THE PLOUGHING CEREMONY

One day when Prince Siddhattha Gotama was seven years old, King Suddhodana brought him along to the annual Ploughing Festival. The King led the procession, driving a pair of beautifully decorated bulls.

In the middle of the ploughing field was a single rose-apple tree with thick leaves creating a dark shade. The King had placed a couch for the prince under the tree, hung with a star-studded canopy and surrounded by a screen, with nurses appointed to watch over him.

The festival began. The king drove his golden plough back and forth across the field, surrounded by 107 competitors driving silver ploughs. The nurses left the prince alone, and went out to watch the magnificent climax of the festival.

Alone, Siddhattha Gotama came out from the shelter and sat down cross-legged under the rose apple tree, watching everyone and everything.

He noticed that although the spectators were happily enjoying themselves, the bulls and the labourers were working very hard to plough the fields. He saw the men stripped half-naked, labouring to drive the oxen, urging them on. The sun beat down, and both men and beasts were panting and sweating.

Then the prince noticed a lizard darting out between his feet. He watched its quick tongue lick up the harmless, busy ants. A short while later, he saw a snake slither along and catch the lizard. After that, a hawk swooped down out of the sky, plucked up the snake, and devoured it.

Siddhattha Gotama’s heart was full of grief. He focused his mind. Afflicted with sorrow on behalf of all sentient beings, the prince began mastering his inhaling and exhaling, and entered the First Jhana (trance). He began to experience the joy of meditation.

As he meditated, the shadows of the other trees passed over to the east, but the shadows of the rose-apple tree remained constant. The nurses returned and excitedly pointed this out to the King, who rushed over and declared it a miracle.