Hi All,

Does anyone know of references in the Paali writings to Buddha's caste, family, etc? I know he is supposed to be of the khattiya (warrior) caste as his father was Suddhodana, a king, but I'm not sure of the source of this data. It is in Asvaghosa's Buddhacarita, and the Lalitavistara sutra but those works are quite late, certainly in the common era.
The earliest biographical work I know of in the Paali sciptures is the Ariyapariyesanaa sutta (Noble search; MN I 160f) which says nothing about caste or family except that he left home when still young, against his parents' wishes. Has anybody come across references to Buddha's family, caste, parents, gotta, etc.anywhere else in the suttas?

Thanks for your help,

Bryan


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