In Kapilavatthu, India, in the foothills of the Himalayas, lived a royal couple. The man was the Rajah of the Sakya clan, King Suddhodana, and the woman was Queen Maha Maya. After many years of marriage, on a full moon in May, Queen Maha Maya gave birth to a baby boy in Lumbini Park while on her way to visit her parents and they named him Siddhartha, meaning "the one whose wishes will be fulfilled". Two days later, Queen Maha Maya died, but Siddhartha still grew up loved to the fullest. Because he was a prince, he had the opportunity to prioritize only his family and forget about those lesser than him, but he instead felt sympathy for those around him and realized that all creatures like to be happy and don't like suffering and pain. He made sure to help all those in need, including animals, and made great efforts to teach cruel individuals what true kindness was. …show more content…
Soon, however, a snake came, caught the lizard, and ate it. Then, a bird suddenly spiraled from the sky, picked up the snake, and it was eaten also. Siddhartha realised in that moment that all these creatures might think that they were happy for a while, but that they all ended up suffering in the end. Siddhartha grew up and eventually left his family in search of the true answer to suffering and realized, "If people expect mercy, they should show mercy. By the law of cause and effect, those who kill others will, in turn, be killed. If we expect happiness in the future, we must not harm any creatures. Whoever sows suffering will reap the same fruits”. And so, at age 35, Siddhartha transformed into Buddha; and his quick realization became a philosophy followed by millions all over the world: