Magadha, with two famous religious teachers, and with some ascetics and other wanderers. After the final austerities undertaken by the prince, he is actually saved from the starvation death by a young woman, named Sujata, who lives in a village nearby.

Part three starts with the new steps taken by the prince, realizing that the extremes in life should be avoided. Soon after diverted from the death, he is to achieve enlightenment. Sited under a big three asvattha, in the course of the night, during the full moon, he achieves the true knowledge of the world and the earthly matters. After that night he claims to be fully enlightened, and starts to preach.

The fourth part represents the initial deeds of the Blessed One, and his sermons after the night of the enlightenment. It shows the conversion of the first lay followers and the growing of the community that is to be called Sangha. This part ends with the conversion of the three Kassapa brothers, fire worshipers, together with their numerous followers. At the end it shows also the meeting of the Blessed One and the king of Magadha.

The epilogue comprises in brief the forty five years of preaching of the Blessed One, following the time after his enlightenment.