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FROM BIRTH TO PARIVRAJA
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mother died.
Siddharth had a younger brother by name Nanda. He was the son of Suddhodana born to Mahaprajapati.
He had also several cousins, Mahanama and Anuruddha, sons of his uncle Suklodan, Ananda, son of his uncle Amitodan, and Devadatta, son of his aunt Amita. Mahanama was older than Siddharth and Ananda was younger.
Siddharth grew up in their company.
§ 6. Childhood and Education
When Siddharth was able to walk and speak the elders of the Sakyas assembled and asked Suddhodana that the boy should be taken to the temple of the village goddess Abhya.
Suddhodana agreed and asked Mahaprajapati to dress the boy.
While she was doing so the child Siddharth, with a most sweet voice, asked his aunt where he was being taken. On learning that he was being taken to the temple he smiled. But he went, conforming to the custom of the Sakyas.
At the age of eight Siddharth started his education.
Those very eight Brahmins whom Suddhodana had invited to interpret Mahamaya’s dream and who had predicted his future were his first teachers.
After they had taught him what they knew Suddhodana sent for Sabbamitta of distinguished descent and of high lineage in the land of Uddikka, a philologist and grammarian, well read in the Vedas, Vedangas and Upanishads. Having poured out water of dedication from a golden vase, Suddhodana handed over the boy to his charge, to be taught. He was his second teacher.
Under him Gautama mastered all the philosophic systems prevalent in his day.
Besides this he had learned the science of concentration and meditation from one Bhardawaj, a
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