About Me

I have been a successful and accomplished archaeologist for the last ten years. Recently, my team and I have spent the last three months exploring and excavating the land that Siddhartha, the Buddha, walked across as he tried to find enlightenment. We were hired by National Geographic to find artifacts related to the life of Siddhartha and the people that drastically affected his life. On October 18, 2010 we will present these findings to the Executive Board of the National Geographic Society in the hopes that we will convince them to fund a further field study to document and catalog all of the artifacts.

Chaitra 17 554 BCE Guruvar

My son is gone. I tried following him, but I could not find him. As I walked among those in the city, I remembered my past life. My nights with Kamala and my riches as a merchant. Vasudeva told me that perhaps my son does not want to be found. I now know that I was not a good father. I thought that perhaps he would have learned on his own, but Vasudeva pointed out that that was probably why he ran away. It is a horrible feeling to know that you are the reason your child has left. I only wish Kamala was here, maybe she could help me understand our son. I have decided to listen to the river. It is the only thing that I know will not betray me. I tried today. The river laughed at me, but also made me realize something important. I feel so empty without my son, just knowing that he is out there on his own. The river made me realize that just as I feel like this, my own father probably felt the same way. The man who taught me experienced the same thing I am currently going through. As I listened to the river, I also saw every person that I have ever seen. My father, myself, and my son. Kamala, Govinda and others. I heard myself growing from a child to the man I am now. What surprised me the most was that this time, everything seemed different. Everything seemed somehow connected. It all suddenly came together, everything combined to make the Om. Vasudeva was with me and encouraged me to listen better. I tried, very hard I tried. And I finally understood, I finally found what I was searching for. I no longer feel empty, my Self has merged into unity. I am no longer fighting my destiny. I finally understand the unity of all things. Vasudeva smiled as he saw this on my face. It turns out that he was a follower of the Buddha. I say "was" because he no longer knows where he is in life. He has left to the forest. I am glad to see him leave, for he told me that he is returning to the unity of all things. I feel so relieved. I feel free.

4 comments:

  1. I feel very bad for Siddhartha. He really loved his son and he deserved him. The kid was too spoiled. Siddhartha should have taught him manners. At least Vasudeva comforts Siddhartha.

    -Lucero Ayon

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is great, but I do see a few mistakes. First, Vasudeva was not a follower of Gotama - he was just one of the people who had achieved Nirvana. Second, he didn't just leave into the forest, he literally died there and his body was transformed into the unity of everything. I also think that you should have mentioned that the only reason Vasudeva was still there with Siddhartha was so that he could help Siddhartha achieve Nirvana just like him and Gotama and the few people before them so that Siddhartha could carry on the knowledge and tradition. Siddhartha also did not really walk among the people again, he only look for his son from the outskirts, and only one time. Siddhartha also did not think about his previous life while searching for his son - he only thought of it when he first learned that his son had left and went to search for him at Kamala's former pleasure garden in the previous chapter. Other than that, great job!

    -Nishant Shah

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nishant: All we know is that he left into the forest, but not if he died exactly. We do know that he was in unity, because it was so hard for Siddhartha to see him.
    We also know that Siddhartha was in fact reminded of his previous life, that was the entire point of this revelation. He realized that he did the same thing to his own father, when he left.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree with Lucero. It is sad that Siddhartha just found his son and he loved him so much but he ran away as Siddhartha did once too. I just hope that Siddhartha's son could find his own place too as his father.

    -Malika Salieva

    ReplyDelete

Kamala's Bird Cage

Kamala's Bird Cage

Vasudeva's Ferry

Vasudeva's Ferry

Siddhartha's Merchant Robe

Siddhartha's Merchant Robe