What happened to Buddha’s wife and son after his enlightenment? 

Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha, is a legendary figure who founded Buddhism. But what happened to his wife, Princess Yaśodharā, and his son, Rāhula? Although the Buddha abandoned his family to pursue spiritual enlightenment, his wife and son continued to play important roles in the Buddhist tradition. In this article, we will explore their stories and their significance in Buddhist history.

Buddha’s Family

Siddhartha Gautama had a fortunate existence as a prince in the Sakya kingdom, which was situated in Nepal before he became the Buddha. He was married to Yashodhara, the daughter of King Suppabuddha of Koliya and Queen Amitha. She and Siddhartha were first cousins who married when she was sixteen. Despite their mutual regard and relationship, it is believed that they had little wishes for married life.

Yaśodharā took a long time to conceive a child. Rahula, their son, was born just before Siddhartha gave up his earthly possessions in order to pursue enlightenment.

Siddhartha left his luxurious life back when he was in his 20s to go off on a spiritual adventure. He became a traveling ascetic and studied in India with many spiritual leaders. After a while, he came to an understanding that neither the lavish lifestyle he had abandoned nor the intense asceticism he had been engaging in would bring him to enlightenment.

He ultimately discovered a bodhi tree to sit under and practiced meditation for 49 days. He became the Buddha at this point after attaining enlightenment.

What happened to the son and wife of the Buddha?

Siddhartha devoted the remainder of his life to wandering and imparting his spiritual knowledge to others once he attained the title of Buddha. He left his wife and son behind, and there is no record of whether he ever saw them again, although it seems probable that he did not.

Mythologies say following Buddha’s departure, Yasodhara lived as a monk in the palace, dressing in yellow robes and living modestly, exactly like Siddhartha. She and Mahaprajapati, the stepmother of her husband, were among the first female Buddhist sangha-appointed members. They rose to positions of leadership within the Buddhist nuns’ order and had a significant impact on the development of the female monastic tradition.

As for Rahula, he was raised by his mother and grandfather, King Suppabuddha.  Many Buddhist writings from the ancient era ahead describe Rahula, the only child of Siddhartha and Yaśodharā. The name Rahula, which translates to “a fetter on the path to enlightenment,” was given to him as, in accordance with Pali tradition, he was born the same day that Siddhartha departed the palace. Rhula was conceived on that day, although according to certain legends, he was really born six years later when Siddhartha became the Buddha.

When he was seven years old, his father visited the country where he was born in an effort to make amends with those who had wronged him. According to mythology, Yashodhara sent Siddhartha away when he went to ask his wife to show him the child they had together. She told him that in order to meet Rahula, he would need to break his monastic vows and adopt Rahula as a son.