The Flower Festival of Departure
"Are you really going to leave?" "Yes. This is what I have decided. I have realized that this is the solution to the questions I have been pondering ever since I was twelve years old."
At twenty-nine, Siddhartha, despite his royal status, intends to abandon it and renounce the world. However, his wife, Yashodhara, cannot accept this at all.
"What are you dissatisfied with? What was wrong with me? It is terrible that you would abandon me!" she pleads with tears in her eyes and a sorrowful expression. But he grips both of her hands firmly.
"As I have told you many times, it is not your fault. The days we spent together since we met and married thirteen years ago were truly happy. But even so, this time I must go."
"H-how could you!" Tears overflow from Yashodhara's eyes. But Siddhartha releases her hands and begins to speak, his gaze fixed on the distance.
"The fault lies with this world. The monk I saw earlier, dressed in such fine clothes, does not truly care about the common people. Even though the streets are filled with emaciated old men and the sick facing death..."
"That living beings will eventually grow old, fall ill, and die—is that not the path everyone must walk?" But to his wife's plea, Siddhartha shakes his head in denial.
"It is painful for me to part with you, too. And parting with my father as well." "Then why?" "As I have said many times, I am convinced that I must do something on a different level than that. The root of all this is 'suffering.' Therefore, I am thinking about liberation from suffering. I will not return until I find a path for people to be saved from their suffering." Having said this, Siddhartha retreated into the back.
"Father-in-law, please talk to him as well. Renouncing the world now, of all times. Especially when Rahula has just been born." Unable to accept this, Yashodhara goes to the King's chamber to plead for him to stop her son's reckless behavior. But the King was already in a state of resignation.
"It is likely impossible. His mother, Maya, passed away seven days after giving birth to him. Just before that, she said something strange." "What strange thing?"
"It was right after Siddhartha was born. He emerged from her right side, took seven steps, pointed his right hand to the heavens and his left hand to the earth, and said, 'Above heaven and below heaven, I alone am honored.'"
"Above heaven and below heaven, I alone am honored..." Yashodhara chanted these mysterious words and then fell silent.
"I cannot believe that a newborn baby would suddenly say such a thing. Since Maya was on the verge of death, her mind must have been distraught.
Even so, I feel he is different from an ordinary prince. This is just my intuition, but I have a feeling that he will eventually do something great enough to leave his name in history."
"I-I see..."
"In other words, that is the kind of man he is. We have no choice but to let him do as he pleases. You have supported him well until now. As a father, I have nothing but gratitude. I know it is painful for you, Yashodhara, but please endure it. Even if I were to stop him, I do not think he would listen."
Yashodhara hung her head, held the newborn Rahula, who was being cradled by the nurse, close to her, and left the room.
And late that night, Siddhartha left the palace alone to renounce the world. It is said that he left behind all the ornaments he wore as a prince. Later, he would attain enlightenment and found Buddhism as the Buddha (Shakyamuni).
-----
"Ah, was it a dream!" When he came to his senses, he saw the familiar scene of his bedroom.
"Prince, what is the matter? You are sweating a little." A bead of sweat ran from the forehead to the nose of the man called the Prince. One of the retainers waiting nearby approached him with a worried look.
"Oh, no, I am fine. Do not worry. Actually, I had a dream about a noble person."
The one who had awakened was Prince Umayado, later known as Prince Shotoku.
Umayado got up, changed his clothes, and began to search for the meaning of the dream he had seen the previous night.
He began to wonder why he had seen the scene of Prince Siddhartha departing before he became the Buddha.
"Actually, I had a similar dream three days ago. That time it was just when he was being born, but..." In the end, Umayado could not reach a conclusion on his own. He had no choice but to head to a temple he had been involved in building. And he told this story to the monk who guarded it.
"I see, Prince. Then, why not hold a Kanbutsu-e (Buddha bathing ceremony)?"
"Kanbutsu-e? What is that?" Umayado tilted his head at the unfamiliar term.
"Yes, it is an event to celebrate the birth of the Buddha. It is already practiced on the continent, but it has not yet been held in our country."
"I see, so that is it. It was also the power of the Buddha that allowed Soga no Umako-dono, who now holds all authority, and myself to defeat the anti-Buddhist Mononobe clan."
"That is correct. Thanks to the efforts of Minister Umako and yourself, Prince, Buddhist temples have begun to be built in our country as well."
"Yes, I see. Perhaps it was a dream of such an oracle." Umayado stands up.
"All right, I understand. Let us hold the Kanbutsu-e immediately. Now, when is the correct time to hold it?"
"The day of his birth is said to be April 8th." The monk answers without changing his expression while remaining seated.
"I see. Now, where shall we hold it? A magnificent temple (Horyu-ji) will soon be completed in Ikaruga, but I wonder if it is worth waiting until then. Besides, if I do too many things under my own initiative, Umako-dono might get sulky, thinking, 'This was done without the Minister's knowledge.' That would be troublesome in many ways."
Umayado crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and thought for a while. Then, his thoughts came together.
"All right, to save face for Umako-dono, it would be best to hold it at Hoko-ji (Asuka-dera: later Gango-ji) in Asuka, which he is involved with. There is still time until April 8th. I am sorry, but could you prepare it immediately?"
"Understood." The monk bowed his head quietly, stood up immediately, bowed to Umayado, and left the room to make preparations.
Thus, it is said that the first Kanbutsu-e (a ceremony later called the Flower Festival) was held by Prince Shotoku in 606 AD, during the reign of Empress Suiko. Also, according to records, it was an event where a palanquin carrying Buddha's relics and a statue of Prince Shotoku was moved during the Shoryo-e (Sacred Spirit Ceremony) at Horyu-ji in Ikaruga, the base of Prince Shotoku.
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Series: Daily Palm-sized Short Stories 443/1000
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