The Buddhist Catechism Part 3

53. Q. _What were their names?_

A. Kondanna, Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama, and a.s.saji.

54. Q. _What plan of discipline did he adopt to open his mind to know the whole truth?_

A. He sat and meditated, concentrating his mind upon the higher problems of life, and shutting out from his sight and hearing all that was likely to interrupt his inward reflections.

55. Q. _Did he fast?_

A. Yes, through the whole period. He took less and less food and water until, it is said, he ate scarcely more than one grain of rice or of sesamum seed each day.

56. Q. _Did this give him the wisdom he longed for?_

A. No. He grew thinner and thinner in body and fainter in strength until, one day, as he was slowly walking about and meditating, his vital force suddenly left him and he fell to the ground unconscious.

57. Q. _What did his companions think of that?_

A. They fancied he was dead; but after a time he revived.

58. Q. _What then?_

A. The thought came to him that knowledge could never be reached by mere fasting or bodily suffering, but must be gained by the opening of the mind. He had just barely escaped death from self-starvation, yet had not obtained the Perfect Wisdom. So he decided to eat, that he might live at least long enough to become wise.

59. Q. _Who gave him food?_

A. He received food from Sujata, a n.o.bleman's daughter, who saw him sitting at the foot of a nyagrodha (banyan) tree. He arose, took his alms-bowl, bathed in the river Neranjara, ate the food, and went into the jungle.

60. Q. _What did he do there?_

A. Having formed his determination after these reflections, he went at evening to the Bodhi, or Asvattha tree, where the present Mahabodhi Temple stands.

61. Q. _What did he do there?_

A. He determined not to leave the spot until he attained perfect wisdom.

62. Q. _At which side of the tree did he seat himself?_

A. The side facing the east.[4]

63. Q. _What did he obtain that night?_

A. The knowledge of his previous births, of the causes of rebirths, and of the way to extinguish desires. Just before the break of the next day his mind was entirely opened, like the full-blown lotus flower; the light of supreme knowledge, or the Four Truths, poured in upon him. He had become BUDDHA--the Enlightened, the all-knowing--the Sarvajna.

64. Q. _Had he at last discovered the cause of human misery?_

A. At last he had. As the light of the morning sun chases away the darkness of night, and reveals to sight the trees, fields, rocks, seas, rivers, animals, men and all things, so the full light of knowledge rose in his mind, and he saw at one glance the causes of human suffering and the way to escape from them.

65. Q. _Had he great struggles before gaining this perfect wisdom?_

A. Yes, mighty and terrible struggles. He had to conquer in his body all those natural defects and human appet.i.tes and desires that prevent our seeing the truth. He had to overcome all the bad influences of the sinful world around him. Like a soldier fighting desperately in battle against many enemies, he struggled: like a hero who conquers, he gained his object, and the secret of human misery was discovered.

66. Q. _What use did he make of the knowledge thus gained?_

A. At first he was reluctant to teach it to the people at large.

67. Q. _Why?_

A. Because of its profound importance and sublimity. He feared that but few people would understand it.

68. Q. _What made him alter this view?_[5]

A. He saw that it was his duty to teach what he had learnt as clearly and simply as possible, and trust to the truth impressing itself upon the popular mind in proportion to each one's individual Karma. It was the only way of salvation, and every being had an equal right to have it pointed out to him. So he determined to begin with his five late companions, who had abandoned him when he broke his fast.

69. Q. _Where did he find them?_

A. In the deer-park at Isipatana, near Benares.

70. Q. _Can the spot be now identified?_

A. Yes, a partly ruined stupa, or dagoba, is still standing on that very spot.

71. Q. _Did those five companions readily listen to him?_

A. At first, no; but so great was the spiritual beauty of his appearance, so sweet and convincing his teaching, that they soon turned and gave him the closest attention.

72. Q. _What effect did this discourse have upon them?_

A. The aged Kondanna, one who "understood" (_Anna_), was the first to lose his prejudices, accept the Buddha's teaching, become his disciple, and enter the Path leading to Arhats.h.i.+p. The other four soon followed his example.

73. Q. _Who were his next converts?_

A. A rich young layman, named Yasa, and his father, a wealthy merchant. By the end of three months the disciples numbered sixty persons.

74. Q. _Who were the first women lay disciples?_

A. The mother and wife of Yasa.

75. Q. _What did the Buddha do at that time?_[6]

A. He called the disciples together, gave them full instructions, and sent them out in all directions to preach his doctrine.

76. Q. _What was the essence of it?_

A. That the way of emanc.i.p.ation lies in leading the holy life and following the rules laid down, which will be explained later on.

77. Q. _Tell me what name he gave to this course of life?_

A. The n.o.ble Eightfold Path.