The Great Renunciation of Buddha

The thought process behind my latest Hiphop/Trap single Kapilavastu by Cestine.

The Great Renunciation or Great Departure is the traditional term for the departure of Gautama Buddha (c. 563–c. 483 BCE) from his palace at Kapilavastu to live a life as an ascetic (Sanskrit: śrāmaṇa, Pali: sāmaṇa). It is called the Great Renunciation because it is regarded as a great sacrifice.

1. Beach

The feeling of loosing a loved one is not easy.

Trust me, It isn’t simple since I for one experienced this dark tunnel more than once in my life.

One day, I was drinking and chatting about life, booze, girls and music with my mates. It was a cold however a decent night at Brighton sea shore, Melbourne.

We discussed life, and how great this life is and how grateful we all are to have this choice to live life our own way (Damn it was a good evening, I can still feel the ocean breeze and the bloody screams of the gulls)

We were enjoying the drinks and that vibe for a couple of hours.

And.. Out of nowhere, We’re sitting here discussing Religions! It began from Greek methodologies (Zeus and his brothers) and went to Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and halted at Buddhism.

We talked about the similarities between all the religions and the greatness of the messengers of the God and the key people who kind of invented or first spread the word in that religion. For instance: Jesus, Prophet Muhammad and Buddha.

My mate — Who was born and raised in India, He drank excessively and also had a lot of puff a weed as well. Abruptly he inquired-

“You know, The pain the Queen went through after he left her?”

….weird…

I was like — what the hell is wrong with this dude!

…Silence for at least 20–30 seconds…

Only sound we could hear was the splashing sound of the sea shore waves.

His name is Rahul. Started speaking. We wanted answers!

And I had questions.

2. Rahul

Rahul migrated to Australia when he was 13 with his mother and grandfather. He was one of the best and brightest students in our class back in the day.

He was the school’s cricket skipper and had an irregular Hollywood grin on his face which we all hated!!! Not because of the smile, The white chicks borrow this fella!

Working full time as a Senior Payroll Analyst, Rahul sitting next to me. Tanked, and saying something regarding “THE QUEEN” and somebody leaving her?

We all looked at him and asked “What Queen”?

3. History

That was the day Rahul revealed to us an anecdote about how his father left him when he was 7 and never came to visit them (even until now). It was a shocking story in light of the fact that nobody truly knew it, and I surmise Rahul never needed to talk this with anybody.

The following 30 mins, we tuned in to him. That is it. He seemed as though a chap needed to get a heap out of himself so we needed to allow everything to stream.

I wanted to motivate my man so I said

Brother, As you said — Your mom is the Queen, despite the fact that he left you folks, She ensured you grew up to be a King. We’ll toast your future my man!”

Rahul now looking at me with a weird smirk now. (Is that a new Hollywood smile?)

And he said

I wasn’t comparing myself or my mom bro! I was telling you about Yashodara. The Queen of Siddhartha otherwise known as the Buddha.

4. Yaśodhara

Yaśodhara was the daughter of King Suppabuddha, and Amita, sister of the Buddha’s father, King Śuddhodana. She was born on same day in the month of “Vaishaka” as prince Siddhartha. Her grandfather was Añjana a Koliya chief, her father was Suppabuddha and her mother, Amitā, came from a Shakya family. The Shakya and the Koliya were branches of the Ādicca (Sanskrit: Aditya) or Ikshvaku dynasty. There were no other families considered equal to them in the region and therefore members of these two royal families married only among themselves.[7]

She was wedded to her cousin, the Shakya prince Siddhartha, when they were both 16. At the age of 29, she gave birth to their only child, a boy named Rāhula.

On the 7th night of his birth, the prince left the palace they lived in Kapilavastu.

Yaśodharā was devastated and overcome with grief.

Once prince Siddhartha left his home at night for enlightenment, With the approval of Yashodhara but without letting anyone else know.

5. The feelings of Yasodhara

Rahul — my mate told us the above story.

And asked us:

Would you be able to envision the torment of a woman once the husband left her when their baby boy is 7 days old? Also, been holding back to see him anymore?

He didn’t stopped there. Rahul continued —

Brother I was 7 years of age my father left us, And I saw the downturn my mother went however. The crushed life she had. Specially the first few years. Imagine what Queen Yasodhara must have gone through!? Just imagine bro!!!

6. Kapilavastu

At the point when I returned home soon thereafter, All I could think was the story of Queen Yasodhara.

This track called “Kapilavastu” is me attempting to change over that feeling in to depressed-sad miserable vibe music.

• Programmed a hip-hop trap beat with hat rolls, snare fills and an impactful bass line. The drum parts are a lot more in line with the modern trap sounds.
• Added the beach wave sound because this track is not just a track, It is a story. Of us sitting on that beach telling the story.
• I made sure to carry a lot of influence from Indian and Sri Lankan music so you get a similar fusion of Sri Lankan/Indian motifs with the modern trap sound along with lively percussion and the way everything is mixed together is also quite similar.

Remember the story. Close your eyes. And stream.

Thank you.

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