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CALL FROM HOME
§ 1. Suddhodana and the Last Look
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After the conversion of Sariputta and Moggallana the Lord stayed in Rajagraha for two months.
Having heard that the Lord was residing at Rajagraha, Suddhodana, his father, sent word to him saying : “I wish to see my son before I die. Others have had the benefit of his doctrine, but not his father nor his relatives.”
The man with whom the message was sent was Kaludayin, the son of one of the courtiers of Suddhodana.
And the messenger on arrival said: “O, worldhonoured Tathagata, your father looks for your coming, as the lily longs for the rising of the sun.”
The Blessed One consented to the request of his father and set out on the journey to his father’s house accompanied by a large number of his disciples.
The Lord journeyed by slow stages. But Kaludayin went ahead of him to inform Suddodhana that the Blessed One was coming and was on his way.
Soon the tidings spread in the Sakya country. “Prince Siddharth, who wandered forth from home into homelessness to obtain enlightenment, having attained his purpose, is coming home to Kapilavatsu.” This was on the lips of every one.
Suddhodana and Mahaprajapati went out with their relatives and ministers to meet their son. When they saw their son from afar, they were struck with his beauty and dignity and his lustre and they rejoiced in their heart, but they could find no words to utter.
This indeed was their son ; these were the features of Siddharth ! How near was the great Samana to their heart and yet what a distance lay between them ! That noble muni was no longer Siddharth their son ; he was now the Buddha, the Blessed One, the Holy One, Lord of Truth and Teacher of Mankind !
Suddhodana, considering the religious dignity of their son, descended from the chariot and having saluted him first, said : “It is now seven years since
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