WE know the famous story: a prince is born near the town of Kapilavastu, the royal heir who emerges from the womb in miraculous natural purity. And the dramatic point when, once adult, Siddharta Gautama begins a great history with a radical farewell.

His past, cushioned by royal pomp and power, pampering in the palace, and the happiness of married life, felt to him like an illusion. Although all attempts had been made to protect the sensitive prin