| Suddhodana | |
|---|---|
| Ruler ofthe Shakyas | |
 | |
| Predecessor | Sihahanu |
| Successor | Mahanama |
| Born | Kapilavastu,Shakya (The ancient city of Kapilavastu in present-dayNepal[1]) |
| Died | Kapilavastu,Shakya (The ancient city of Kapilavastu in present-dayNepal[2]) |
| Spouse | Maya Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī |
| Issue |
|
| Father | Sihahanu |
| Mother | Kaccanā |
| Translations of Śuddhodana | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit | शुद्धोदन (IAST:Śuddhodana) |
| Pali | Suddhōdana |
| Burmese | သုဒ္ဓေါဒန (IPA: [θoʊʔdɔ́dəna̰]) |
| Japanese | 浄飯王 (Rōmaji:Jōbonou) |
| Khmer | សុទ្ធោទនៈ (UNGEGN:Sotthoteakneak) |
| Sinhala | සුද්ධෝදන මහ රජතුමා |
| Thai | สุทโธทนะ (RTGS:Sutthothana) |
| Glossary of Buddhism | |
Śuddhodana (Sanskrit:शुद्धोदन;Pali:Suddhodana), meaning "he who grows pure rice,"[3] was the father of Siddhartha Gautama, better known asthe Buddha.[4] He was a leader of theShakya, who lived in anoligarchic republic, with their capital atKapilavastu.
In later renditions of the life of the Buddha, Śuddhodana was often referred to as a king, though that status cannot be established with confidence and is in fact disputed by modern scholars.
Śuddhodana's earliest predecessor was King Maha Sammatha (or the first king of the Kalpa).[citation needed] Śuddhodana's father wasSihahanu and his mother was Kaccanā. Śuddhodana's chief consort was MahaMaya, with whom he had Siddhartha Gautama (who later became known as Shakyamuni, the "Sage of the Shakyas", orthe Buddha). Maya died shortly after Siddhartha was born, and her sisterMahapajapati Gotami was elevated to chief consort. They had a second sonNanda and a daughterSundari Nanda. Both of these children eventually became Buddhist monastics.[5]
At the age of 16, Siddhartha married his cousinYasodharā, the niece of Maha Maya and Mahapajapati. Yasodhara's father is traditionally said to have beenSuppabuddha, but by some accounts it was Dandapani.[6]
Though frequently depicted and referred to as a king, most recent scholarship on the matter refutes the notion that Śuddhodana was a monarch. Many notable scholars state that the Shakya republic was not a monarchy but rather anoligarchy, ruled by an elite council of thewarrior and ministerial class that chose its leader orrājā.[7][8][9][10] While the rājā may have held considerable authority in the Shakya homeland, he did not rule autocratically. Questions of consequence were debated in the governing council and decisions were made by consensus.[11] Furthermore, by the time of Siddharta's birth, the Shakya republic had become a vassal state of the larger Kingdom ofKosala.[12][13] The head of Shakya's oligarchic council, the rājā, would only assume and stay in office with the approval of the King of Kosala.
The earliest Buddhist texts available to us do not identify Śuddhodana or his family as royals.[15] In later texts, there may have been a misinterpretation of the Pali wordrājā, which can mean alternatively a king, prince, ruler, or governor.[16][17] Or as noted in the related article onBuddhism, "Some of the stories about Buddha, his life, his teachings, and claims about the society he grew up in may have been invented and interpolated at a later time into the Buddhist texts."[18][19]
Siddhartha Gautama was born inLumbini and raised in the Shakya capital ofKapilavastu. According to legend, Śuddhodana went to great lengths to prevent Siddhartha from becoming aśramaṇa, including banning him from leaving the palace and surrounding him with women and other sensual pleasures. But at the age of 29, after venturing out of the palace for the first time and experiencing theFour Sights, Siddhartha left his home in search of spiritual answers to the unsatisfactory nature of life, leaving behind his wifeYaśodharā and infant sonRāhula. The story of Siddhartha's departure is traditionally called TheGreat Renunciation (Mahābhiniṣkramaṇa).
Śuddhodana lamented his son's departure and spent considerable effort attempting to locate him. Seven years later, after word of hisenlightenment reached Suddhodana, he sent nine emissaries to invite Siddhartha back to the Shakya land. The Buddha preached to the emissaries and their entourage, who joined thesangha.
Śuddhodana then sent a close friend of Siddhartha, Kaludayi, to invite him to return. Kaludayi also chose to become a monk, but kept his word to invite the Buddha back to his home. The Buddha accepted his father's invitation and returned to visit his home. During this visit, he preached thedharma to Śuddhodana.
Four years later, when the Buddha heard of his father’s impending death, he once again returned to the palace and preached to Suddhodana, who ultimately achievedarhatship on his deathbed.
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