Your statement seems all too familiar...
It was not unfair. Prince Siddhartha could have became a Universal
Monarch as prophecised by some ascetics (many ascetics prophecised
that he will either become a universal monarch or Buddha, with one
ascetic prophecising that he WILL certainly attain buddhahood). He
is the greatest hope for his father, his father intends to give him
the throne and let him rule his lands. However, after seeing that
things are impermanent, after seeing the 4 sights - old age,
sickness, death and the holy person, he has convinced himself that
he could not bring true happiness to people around the world if he
could not find the truth to end birth and death. He could give gold
to poor, he could sacrifice what he has for his people, but he
could not liberate them from sufferings ultimately. He has thus set
out his quest for the Buddhadharma so that he will be able to save
sentient beings from all directions on Earth. This, is more
important than being a universal monarch for him.
When Buddha left his palace, he tried to bring his son secretly
without letting his wife know. However, because his son was tightly
held by his wife, and it's too dangerous for him to grab the baby
or else it will certainly wake his wife. So, he had no choice but
to leave the palace without the baby.
Buddha said that he will only return when he had found the truth to
liberation. When he became a Buddha, he sent his disciple to ask
his wife to allow his son to renunce, saying that he intends to
bring him to the path of Sainthood. The wife detested at first, but
when Buddha appeared in front of her miraculously (Buddha seldom
appear in this way but only in special instances), and explained to
her about impermanence and the futility of samsaric relation and
talked about their history in previous life and the pointlessness
of it, that his wife has been liberated from her sorrows and to
allow Rahula to be ordained.
Lord Buddha received from his
father a message asking him to visit his native place, so that he
might see him once more before he died. Buddha accepted his
invitation gladly and started for Kapilavastu. He stayed in a
forest outside the city. His father and relatives came to see him,
but they were not pleased with their ascetic Gautama. They left the
place after a short time. They did not make any arrangement for his
and his followers' daily food. After all, they were worldly people.
Buddha went to the city and begged his food from door to door. This
news reached the ears of his father. He tried to stop Gautama from
begging. Gautama said: "O king, I am a mendicant - I am a monk. It
is my duty to get alms from door to door. This is the duty of the
Order. Why do you stop this ? The food that is obtained from alms
is very pure". His father did not pay any attention to the words of
Gautama. He snatched the bowl from his hand and took him to his
palace. All came to pay Buddha their respects, but his wife
Yasodhara did not come. She said, "He himself will come to me, if I
am of any value in his eyes". She was a very chaste lady endowed
with Viveka (discrimination), Vairagya (dispassion) and other
virtuous qualities. From the day she lost her husband she gave up
all her luxuries. She took very simple food once daily and slept on
a mat. She led a life of severe austerities. Gautama heard all
this. He was very much moved. He went at once to see her. She
prostrated at his feet. She caught hold of his feet and burst into
tears. Buddha established an order of female ascetics. Yasodhara
became the first of the Buddhistic nuns.
Yasodhara pointed out the passing Buddha to her son through a
window and said, "O Rahula! That monk is your father. Go to him and
ask for your birthright. Tell him boldly, 'I am your son. Give me
my heritage'". Rahula at once went up to Buddha and said, "Dear
father, give me my heritage". Buddha was taking his food then. He
did not give any reply. The boy repeatedly asked for his heritage.
Buddha went to the forest. The boy also silently followed him to
the forest. Buddha said to one of his disciples, "I give this boy
the precious spiritual wealth I acquired under the sacred Bo-tree.
I make him the heir to that wealth". Rahula was initiated into the
order of monks. The King, discovering that now his grandson and a
number of young men in the royal family had requested ordination,
asked the Buddha only to ordain a minor with the consent of his
parents or guardian. The Buddha assented. This rule was expanded to
include the spouses of those intending to join the Order of monks
and nuns. The Venerable Rahula was known for his humility and his
desire for spiritual learning. He shunned any special consideration
as the son of the Awakened One, and was noted for his high standard
of discipline. Eventually, he realized Enlightenment. The Venerable
Rahula predeceased the Buddha.
Rahula entered into the Sangha and became the youngest disciple. He
became one of the top 10 disciples of Buddha and have attained
Arhatship and Nirvana. His wife, Yasodhara, also attained Arhatship
and Nirvana.
Not everyone is so fortunate to have a Father that could bring his
son to Liberation from Samsara! He has liberated his wife from the
samsaric cycle of their relationships and cleared her sorrows,
bringing an end to all her sufferings! So yes, maybe, it's a little
unfair that not everyone has an enlightened one as their
relative.
