..續本文上一頁lf-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 Sujâtâ, a nobleman”s, daughter, who saw him sitting at the foot of a nyagrodha (banyan) tree, He arose, took his almsbowl, bathed in the river Nêranjarâ, ate the food, and went into the jungle.

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　　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 Mahâbodhi 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. *

　　63. Q. What did he obtain that night

　　A. The knowledge of his previous births, of the causes of re-births, 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

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　　in upon him. He had become Buddha—the Enlightened, the all-knowing—the Sarvajña.

　　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 appetites and desires that prevent our seeing the truth. He had to overcome all the had 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.

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　　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

　　 *

　　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 inpidual 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 these

　　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

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　　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 Kondañña, "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 Arahatship. 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

　　 *

　　A. He called the d…

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