The Compassion of Prince Siddhartha
One bright morning, Siddhartha was walking in the royal garden. The garden was full of blooming flowers, singing birds, and tall green trees. Siddhartha enjoyed spending time there because it gave him peace and happiness.
As he was walking, he suddenly heard a sharp cry from above. A beautiful white swan came flying down from the sky and fell near him. The bird was struggling in pain. Siddhartha quickly rushed toward it and saw that an arrow had pierced its wing.
The prince felt deep sorrow seeing the bird suffer. He gently lifted the swan in his hands and carefully removed the arrow from its wing. Then he cleaned the wound and applied herbs to stop the bleeding. Holding the bird close, he spoke softly to calm it.
Just then, another prince named Devadatta arrived there. Devadatta was Siddhartha's cousin. He was known to be proud and fond of hunting.
Devadatta saw the swan in Siddhartha’s hands and said firmly, "Give that bird to me. I shot it with my arrow. It belongs to me."
Siddhartha looked at him calmly and replied, "The swan came to me for protection. It is injured and afraid. I cannot give it to someone who tried to harm it."
Devadatta argued, "But according to the rules of hunting, whatever I shoot is mine."
Siddhartha gently answered, "A life cannot belong to the one who tries to destroy it. It belongs to the one who saves it."
The two princes could not settle the matter themselves, so they decided to take the issue to the royal court. The wise ministers and elders gathered to hear the case.
Devadatta spoke first and said that he had shot the swan, so it rightfully belonged to him. Then Siddhartha explained how the wounded bird had fallen near him and how he had cared for it and saved its life.
The court listened carefully to both sides. After some discussion, one of the wise elders spoke:
"If a person tries to kill a living being and another person saves its life, the savior has the greater right. Life belongs to the protector, not the destroyer."
The court decided that the swan should remain with Siddhartha.
Siddhartha gently cared for the bird until it fully recovered. After some days, when its wing had healed, he carried the swan back to the garden. Holding it in his hands, he smiled and released it into the open sky.
The swan spread its wings and flew away freely.
Everyone who saw this realized how kind and compassionate Siddhartha was. This incident revealed the deep kindness in his heart - a kindness that later made him one of the greatest spiritual teachers in the world.
Years later, Prince Siddhartha would renounce his royal life and become the enlightened teacher known as Gautama Buddha, spreading the message of compassion, peace, and respect for all living beings.
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