Buddha Shakyamuni

Artefact Description

---

After Prince Siddhartha renounced the world, he walked to the city of Rajagaha, the capital of the Magadha country. He begged for alms there, then decided to go to the mountains, where many hermits and sages lived. On the way there, he came across a flock of sheep.

 

Shepherds were driving the herd of sheep to Rajagaha to be sacrificed in a fire ceremony. One little lamb was injured. Out of compassion, Prince Siddhartha picked up the lamb and followed the shepherds back to the city.^{1 p 190}

 

The king of this country was named King Bimbisara. In the city, the fire was burning on the altar. King Bimbisara and a group of priests were worshipping the fire. When the leader of the fire worshippers lifted his sword to kill the first sheep, Siddhartha quickly stopped him. He asked the King not to let the worshippers end the lives of the poor animals.

 

He told them: "Life is extremely precious. All living creatures want to live, just like people. If people expect mercy, they should be merciful. By the natural 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."

 

This speech completely changed the mind of the King and of the fire worshippers. The King thus stopped the killing ceremony and invited Siddhartha to stay and teach his people. But Siddhartha declined, as he had not yet found the truth he was seeking.

 

This piece of brass artwork depicts the scene where Siddhartha met the shepherd and sheep. He is holding the injured little lamb in his arm and is talking to the shepherd.