THEHERITAGEOF INDIA SERIESGOTAMABUDDHAA BIOGRAPHY(Basedon the
Canonical Books of theTheravadin)BYKENNETHJ.SAUNDERSHON. LITERARY
SECRETARY,T.M.C.A.,INDIA,BURMA,ANDCEYLON.PROFESSOROFTHEHISTORYOFRELIGIONS.BERKELEY,CAL.AUTHOROF"THESTORYOF
BUDDHISM,""BUDDHIST IDEALS,"EDITOROF"THEBUDDHAS WAYOF
VIRTUE,""THEHEARTOF BUDDHISM."ASSOCIATION
PRESS(Y.M.C.A.)5,RUSSELLSTREET,CALCUTTALONDON : OXFORDUNIVERSITY
PRESS1922TheRightof Translation is
Reserved.PRINTEDIN2UQ1ICONTENTSCHAP.INTRODUCTION . .. . . .. .5I.
THEEARLYLIFE OF GOTAMA .... ..10II.QUESTANDCONQUEST.... ....21III.
GOTAMAAT THEHEIGHTOF HisPOWER.. 394 IV.THEDAILY LIFE OFGOTAMAANDHis
DISCIPLES55V. THEOLDAGE ANDDEATHOF GOTAMA . . . . 70VI. THESECRET
OF GOTAMA .. .. ..82VII. GOTAMAAS TEACHER .. .. ..
..94INTRODUCTIONAFTER thelapseoftwenty-fivecenturies GotamaBuddhas
influence is still amightypowerin
theworld.ThatanIndianmonk,embracing povertyand the
celibatelife,writingnobook,andsetting
upnohierarchy,shouldsoprofoundlyswaythe destinies of a continentis
one of the mostimpressivefacts
ofhistory.Andthemodernworld,withitspassionatebelief inorganisation
and inwealth,maylearn much from Gotama.Yethe is
stillstrangelymisunderstood.11There
isperhapsnopersoninhistoryinregardtowhom have arisen somany
opinionsthat are eitherwhollyorpartly false," saysDr.Hopkins."In
Buddhism," saysde la ValleePoussin,"it ispossibletomakebut few
statements of which theopposite
maynotbeaffirmedandproved."Thesesayings
expressverytrulytheconfusion whichstill existsboth as to
thepersonofGotama,and as tohis essentialteachingsa confusion
duepartlyto thefact that there exists noearly
biographyofhim,andpartlyto the still more remarkable fact
thatliterarycriticism of Buddhist books has
madeverylittleprogress,and that it isverydifficultto-dayto
determinewhat are the authenticteachingsof the Founder
ofBuddhism.In asense it isveryremarkable that
noearlybiographyexists;for circumstances were ideal for
theproductionof a lifelike record of Gotamas words
andways.Whatthe"faithful hound"Boswellwasto
Dr.Johnson,thatAnanda,"thesageof the tireless ministry,"
mighthavebeentoGotama;for hefollowedhim,as heclaims,"like
ashadow,"and haddaily opportunitiesthroughoutalonglife of service
tostudyhis6 GOTAMA BUDDHAmaster.Whydid Ananda fail to do
thispricelessservice tohumanity?Dr.Oldenberg,towhomstudents of
Buddhism owesomuch,arguesthat"theideaofbiographywasforeigntothemind
of thatage"and thatwhere we find Gotamaportrayed,as
Dr.Anesakihassaid,as"avividhumanpersonality."Withthesewemayclass
suchgnomicutterances astheDhammapadaand theItivuttaka,which no
doubtcontainmanyauthentic"Logia"ofGotama.The second and third
areearlycanonicalworks,thoughprobablyseveralhundredyearshadelapsedbeforetheywere
written down.Theycontain evidenceof theprocessof deification
ofGotama, yetthere ismuchin themwhichmayberegardedasrealhistory.4.
Later and less reliable is
thepoeticalBuddhaCarita,composedprobablyin thereignof
KanishkabyAsvaghosa,as late as A.D. 100. It is written in
Sanskrit,andseemsto aim atfilling upthe details of
thestoryofGotamas life until theEnlightenment.Later still is the
LalitaVistara,which is alsowritten in Sanskrit and carries us down
to his firstsermon at Benares. On this is based Sir
EdwinArnoldspoem,"TheLightofAsia,"and scholars areagreedthat it is
about as historical asMilton sParadisepoems.5. Still later is
theJinaCarita,a Palipoemwrittenin the
twelfthcenturyA.D.byBuddhadattainCeylon.6.Lastly, belongingto
aliterary periodtwothousandyearsafter the death of Gotama is
theMdlalankaraWatthu^knownbest inBishop
Bigandetstranslation,TheLifeorLegendofGaudamaBuddha.In these later
works theprocessof deification isalmostcomplete,and I
havepreferrednot to use themincompilingthiswork.In addition to
theseliterarysources we have thegreat sculpturedmonuments
ofBuddhism,some of8 GOTAMA BUDDHAwhichare asearlyas
thesecondcenturyB.C. and containagreatdealofmaterial
forreconstructingtheIndiaofGotamasday. Strangelyenough,theyrecord
manyof the incidentsinhis life whichthe modern
biographermustregardaslegendary.These earliermonuments,
however,whilsttheyspranguptosatisfy"thecommemorativeinstinct,"andwhilsttheyestablish
thehistoricityofGotama,containnofigureofhim,but content
themselveswithsymbolsillustratingthegreateventsof his life.
Portraits andstatues ofhimweremadefromthe firstcenturyB.C.One of
the instructions which he seems to havegiventoAnandaashelaydyingis
that thepiousworshippershould visit four sacredspotsconnected
withhis life : theplaceof hisbirthKapilavatthu;theplaceof
hisEnlightenment Bodh-Gaya;theplaceofhisfirstsermon
theGazelleParknearBenares;andtheplaceof hispassingaway
Kusinagara.1Thesegreateventsare indicatedin Buddhist
artbythefollowingsymbols: theElephanttypifieshisbirth,commemorating
Queen Mayas dream;the Bo Treecommemorates hisEnlightenment;the
Wheelsymbolizes thebeginningof hispublic ministry ;and thestupaor
burialmoundhispassingintoNibbana.2Whenweseekforearly portraitsof
Gotamathen,we findonly symbols.Yet traditionassignsto
himwell-knownfeatures,andwefindhereand there in thebooks, e.g.in
the"SongofKassapa"quoted below,indicationsof
hispersonalcharacteristicswhichareconsistent with the traditional
statues ofhim,and whichhelptostrengthenourconceptionof him as a
sereneandgracious figure, loftyofbrow, majesticofmien,witheyesat
oncelovingandsearchinga man whoconceivedhistask,aboveall,asthat of
a teacher ofmorals.Hisstory,is thatof asingularly graciousand
noblelife,andof acharacterwhichremindsus(albeitin
fitfulglimpseswhichwegetthroughthe stiff and
stilted1Mahai>arinibb_anaSutta,V, 16,22.3Thisis
thePaliformofNirvana.INTRODUCTION 9passagesofthe
scholasticnarrative)now ofSocrates,now of Francis
ofAssisi,now,thoughlessvividly,ofsome Hebrewprophet;for Gotatna
combined in hispersonapassionformoralandintellectual truth with
agraciouscompassionandsimplicitywhichendearhimtoour
hearts.ToDr.Oldenberg,Professor de la ValleePoussin,Dr.Rhys
Davids,the BhikkuSilacara,and otherWestern scholars who have made
available so muchmaterial for thisstudy,I amgladtoacknowledge
myindebtedness: as also to thelongsuccessionof
Easterndisciples,known andunknown,who havekepthismemory green.To
Mrs.RhysDavids I owespecialthanks forpermissiontoquotesofreelyfrom
herbooks.Lastly,I amindebted to theCambridge UniversityPress and to
ProfessorRapsonforpermissionto usethemapcontainedin
hisAncientIndia.ITHEEARLY LIFE OFGOTAMANeither mother
norfathernoranykinsfolkcandotheeservicelikeawell-directedmind.Dhammapada43.BY
the sixthcentury B.C.,theAryanandMongolian invadersof
Indiahadestablishedthemselvesalongthelowerslopesof
theHimalayas,andhadpouredintotheGangesvalley.ItwasalongthisvalleythatearlyBuddhismwastospread,andtounderstand
itaright wemustknowsomethingof
themingledcivilisationwhichtheyestablished.Politicallyit was like
that ofearlyGreece,and thesystemsofgovernmentvaried fromautocratic
monarchies toself-governingcommunities.Of the formertypewe learn
fromBrahmin,Jain,andBuddhist literature that there weresixteen,and
thereweremanysmallerstates,someofwhichweremore orlessfeudatoryto
theirlarger neighbours,some independent.Thechiefof thelarger
kingdomswere those withwhichearlyBuddhismwasmostconcerned
:Kosala,correspondingto themodernOudh,with itscapitaleitherat
Savatthi1or atAyodhya;Magadha,correspondingto SouthBihar,2with
itscapitalatRajagaha,3andVideha, correspondingtoNorthBihar,with
itscapitalat Mithila. Thesekingdomswereseparatedfrom oneanotherby
rivers,theGanges dividingVideha fromMagadha,and the
Sandaniradividingit from
Kosala.1NowSahetMahetontheriverRapti.2Bihargetsits name from
themanyViharas or Buddhistmonasterieswhichit
atonetimeboasted.3NowRajgir,on whose five hillsreligiousteachers
stillgathertheirbandsofdisciples.THE EARLY LIFE OF GOTAMA
11Thekingsof these countries were often related
tooneanotherbymarriage ;thuswe find that
BimbisaraofMagadhahadamongsthis wives the sister
ofAgnidattaPasenadi of Kosala and
also"theLadyofMithila."Amongsttheself-governingcommunities was
thatof the Licchavinobles, livingin and
aroundVesali,who,afterGotamasdeath,came under
thesuzeraintyofAjatasattu;but theSakyas,Gotamas
ownpeople,werealready tributaryto thekingsof Kosala. Theirchief
town wasKapilavatthu,and their totalterritoryprobablycovered some
nine hundredsquaremiles,partlyon theslopesof
theHimalayas,andpartlyinthe rich rice fields which stretched out
like agreatcarpet below, irrigated byabundant
streamspouringdownfromthemountain-side,andborderedon the
eastbytheRohini,and on the west and southbytheAchiravati.1It
ispossiblethat both Licchavis andSakyas,like the modern inhabitants
of the Tarai ofNepal,wereMongoliansand that Gotama was not
ofAryanstock.2This rich and fertile land was theearlyhome
ofGotamaBuddha,a land ofgreat beauty,with
themightysnowrampartofHimalaya toweringaboveit,and below it the
richgreenof sandal(s&l)trees andyoungoaks,andthe still
morewonderfulgreenof ricefields.Hisfather
sname,Suddhodana,whichmeans "PureRice,"
suggeststhattheywereanagricultural people;butthey belongedto
theKshatriyaor warriorcaste,andtheearly legendstell of
ambitiousplanswhich theChieftain had for his son. At
theleast,wemayimaginethathedesiredtheboyto succeed him in the1The
Achiravati is now theRapti;the Rohini retains itsancientname.
TheseriversmeetnearGoruckpur,100milesnorthofBenares.2See
VincentSmith,OxfordHistoryofIndia,p.49. Dr.D. B.Spoonermaintains
that Gotama was of Iraniandescent.Perhapsboth these views
areright,for there was much intermarriage.12 GOTAMA
BUDDHAleadershipof the clan;for theSakyasseem to
havebeenledbyahereditarychief,notliketheirneighbours,theLicchavis,
byaNayaka,elected to thepost.Butfrom theleadershipof a clan to
thepositionof"UniversalMonarch," Chakkavatti^is a
farcry;andthelegendthatthiswasthedestinymarkedout for
theyoungGotamamaybedismissedasunlikely.Yetit isnotimpossible ;for
less than three centuries laterChandraguptaand hishouse,
startingfrom smallerbeginningsand with far less
ofgeniusthanGotama,achieved thispositionandduringhis lifetime
thefoundations of thismighty empirewere
laidbythekingsofMagadha.Howeverthatmay be,Suddhodanawasnotakingas
thelegendsclaim : in somepassagesin theearlyBuddhistbookshe is
calledRaja,butsoareall the Licchavi andSakyanobles;andonlyin
theTheragatha commentaryis he calledMaharaja.It
isagreedamongstscholars that he was one of numerouspettychieftains.
Thathehad aprideof raceworthyof a Scottish laird seemsclear,and
even if he hadnohigherambition than that his son should
succeedhim,wemaybe sure that heregardedthis as
nomeandestiny.TheverynameSakyameans"themighty"!Toillustrate
theprideof these border clanswemayquoteanearly legend, probably
apocryphal,whichdescribeshow,when theKingof Kosala asked for
aSakyainmarriage,the chiefsgatheredin their
MoteHallanddecidedthattheycouldnotlowertheirdignitybyallowingone of
their freeborndaughterstomarryhim;sotheysentback
thebastarddaughterof one ofthembya slave woman.1Life at the house
of one of these chiefs would benotunlike thatat a Scottishcastle in
the MiddleAges;notonlywas there the sameprideofrace,but
therewasmuchthesamefeudalsystem,and much the
same1SeeRhysDavids,BuddhistIndia,p.11. Thisinsultled,wearetold,to
the sack ofKapilavatthuand the massacre of
theSakyasbyVidudabhatowardsthe end of Gotamas life or soonafter
hisdeath.THE EARLY LIFE OF GOTAMA 13strange wayfaringlife;scholar
andminstrel,nobleandfriar, soothsayerandjester,ascetic
andjuggler,wouldpassin afascinatingpanoramabefore theson
ofthehouse,andaroughhospitalityawaited
all.Theboywasbornprobablyabouttheyear560B.C.at
apleasauncebetweenthecapitalof theSakyasandthat of
theKoliyas,aclanfrom whom
hismother,theLadyMaya,seemstohavesprung.Tomark the siteof
thisgardenof Lumbini apillarwas erectedbytheEmperorAsoka about 244
B.C. with theinscription,"Herethe ExaltedOnewasborn."Amongstthemany
legendsof his birth andearly-daysthere is one which seems
reasonableenough ;ittellshowthe oldmanAsita came to see
thebabe,andforetoldagreatfuture for him.
Anotherlegendtellsthathismotherdiedsoonafter hisbirth,andthat
itwashersister,theLadyPajapati,Suddhodanas
secondwife,whobroughthimup.Hewas
calledSiddhattha,thatis,"DesireAccomplished,"but hisfamilyname
wasGotama,a name derived from one of the ancientfamiliesofrishis or
seersof Vedictimes.1Wecanimaginethe littleboy,who seems to havebeen
a son of Suddhodanas oldage, brought upwithloving care,and
evenspoiled byhisdotingaunt andherwomen.
Heprobablylearnedearlyanimperioushabit,andthelegendsare
lavishintheirdescriptionofhispamperedchildhood andyouth: "I
woregarmentsofsilk,andmyattendants held a white umbrella overme,"he
usedto tell hisdisciplesin afterdays.Ashewalked out thus wemaybe
sure that theboyseyesandearswerebusy!His mind would be formedvery
largely bythethingshe saw in theeverydaylife of
hispeople.Livinginthemidstof aruralcommunity,hewouldget1It is not
clearwhya warrior clan should have had aBrahminfamilyname.
SeeOldenberg,Buddha,E.T., pp.413,414. Dr.RhysDavidssays:"It is a
curious fact that Gautamaisstill thefamilynameoftheRajputchiefs
ofNagara,thevillagewronglyidentified withKapilavastu by
Cunningham"(Buddhism,p.27).14 GOTAMA BUDDHAtoknowthe life of
thevillagesdotted aboutamongstthe ricefields,and of thejungle,and
thelegendsattribute tohimanearlyloveof the animals for whominlater
life hewastodososignala service.Huntingwasperhapsthe chiefsportof
the Kshat-riyas,and sacrificeskeptthe
Brahminsbusy.Itmaywellhavebeensomevictim of the chase or of the
altarthat first kindledinhimas aboythedivinecompassionwhich still
makeshismemorysofragrant.Inthelong sunny daysof_summerhe
wouldplay,perhapswith his cousins Ananda andDevadatta,certainlywith
his friendKaludayin,the immemorialoutdoorgamesof hiscountry,
chariot-races, wrestling,running, hunting,a kind
of"hopscotch,"andmanyotherscommonto-dayin India;andin the
wetseason,marbles, dice,chess,
"tip-cat,""spillikins,"andmanymore.1Ortheywould sit and listen in
theflickeringlamplightto thelegendsof ancientIndia,
celebratingthedeeds of heroesandofgods ;or somevillageUncleRemus
would tell them old folkloretales, manyofwhichwein
theWestknowiny^sopand LaFontaine,andwhichindaystocomeGotamawasto
turntogoodaccount.Stories, too,therewere of a more
fearsomekind,ofghostsandgoblins,or ofred-eyed ogresseswho stole and
atechildren,or let looseplaguestodevastate whole districts. And
often asthey passedsomedark treetheywouldmakealittleofferingto
thespirithidingthere,whomightbe in a badtemper,andwho must needs
bepropitiated.Ortheywould
taketheirpartintheceremonyoffeedingthehungryspirits,"Petas"
whothrongedthe thresholdsoftheir oldhomes,orjibberedhungrilyat
crossroads.2Thus fearplayeditspartin theirearly training,anda
furthertingeofmysteryandhorrorwasaddedtoit at thesightof
self-inflictedtortures,common thenas nowin India. The ascetic with
his terrible1Cullavagga, I,13; Tevijja Sutta,II; Dialoguesof
theBuddha,RhysDavids, II,9-11.2Cf. The Heart ofBuddhism,
p.48(fromthe KhuddakaNikaya],THE EARLY LIFE OF GOTAMA
15emaciatedbodyanddistorted limbswouldmakea keenappealto
theimaginationof thechild,andperhapsanindelibleimpression
shapinghis after life. Of suchasceticism hespokein oldage,and
hisdescriptionof what he himself enduredmaywell serve as
apictureofsome Indian S&dhuwho arrested his attentionas
aboy;asindeed itmightportraytheSannyastofto-dayi1"I have
fedmybodyonmosses,grasses,cowdung.I
haveliveduponthewildfruitsandrootsofthejungle,eatingonlyof fruit
fallenfromthe trees. I haveworngarmentsofhempandhair,as also foul
clouts fromthecharnelhouse,ragsfrom dustheaps.I havewrappedmyselfin
the abandoned skins and hides of
animals;coveredmynakednesswithlengthsofgrass,
bark,andleaves,withapatchof somewildanimals maneortail,with
thewingofan owl. I was also aplucker-outofhair andbeard,
practisedtheausterityofrootingouthair fromheadandface. I tookupon
myselfthe vowalwaystostand,never to sit or lie down. I boundmyself
perpetuallytosquat upon my heels, practisedtheausterityof
continualheel-squatting.A thornsidedone was I;whenIlaydowntorest,it
waswiththornsuponmysides. . . ."I betookmyselfto a certain dark and
dreadfulwoodandin thatplacemademyabode. And there
inthedenseandfearsomeforest suchhorrorreigned,thatthe hair
ofwhomsoever,notsense-subdued,enteredthatdreadplace,stoodonendwith
terror."Such scenes
wouldhelptoquickenhisalreadyluxuriantimagination,and to make him
sensitive;mighttheynotplantinhimaphobia,which later led
toaone-sided insistenceuponthesorrowandpainof life ?Butwhilst his
emotionswerebeingthusstirred,hismindwasalsobeinginstructed.
Wecannot doubt thathesat at the feet
ofsomeIndianguruandlearnedfromhimsomethingofthe earlier Vedas and
of the centralteachingsofcontemporaryHinduism.Probablyit
was1DialoguesofGotama,tr.bySilacara, I,97-99.16 GOTAMA
BUDDHAnotvery much,1but itgaveapermanentcast to hismind,so
thatlater he neverquestionedsuch doctrinesas those of
Karma(actionand itsresult)and
Sam-sara(transmigration)2doctrinesprobably taughthimalmost
ininfancy bythose about him in his father
shousehold,andre-emphasized byhisguru,who at theageof
tenorelevenwouldinitiatehim,givinghim thebow-string girdle,the
madderundervest,and thedeerskinrobe of thewarrior,andinstructinghim
eachyearfromJulytoOctober inVediclore.Atothertimesheandhisfriends
wouldsitandlistento
somewanderingscholarexpoundinghissysteminthecourtyardof
thefamilyhome,andwouldnote,half-consciously,thegood-humouredtolerance
with whichhiselderslistenedeventhoughtheydidnotunderstand.Andafter
thegood manwasgone,hewouldjoinin thekindlyfunpokenathim,andlaughat
some name suchas"eel-wriggler," "hair-splitter,"3or "weaver
oftrifles"whichtheywouldcoinfor him. But the idealof a Buddha or
Wise Teacher who wouldgivehispeople peacethiswould,nodoubt,be
mentionedbysomemoreearnestsoul,and it seems to have found
alodgingin themindof theyoungSiddhattha.OftheBrahmins,too,and of
theirclaims,he wouldlearnmuch;oneviewfromhisguru,anotherfrom
hisKshatriya relations,"who esteemed the
Brahminhighlywhilsttheyesteemed themselves
morehighlystill";andwouldspeakof them much as a mediaevalbaronin
theWestmightspeakoftheclergyof hisday,good worthy folk,butnot,for
the mostpart,of noblebirth. Orperhapshis father would take him to
thecourt ofMagadhawhen he went topay homage,and1Dr.Oldenberg
arguesthat"in thetrainingof nobles inthose lands which were
butslightlyattached
toBrahminism,moreattentionwaspaidtomartialexercisethan
toknowledgeoftheVeda,"and that "Buddhists have not attributed
Vedicscholarshiptotheirmaster"(Buddha, E.T.,p.100).2Though,as
weshallsee,hewasthefirst
tomaketheKarmadoctrinereasonableandethical,and heprofoundlymodified
thedoctrineofSamsara.8Dialogues,137,138,THE EARLY LIFE OF GOTAMA
17here,too,he would learn that thegreat kingsdid
notaltogetherrelishthegrowingpowerandclaimsoftheseBrahmins,butwereeverreadytobecomepatronsofanywho
setupa rivalteaching.He would exult in thegreatrock fortress
ofGiribajja,and the new town ofRajagaha,thenprobablystillbeingbuilt
bothsymbolsofKshatriyadomination.Orhemayhavegoneto Savatthi or to
theopulentand dissoluteVesali,whose rich nobles he
laterdescribedas"like ahostofgods."It isinterestingtospeculate
uponhow
suchjourneyswereaccomplished.Probablytheywouldaccompanysomemerchantcaravanasitpassedalongone
of thegreattrade routes of theday,routeshewastouse sooftenin
thelong yearsofhiswanderingsas
areligiousteacher.Wecanimaginetheboywide-eyedwithexcitement,andrevellingin
thislong sunny picnicfromKapila-vatthualongthe footof
themountainstotheneighbourhood ofVesali,and then south to
theGangesandRajagaha.Thelong caravan,with its loaded
camelsandthrongofservants,wouldpass through
Kusinara,Pava,andNalanda namesfamousin afterdaysbecauseof their
association with him and his Order. Of thetwolatter,onewasto become
thecapitalof amightyBuddhistempire,the otherthe seatof oneof
thegreatBuddhist universities.Or, they mayhavegone
uponapleasantrivertripontheGangesor
theJumna.1Arrivedatoneoftheroyalcities he would see thekingashe
ispicturedin ancientsculpturesat Bharhutandelsewhere,seated
orstandingin his four-horsechariot,andaccompanied bytheroyal
elephants,thearchers,thecavalry,theinfantry,and all
thebusythrongofcourtiersandcourt servants. A list of
suchisgiveninanearlynarrativetellingof the visit
ofKingAjatasattutoGotamasixty*years later,andasProfessorRhysDavids
haspointed out, theyare all"justthesortofpeopleemployedabout
acamporpalace."Inthepalace itself, probablya
two-storiedbuildingwith1SeeRhysDavids,BuddhistIndia,p.103.18 GOTAMA
BUDDHAanupperapartmentfor
thewomenandopencourtyardsbelow,theboywould watch thegamblers
dicing,andlearn how thekings got plentifulrevenue from
theirwinnings.Orhewouldlisteneagerlyto
thelatesttalesofsometerriblepunishmentinflictedbytheautocrat,orof
some ambitiousprojectforsubduinganeighbouringstate. That
thesekingswere oftentyrannicalin theextremeissuggested
byseveralpassagesin the Buddhistbooks,which describe
monstroustortures inflictedfor sins
suchastheft,highwayrobbery,andadultery:"Then the rulers causethem
to be seized and condemn them to variouspunishments,suchas,to
befloggedwithwhips,sticks or switches;to have theirfeet cutoff;or
to haveboth their hands and their feetcutoff;tohave their ears cut
off;to have their nosecut off;or to havebothearsandnosecut off. ...
Ortheyare bastedwithboiling oil,torn
topiecesofdogs,impaledalive,orbeheaded;andsotheycomebydeathordeadlyhurt."1Theboywould
discover,too,thegrowing rivalrybetween thegreatstates
ofMagadhaandKosala,whichhasbeencalled theleading pointin
thepoliticsof theday;forthekingdomofKosalahad maderapidprogress,and
agreat strugglewas imminent between it andMagadha.He could nothelp
learningthat the rivalkingsattachedgreat importanceto
theallegianceofsuchclans as theSakyasand Licchavis;it was
indeedbythehelpof the latter that
thekingofMagadhaeventuallyobtainedsupremacy.Nodoubt,
therefore,theboyand
hiscompanionswouldbehonourablyentertained,andmadefree
ofroyalhospitality;andtheywouldtake their share as
befittedyoungnobles intheroyal sports. Then,asthe caravanmade
itsway homewards,there would be much discussion of the
rivalkingdoms,and asthey gatheredroundthecampfire
atnightssomegraybeardwouldtell1Thiskind
ofthingwasevendonelateronintheinterests ofBuddhismby
Ajatasattuafter his conversion(DialoguesofGotama,tr.bySilacara, I,
110).THE EARLY LIFE OF GOTAMA 19of thegloriesof the Chakkavatti
that idealkingwhowastorule inrighteousness,
lovingandgreatlyloved.Thustheboygrewup,proudofrace,stronginbody,quickinimagination,notuninstructedinVediclearning,andalive
to thepoliticaland social movements of hisday.Induecoursehe
wasmarried,and entered into theresponsiblitiesof hisstation,
withsomeshare, nodoubt,in the administration of his father s
affairs.Perhapshenowbeganto takepartindiscussions with the
wanderingsophists ; certainlyhe wasaccumulating
experiencesandideaswhichdrovehimforthtobecomehimselfawandering
ascetic,andeventuallya teacherpreeminentamongstthem all. The form
of thegreatdiscoverywhichmadehimBuddhasuggeststhat
hewasnotunfamiliarwiththemedicalsystemsof hisday,anditmaywellbethat
from some courtphysiciansuch asJlvaka,whois mentioned in the books
and who afterwardsministered to hisphysical needs,1he learned
thecurrent theories ofdisease,and the methods of itstreatment.How
best could he serve hispeople? We can imaginehimin thesedaysofearly
manhood,gazingoutwithlongingover
therichplainsandclusteringhamletsof his father sdomain till
apassionate patriotismfilledhimwithyearningto serve thesepeoplethat
he lovedandtowinforthemsomeabiding happiness.Like thecultured
Indianboyofto-day,he would have idealslargeand a
littlevague,apassionate aspirationbutdimlyunderstood;like
otheradolescentshewaspotentiallyaknight-errant.
Gradually,ashegrewto mansestate,these ideals would take form
andshape.Andit
isperhapsthisprocesswhichiscommemoratedintheoldlegendof
avision2whichthegodssent him;vividpicturesof oldageand disease
anddeath, culminatingin that of ayellow-robed Sannyasi,
seekingfreedom1In avery thorough way! See SacredBooks of
theEast,XVII,191.2Described inAnguttara Nikaya, I, 145,as a series
of"thoughts"or "ideas."20 GOTAMA BUDDHAfromthemall.Such,atany
rate,was the resolve towhichhismusings brought him,and which at
theageoftwenty-nineheresolutelycarried out. A Chakka-vattitYes,
perhaps,but of a kind new to hispeopleor familiar to them as the
Wise Teacher Buddhawhoseswayismadepossiblebyachangeof heart
andmind."Untothis I cameAndnotforthrones : theKingdomthatI
craveIsmorethan manyrealms and allthings
passTochangeanddeath."\Thelegendtells thatashetore
himselffromthetiesofhome, messengerscame to him from his wife
schamberannouncingthe birth of his little
son."CallhisnameRahula,abond," he^ried,"forhereisanotherbond which
I must break." India has for more than2,500yearsacclaimed this as
an heroicsacrifice,muchasthe
ChristianChurch,inspiteof2,000yearsofChristianity, still,for the
mostpart,admires the
readinesswithwhichAbrahamsetaboutofferinguphisonlyson.Yettheconscience
ofto-daycanapproveneither;andshoulda visionurgethe modern father to
takeeithe^-^step,hewouldrefuse to believe hissenses;for the
Godwhomwehavelearnedtoknowbothin East and
West,-couldnotignoretherightsofwife or child.TheyoungGotama,like
the oldAbraham,was thesonofapatriarchal age,amanof histime,and is
to bejudgedaccordingly.Itdoesnot lessen our venerationforhimas
aman,but it mustbe set in the scales ofanyfair-mindedbiographer
againstthe tremendous claimswhich hisdisciples verysoonbeganto make
on hisbehalf.+>**A-IIQUESTANDCONQUEST"Whilelife
isgoodtogive,Igive,and
goToseekdeliveranceandtheunknownLight."TheLightof Asia."IN
theprimeofmy yonth,Odisciples,a
black-hairedboypassingintomanhood,againstthe willof
mysorrowingparents,I shore offhair andbeard,andputtingon
theyellowrobe went out fromhome,vowedhenceforwardto
thewanderinglife."In thesequiet words
Gotama,nowbecomeSakyamuni,theSolitaryof
theSakyas,isrecordedtohavedescribedone of thegreatevents
ofhistory,an eventbigwithmeaningfor untold millions. There
isamongsttheAjantafrescoes anexquisite pictureof him at
thisturning-pointin his life. Itbelongsto the seventhcenturyA.D.
andcannotbe called aportrait ;but it isnotable for amajestyand a
sorrowful tenderness thatremind us of da Vincisstudyof
theyouthfulChrist.It is thus that the Buddhist world has treasured
thememoryofonewho"outofcompassionformankind"enduredunspeakableausterities
inseeking salvation,or freedomfromrebirth.Thespiritof
thisgreatadventure is thusfinelydescribedbyFieldingHall :V
Hewenttoseekwisdom,asmanyaonehasdone,lookingfor the
lawsofGodwithcleareyestosee,withapureheart tounderstand,and
aftermany troubles,1Itseemsprobablethatthisaltruisticmotive became
articulate later;theyoungGotarna wasprimarilyconcerned
withwinninghisown freedom.22 GOTAMA BUDDHAaftermanymistakes,after
muchsuffering,he came atlast to the truth.\"EvenasNewtonsoughtfor
thelaws ofGodin themovementof thestars,in thefallingof astone,in
thestir of thegreatwaters,sothis Newtonof
thespiritualworldsoughtfor the secrets of life anddeath,
lookingdeepintotheheartofman,markingitstoil,itssuffering,its
littlejoys,witha soul attunedto catchevery quiverof the life of the
world. And as to Newton truth didnotcomespontaneously,didnot
revealitself to him athis firstcall,buthadto besoughtwith toil and
weariness,till at last hereached it where it hid in the heartof
allthings,so it was with theprince.He was notbornwith
theknowledgeinhim,but had to seek it asother men do. He wasted time
and labourfollowingwrongroads, demonstratingto himself the
foolishnessofmany thoughts.But neverdiscouraged,hesoughton till
hefound,andwhathe found hegaveas a heritageto allmenforever,that
theway mightbe easierforthemthanit hadbeenfor
him."1^HewentfirsttoRajagaha,theroyalcityofMagadha,toteacherswhomitmaywellbehehadalreadyvisitedas
aboy,or whosefamehadreachedhiminhis father
shome."Thusvowedtohomelessnessandseekingthehighest,even
thewayofpeace,I went where theascetic Alara Kalama dwelt and thus
addressed him:FriendKalama,I would lead the life of a recluse
asyour pupilandfollower,andvery
swiftlyIlearned,Odisciples,whathehadto teach."21TheSoulof
aPeople,H.FieldingHall,pp.20,21.2ThatearlyBuddhism owed much to
theSamkhya systemhas beenarguedbyGarbe and others. But
thesystemisprobablyof a later date : and that
GotamaowedthisknowledgetoAlara Kalama isunlikely.Itis, however,
significantthat theJapanese legend saysthat Alaragaveto him "two
staves"whicharethemarkofasceticsoftheSamkhyaSchool.MajjhimaNikaya,
I,163-65. Lakshmi Narasusays quite confidently,"Hewasevidentlya
follower ofKapila,thereputedfounder of theSamkhya
systemofphilosophy"(EssenceofBuddhism,2ndEdition,p.6).TheBuddha
Carita(SacredBooksoftheEast, XLIX)givesafairlyfullsummaryofhisviews
asreconstructedbyAsvaghosa.QUESTANDCONQUEST23Itprobablydid
notamounttomuch;andtheyoungIndian noble wasalready
familiar,wemaybesure,withthe
currentIndiansystemsofreligion.Welearnofsixty-twodifferent schools
ofthoughtinthe India ofhisday,andtheKshatriyasfrom whomhe came
werekeenlyinterested in thesewandering teachers,oftenprovidingquiet
placesofrefugeforthem,andalwaysglad,aswehaveseen,whentheycombated
thegrowing ascendencyof the Brahmins. What was it
thatAlaraKalamataughthim? Itisdescribedas
the"realmofnothingness>J1andas "theeight stagesof
meditation."2And that is all we know about it.Probablyhissystemwas
one of asceticmeditation,and hisdoctrine that the soul can be set
free from thebody.Thoughhe wasurgedto become fellow-leader
withAlaraof hiscompanyofascetics,Gotama turnedaway,reflectingthat
thisteaching"did not lead to thesupreme goal,butonlyto the realm
ofnothingness,"and went on to anotherteacher,
Uddaka,thediscipleorson ofRama,withnobetter success. So he left
therockhewnhermitageson the hillsides ofRajagaha"thoroughly
dissatisfied,"3and came to the town ofUruvela. "And there Ispieda
beautiful andquietspotamongthe trees of theforest,with a clear
riverflowing past them,and with fields
andpasturelandsaroundthem.Here,thought I,is
apleasantandfittingplacefor mental effort."The river seems to have
been theNeranjarathemodernPhalguand here five mendicant
hermitsjoined him,and with him for sixyears practisedsuchextreme
asceticism thattheywere worn to skin andbone. AGraeco-Indianstatue
ofGandhara,terrible initsrealism,showsthegreatteacher at the limit
of hisstrength,and he seems himself to have left a word-picturewith
hisdisciples:"Like wasted witheredreedsbecame allmylimbs,like
acamel s hoofmyhips,1Ibid.3Jdtaka, I,65-69.3Discourses
ofGotama,tr.by Silacara, II,99(fromtheMajjhimaNikaya}.24 GOTAMA
BUDDHAlike awavyropemybackbone,andasin aruined housetheroof-tree
raftersshowallaslope,soslopingshowedmyribsbecauseof
theextremityoffasting.As in adeepwellthewaterygleamfarbelow
isscarcelyto beseen,so inmyeye-sockets,thegleamofmy
eye-balls,farsunken, well-nigh disappeared,and as a
severedgourduncookedandleftout in the sun becomes
rottenandshrunken,sohollowandshrunken became the skinofmyhead.
WhenI touched the surface ofmy bellymyhand touchedmy backbone,and
as I strokedmylimbs thehair,rotten at
theroots,cameawayinmyhands."1Suchheroic measures are not uncommon
inIndia,andhadGotamasuccumbed to them it would beonlyone more added
to thelongtale of her self-immolations. He almost didsuccumb,so
that messengershurriedto Suddhodanato tell him that his sonwasdead.
Butwith|splendidsanityhe realised at theeleventh hour that
self-torture was not the road
toEnlightenment,thathehadbeen"tryingto tie the airinto
knots."2Thoughit meantparting companywithhisdevoteddiscipleswholeft
him"when he was mostin needofsympathy,"he took food and returned to
amore normalwayof life.*He ceased to be atapasa(self-torturer)and
became aparibbajaka (wanderer).The books attribute toMara,the
EvilOne,alongingwhichnowassailedhimtoreturnto wife and child
andtoresumeatrulynormallife.Attheendof these six terribleyears,of
which wehave no detailedknowledge,thegreat dayof
hisEnlightenmentwas at hand.Turningaside to agreatgroveof trees
closebythe river(the placeis nowcalledBodh-gaya),hesleptin
thisshade, defeated,discredited,and
abandoned;andtheretruthcametohim.Whilsthewasmusingthe fire kindled:
albeit a firewithmorelightthanheat! Ona clear stilleveninginthe
month ofMay,at the time known in India as"cowdust,"whenthe air
isgoldenandthe heat of thedayhasbeguntoabate,he sat at the foot of
the1Ibid.,p.104.2Jataka, I,67.QUESTANDCONQUEST25bo-tree1and,
settinghisteeth,once more made aresolution which afterwards he
commended to hisfollowers:"Though skin, nerves,and bone
shouldwasteaway,andlife-blood itself be driedup,here sit Itill I
attainEnlightenment."The sun had not setbeforevictorywaswon,and the
intuition which is thegospelof Gotama Buddha had dawned on his
mind."Whenthisknowledgehadarisen withinme,myheartand mind were
freed from thedrugoflust,from thedrugofrebirth,from
thedrugofignorance.Inme,thusfreed,aroseknowledgeandfreedom,and I
knewthat rebirthwasat anend,and that thegoalhad
beenreached."2Therebrokefromthelipsof the seeker
asongofvictorywhich still stirs adeepchord inus,andis oneof
thegreatpaeansofreligiousliterature :"Manyahouseof
lifeHathheldmeseekingeverhimwhowroughtTheseprisonsofthesenses,sorrow-fraught
;Sorewasmyceaseless strife !Butnow,Thoubuilderofthistabernacle
Thou!I knowthee ! NevershaltthoubuildagainThesewalls
ofpain,Norraisetheroof-treeofdeceits,norlayFreshrafters ontheclay
;Brokenthyhouseis,andtheridge-polesplit:Delusionfashionedit
!SafepassI thencedeliverancetoobtain."8Thussereneandjoyfulhesat,as
the brilliant Indianmoonrose,andthestarscameout,and wood and
riverwerebathed in silverlight.His mental state is welldescribedin
theLegendoftheBurmeseBuddha."Mental exertion and labour were at an
end.Truthin itseffulgentbeautyencompassedhismind andshedover it
thepurest rays.Placed in that
luminous1TheFicusReligiosas,nexquisiteand
muchlovedtree,atoncemajesticanddelicate.Accordingtoanotheraccountit
wasatdawnthathebecameBuddha.aMaha-saccakaSutta :
DiscoursesofGotama,E.T., I,107.8Dhammapada,153-54. Sir Edwin
Arnolds translation.The "builder" is of course Tanhacraving,which
builds andrebuilds"thehouseoflife,"i.e. thebody.26
GOTAMABUDDHAcentre,Phra1saw allbeings entangledin the web
ofpassions,tossed over theragingbillows of the sea
ofrenewedexistences, whirlingin the vortex of
endlessmiseries,tormentedincessantlyand wounded -to
thequickbythestingofconcupiscence,sunk into the
darkabyssofignorance,the wretchedvictims of
anillusory,unsubstantial,and unreal world. He said then tohimself :
In all theworldsthere is noone but ssewho,j^knows how to
breakthroughthe web ofpassions,tostill the waves that
waftbeingsfrom one state intoanother,tosave them from
thewhirlpoolofmiseries,toputan end toconcupiscenceand break
itssting,toVdispelthemist ofignorance
bythelightoftruth,andtherebylead them to the true state of
Neibban.Havingthusgivenvent to thefeelingsofcompassionthatpressedon
his benevolentheart, Phra, glancingover futureevents,
delightedincontemplatingthegreatnumberofbeingswhowould avail
themselves ofhispreachings,and labour to free themselves from
theslaveryofpassions.He counted the multitudes whowouldenter
thewaysthat lead to thedeliverance,andwouldobtaintherewards to
beenjoyed bythose whowillfollowoneofthoseways."2Inaword,he had
attained an ecstaticjoy,thejoyofvictoryafterlong
struggle,ofinsightafterlonggroping,andprobablyof altruism
afterlongsearch forself-emancipation."Insight arose, ignorancewas
dispelled;darkness was doneawayandlightdawned.There satI,
strenuous,aglow,andmasterofmyself."Gotama hadbecome anArahat?seeing
clearly,hebelieved,thewaytoputanendtorebirth,andconsciousthat
hisownrelease fromrebirthhadcome.1Phra is one of the Burmese titles
forGotama,who iscalled
GaudamainBurma.2Pp.98,99.3Maha-saccakaSuttainMajjhima Nikaya:
adialoguewiththeJaincontroversialistSaccaka,whichendswith
ahightributetoGotamas calmness and to the coherence and clearness
of hisargumentascomparedwithrivalpreachers.4I.e. one
whohadsnappedthe bonds of rebirthby
lonely-effort,attainingfreedomfromsufferingand
lust.QUESTANDCONQUEST27The content ofreligious experienceis
inlargemeasure determinedby upbringingand environment.Thepeaceand
coolness of thatquietscene became
tohimforeverassociatedwiththegreat spiritual
victoryhehadwon;andhehadnodoubtpondereddeeplysuchcurrentsayingsof
hispeopleasthegreatprayerof theSatapathaBrahmana: "From darkness
lead me tolight:fromdeath to life."It is fromthis source
thatheseemsto have derivedthe termsSamana,which describes the
ascetic recluse-life hehadbeenliving,andArahat,which describes
thestate ofemancipationwhich he had now reached.
Heclaimsaccordinglythat he hadpassedfrom heat
tocoolness,fromdarknesstolight,andfromdeath tolife,orimmortality
;and the wordAmata,ambrosia ordeathlessness,became asynonymfor
Nibbana. Wecannotdoubttherealityof thisexperience;for
thejoyandfervour of it senthimout on
alife-longmissiontohispeople,and the achievements
oftwenty-fivecenturies of
Buddhismarebaseduponit.WithGotamasinterpretationof it it is not
soeasytoagree.Whatdidhemean byNibbana? Noquestion,even
inBuddhism,hasbeensovariously answered,andBuddhists,evenofthe
orthodox Theravadatradition,ofBurma andCeylon,are to thisdaydivided
betweenthreeinterpretationsi11.Completeextinctionofbeing ;2.
Extinction of the fire oflust, anger,andinfatuation;3. Ahavenof
bliss.It is notthepartof abiographerto
dealfullywithlaterdevelopmentsof his hero steachings:but it
isclearlyhisdutytoattempta statement of what socentral adoctrine
seemsto havemeantto its author.In the firstplaceit must
beemphasizedthatQotamahadhisowndoctrine of thenature of the
self;theunique thingin hispsychologyis the doctrine ofAnatta. He
considered the self to be a stream
of1ForafullerdiscussionseeAppendixII.28 GOTAMA
BUDDHAconsciousness(Vinnana}of which successive momentsare related
to oneanother,andyetdiffer from
oneanother"flashpointsofintelligence, cinema-films,thaumatrope
figureswelded into anapparent unity."JThus,whilst he took over the
current belief of
hispeopleintransmigration,heprofoundlymodifiedit,teachingthatnosuchthingas
the"soul"exists in thislife,but that it and successive lives
arepartof acontinuous stream;and that the individual who is"reborn"
is therefore neitherthesameas theonewhopreceded him,nor is
heanother;he is in factpartof astream whose direction is
determinedpartly by past,partly by present activity,Kamma. Kamma is
whatdetermines rebirth: \tisKamma alone which"passesover."
Thisteachingwe shall have to consider inmore detaillater,but it
must begraspednow ifGotamas doctrine ofNibbanais
tobeunderstood.Inthe secondplaceit mustbeemphasizedthat evenin
thishighanddifficultregionGotama was "a son offact" and a teacher
of morals. When hespokeofNibbunahewastryingtodescribe
hisownexperience,and, beingamoralteacher,he strove to describe it
inethical terms. Whatheintendedtoholdupas
thegoalwasanexperiencewhich hehimself hadknown,and ofwhich the main
characteristics werejoyandpeace.Thedyingout ofTanha, cravingthat
was Nibba.ua.Hissense of thesupremevalue of
thisexperiencewasthespurwhich drove him on to a life
ofunremittinglabour;he was convinced that he
hadsomethingtoimpart,for lack of which
hispeoplewereperishing.Hecalls himself Buddha theEnlightened ;Jina
theVictor;and"Vira"theHero;all inamoralsense;but "his favourite
name for himself henceforward isTathagatahewhohas reached thegoal
;2and it wasto thisgoalthat he wasalways urging
others,agoalonlytobereachedbymoraleffort,asummumbonumofwhich the
characteristics arecalmness,
insight,and1BuddhistPsychology,C.A.F.RhysDavids,p.14.aUsuallytranslated"Blessed
One."QUESTANDCONQUEST29serenejoy,the end of
thesoliciting^ofcraving^Tothephilosophicalitmightsuffice totalk
ofthecessationof the fluxofbeing;but thiswouldnotdo
forordinaryfolk."Coolnessand rest" these are the attractionswhichit
offers to thelaity.IAs the fierce Indian sunmakesthe
tiredbodylongfor rest in some coolshade,so to
thespirittiredbythelong struggleof countlesslives,and tormentedby
desire,Nibbana offers an"alluringvision" of rest
andcoolness.^Howfarawaythis austere andsimpleideal
seemsfromtheelaborateanddifficultexplanationsofBuddhistscholasticism!
Whether Gotamahimself,forced intothe
arenabyrivalteachers,wasobligedto use theweaponsofmetaphysicis
notclear,butit seemscertainthat he cannot have left
histeachingabout Nibbanaquitesonaively
simple.Theearlybookscertainlymakeit clear that it wasonlywithin
certain well-defined limits that heindulgedinmetaphysical
explanation."Onething onlydo Iteach, Omonks,sorrowand
theuprootingof sorrow ":that issurelyan authentic word of
theteacher,whichdefines the limits of hispurposeand is the
centralthingin his ethics. When the
monkMalunkyaputtagrumbledbecausehe had not answered
suchquestionsaswhetherthegoodmancontinues toexist
afterdeath,andthreatenedtoleavetheSangha,Gotamaasked
himmildly:"Whenyou joinedourcompanydid Iagreeto elucidate
suchpoints,or didyouask for such elucidation?" and closed the
discussion with thedrycomment:Anyonewho shouldsay,I will not lead
thereligiouslife under the Blessed One until heexplainsall
thesepoints
well,hewoulddiebeforehegotthatexplanation."2Inotherwords,\heinsists
thathis offertomenis toheal theirmoraldisease,not
tosatisfytheir1Mutti, deliverance,andSanti,peace,are
favouritesynonymsforNibbana;andSihibhuto, cooled,is afrequent
epithetoftheArahat.2Majjhima Nikaya,I426,quoted byde la Vallee
Poussinin his HibbertLectures,TheWaytoNirvana,perhapsthe
besttreatmentofthewholesubjectyetpublished,30 GOTAMA
BUDDHAintellectualcuriosity.1But within this circumscribedarea he
does seem to havedevelopedapsychologicaldoctrine of the self
thedoctrine ofAnatta andtothisextenttohave
satisfiedmenscuriosityaboutNibbana.Whentheypressedhimas to to
whetherannihilation ofgreed,hatred,andlustcarriedwith it
annihilationoftheself,he seems to have answered: "Itdepends
uponwhatyoumeanbytheself. Ifyoumean some sort ofsoulapartfrom
theaggregatesor Khandhaswell,no suchthingexists in this life.
Ifyoumean theprocessofbecoming,the stream of metal throbs withTanha
and Kamma as itsliving core,then that iscertainlyannihilated in
Nibbana. Sabba anatta;allthingsare withoutany underlyingself or
soul.Howcan thatbe annihilated which has never existed?It is
Tanhawhichgivesthedelusionofexistence. Howshall that notbe
annihilated which is the source of allour sorrow?"In otherwords,we
cannot describeNibbanauntilwehavemasteredthe true nature of
theself;andthere is noself in the usual sense! Even
sowecandescribeNibbanabestby negatives! It is theabsence of evil :
no less it is the absence of toil andheatandsorrow.2Thefirststepis
togetridofwrongnotions ofself,and from this there will follow
theconquestofegoismandthe
attainmentofpeace.3ProfessordelaValleePoussin does not hesitate
tosaythat Gotamataughtonethingto theelect,andanotherthingto
thesimple.Hemaintains that to theelecthewasfranklya
rationalistteachingannihilation,andgivesusthefollowinginstructive
simile :1OnatleastfourpointsGotamarefused todogmatize:1. Is
theworldeternal?2. Isit infinite?3. Arebodyand soulidentical ?4.
DoestheArahatexist after death?Buddhism became more and more
a"middleway"betweendifferentmetaphysicalpositions.2Cf. Section
XVoftheDhammapada.3 "I see no othersingle impediment,Omonks,which
sohindersmankindastheimpedimentofignorance.. . .
Allmisfortunesarerooted
inignoranceandcraving"(Itivuttaka,14-40).QUESTANDCONQUEST31"A
Buddha is atiger,or rather
atigress.Thistigresshastotransporthercub,andaccordinglytakesit
intohermouth;she holds it between her double setof teeth. But for
theteeth,the cubwould fall;but ifthe teethwere tobetightly
closed,it wouldbecrushed,Inthe
samewayaBuddhasavesbeings,transportsthemacross the ocean
oftransmigration,
bytheparalledteachingofpermanenceandimpermanence,Self
andSelflessness,bliss ofNirvana,and annihilation in
Nirvana.Permanence, Self,bliss of Nirvana: somanyfalsehoods.
Usefulfalsehoods: but forthemonewouldgive upthereligious
trainingtowardsdeliverance.Impermanence, selflessness,annihilation:
somanytruths.Dangeroustruths like aserpentwith ajewelin its hood :
itrequiresa clever hand to take thejewel.In the samewayfew men are
able to avoidbeingcrushedbythese sublime and terrible
truths.Selflessnesswronglyunderstood would lead to thewrongview
that there is no survival;thedoctrineof annihilation in Nirvana
wouldoriginate despairordistrust."Therefore, Sakyamunihasbeen
obscure on thesepoints,and did not avoid somecontradictions;
and,when aninquirerwas boldenoughto ask for
aplainanswer,heplainlyanswered: You shall notknow.Cela
nevousregardepas"1I amnotpreparedtogoas far asthis,for
Ibelievethatheremainedto theendof his life anagnosticas towhatfull
Nibbanareally meant,satisfied himself
withhisownmoralexperience,andconvincedthat to all
hispeopletherewasanexperience sufficientlyvital andrealtocarrythem
on into thatBeyond,whose nature it
isimpossibletodescribeexceptinnegativeterms,becauseit will be
likenothingwhichwehaveknowninthislife.Asalover finds
itimpossibletodescribe theinwardnessof
hisexperiencetoanyexceptonewho has sharedit,so Gotama
musthavestriven in vaintomakeNibbanaalivingrealitytotherankandfile
ofhispeople.They1TheWaytoyirvana,p.137,32 GOTAMA BUDDHAfor
theirpartnodoubtinterpretedhisteachingaccordingto their
ownpreconceptionsand needs. That isthe fate of allgreatteachers.
Doubts as to thepossibilityofenlighteningthem were his
firsttemptation.Duringamonthofmeditationwhichfollowed
hisgreatexperience,the Devil assailed him in the form
ofdepressionanddoubt,whether what he had
sohardlywoncouldbehandedonto aworld which wouldsurelyfind these
lessons both difficult and
distasteful.1IntechnicallanguageGotamawastemptedto remain
aPaccekabuddha(aBuddhafor hisownsake)rather thanto become a
Sammasambuddha(universalBuddha,teaching all).LikeElijahhe was
overwhelmed witha sense of loneliness anddejection,but to him
alsotherecamea still smallvoicewhichnervedhimfor hishightask.The
records tell us that Brahma himself cametoreassurehim,andto
rekindlehisdeepcompassionforhumanity."Open,Owiseone,thedoorofEternityPreach,Othoustainless,thetruththouhastfound.Thouwhoartsorrow-free,preachto
thesorrowing,Standingaloft letthemhearthegladsoundI"Certainit is
thathebracedhimselffor
thetask,andsetoutcalmandconvinceduponhisgreatmission.ThatGotamathus"hadcompassionon
the
world"andcamedownfromthe"terracedheightsofwisdom"tohelpthose"toilingontheplans"is
in itselfenoughtojustifytheBodhisattva
idealwhichcamegraduallytosupersedethat of theArahat.2Hesoughtfirst
his old teachers atRajagaha,butfoundthattheyweredead,and then
walked 100 milesor more in anorth-westerlydirection to Benares
in1Mahavaggar 1,5,2. For Marastestimonyto Gotamasfaultless
behaviourduringthe sevenyearsthat
hedoggedhisfootsteps,seeSacredBooksoftheEast, XII,71.2This is the
chief difference between the Theravada
orearlyandtheMahayanaorlaterBuddhism.
Thelattermaintains,notunreasonably,that Gotama was more Bodhisattva
thanArahat,i.e. that altruismwasstrongerin him than
self-culture,QUESTANDCONQUEST33orderthat his fivedisciples,
purifiedbylongasceticism,mighthavethe
firstopportunityoflearningthegoodnews.
OnhiswaytheJainasceticUpakamethimandthus addressed him:"Placid and
serene isthycountenance. Who isthyteacher?" To whom
herepliedintheseverses :"All-conqnerorI,knowerofall,Fromeverysoil
andstainreleased,Renouncingall,fromcravingceased,Self-taught
;whomshouldIMastercall ?ThatwhichIknowI learnedofnone,Myfellow is
notontheearth.OfhumanorofheavenlybirthToequalmethereis
notone.Itrulyhaveattainedrelease,TheworldsunequalledteacherI.Aloneenlightenedperfectly,I
dwellineverlastingpeace.NowtoBenaresTownIpressTosetthe
Truth-wheelwhirlinground.In this blindworld
IgotosoundThethrobbingdrumof deathlessness.""Itmaybeso,
friend,itmaybeso,"said thesceptical Upaka,and went on hisway.For he
hadbeentaughttolookuponVardhamanaas the
trueJina,orconqueror,andthis"Wheel"ofGotamas makes
abigclaim.1Afterwanderingfromplacetoplace,Gotama cameto Benares.
The five monks saw himcomingandagreedamongthemselves to snub him as
arenegade,but his radiant countenance and the
serenedignityofhisbearingwonthem over. He bade them
nolongeraddresshimas"friendGotama"butasTathagata,andhebegantoinstructthem,givingto
them theteachingknownasDhammacakkappavatanaSutta"Therollingof the
victorious wheel" or "Theestablishingof theKingdom"as it is
sometimes renderedbyWestern1Discourses ofGotama,tr.Silacara, II,14.
Other recordsmakeUpakaa BrahminoranAjivika.34 GOTAMA
BUDDHAwriters.1The "Discourse of the
MiddleWay"wouldbetterexpressits contents. Wehaveonlyan abbreviated
version ofit, disappointingin itsdry brevity,andhardly worthyof the
occasion. It was a notableone!"History,"it has been wellsaid,"knows
nochapterssobeautiful and noble as those which tell ofthecomingof
thegreat prophetsand founders ofreligionstothe menoftheirtime.
ThestoryofIsaiahinJerusalem,of Socrates inAthens,of Zoroaster on
theuplandsofIran,of Gautama in the deerparkofBenares on all
theseimmortalstories there liesalightbeyondthelightof time.Theytell
howgreatnewthoughtsof the
eternalthingscametomenthroughthehumanmediumofanoblepersonality,howlikemagnetstheydrew
to the new teacher the flower of the nobleyouthof
thetime,whofollowedtheMaster"Learnedhisgreatlangauge,caughthis
clearaccents,Madehimtheirpatterntoliveandtodie."Theyoneand all tell
also of thegreat rightsofthespiritthatfollowed the adventof the new
teacher.Allthingsare atodds,saidEmerson,when Godlets a new thinker
looseupontheplanet."2SuchwasGotama,and it isclear,inspiteof
themeagrereports,that he had a new andstirring messagetodeliver,and
that it constrained andupliftedhim. Itwas in this exalted mood that
hepreachedhis first"sermon."It wasclearlyborn of his own
heroicexperience,andin it he sets forth hisreligionas a Golden
Mean.As alyre givestherighttoneonlyif thestringisstretched neither
toomuch nor toolittle,so is it withthe life of man. So
hetaughtthemlater,when his1"To setrollingtheroyalchariot wheel of a
universalempireof truth andrighteousness"is Dr.RhysDavidsrendering
(Buddhism,p.45).In his Hibbert Lectures Dr,Davids has shownvery
convincinglythat Gotama fulfilled theChakkavattiideal,
yettranscended and sublimatedit,much asJesusdidthat of
theMessiah.2D. S.Cairns,The Reasonableness of the
ChristianFaith,p.167.QUESTANDCONQUEST35mindhadhadtimetoworkuponhisexperience.Nowhegavethem
thefollowing keyto truth: "Twoextremes arethere,Obrethren,which the
reclusemust avoidthe life ofpassionand ofsensualityonthe onehand,a
low andpagan way, ignobleandprofitingnothing,andon the other
handself-tortures,which is alsoignobleandunprofitable,as well
asverypainful.Thepathwhich I have discovered is
apathwhichopenstheeyes, givesunderstandingand leads
topeace,toNibbana. It is the NobleEight-FoldPath."Hethengoesonto
tellthemof the FourNobleTruths,inwhichhetraces
theoriginofsufferingtocravingforsuchthingsasgratificationof the
senses or forthejoysof life afterdeath,or forprosperityin this
world;andshows howsufferingcanonlybeput awayif suchcravingis first
killed out. It is to attain
thisgoalthat"nobleyouthleavehomeandgoforth to the homelesslife,and
thewayto it is the MiddlePath,"/.*?,the"NobleEight-Fold Path,"
RightViews,Right Aspirations, Right Speech, Right Conduct,
RightMeans
ofLivelihood,RightEffort,RightMindedness,andRightRapture.Ofthis
sermonProfessorRhysDavids has written :1Thereis notawordabout God
or thesoul,not aword about the Buddha. It seemssimple,almostjejune
;sothinandweakthat one wonders how it canhaveformedthe
foundationfor asystemsomightyinits historical results. But
thesimplewords arepregnantwithmeaning.Theirimplicationwas
clearenoughtothe hearers to whomtheyare
addressed."1Yetwecannotbutwishthat somefuller record hadcomedownto
us.Thoughthesewordscameout oftheheartof
thegreatexperience,andtherefore,meagreasthey are,carried conviction
to the five who hadsuffered allthingswithhim,yetone cannot doubt
thatGotamaspokemorefully
andwithawealthofillustrationandcommentwhichhasnotbeenpreserved.And
thisis true ofmanyof his discourses which
arereportedto1EarlyBuddhism,p.53 .36 GOTAMA BUDDHAhave hadan
immediateresponsein the"conversion"of his
hearers."Religioniscaughtrather thantaught"andit wasoften
thecontagionof his ownjoyrather than the substance of
histeachingwhich wontheirallegiance.Weare topicturehimcalm
andserene,with a noteoftriumphandjoywhich was its own
bestapologetic.Countless statues ofhim,conventionalised
nodoubt,showhimstandingor
seatedthus,teachingwiththecertaintyandprecisionof amodernteacher
ofscience,andoccasionallyone is to be foundwith thequizzicalsmileof
a Socrates. To those whoarguedheprovedaremorselessantagonist,but
mostcapitulatedwithout
astruggle,charmedbyhiswinsomenessandconvincedbyhislogic,ormoreoftenbyhisanalogies.Hisgreatdiscoveryseemstobeanapplicationofthecurrentmedicaltheoryof
hisdayin the moralsphere,and it carriedimmediate conviction. In
fact it seemssosimpleas tobealmostaxiomatic: if
thereissufferingthere is acause forit;togetat the disease we
mustgetat its cause.Sufferingis causedby cravingof awrongsort :
togetrid of thiscravingwe
mustbusyourselveswithrightmoralconduct.Thesecond"sermon"is
saidtohave beendeliveredfourdays later,to the same fiveascetics,and
is called"TheAnatta-lakkhanaSutta"^ It took them astagefurther :
andtheybecameArahats,firstKondana,andlater the other four. This
sermon sets out to combatthe "soul" theories of theordinaryman.
Mendesirewronglybecausetheythinkwrongly.The firststagein the Path
isright thinking.Gotama shows howemancipationcomesthrough right
thinking;let themapplyto the "soul" or "self"
aprocessofanalysis:theywillfind that it is madeupof
somanyqualitiesandcharacteristics,somanysensationsandpreceptions,andtherefore
has no realbeingthat we should desire tobereborn."Thinkyou,
Omonks,that form ispermanentortransitory,or thatsensation,
perception,isper-1Vinaya,I,14; SamyuttaNikaya,
III,66,QUESTANDCONQUEST37manentortransitory?"
"Theyaretransitory,"repliedthe five. "And of that which
istransitoryandevil,andliable tochangecan it besaid,4This
ismyself,mysoul?"Nay,trulyitcannotbesaid,thefiveargued.Inthiswayheproducesin
hisdisciplesafeelingof disgustorcontempt."What is the self but a
bundle ofattributes
?"Hereplacestheemotionofdesireforlifebytheemotionofdisgust.Thismethodwascarried
toa fine art as thesystem developed,until
meditationingraveyardsanduponskeletonsbythewaysideisrecommendedasareadymeansofsecuringsuch
detachment and aloofness from thethingsof sense as willleadonto
freedom.Is it notthemereskeleton of a sermon which hascomedownto
us? But the "thirdsermon,"preachedto
thelaycommunityonamountain-side nearGaya,ismorelikepreaching,and
less like a classroom lecture;possiblybecausetheaudience now
consisted of
certainyoungnobles,andothers,mostlytheinstructed"monkswithmattedhair,"orJatilas,fire-worshippers,whohadadded
themselves to hiscompany,andneededdifferenthandling.Theoccasionof
it wasaconflagrationwhichbrokeout in thejunglesas
theteacherwasseatedwithhisdisciples"on theElephantRock
nearGaya,withthe beautifulvalleyofRajagahastretched out
beforethem."3It is known as
the"FireSermon,"Aditta-pariyayaSutta,andis one themosttypicaland
famousof Buddhistutterances
:"Allthings,Omendicants,areaflame,theeyeisaflame,formsareaflame,
impressionsreceivedbytheeyeare aflame;andall sensations thatarise
fromtheseimpressionsreceivedthroughtheeyeare aflame. Andwhat is
theflame ? It is theflameoflust,ofanger,andof infatuation;
birth,oldage,death,mourning,anddespair;all are set on fire with
thisflame."Sohegoes on, takingthe other senseorgansin
turnandincluding the mind amongstthem,
showingthatallthe1MaMvagga,I,21.(Forthe full text of the sermon
seeWarren,BuddhisminTranslations, pp.351-53.)38 GOTAMA BUDDHAworld
is a conflagration,tillheleadshis disciplestodisgustfor
senseimpressionsand to detachment from desire.11Sois
thediscipleshorn ofdesire,so is hefreed,andsoheknowsthathe is
free;heknowsthat theprocessofbecomingis at anend,that he has
attained to thepure life,that hehasdonewhathadtobedone,and
hasputoffmortalityfor ever."3Thisandsimilarpreaching
wassosuccessfulthatthenumberof Arahats grewveryrapidly.Notall
werelikethe teacherand the five ascetics who afterlongstrivingfound
release : apartyofyoungnobles who
wereveryworldlywereconvertedenblocastheyweresportingin
theforest,andsoonthereweresixtyArahats.Theseafter aperiodof
instructionGotamasent outonapreachingtour:*Goforth,hesaid,ona
journeythat shall be for thegoodofmanyand for theirhappiness.
Goforth incompassiontowardstheworldforthewealofgodsand men. Go
forth inpairs,but to eachhis ownwork. Teachthe beneficent
Law;reveal theholylife tomen blindedwith thedust of
desire.Theyperishfor lackofknowledge.Teachthemthe Law."2Wemay
questionthissendingof men sorecentlyconverted.
ButGotamaseemstohaverealisedthattheyoungconvertneedssomeexercise of
thewill,andthatthere is nosurerwayoftestingone s beliefs
thanbyattemptingto teach them tosimplefolk. And themoreimportant
partof theirmessagewas a call torighteouslivingwhichit
needednosubtletyof mindnorany traininginmetaphysicto understand. If
themassescouldnotunderstandNibbana,theycouldatanyrate set
outupontheEight-FoldPath. And whoshouldteach them
soappealinglyasfellow-voyagerswhobelievedthattheythemselveshadfoundbothchart
andcompass?1RhysDavids,Buddhism,p.59. Mrs.RhysDavidsprefersto
translate Tanhaby"craving";Iagree.2Samyutta Nikaya, I,105. In
Sacred Books of theEast,XIII, 112,it is stated thattheyweresent
out"onebyone."IllGOTAMAATTHEHEIGHTOF HIS
POWERThefragranceoftherighteoustravels
farandwide.Dhammapada54."Hisprogresswasatriumphofgladness."E.W.Hopkins.THATtheteachingofthe
first Buddhistmissionarieswaseagerlywelcomed seems
clear;fortheywerefilled withjoyandconviction,and the times
werefullyripefor the moralteachingthattheyhad togive.Ithas been
contended that it waschiefly amongstthenobilitythat
thisteachingfoundacceptance,and
thereasonhasbeensuggestedthatthewarriorsandrajasofthedaygavethenewreligionareadyhearingbecause
itwassetupinoppositionto theBrahmins,and becausethey recognisedin
Gotama one of themselves. "Hespoke," says Hopkins,"toglad
hearers,who heardrepeatedloudlynowas
areligioustruthwhatoftentheyhad saiddespitefullyto themselves
inprivate"i1andProfessorOldenbergfindsinearlyBuddhism a
decidedpredilectionfor
thearistocracy.2Nodoubtthesewereelementsinthe success of
thenewreligion,but it was at heart a democratic movementand it
wasnotessentiallyanti-Brahmin: into theSanghaBrahmins,
kings,warriors,cultivators,andmenandwomenoflowcaste,andof
nocaste,wereequallywelcomed.3,Preachingwas in the vernaculars of
Ma-1Hopkins,Religionsof India, p.304.2Oldenberg,Buddha,E.T.,
p.157.3Mahavagga,I,15.40 GOTAMA BUDDHAgadhaandKosala,andlayfolk
could understand muchofiti^The two firstlay
discipleswereTapussaandBhallika,merchants;andUpali,abarber of the
courtoftheSakyas,wasveryearlyordainedandattainedapositionofleadershipintheSangha.Heis
indeedcreditedwith themainshare incompilingtheVinayaor code
ofdisciplinefortheneworder.Amongstthe first converts were three
brothersKasyapa,1fire-worshippersorJatilas,and two
othersdestinedtobecomeleaders
:SariputtaandMoggallana,bothBrahmins,whilstAnandaandDevadattawerebothof
the warrior caste;sothatevenin its inner circle theSangha
wasfairlyrepresentative.Thefactthat
GotamahimselfpromotedSariputtaandMoggallanatopositionsofleadership
suggestshowfarhewas fromdesiringtoorganisean
anti-Brahmincampaign.Yet there is noquestionabout the frankness
with which he dissectedandridiculedBrahminclaims
tosupremacy.Thetraditionalstoryof the conversionof these
twofriendsseemsprobableenough. Theywerewanderingascetics,
disciplesofSanjaya,and hadpromisedoneanotherthathewho should first
find salvation(AmataorAmbrosia)would tell the other. Oneday
SariputtasawAsajji,oneof Gotamas first fivedisciples,on
hisbeggingground;struckbyhis noble
andcalmbearing,heaskedhimwhowashisteacher,andwhathetaught."There is
agreat sage,a son of theSakyas,who hasgoneforthto the homeless
life;he ismy teacher,andit is hisdoctrine
Iprofess,"saidAsajji,andquotedthisverse
:"ThatallthingsfromacausearesprungThishaththeTeachershown:Howeachshall
toitsendingcomeThistoohehathmade
known."OnhearingthisSariputtaattained"to thepureeyeforthe
truth"or,in otherwords,was converted to theBuddhistfaith ! Thatthe
universe isorderlyand that2Cf.Majjhima Nikaya,AssaldyanaSutta
andTevijjaSuttaofDighaNikaya,bothquotedin
fullbyDr.T.RhysDavids,Hib-bertLectures,II.GOTAMAATHEIGHTOFHISPOWER
41there is akeyto itsworkingsthis is tomanyminds agospelindeed.
Hehurriedoff toMoggallana,told
himthathehadfoundAmbrosia,andtheywerebothadmittedto the
Order.1About a week
afterwardsMoggallanadozedwhenheshouldhavebeenmeditating,andGotamadrilyreminded
him that"Torporis not the same asAryansilence."2Butthetwofriends
maderapid progress:they becamepillarsofthe Sangha;and
somepartsofthe Abhidhamma,thescholasticsectionofthe Buddhistbooks,
are,I thinkunjustly,attributed to them.3Anothergreatconvertof
theseearly dayswasMahaKassapa, who,like hismaster,hadgiven upa
beautiful wife andapositionof wealthandinfluence to seek awayof
salvation;it is he who is recorded to havecalledthe first
BuddhistCounciltogetherafter Gotamasdeath,andis thereputedauthorof
thispoeminpraiseof
themaster[andofhimself]:"InthewholeofBuddhasfollowing,SavingalonethemightyMastersself,Istandtheforemostin
asceticways:NomandothpractisethemsofarasI.TheMasterhathmyfealtyandlove,Andall
theBuddhas ordinanceis done.LowhaveI laid
theheavyloadIbore,Causeforrebirth is
foundinmenomore.Forneverthoughtforraiment,norforfood,Norwhereto
rest
doththegreatmindaffect,Immeasurable,ofourGotama.Nomorethanspotlesslotus-
blossomtakesAmarkfromwater;toself-sacrificeContinuallyprone,hefromthesphereThreefoldofnewbecomingis
detached.Theneckofhimis like thefourfoldtowerOfmindfulnesssetnp;
yea,thegreatSeerHathfaithandconfidencefor hands;
above,Thebrowofhimisinsight; noblywise,Heeverwalkethin cool
blessedness."41Mahavagga,I,23(SacredBooksoftheEast,XIII,144,
145).2TforagdtM.OCLXlU.8AndtoSariputtais attributed the Niddesa
orcommentaryon theSuttaNipata.*Mrs. RhysDavids,Songsof
theBrethren,pp.367,368(Thera-gatha,CCLXI).42 GOTAMABUDDHAIn this
tributetoiGotamawe note
theimpressionwhichhemadeuponhiscontemporaries;jnotonlyishisasceticismpraised,and
his noble wisdom andgreatpowersofmind^butKassapaattributes
tohimfaith,andconfessesto apersonalloyaltyand devotion which
theMasterkindled in him. We cannot doubt that it wasthis,even more
than histeaching,which nerved theseearlyfollowers andgavethemthe
sense ofjoyandofwell-beingwhichrings throughtheir verses.
ThatKassapawent to extremes of asceticism seems clear :there is
anothersongof hiswhichisperhapsthemostgruesome thingin allreligious
literature,and whichreveals therevolting lengthto which Buddhist
detachmentcouldgointhoseearlydaysofenthusiasm:"DownfrommymountainlodgeIcameonedayAndmademyroundfor
almsaboutthestreets.AleperthereI
saweatinghismeal(Andaswasmeet,thathemighthaveachance),In(silent)
courtesyI haltedat his side.Hewithhishand allleprousanddiseasedPut
inmybowlamorsel;ashethrew,Afingermortifying,brokeandfell.LeaningagainstawallI
atemyshare,Norat
thetimenorafterfeltdisgust.ForonlyhewhotakethastheycomeThescrapsoffood,medicinefromexcrement,Thecouchbeneaththetree,thepatchworkrobe,Standsasa
maninnorth,south, east,or west."1Such wasKassapa ;and we shall see
later whatwerethequalitiesforwhicheach of the other leadersof
theSaiighawas most honoured. But there
weremanyotherearlyconvertsnotsoeminent:
therewas,forinstance,Yasa,ayoung noble,whovery
earlyinhisministrycame to Gotama and became
anArahat,whilsthisfather, mother,and wife becamelayadherents.
TheMah&vaggatells us that Yasa
wasbroughtupingreatluxury;andthat, disgustedat
thesightofthesleepingwomen of theharem,hecametoGotamacrying:"Alas!
What sorrow! Whatdanger!"TohimGotamafirst talked about the merit
obtainedby1SongsoftheBrethren,p.362(Theragatha,CCLXI).GOTAMAATHEIGHTOFHISPOWER
43almsgiving:,the beauties ofmorality,heaven,the evilsofvanity,and
the dust of desire. Whenhe saw thatthemindof
thenobleyouthwasprepared,hepreachedthemoreessentiallyBuddhistic
doctrine ofsuffering,itscause,and thewaytoescape.And because
Yasawas fit for suchinstruction,wearetoldthat,"asacleanclothabsorbs
thedye,"he absorbed theteachingthatwhatsoeverissubjecttobirth is
alsosubjectto death.Had he been lessprepared,Gotama would
havebeencontent to leadhimmuchmoregraduallyfromtheelements to the
arcanaof histeaching.It isquiteclearthat to
themasseshecontentedhimselfwithpreachingasimple moralitylike that
embodied in the edicts ofAsoka,andthatonlyas individuals showed
themselvesreadyfor the more difficultteachingdid
heimpartit."Firststudytheperson," saysa
BuddhistproverbofJapan,"then teach the Law."jGotamasfamilywere
alsoamongstthe earliestconverts.Duringthese
sixlongyearsofpainfulsearch andfinalvictory,reportshadreachedthe
old Chief atKapi-lavatthu.Impatientto
seehisson,hesentmessengerstohimatRajagaha.OneafteranothertheycameunderthespellofGotama,andforgottheirmessagesin
thegreatnessof their enthusiasm for
thenewteacher;butatlastKaludayin,a formerplaymateof Gotama
andnowMinister ofState,wassenttourgehis return. Onthe
full-moondayofPhalgunhecame,andurged that,in thisperfect
weather,when"the trees are crimsonwith blossom and the
hourbigwithhope,"Gotamashouldreturn.1Heprevailed;and in theearly
springthecompanyset outforKapilavatthu,ajourneyof
400miles,whichtheyaccomplishedbyslowstages.Travellingaboutsevenmiles
aday,andenjoyingthebeautyofthe freshfields
andfloweringgroves,theycame to thelittlecity.The"Legendof the
Burmese Buddha"
describesthebeautyoftheIndianspringtide,adelightfultimefor*Theragatha,CCXXXIII(SongsoftheBrethren,p.249).44
GOTAMABUDDHAone of thepilgrimage-picnicsdear to the
Indianheart,andputsinto the mouthofKaludayinthese words:"The cold
season isover,the warm season hasjust begun: this is now
thepropertime to travelthroughthecountry ;naturewearsagreenaspect
;thetrees andthe forests are in full blossom;the roads
arelinedtorightand left with trees loaded withfragrantblossoms and
delicious fruits;thepeacock proudlyexpandshismagnificenttail;birds
ofeverydescriptionfill the air with
theirravishingandmelodioussinging;at this seasonheat
andcoldareequally temperate,andnature isscattering
profuselythesechoicestgifts."3Men, women,and children cameout from
thecitytogreetthewandererandfoundhimrestinginagrove.Very
tenderly,butvery firmly,he dealt with his
oldfather,whocomplainedthat thismendicant life wasnolife for the
sonofan illustrious line;far different wasthe custom ofkings.
"This,"saidGotama,"is thecustomoftheBuddhas,andto theirlineage
doIbelong";and inaversereminded his father that
thegoodmanwinshappinesshereafter as well as in this
life.2EventuallySuddhodana wasconvinced,and became
alay-adherent.Aftersupperthe women of the householdcame
andpaidhimhomage, exceptthe
PrincessYasodhara,whofelt,notunreasonably,that it was forthe
wandererto seek her out. We are
toldthat,accompaniedbySariputtaandMoggallana,he went intofind
herandshe,runningtomeethim,laid herheaduponhis feet. Yet there was
some bitterness in herheart,andshe is said
tohaveaskedpassionatelyfortheinheritance of the little Rahula. "I
willgivehim amoreexcellentinheritance,"said the ascetic and
badeMoggallanashave hishead,and admit him to theSaiigha?After
thistheysetoutagainforRajagaha.1P.
170.2Dhp.168.3SacredBooksoftheEast, XIII,208,209. The admission
ofchildrenled toseriousmisunderstandingsat a laterdate,and itis
laiddownin theVinayathat it wasnottocontinue,exceptwiththe full
sanctionof theboysparents(cf.
MaMvagga,!,48),GOTAMAATHEIGHTOFHISPOWER 45On theway,in themango
groveofAnupiya,hemet a number of theSakya princes,
amongstthemAnanda,Anuruddha,andDevadatta,hiscousins,all ofwhomwere
destined toplayagreat partin his life;either then or latertheywere
all admitted to theSangha.ArrivingatRajagaha,the teacher wasgreeted
byAnathapindika,merchantofSavatthi,withamunificentgiftof
amonasteryofeightycellsandotherresidenceswithterracesandbaths,andacceptedhis
invitation toSavatthi. There was a"fragrancechamber"
forGotamahimself,and here he tookuphis abode. Inacceptingthis or
asimilargiftGotama is said to
haveutteredthefollowingthanksgivingi1"Herecoldandheatnosojournmake;Hereravenous
beastsnoentryfind,Norstingingfly,norcreepingsnake,Winters
coldrainnor summersscorchingwind.Hereis
aplacetoconcentrateThethoughts,todwellserene, apart,Where
menofinsightmeditateSuchhabitationscharmtheSagesheart
!Thesearechoicegifts:therefore, yewise,Havingyourownbest
wealinmind,Letsacrededifices
riseTolodgetheholyBrethrenofmankind.RaimentandfittingdrinkandfoodAndamplebeddingnowprepare!Theseoffer
totheBrotherhood;LettheminturntheRighteousLawdeclare.Soshallyourmiseryremove,Andyebepurgedofeverystain,GoodnessandTruthyell
learntolove,And,loving,shall thelonged-forGoalattain
!"Laypatronssuch asAnathapindika playedagreatpartinthespreadof the
Order. AnotherwastheLadyLatertheordination
ofanycandidateundertwentyyearsofagewas forbidden(Ibid., I, 49)for
it did not tend to"convert the^unconverted or toaugmentthe
number"(ortheprestige"oftheconverted").1The Heart
ofBuddhism,p.31.(Translatedfrom Culla-vagga, VI,1).446
GOTAMABUDDHAVisakha,whoalsodweltatSavatthi,andwhoseems
tohavebeenformerlyadiscipleof the Naked Sect ofJains,but who
nowgavethegreat monasteryofPubbarama to
theSangha.ThecourtesanAmbapali1wasalso
agenerouspatroness.HertownwasVesali;andwefind
anobleemulationbetweenthe chief townsofthedistrict for the
honouroflodgingthemonks.The next threerainyseasonsthey spentin
theBambooGroveatRajagaha,andweare told that in
thefifth^seasonGotama,then atVesali,mediated betweentheSakyasand
theKoliyas,to both of whose chieffamilieshewasrelated,in
adisputeover the waters ofthe riverRohim,andspoketo them
variousparablesprovingthat hatred does but breedhatred,and
thatfeudsperpetuatethemselves anelementarytruth notyet learned,it
wouldseem, bythe statesmen of thegreatChristiannations
:"Badfolkbywrathareoverthrown,Aswhenanavalanchecomesdown."Thus war
was averted. Sogreatlywas Gotamaalreadyesteemedin the
councilchambers ofkings ;soconvincingwas the sweet reasonableness
of histeaching!About this time it seems that women were
firstadmittedto the Order. On the death
ofSuddhodana,hiswife,thelady Pajapaticamewith
thewivesofotherSakyachiefsandurgedthattheyshould not be left
tomourn alone;but should be admitted to the Order.Thisrequestseems
to havepuzzled Gotama,whorefusedit threetimes,for heheld the ideas
of womenwhich were usual in the India of hisday.2But
theladieswereimportunate ; theycutoff
theirhair,putontheyellowrobe,tookbegging bowls,and set out
tomeethim;andso,withbleedingfeet,andtravel-stained,1Sacred Books of
theEast,XVII,p.105. This courtesanseemstohavewieldedgreatinfluence.
She has beencomparedtoMadamePompadour.2Womenare likened in
theItivuttaka orLogiaof
Gotamatocrocodilesanddemonswhowaitfortheswimmerin thestreamof
life.GOTAMAATHEIGHTOFHIS POWER 47thesehigh-bornwomencameto Vesali.
The first tomeet them wasAnanda,whose wife
wasprobablyamongstthem,andhebesoughtGotamato_ admit themto
theSangha.
Againherefused,tillAnanda,withmoreintelligencethanusual,asked him
whether therewasany spiritualdefect in women
topreventtheirattainingevento theGoal,Nibb&na. Gotama was
toohonest to fence with thisquestion,but hegave waywith sorrow
andmisgivings."Let them besubjectand subordinate to thebrethren,"he
commanded."Even so their admission means that the GoodLawshall
notendure for athousandyears,butonlyfor fivehundred.
Foraswhenmildew fallsuponafieldofricethat field isdoomed,even so
when women leave thehousehold life andjoinanorder,that order will
notlongendure. Yetaswater is heldupbyastrongdyke,sohave I
establisheda barrier ofregulationswhich
arenottobetransgressed.":Intakingthisstep,Gotama
knewhewastakingrisks,yetit seemed inevitable;and was on the whole
welljustifiedbyevents:thoughthe nunsprovedfretful attimes
andthoughthere were instances of immoralconduct, yetsome of them
such asDhammadinna,Sukha,andKhemadidnobly,reaching
equaleminencewiththegreatmonks. Thus we find
theladyKhemateachingthekingof Kosala
andwinningGotamasapprovalforherclearandaccuratehandlingofthevexedquestion,"Does
the BlessedOne, havingenteredNibbana,still exist ?"Like St. Francis
ofAssisi,Gotama had now twoOrders of"religious"men andwomen,
givingtheirwholeattentionto theGoodLaw;andathird Order oflay
people, including kingsandwarriors,
who,whilstcarryingontheirordinary
duties,keptasimplifiedruleoflife,andgaveof their substance
andenergyto the1Cullavagga, X,16. Is theprophecycontained in
thesewordsduetoamomentaryfit ofdepressionin the serene
andoptimisticGotama,or is it theworkof alaterhand,writingat
atimewhenthe"goodlaw"wasalreadyin
decline?2Oldenberg,Buddha,E.T.,pp.278-80.48 GOTAMA
BUDDHAspreadingof the faith.
AndinreturnitseemsclearthattheSanghagavethemsoundandpracticaladvice;thusatVesaliGotamaseemstohavetaughttheVajjiansthatit
isrightconduct thatexaltsapeople
;solongastheymeetinconferenceanddwellinconcord,solongastheyrespectwoman,above
all solongasthey supportandprotecttheSangha^solongwillthey
prosper,andgoforward. Butlikea
Hebrewprophethewarnsthemofimpendingdisaster.1Theywere
notungrateful,buttheyallowed dissension tospring up amongst
them,and soon afterwardsAjatasattu conqueredthem
anddestroyedtheircity.It is nottobesupposedthat
allwentsmoothlywiththenewteaching ;or that Gotamas serene course
hadno dark moments. In the
firstplacethepeopleofMagadhaseemtohavecomplainedbitterlythat
hewasmakingorphansandwidowsof them all :"He causesfathers tobegetno
children;and wives to becomewidows;andfamilies tobecome
extinct."5Besidessuchcriticismandoppositionfromwithout,Gotamawasclearly
subjecttotemptationsfromwithin,whichthebooksnaivelyattribute
toMara,the Princeof DarknessandDeath. Afterhisillumination,as
wehaveseen,cametemptationsto succumb to
acynicalestimateofmankindandtokeephisdiscoveryto himself.Later came
other insidioussuggestions ;
once,forexample,whilehewasmeditatingalone inahuton
theHimalayas,thethoughtcametohim:"Howmuchgoodthetruly righteous
king might do, rulinginpeace,inflictingnopain, seeingthat no
manoppresshisneighbour."Hotfoot uponthisthoughtcameMara,whoreminded
him of his miraculouspower bywhich hemightturn all
theHimalayasintogold,but to himGotama,nowcompletelymaster
ofhimself,
replied:"Andpraywhatprofitwoulditbetothesagetopossessamountainofgold?"3Yetthese
twotemptations,to1MahdparinibbanaSutta.3Mahavagga,I,24(SacredBooksoftheEast,
XIII,150).8SamyuttaNikaya^I.GOTAMAATHEIGHTOFHISPOWER
49becomeagreatrulerandto usemiracle insetting upa"theocracywithout
aGod,"were no doubtvery real;theyresemblethetemptationswhich
assailed Jesus ofNazarethat thebeginningofHispublicministry,and
itmust have neededgreatheroism in each case toputthemaway. Maywe
not find in thetemptationofGotama a recurrence ofearlyambitions to
become aChakkavatti,ambitions now refined andspiritualized?And
othertemptations, too,he must have knownaboveall,theyearningto
leave acontraryand criticalworldto roll on
toperdition!Thereweredisputes again,evenwithintheSangha;andoutside
it thereweremanyrivalteachers,who
didnotlookfavourablyuponthegrowingenthusiasmforthenewreligion,andsomeofwhomevenresorted
togrossattacksuponGotamas moral character.1Not unnaturally,
Sahjaya,the former teacher ofSariputtaandMoggallana,resented their
defection. Another rivals_ectwhom Gotamastronglycondemned were
theAjivikas,whotaughta determinism which seems tohave leddirectlyto
immoral conduct;theirchief,MakkhaliGosala,he described as a
"badman,"whowouldcatch hisdiscipleslike fish in order
todestroythem.2Another sect was that of Mahavira Vardha-mana,known
as theJains,a sect which
hadmanypointsofresemblancewithhisownteaching,butwhosemembers were
much more ascetic and believed intherealityof the soul and in
itspersonal identityafterdeath. Gotamas attitude to these rival
sects issummedupin theMajjhima Nikdya,where he
dividesasceticsoutsidehisownfollowingintoeightclasses,fourof which
are"incontinent," amongstthesebeingtheAjivikas,whilst four
are"unsatisfying," amongstthese1For thequaint storyof thegirlCinca
see The Heart ofBuddhism,pp.155,156.aIn theAnguttara NikayaGotama
calls the doctrine ofMakkhalithe"worstof doctrines" : it is like
the hair shirt itsauthorworeroughtothetouch,unpleasantto the smell
! Anaccount of histeachingisgiveninDialoguesof theBuddha,1,71.50
GOTAMABUDDHAbeingtheJains.1AndthoughGotamabade his followers show
noangerif these rival teachers attackedthem,yethemade itveryclear
that hestronglydisapprovedof some anddespisedothers. We are
toldthat these rivalteachers, findingnosupportinMaga-dha,whoseking,
Bimbisara,befriended the BuddhistSangha (seeingin
itsteachingofunityasplendidaidtostatecraft),went off toKosala,
hopingto win thepatronageof itsking,the PasenadiAgnidatta,2but
hetooeventuallyjoinedGotama.ThisPasenadihasasectionof
theSamyuttaNikayadevoted tohim,and is one of the
mostinterestingfiguresofGotamasday.Theyseemtohavemetfirstquite
earlyinGotamasministryon the occasion of
agreatanimalsacrifice,whenthecompassionof the teacherwasdeeply
stirred,andhespokeout as theprophetof anewrighteousnessand
thepriestof a new and moreseemlysacrifice.And all hisdayshe was
achampionof "our littlebrothers"whommen
sothoughtlesslyandwantonlytorture andslay."Nowat this time
agreatsacrifice wasarrangedtobe held for theking,the Kosalan
Pasenadi. Fivehundredbulls,five hundredbullocks,and asmanyheifers,
goats,and rams were led to thepillarto besacrificed,andthenthe
slaves and menials and craftsmen,hectored aboutbyblows andby
fear,made thepreparationswith tearful
facesweeping."Nowanumberofalmsmen,havingrisenearlyanddressedandtakenbowl
androbe,entered Savatthi foralms. . . . And after their returnthey
soughtthepresenceof the Exalted One and told himof
thepreparationsfor the sacrifice.1In theBrahmajalaSutta ofDigha
NikayaGotamaenumeratessixty-twocurrentphilosophiesandsaysthat
allwhoattemptin thosewaysto reconstruct thepastor todecide the
future are"like fishcaughtin a net.
Howevermuchtheyplungeandflounder,theyare the
moreentangled"(Dialogues, I,
319).3Pasenadiseemstohavebeenatitle,notaname.GOTAMAATHEIGHTOFHIS
POWER 51"Thenthe ExaltedOne,understandingthematter,utteredin
thathourthese verses :"Thesacrifices
called"theHorse,"theMan,ThePeg-thrownSite,theDrinkofVictory,TheBoltsWithdrawn,andall
themightyfuss :Thesearenot rites thatbringa rich
result.Wherediversgoatsandsheepandkineare slain.NevertosuctTa
riteasthatrepairThenobleseerswhowalktheperfectway.Butriteswhereis
nobustlenornofuss,Areofferingsmeet,bequestsperpetual,WTherenevergoatsandsheepandkineareslain.TosuchasacrificeasthisrepairThenobleseerswhowalktheperfectway.These
aretheritesentailinggreatresults.Thesetothecelebrantareblest,not
cursed.Th oblationrunnetho er;thegodsarepleased.mLike Samuelhe
insistedthat theoffering-ofright-eousness(dhammapuja)is better than
theofferingofmaterial
sacrifice(amisapuja).AtanothertimeGotamawasdistressed at
thestoryofcaptivestakeninone ofAgnidattaswars,andat thebonds which
still held thekinghimselfcaptive: thelove of self andof the
world.Thestoryof thekings conversionis worthquotingin full."Thus
have I heard: The Exalted One was oncestayingnearSavatthi,at the
Jeta Grove in Anatha-pindikas Park. Nowtheking,the
KosalanPasenadi,cameinto thepresenceof the ExaltedOne,and
afterexchanging greetingswith him
andcomplimentsoffriendshipandcourtesy,sat down at one side.
Soseatedhe said tothe ExaltedOne:; *DoesMaster Gotamaalso make no
claim to beperfectlyandsupremely enlightened? If there beany one,
sire,towhomenlightenmentmightrightlybe1Samyutta Nikaya,in
Mrs.RhysDavids TheBook of theKindredSayings,pp.102,103. Gotama does
not seem to havecondemnedsacrifice initself;but"better even than a
bloodlesssacrifice isliberality. . . and thehighestsacrifice of all
is toenterNibbdna,sayingI return no more to
earth"(KutadantaSutta,DighaNikaya,143).52 GOTAMA
BUDDHAattributed,it is I. Iverily,
sire,amperfectlyandsupremelyenlightened/ButMasterGotama,there
arerecluses andBrahminswhoalso,likeyourself,have each their order
ofdisciples,their attendantfollowers,whoareteachers
ofdisciples,well-known andreputed theorisers,
highlyesteemedbythepeopleI meanPurana-Kassapa,Makkhali of
theCowstall,theNiganthaNatasson,1SanjayaBelatthi sson, Kaccayanaof
thePakudhas,Ajitaof the Hairblanket. Nowthey,when I haveasked this
samequestionofthem,have not laidclaim toperfectandsupreme
enlightenment.Howcan this be? For(as
comparedwiththem)MasterGotamaisyounginyears,and is a novice inthe
life ofreligion/;There are fouryoungcreatures,who are not
tobedisregardedordespised,becausetheyareyouthful.Whatare the four ?
Anobleprince,asnake,afire,analmsman(bhikkhu). Yea, sire,these
fouryoungcreaturesare notto
bedisregardedordespisedbecausetheyareyouthful."Hence withthesefour
theserpentandthefire,Theprinceofhighestate,thesaintlyfriarLetthewiseman,hisowngood-willinsight,Conducthimselfasseemlyis
andright."When thesethingshad beensaid, King
Pasenadi,theKosalan,spokethus to the
ExaltedOne:Mostexcellent,Lord,mostexcellent! Just as ifa man wereto
setupthatwhichhasbeenthrowndown,orweretorevealthatwhichis
hiddenaway,orweretopointouttherightroadto himwhohasgone
astray,orweretobringalampinto the darkness so that
thosewhohaveeyescouldseeexternalforms evenso, Lord,hasthe
truthbeenmadeknowntomeinmanyafigurebythe ExaltedOne.I,evenI,
Lord,betakemyselftothe ExaltedOneasmyrefuge,to theNorm and to
theOrder.MaytheExaltedOneacceptmeas
afollower,1Nataputtawasthefounderof
theJainSect,whosememberscallhimbothJina(conqueror)andBuddha,GOTAMAATHEIGHTOFHISPOWER
53asone whofrom thisdayforth aslongas life
endureshastakenhisrefugetherein.Soweremanylesser folkconverted:
notsomuchbyargumentasby good-humoured analogyor theargu-mentum
adhominem. "You areyourself young,OKing," saysGotama in effect to
thePasenadi, "whydespisemeformyyouth?"Andnotawordmorewasneeded
norefutationofthe otherteachers,no
vindicationofhisownDhamma,butonlyaserene,authoritativeclaim,politelywrappedupin
acompliment!Thisis thewayto deal withkings.But
withphilosophersandrivalteachershe tookanotherline.King
Agnidattabecame thelife-longfriend andsupporterof theSanghaand,like
thegreatAsokaafterhim,seems to have been chastenedbycontact
withthem till hegaveupanimalsacrifices,and evensparedhisenemy
Ajatasattu,afterdefeatinghim in
battle."Although,"hereflected,"thisking injuresme
whohavedonehimnowrong,yethe ismynephew.Whatif I
takeawayhisarmyandleavehimhis life ?"Andwe find the Buddhist
chronicleravowing"That theKingofKosala,Pasenadi,is a friend and
anintimate,yea,anactivepromoterof all that
isgood."WhilstofAjatasattuweread that"Heis the friendand intimateof
allevil,andan active associate."But we areanticipating.The
sinisterplotsofAjatasattuand Devadattabelongto thestoryofGotamas
oldage,andmustbe told in a laterchapter.Duringthegreater partof his
lifetime it wasBimbisara who ruled
inMagadha;hisQueenKhemawasconvertedinspiteof herself in the
sixthyearofGotamasministry;andhisdatesareknownwitha
fairmeasureofcertaintyfrom543to 491 B.C. Their
sonAjatasattucomesonthe scene when Gotama is aboutseventy
yearsold.ThechronologyofGotamasministryupto theageoffiftyhas
beencarefully,if notvery convincingly,1Samyutta Nikaya,in
Mrs.RhysDavids TheBook of theKindredSayings, p.95.54 GOTAMA
BUDDHAworked out in some of thebiographies,such as thattranslatedby
BishopBigandetunder thetitle,The LifeorLegendofGaudama,and for want
of more certainknowledgethegeneral sequenceof eventsmaybeacceptedas
therearranged.But it is monkishchronologyfor the mostpart,concerned
with suchthingsaswhen theSanghawent intoretreat,and even
thisskeleton failsus fortheperiodof his life between
theagesoffiftyandseventy,whichare,as theBishopsays,"an
almostcompleteblank."It seems as if a late editor had collected all
theavailable material and used ituptooquickly! It iscertain that
the wholestoryhas been edited and re-editedby monks,until inJapanwe
have acompletechronologyworked out;eachyear
beingrememberedbysomediscourse,andeacheraconcerned with
averydefinitedevelopmentofdoctrine,until at the end ofhis life
Gotama reveals afullyworked out
Mah&-yanagospelinthefamousSaddharma-pundarlka\ Morescientific
biographymustselect fromtheavailablematterwhatis best calculated
togivea trueimpressionof itshero,andwhat is leastimprobableand
fabulous. Butuntil thewholeof the Buddhistworksare accessible
tousanduntilmuchmoretextual criticismhasbeendone,biographyin the
strictest sense is notpossible.IVTHEDAILY LIFE OFGOTAMAAND HIS
DISCIPLESInblisswedwellamongstmen
ofhatred,hatingnone.Dhammapada197.SMILEDonbykingsandgrowingrapidlyinnumbersand
inpower,theSanghahad to beorganised.Thiswas agradual process,for
Gotama seems to haverealised the value of adisciplinewhichsprangout
ofactualexperience.Intheveryearly dayswhen therewereonlysixArahats,
theyseem to have wanderedfromplacetoplaceat all seasonsof theyear
;but thisledtocriticism,for in the wet weather the land teemswith
insectlife,and theyoung cropsare alsoeasilydamaged! So thepeople
complained, saythe Mah&~vagga^and reminded them that birdsgoto
theirnests and even "heretics" have a "close
season."Gotamaaccordingly, followingapractice alreadyrecognizedin
other"Orders,"instituted the BuddhistVassa or"Lent,"whichhasever
sincebeenobserved.Towards the end ofMayor thebeginningof
June(themonthofAshaglha),the Indianskyisheavywithblackclouds,and
manseyesturnlonginglytowardsthem asthey pile up uponthehorizon,now
litbyflashes oflightning,nowhangingdark andbigwithrain.2Then at
lastthey break,and agreat
sighofthanksgivingseemstogoupfromthewearyland.1Mahavagga,III(SacredBooks
oftheEast,XIII,298, 299).2Thebreakingoftherainsvaries
inthenorth-west it is aslateastheendofJune;sotheMahavagga
givesalternatedates,eitherthedayafterthe fullmoon ofAshadha,or a
monthlater,forthebeginningof Vassa.56 GOTAMA BUDDHADuringthis
seasonwe are toimagineGotama
andhisfollowersleadingthe"strenuouslife of meditation"inquiet
placeslike the Vulture Peak of the BambooGroveatRajagaha,or
inthegarden givento thembyAnathapindikaat Savatthi. In the"Songsof
theBuddhistBrethren" wereadalso ofmonksandnuns insolitary
retreat,andtheir love of nature is revealed insomeofthese, thoughit
isalwaysas abackgroundforreligiousmeditation thattheythinkof
herbeauties."Thoseuplandgladesdelightfultothesoul,Wherethekarerispreadsitswilderingwreaths,Wheresoundthetrumpet-callsofelephants
;Thosearethebraeswhereinmysouldelights.Thoserockyheightswithhueof
darkblueclouds,Wherelies
embosomedmanyashiningtarnOfcrystal-clear,coolwaters,andwhoseslopesThe
herdsofIndra coverandbedeck
:Thosearethebraeswhereinmysouldelights.Likeserriedbattlementsofblue-blackcloud,Likepinnaclesonstatelycastlebuilt,Re-echoingtothecries
ofjunglefolk :Thosearethebraeswherein
mysouldelights.Fairuplands,rain-refreshedandresonantWithcrested
creatures criesantiphonal.LoneheightswheresilentRishisoftresort
:Thosearethebraeswhereinmysouldelights.. .
.Freefromthecrowdsofcitizensbelow,Butthrongedwithflocks
ofmanywingedthings,Thehomeofherdingcreatures
ofthewild;Sucharethebraeswherein
mysouldelights.Cragswhereclearwaterslie,arockyworld,Hauntedbyblack-facedapesandtimiddeer,Where
neathbrightblossomsrunthesilverstreams
:Sucharethebraeswhereinmysouldelights.ForthatwhichbringsmeexquisitedelightIsnotthestrains
ofstringandpipeanddrum,Butwhen,withintellect
wellpoised,intent,IgaintheperfectvisionoftheNorm."1But theSanghaas
a whole led thecorporatelife;even ifthey separatedinto smallgroups
theycametogetherat stated intervals;and retreat would endwith
mutual confession andexhortation,known
asPavaranZ.Theragatha,1062-1071,Mrs.RhysDavids
translation.DAILYLIFEOFGOTAMAANDDISCIPLES
57Then,whenthewetseasonwasoverand all
naturerejoiced,masteranddiscipleswouldmingleonce morewith thebusy
throngof men. Thedaywas mostcarefully planned.1Risingat dawn Gotama
wouldgoout either alone or with hfs~ followersi
~To""villagerortown, collectingalms. Hewould then break
hisfast,andwoulddiscourse to themonks,andgivethem exercises in
meditation suited to their attainments.Theywouldthen leavehim,
goingoff each to his favouritespottomeditate,whilstGotamawould
liedown on hisrightside"in the lionposture"in aquiet
chamber,orbetter still in the cool shade of theforest,andrest
notsleeping, yetnotpractising
systematicmeditation.Thenthepeoplewould come to him
forpreachingoradvice."Whenhehadtakenpityonthem,"hewouldbatheandspendaperiodinmeditation
in the cool oftheevening.And in the first watch of
thenighthewouldanswer thequestionsof thedisciples,orpreachto them.
Afterthatwemustsupposeheslept! It is ,characteristic of
themonkishrecords
thattheyaccountforeveryoneofthetwenty-fourhourswithoutallowingtime
for this. And after hisdeath it was one of
thetenetsoftheMahasanghikaSchoolthathehad no
needofsleep.ThattheSanghagrewsorapidlywascertainlynot"]due to the
ease of the life Gotama offered men. We,get manyglimpsesof
theirausterityasthey slepton ;the bareearthwith nocoveringbut
theyellowrobe;11Cold,master,is thewinternight;the timeof frost
iscoming; roughis thegroundwith thetreadingof thehoofsof
cattle;thin is the couch ofleaves,andlightis theyellow robe;the
winter wind blowskeen";21Cf.theaccountinH.C.
WarrensBuddhisminTranslations,fromBuddhaghosasCommentaryonDlghaNikaya.Amorepoeticalbut
lateraccount is inSumangalaVilasinl,translatedbyDr.RhysDavidsin
hisAmericanLectures.Thestudent whocomparesthe two accounts will
note thegrowthofthe miraculouselement.2Anguttara:Sukhasayama Sutta,
III, 4, 5,where
Gotamaclaimsthat,roughashisbedmightbe,hesleptcalmandpeaceful,unlikekingsandworldlings.58
GOTAMA BUDDHAsaid adweller in Alavi ashesaw the teacher seated
inthe midstof theSinsapaForest absorbed in meditation.Often,
however, theywouldstoptoenjoythehospitalityofkings,andgradually
theyacquired manypleasant gardensandmonasteries,such as
theBambooGroveatVeluvana,givenbyBimbisara:"Nottoo far fromnoryettoo
near thetown,wellprovidedwithentrancesandexits; easilyaccessible
toallpeoplewhoinquireafterit,with not too much ofthe bustle of
lifeby day, quiet by night,far from thecrowds
ofmen,aplaceofretirement,aplaceforsolitarymeditation ... in
thesegardenswere theresidences of theBrethren, houses, halls,
cloisters,storerooms,surroundedbylotuspools, fragrant mangotrees
and slender fanpalmsthat lifted theirfoliagehighover
alllands,andbythedeep green
foliageofthenyagrodhatree,whoserootsdroppingfrom the airto earth
become newstems,with their coolshadyarcadesandlea