Week 5 Reading Diary, continued: the Ramayana

The continuation of this week's reading, the Ramayana.

The Rakshasas

• The trio spent thirteen years and a half going through the deep jungle and finally setting down in a four-bedroom hut.
• Rakshasa woman, named Surpanakha, sister of Ravana, the demon King of Lanka, Ceylon. She was misshapen and ugly and her voice was harsh and unpleasant.
• When she saw Rama, she fell in love. She assumed another form to lure Rama away from Sita. 
• Rama says he would not leave Sita, but that Lakshmana is single.
• Surpanakha tried to attack Sita, but with the quick reflexes, Rama pushed her back and Lakshmana cut the ears and noses off of her.
• She ran to her brother Khara, who was enraged.
• Khara called upon 14 Rakshasas and commanded them to capture the Trio. Rama slaid them with Celestial arrows.
• Khara called upon his brother Dushana to gather 14,000 Rakshasa, and to bring his weapons and chariots. He is going to kill Rama.
• Rama sends Lakshmana away with Sita to a secret cave to protect her while he battles them.
• Although he was outnumbered, Rama emerged victorious.

The Golden Deer

• Only Surpanakha escaped alive. She headed to lanka to inform the ten-headed King Ravana of her brothers' death. She told them to capture Sita.
• Ravana and his brother, Maricha, set off towards the forest. Maricha transformed into a golden deer and grazed near Sita until she saw him. 
• Rama chased the deer and finally loosed an arrow that pierced its heart. Maricha emerged from the body and cried "Sita, Sita, save me!" in Rama's voice, then died.
• Sita sent Lakshmana to go help his brother.
• Ravana watched as Lakshmana left Sita alone and approached her, disguised as a sage. When Sita invited him to rest, thinking he was a Brahman, he revealed himself. 
• He boasted that he can beat everyone, turning into his other form of a giant with 10 heads and 20 arms. He seized Sita and carried her off.
• As she was being carried away, Sita took of piece by piece of her ornaments, leaving a trail. 

Sita (source: Google)

Rama's Quest for Sita

• Rama searched and wept for her. 
• The next day, the brothers set off to find Sita again. They came upon the hut of Jatayus, the Vulture King that tried to stop Ravana. He told the brothers what happened, then died shortly after.
• On their way towards the south, where Lanka is, they encountered a great black demon with his head in the middle of his body, had one eye, with long and monstrous teeth. 
• The princes reveal who they are, and the demon asks them to burn his body so he can be free of his Rakshasa form and nature, promising that if they did, he would tell them where Sita went.
• When they approached the mountain, Hanuman came and the princes told him of Sita's abduction. 
• Rama helped the king rid of the usurper.

Hanuman (source: Google)

Hanuman

• Ravana would often approach Sita with sweet words, but she would always reject him.
• Ravana once kidnapped a nymph of Indra's heaven, Punjikashthala, which angered Brahma, who said that Ravana's head would be rent asunder if he attempted to kidnap another female again.
• The king still hasn't done as promised, so Lakshmana went to the palace to threaten him. The king quickly gathered a great army of apes and bears. 
• Hanuman came upon Jatayus' brother, who saw where Ravana took Sita. Hanuman followed the directions.
• On the way there he encountered Surasa. The condition is to go through her mouth, otherwise he can go no further. Hanuman quickly grew in size, immediately shrunk, jumped into her mouth and quickly leaped back out. He was allowed to pass.
• He next encountered a dragon. When the dragon tried to attack him, he shrunk and dove into its mouth and attacked the dragon from the inside.
• He finally reached Lanka, resumed the form a cat, and entered the capital.

Sita in the Asoka Grove

• Hanuman found Sita in the grove but couldn't find an opening to approach her.
• Ravana kept on trying to break her down, but she would rather die.
• Hanuman resumed his monkey form and told Sita of Rama looking for her. She couldn't go with him, but gave him a jewel from her hair as a token. Ravana gave her 2 months before he would kill her.
• Hanuman was taken prisoner. A counsellor advised to take him as an envoy instead. Ravana oiled up Hanuman's tail and set it on fire. Sita prayed that it would leave Hanuman uninjured, and her prayers were heard.
• Hanuman shrank until he could escape, setting fire to mansions throughout the town from his flaming tail. 
• The armies marched to the shore, and was joined by Bibhishana. 
• Ravana called counsel, and his brother, Bibhishana, advised Ravana to return Sita to Rama. Ravana got mad and banished Bibhishana, who went to join Rama.

Ravana (source: Google)

The War with Ravana

• The apes, with Rama and Lakshmana leading them, approach the gates of Lanka. 
• The Rakshasas attacked them, riding on the backs of elephants, lions, camles, hogs, hyenas, wolves, and asses. 
• Indrajit threw a snake noose at the brothers, but the god of wind, Vayu, send the great celestial bird Garuda, the serpent killer, to help out. 
• Ravana came forth, but Rama shot arrows which swept the ten crowns on his heads, and Ravana retreated in shame.
• The Rakshasas called upon the mightiest of demons, Kumbhakarna, who sleeps for 6 months, and awakens for one day. In that one day, he would devour everything before falling back asleep. Nothing woke him until a beautiful woman caressed him. They brought him food, but he was not satisfied. Where are the apes so that I may devour them?

Rama Confronts Ravana

• Kumbhakarna defeated Hanuman and seized Sugriva. Thousands of apes were devoured. Rama came to the rescue by loosing a flaming arrow, and the monster staggered and fell into the ocean. 
• Indrajit offered another sacrifice and became invisible. He rose into the air and showered Rama with arrows. Rama and Lakshmana pretended to be dead.
• The ape healer sent Hanuman to find an herb, but he couldn't, so he took the whole mountain. When Rama, Lakshmana, and the injured apes were healed, Hanuman returned the mountain.
• Lakshmana shot the arrow that defeated Indrajit.
• Ravana wept for his son.
• Ravana, mad with grief, went to slay Sita, but the Rakshasas stopped him. 
• Ravana tried to kill Bibhishana, but Lakshmana saved him. Ravana flung a great dart that pierced the heart of Lakshmana and pinned him to the earth. 
• Hanuman again went to get the herbs, and the healer restored Lakshmana to his former self.
• Rama shot an arrow that pierced one of the heads, but one immediately reappeared. Rama used the flaming weapon which Brahma had created for the protection of the gods and struck Ravana with it, who fell and died.

Rama's Coronation

• When Sita was brought to Rama, he rejects her, saying that she has dwelt in the house of Ravana.
• Sita asks Lakshmana to make a funeral pyre so she could kill herself.
• Sita invoked the fire god, leapt into the flames and vanished.
• Suddenly the gods appeared, the fires parted, and the god Agni delivered Sita to Rama, saying "Receive thy wife who is without sin or shame."
• His exile now ended, Rama hurried to Ayodhya with Sita and Lakshmana and Hanuman.
• Rama was crowed the next day. 
• People questioned Sita's virtue. Abiding to the people's demand, Rama banished her. Lakshmana brought her to the southern jungles and left her at the hermitage of Valmiki. 
• She later had two sons, Lava and Kusa.
• Rama performed a horse sacrifice to cleanse his soul of sin. When he released the horse into the forest, his sons took it. They defeated the royal army, and Rama went to confront them. They revealed their mother, but not knowing their father. Rama told Valmiki to bring her forward, to prove her innocence to the people. 
• Sita refused to go for a while.
• In the presence of the people and Rama, she invoked the Earth. When she was finished, the earthed opened and spit out a golden throne with sparkling gems, supported by four great serpents. Then the Earth Mother appeared, brought Sita to the throne, and sat beside her. The throne vanished and the earth closed over it. 
• Rama grieved, until one day he ascended to heaven carried by Garuda, and found Sita as the goddess Lakshmi.

Week 5 Reading Diary: the Ramayana

For this week, I chose to read the Ramayana.

Rama (source: Google)

The Birth of Rama

• two kingdoms: Kosala, whose King was Dasaratha, father of Rama; Mithila, which was ruled over by Janaka, the father of Sita
• capital of Kosala was Ayodhya: wide streets with large dwellings, richly decorated temples, towering like mountains, and grand and noble palaces. The city was full of prosperous and happy people.
• Dasaratha was sad because he doesn't have a son, from either of his 3 queens: Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra.
• He performed the horse sacrifice.
• The wives, after eating the sacrificial food, finally became pregnant. Kausalya of Rama, Kaikeyi of Bharata, and Sumitra of Lakshamana, and Satrughna. 

Vishwamitra, Rama's Teacher

• Rama was the most beautiful. One night, he reached for the moon hoping it would be a toy. After everyone couldn't figure out what was wrong, the counsellor handed him a mirror, and the prince was comforted.
• Education began at 5 years old.
• Mastered 18 languages. Also instructed in music, dancing, painting, and in all the sciences.
• They became skilled archers, elephant riders, and horsemen and charioteers.
• Vishwamitra asked the king for Rama, since he is skilled, to help him with the attack on his hermitage, and Lakshmana accompanied them too.
• Taraka, a Rakshasa woman, continually ravaged the country. Rama challenged her, but they were reluctant to kill her since she was female. Rama shot arrows and cut off both her arms, and Lakshmana deprived her of nose and ears. She became invisible, but guided by sound, Rama shot an arrow and killed her.

Rama and Sita

• They finally reach the capital of Janaka.
• The king brought forward Shiva's bow, saying that if Rama was able to bend it, he would allow him to marry Sita.
• Rama was able to bend it. He applied so much force it snapped in the middle. 
• Rama and Sita wedded.
• Dasaratha was growing old, and his counsellors are wondering who should take over after. They all favoured Rama, and Dasaratha was filled with joy. 

Kaikeyi's Plot

• One person who isn't happy about the news: the old nurse of Bharata, son of queen Kaikeyi. She is ugly and misshapen, short-necked, flat-breasted, legs like a crane, big-bellied, and humpbacked. She offended Rama when he was young and he smote her.
• Manthara tried to urge Kaikeyi to be mad, but Kaiyeki likes Rama, since he sees her as another mother. So Manthara said things to Kaikeyi that made her mad. Can Bharata become the slave of Rama? Well I know that jealous Rama will drive thy lordly son into exile and mayhap slay him... Arise, thou heedless queen, and save Bharata lest he be sent to wander alone in the fearsome jungle.
• She reminded Kaikeyi that she has two boons over the king, from the time she cured him after he was injured. She told Kaikeyi to go to the mourning chamber and feign being sad and mad. 
• She asked for Bharata to be installed as the next king, and that Rama be banished for fourteen years to live in the jungle.
• When Dasaratha asked for her to make different boons, she threatened to take poison and kill herself.
• Dasaratha grant the boons, but he rejects Kaikeyi forever and her son Bharata.

Rama's Exile

• Rama is summoned the next day to be told of the boons. Rama was unmoved and left.
• He went to tell his mother, Kausalya, who was making offerings to Vishnu on his behalf. She pleaded him to stay, and he sought to comfort her, but she was too grieved and starts to hate Kaikeyi.
• He went to tell Sita the news. She says that it is a wife's duty to accompany her husband. Rama doesn't want Sita to suffer with him. He asks her to remain while he is away. He finally agreed that she could come too. Lakshmana also insisted he come too. 

The Death of Dasaratha

• People gazed sadly at Rama and his wife while he walked through the city to bid farewell to his father. 
• Dasaratha still weeps, and says that he has been tricked by a wicked woman. Kaikeyi orders for raiment of bark to be brought out so that the 3 could wear while banished. Sita wept, saying she couldn't wear it, and Dasaratha finally said that it only applies to Rama, and that the other two could where what they want.
• The exiles left, and the city mourned.
• Dasaratha, not able to handle the grief, died the second night Rama and company left.

Rama and Bharata

• Bharata was finally told about the death of his father. He started to weep and asked for Rama, who would have been his sire. 
• Kaikeyi tells him that he has a kingdom now, but he doesn't care. I have lost my father and my elder brother. Of what good is a kingdom unto me now? Oevil-hearted woman, thou hast bereft this house of all joy; thou hast slain my sire and banished Rama.... But I will bring my brother back from the jungle; he shall be seated on the throne.
• Satrughna, Bharata's brother, found Manthara and was going to slay her. Bharata stopped him, saying she is a woman, and that he would have killed his mother if he knew that Rama wouldn't have been mad if he had done so.
• Bharata vowed to never take the throne. Kausalya wept because he is loyal.
• Bharata left to look for Rama after the funeral. They met in the jungle. Bharata tried to give the kingdom to Rama, but he refuses, determined to fulfill the vow of his father.
• Bharata asks to be in the jungle with Rama too if he is going to stay.
• Bharata says he is going to dwell outside the city until Rama returns again. He conducted affairs of government, holding royal umbrella over Rama's sandals. 
• The sandals of Rama were the symbol of royal authority.

Week 4 Reading Diary: Hans Christian Andersen

For the extra credit reading, I chose the Hans Christian Andersen unit, since I'll be using some of these stories for my Storybook.

The Princess and the Pea

• The prince is quite picky, looking all over and still not finding a princess.
• It's a bit suspicious that someone could just walk up to the doors of a palace (I'm assuming), knock, and be let in.
• If the princess is able to feel a pea that is put under 20 mattresses and 20 down beds, does that mean she's very sensitive? I don't see that as a particularly good thing.

The Emperor’s New Suit

• The emperor is obsessed with clothes. He had a coat for every hour --that is just excessive.
• Two swindlers entered the city, claiming they were the best. The most expensive cloth would be invisible to those who aren't worthy. The emperor thought it'd be a good idea to use it to test who was worthy.
• The emperor paid a great sum, and provided them with the greatest silks and cloths. They mimed weaving, but wasn't actually doing anything.
• The emperor sent an old minister to check up on their work. He had to lie, so no one would find out he couldn't see anything.
• The swindlers asked for more cloths, silk, and money and kept them all. 
• The swindlers presented the suit to the emperor, which indeed does not exist, and the emperor had a procession through the city. Everyone expressed how beautiful it was, even though none of them can see anything.

The Brave Tin Soldier

• There were 25 tin soldiers made from the same tin spoon, who looked identical but one, who only had one leg.
• Nearby is a toy castle with a paper dancer doll in front. 
• The tin soldier tries to work up the courage to talk to her, but can't.
• He is placed by the window, but unfortunately is blown out the window down onto the street.
• It starts to rain, and when two boys walk by seeing him stuck in the drain, fashions him a boat out of newspaper and sets him in the gutter. He cruises along until he comes into a bridge that is also a drain.

The Brave Tin Soldier (cont.)

• He goes through adventures with rats, fishes, and the market, until he eventually ends up with the same family again.
• One of the boys threw him into the stove, for some reason.
• The door opens and the wind carries the paper dancer doll into the stove as well.
• The tin soldier had melted into a tiny tin heart, while the pretty doll is burnt and all that's left is her tinsel rose.

The Wicked Prince

• A prince conquers towns all around and accumulates wealth and gold.
• He vows to conquer God also. He builds a ship that sails in the sky. 
• God sent angels, and as the prince shot bullets at them, they turned to stone and fell down to earth.
• A single drop of blood from one of the angels falls onto the ship, burns a hole in it, and weighs it down until it comes tumbling down to earth.
• The prince builds another ship, but before it set sails, God sends a swarm of little gnats. One of them got into the prince's ear and stung him. The poison made him dance and jump around before the soldiers he had gathered, making them mock him, the mad prince.

The Little Match-Seller

• The little girl is trying to sell matches, and no one cares, even though she's sick.
• The lights matches to warm herself up, until she runs out.
• She eventually dies, and her grandmother carries her soul to Heaven.

Week 4 Review

I really enjoyed this graphic from this week's announcements. It kind of shows how the reader has this idea that they could choose their ending, but in reality, they don't really. I think the idea of the reader chooses their ending is the inspiration for the FanFiction site, where people write stories based on famous series, use characters, or write their own sequels.

Reader chooses their ending (source: announcement page)

MISSA, the Management Information Systems Student Association had their first general meeting yesterday. Next week, there is going to be a Lunch-and-Learn with Phillips 66 at 12:30-1:30 in MFPH 2065. This is a great opportunity to meet firms, have lunch, and meet people. The MISSA's orgsync page can be found here. It is $10 to join, and you get a soft t-shirt when you sign up! You don't have to be an MIS major to join!

Tech Tip: Embedded Facebook

Since Deadpool is coming out soon, I thought this was appropriate.

Widdle bitty Deadpool. http://tumblr.co/XQZPf

Posted by Tumblr on Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Week 4 Reading Diary, continued: The Life of Buddha

The continuation of The Life of Buddha.

Buddha statue (source: tumblr)

Siddhartha Leaves

• Siddhartha decides to leave and calls for his horse. The heavy gates opened of their own accord to let the prince through.

Siddhartha the Hermit

• Siddhartha traveled a great distance away. When he came to the woods where many hermits dwelled, he dismounted and sent the horse back. He took off his necklace, and gave it to Chandaka to give to his father. He told them not to grieve.
• He cut of his hair, and shed his robes for a more normal one. A hunter came by wearing reddish-colored robes, who willingly gave it up for Siddhartha, then ascended into the sky. 

Gopa and Suddhodana Grieve

• Gopa woke up to the realization that the prince is gone. The king closed the city, and sent everyone in search of the prince. Chandaka returns to the palace with the jewels.
• The horse returned to the stable, in grief, and promptly died.

Arata Kalama

• Arata Kalama teaches the doctrine of renunciation to a great number of disciples.
• They refused food prepared by man; they will eat only fruit; they will drink only water. The heat of the sun scorches them; they expose their bodies to the bitter winds; they bruise their feet and knees on the stones of the highway. To them, virtue comes only with suffering.
• He chose to leave Arata, to seek the rule to which we must submit before we can have done with suffering.

Siddhartha and King Vimbasara

• Siddhartha enters the city of Rajagriha.
• People were amazed by his beauty, and word got to the king. He sent people to find out where the hero lived (at the slope of the mountain near the city).
• The king pleads for the hero to come to the city to live with him. 
• Desires are like poison; wise men despise them. Desires are as perishable as the fruit on a tree, they are as wayward as the clouds in the sky, they are as treacherous as the rain, they are as changeable as the wind! Suffering is born of desire, for no man has ever gratified all his desires.
• 5 disciples joined him.

Siddhartha Deserted by His First Disciples

• The hero was so deep into mediation and contemplation that he stopped breathing and fell one day. Maya, the hero's mother living among the Gods, heard this and feared for the life of her son. She descended to earth and scattered flowers over the body of her son, weeping. He eventually stirred awake. 
• The hero remained on the banks of the river and meditated for 6 years. 
• He started to grow weak, before he realized that if he died from starvation, he would never reach the goal he set for himself. 
• He finally went to the village nearby, and the head man and his daughters would bring the hero food. Eventually, he started going to the village to beg for his food. He finally started to regain his strength.
• The disciples left him.

The Tree of Knowledge

• After 6 years, his robes are worn. He got new robes from the shroud that was covering the body of a dead slave. It was very dusty, and he had no water. Sakra came down to the earth, struck the ground, and a pool appeared. He offered to wash the robe for the Saint, but he said no, saying I know the duties of a monk; I myself shall wash the shroud.
• Mara, the Evil One, made the pool very steep. The Saint was unable to climb out of the water, so Sakra addressed a prayer to the Goddess in a nearby tree to help.
• He had 5 dreams.
• He woke and realized that the day that he was going to become the Buddha is near. 
• The Buddhas of old had their last meal from a golden bowl. Sujata offers the Saint milk and honey in a golden bowl, so the time has come for him to be the Buddha.
• He took the bowl, went to the stream, and said If I am to become Buddha this very day, may the bowl go upstream; if not, may it go with the current. The bowl hesitated in the middle of the river, then started upstream.
• He came upon the Tree of Knowledge, sat under it, and said, Even if my skin should parch, even if my hand should wither, even if my bones should crumble into dust, until I have attained supreme knowledge I shall not move from this seat.

Mara's Defeat

• The light from the hero's body reached even to Mara, the Evil One.
• Mara gathered his people and planned to attack the hero. His son tried to warn him, but Mara paid him no mind.
• He who is insane with pride will never recover.
• Mara tried to scare the hero before his army approached. He roused the winds, uprooted the trees, devastating villages, shaking mountains, but the hero never moved.
• He tried to summon rocks, but as they approached the hero, they fell to the ground as flowers. He then commanded his army to attack, and their arrows too, turned into flowers.
• The soldiers of the Evil One fled. Mara had been defeated.

Siddhartha Becomes the Buddha

• The first watch: arrived at the knowledge of all that had transpired in previous existences.
• The second watch: learned the present state of all beings.
• The third watch: understood the chain of causes and effects.
• To exist is to suffer. Desire leads from birth to rebirth, from suffering to further suffering. By stifling desire, we prevent birth, we prevent suffering. By leading a life of holiness, desire is stifled, and we cease to endure birth and suffering.

Week 4 Reading Diary: The Life of Buddha

For week 4, I choose The Life of Buddha.

Personal photo (Dec. 28, 2015; Chiang Mai, Thailand)

Maya's Dream

• Dream: young elephant descending from the sky, had six great tusks, white as snow on mountain tops. Entered Maya's womb, and thousands of Gods suddenly appeared before her.
• She walked to the woods and asked or the king to meet her. As he was entering the woods, he felt weird.
• A great voice said from the sky: "Be happy, King Suddhodana, worthiest of the Sakyas! He who seeks supreme knowledge is about to come into the world. He has chosen your family to be his family because of its fame, good fortune and virtue, and for mother he has chosen the noblest of all women, your wife, Queen Maya."
• The king ordered food to be given to the hungry, alms to the poor, drink to the thirsty.
• The sick crowded her path, she touched them, they are cured. 

Birth of Siddhartha

• The queen felt the baby coming and went to walk in the woods.
• The king named the baby Siddhartha.

Asita's Prediction

• Asita is a hermit. He came to the palace to meet the baby.
• He started crying and went on a long speech about how the baby will set the world free and break down the evil gates. He is crying because he won't be able to hear the words of the baby, Siddhartha.

Siddhartha at the Temple

• Suddhondana was happy at first, then realized that the speech included Asita mentioning that Siddhartha would renounce royalty and live his life as a hermit. He is worried that his line would end.
• He quickly forgot his worries, for since Siddhartha was born, wealth have been flowing into the palace. 
• Maya died after 7 days.
• The prince was given to Mahaprajapati's care. Siddhartha is so brilliant and radiant that even when wearing gold jewels, it looks dim compared to him. 
• The day came to take him to the temple of the Gods. The streets were cleared and decorated beautifully. When he entered the temple, all the statues of the Gods --Siva, Skanda, Vishnu, Kuvera, Indra, Brahma -- came to life and bowed at his feet.

Siddartha's First Meditation

• He went out to walk and rested under a tree, where he first meditates. Five hermits walk by wondering who he is, suddenly realizing that he would become the Buddha some day.
• The king wondered where he is, sending a servant to search. When the servant came upon the prince, he is still meditating under the tree, where the shadows have not moved, continuing to shelter him throughout the day.

First Encounter

• The prince grew curious and wanted to leave the palace one day. The king ordered the streets to be cleared of beggars and the sick, wishing his son to see nothing that will trouble the serenity of his soul; he must never suspect the evil there is in the world.
• Seeing the beautiful city, the wealth of the mend and the beauty of the women, felt a new joy pour into his soul.
• The Gods sent an old man down the road the prince was traveling. He was worn and decrepit, bad teeth, thin, grey hair, and skin full of wrinkles. The prince sees this and, confused, asks the charioteer why the old man looked like he did.
• The charioteer replied: That which mars beauty, which ruins vigor, which causes sorrow and kills pleasure, that which weakens the memory and destroys the senses is old age.
• He returned to the palace but could not find peace, and in his heart there was no longer any joy.

Two More Encounters

• Siddhartha goes through the city once again. The gods made him encounter a sick man on the way. The charioteer explains that everyone could get sickness, telling the prince the painful truth. 
• The prince returned to the palace in a somber mood. The king found out why and punished the man who took care of the streets (lightly). The man wondered why he even got punished, since he saw neither the sick nor the old man.
• The king tried to keep the price in the palace, to no avail. Finally he thought to let the prince out again, changed the charioteer, and cleared the streets.
• The Gods were unhappy and made the entourage encounter 4 men carrying a corpse. The prince now realizes that everyone can get sick, old, and die.

The Fair Maiens and Gopa's Dream

• The king had ordered Udayin, the prince's friend since childhood, to assemble many beautiful women in the garden. The prince went unwillingly. The women approach but neither smile nor talk, which angers Udayin, who tries to encourage them.
• They finally approach the prince, but the prince was still thinking about death. The women later left to go back to the city.
• Gopa had a bad dream and went to the prince. "You saw the earth shake? Then one day the Gods themselves shall bow before you. You saw the moon and the sun fall from the sky? Then you shall soon defeat evil, and you shall receive infinite praise. You saw the trees uprooted? Then you shall find a way out of the forest of desire. Your hair was cut short? Then you shall free yourself from the net of passions that holds you captive. My robes and my jewels were scattered about? Then I am on the road to deliverance. Meteors were speeding across the sky over a darkened city? Then to the ignorant world, to the world that is blind, I shall bring the light of wisdom, and those who have faith in my words will know joy and felicity. Be happy, O Gopa, drive away your melancholy; you will soon be singularly honored. Sleep, Gopa, sleep; you have dreamed a lovely dream."

The Greath Truths

• Siddhartha leaves the palace and encounters a monk. After he spoke, he rose to the sky. It was a God taking the form of the monk to arouse the prince.
• Siddhartha decided to leave the palace and become a monk.
• Siddhartha goes to ask the King for permission to leave. The king tries to stop him. The prince asks his father to promise 4 things, and he shall not leave: promise that his life will not end in death, that sickness will not come, that age will not approach, and that misfortune will not destroy his prosperity. 
• The prince left.