Almost 563 years before Christ there was born to the Sakya king Suddhodhana, a son. He was named Siddhartha. Deepak Chopra`s new book Buddha A story of Enlightenment is about the life of this child who, later, as the Buddha, became one of the most famous men and teachers ever. But the book is a novel; not history. The author blends fact, legend and fiction, adding new characters and incidents, in a way that keeps the reader enthralled from beginning to end.

The story begins with Suddhodhana, the Sakya king, leading his troops into battle. At the same time his queen, Maya is led into the Lambini forest in labour pain. She delivers a baby boy, and dies a few days later. Suddhodhana has to break her skull with an axe to let her spirit escape.

Astrologers predict that the new born will not be king in the ordinary sense of the term. From infancy Siddhartha is uncommon. Once, he sits all day under a rose-apple tree but the tree`s shadow does not move. An inner voice often whispers into his ears subtle messages, such as `surrender and be free.`

Princely pastimes have no appeal for him. He rejects the difference of caste between people and takes Channa, a low caste stable boy, as his playmate and brother. But Suddhodhana wants his heir to be a warrior. He arranges for pretty damsels to be always around him and stages war games to rouse Siddhartha`s martial spirit. He even brings into the palace Devadatta, his nephew, to be a `model` for the young prince.

Devadatta is Siddhartha`s opposite in every respect. He is also under Mara`s spell who is the demon king with four faces which represent `fear, temptation, disease and death.`

He hates Siddhartha and at every opportunity tries to inflict pain on him. When Siddhartha takes a fancy to Sujata, one of the palace girls, Devadatta rapes and kills her. But, Siddhartha`s heart is not in fighting. At the age of 19 he is married to 16-year old Yashodhara and begets a son, Rahula. But his mind remains focused on the question of sufferings, and so, one night, after 10 years of married life, he leaves home, changes his name to the old family name of Gautama, casts away his bejeweled princely robe, shaves his head, takes up a saffron dress and becomes a monk.

For five years he wanders in the jungles, with other monks, meeting hermits, taking lessons, or meditating. But his masters fail to satisfy his questions about their theory of a higher and lower self, the usefulness of reading the Scriptures, the belief in soul and, even God.

One finds a strange similarity between the enlightenment of Buddha and Descartes, particularly in terms of God denial. Also, the message, `surrender and be free` is identifiable with Islam while the rigours of Buddha`s penance, his meditation and miracles find an echo in the annals of Sufi saints.

Mara visits Gautama every now and then in various forms, from pleasant to hideous, to persuade, cajole or terrify him into submission but he remains unfazed. At last Mara makes a last ditch attempt. He presents his three daughter, one by one to entice Gautama and finally unleashes all the fear he can. But the latter has changed from his earlier combative attitude to total indifference. Mara is defeated.

Gautama subjects himself to extremely rigorous self-denial that his body is emaciated beyond recognition and his life hangs as if by a thread. But he, nevertheless, continues with his penance till he reaches the stage when `his body no longer felt pain, his mind giving rise to not a single desire.` He is no longer suffering. Yet, he still does not see his goal. However, after further meditation, at last it happens! His struggle is rewarded.

He becomes the Buddha or the Enlightened One, a human in form but a different entity altogether. Here the author is at his best in depicting Gautama`s rapturous delight `He felt the last veil fall away from his mind, a sensation a hundred times more delicate than dropping a layer of gossamer... Then he became the moon and experienced what the moon experienced.`

Buddha died at the age of 80. But before that, for 45 years, he taught his way that revolutionised a caste-ridden society. He founded a new Dharma, which said, `Believe in nothing.` Because `it is used to keep people quiet and forbid them from thinking on their own,` blind faith is useless. There is no holy life. Scriptures are no use. There is no war between good and evil, no sin and no redemption.

Apart from the beauty of its narrative, there is much in the book that is stimulating, thought-provoking, esoteric and profoundly philosophical, such as the allusions to karma, dharma, atman, and jiva or that `he who kills a killer takes on his karma`; Gautama`s arguments with his various interlocutors and especially Buddha`s discourses with the five monks.

In the end the author lists and explains the essential elements of Buddhism. The last chapter titled `The Art of Non-Doing` offers `A Practical Guide to Buddhism.`

However, reading the book one finds a strange similarity between the enlightenment of Buddha and Descartes, particularly in terms of God denial. Also, the message, `surrender and be free` is identifiable with Islam while the rigours of Buddha`s penance, his meditation and miracles find an echo in the annals of Sufi saints.

Buddha

By Deepak Chopra

Harper Collins, NY

Available with

Paramount Books, Karachi

ISBN 81-72236-679-3

278pp. Rs711