The Indian aristocrat who preferred devoting his
life to discover Dhamma ('philosophy' and 'religion'
defined the oriental way) rather than enjoying the
luxurious life he was offered by his rich father has been
'lifted up' by his followers from history to myth, to legend
and even to superstition. That was the reason why
Samuel Beal called the biography of the Buddha he
compiled "The Romantic Life of Gotama the Buddha".
Even the life stories written by traditional Theravadins are
full of events and descriptions one might consider more
mythological than historical. Is his identity, then, deemed
lost permanently for genuine seekers of 21st century? Or
is it deeply hidden under the thick layer of glossy
'religious' literature?