Buddha Shakyamuni was born Siddhartha, the only son of an Indian king. At his birth it was prophesied that he would either become a great king or the Buddha of this age. His father, determined that his son follow in his footsteps and prolong the dynasty, believed that the only way he could prevent his son from renouncing the world was to confine him to the palace, thus shielding him from understanding the suffering of worldly life.

One day, on an excursion out of the palace, Prince Siddhartha encountered four people: a sick man, an old man, a dead man, and a renouncing. At this moment he realized the transient nature of worldly joy and that suffering inevitably follows whatever appears as pleasure. This realization took hold of him and he came to see the pleasures of palace life as meaningless. Believing renunciation to be the only path to lasting peace, he abandoned his life as a prince.

Size: 43 x 61cm
Finish: With Brocade, Without Brocade
Materials: Canvas Cotton, Gold, Paint

Note: The actual colors of the thangka displayed may vary due to differences in monitor color depth and make. The color in the display is as close as to the actual colors of the Thangka Painting. Dimension measured are excluding the borders.