The Life of Sakyamuni Buddha

The idea of writing this book was in my mind while I was interested in the study of Buddhism at Taisho University, Tokyo. Then I had a chance to study as an India Cultural Scholarship Student in 1959 and Joined the Department of Buddhist Studies, at Delhi University. I study the Buddhist scriptures written in Sanskrit, Pali, and Tibetan. There were many names of Bhikkhus, Bhikkhunis, lay-followers, and names of towns, mountains, and rivers which I never had seen with my eyes. During my three-year stay in India I visited almost all Buddhist excavated sights, read books, and talked with scholars. I come to the conclusion that every sights, tradition, myth, and even superstition mentioned in those scriptures are true and real. The most impressive sight was a scene in Sutta Nipata "on the bank of River Mahi/ I made a Hut live Cow gave milk now/ O Heaven Give Us Rain." Just the same scene appeared before my eyes. At the foot of Himalaya mountain, I visited Lumbini, the scene was just the same as shown in the scripture. Nearly 70 years have passed. I have visited India two to three even now, but still, I never forget my first visit. This book is the result of literal archaeological, and epigraphical studies including Buddhist scriptures, Puranas, itihasas, and Jaina materials.

PROF. RYOJUN SATO is Prof. Emeritus of Taisho University in Tokyo, Japan, He also serves as: Chairman, Board of Director, Meisho Kindergarten, Tokyo; Chief priest, of Koen-ji Temple, Tokyo; Member, Board of Counselors, International Buddhist Brotherhood Association, Bodh Gaya, India; Patron, Bengal Buddhist Association, Kolkata, India; Patron, International Brother-hood Mission, Assam, India.

The idea of writing this book was in my mind while I was interested in the study of Buddhism at Taisho University, Tokyo. Then I had a chance to study in India as a Government of India Cultural Scholarship student in 1959, and joined the Department of Buddhist Studies, at Delhi University. I studied the Buddhist scriptures written in Sanskrit, Pali, and Tibetan. There were many names of Bhikkhus, Bhikkhunis, lay-followers, and names of towns, mountains, and rivers that I never had seen with my own eyes. During my three-year stay in India, I visited almost all Buddhist excavated sights, read books, and talked with scholars. I came to the conclusion that every sight, tradition, myth, and even superstition mentioned in those scriptures is true and real.

The most impressive sight was a scene in Sutta Nipata "on the bank of River Mahi/I made a Hut to live Cow gave milk now/0 Heaven Give Us Rain." Just the same scene appeared before my eyes. At the foot of Himalaya mountain, I visited Lumbini, the scene was just the same as shown in the scripture.