Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c14.910

v1.c14.910

The Bodhisatta is reported to have lived in the household for twenty-nine years a life of great luxury and excessive ease, surrounded by all imaginable comforts. He owns three palaces—Ramma, Suramma and Subha—for the three seasons.⁹ When the Bodhisatta is sixteen years old, Suddhodana sends messengers to the Sākiyans asking that his son be allowed to seek a wife from among their daughters; but the Sākiyans are reluctant to send them, for, they say, though the young man is handsome, he knows no art; how, then, can he support a wife? When this is reported to the prince, he summons an assembly of the Sākiyans and performs various feats, chief of these being twelve feats with a bow which needs the strength of one thousand men.¹⁰ The Sākiyans are so impressed that each sends him a daughter, the total number so sent being forty thousand. The Bodhisatta appoints as his chief wife the daughter of Suppabuddha, who, later, comes to be called Rāhulamātā.¹¹