hers (for he had become a disciple of
professed masters), and discontentedly wandered about in M[=a]gadha
(Beh[=a]r), 'the cradle of Buddhism,' till he came to Uruvel[=a],
Bodhi Gay[=a].[9] Here, having found that concentration of mind,
Yoga-discipline, availed nothing, he undertook another method of
asceticism, self-torture. This he practiced for some time. But it
succeeded as poorly as his first plan, and he had nearly starved
himself to death when it occurred to him that he was no wiser than
before. Thereupon he gave up starvation as a means of wisdom and began
to eat. Five other ascetics, who had been much impressed by his
endurance and were quite ready to declare themselves his disciples,
now deserted him, thinking that as he had relaxed his discipline he
must be weaker than themselves. But Gautama sat beneath the sacred
fig-tree[10] and lo! he became illumined. In a moment he saw the Great
Truths. He was now the Awakened. He became Buddha.

The later tradition here records how he was tempted of Satan. For
M[=a]ra (Death), 'the Evil One' as he is called by the Buddhists,
knowing that Buddha had found the way of salvation, tempted him to
enter into Nirv[=a]na at once, lest by converting others Buddha should
rob M[=a]ra of his power and dominion. This and the legend of storms
attacking him and his being protected by the king of snakes,
Mucalinda, is lacking in the earlier tradition.

Buddha remains under the _bo_-tree fasting, for four times seven days,
or seven times seven, as says the later report. At first he resolves
to be a 'Buddha for himself.'[11] that is to save only himself, not to
be 'the universal Buddha,' who converts and saves the world. But the
God Brahm[=a] comes down from heaven and persuades him out of pity for
the world to preach salvation. In this legend stands out clearly the
same fact we have animadverted upon already. Buddha had at first no
intention of helping his fellows. He found his own road to salvation.
That sufficed. But eventually he was moved through pity for his kind
to give others the same knowledge with which he had been
enlightened.[12]

Here is to be noticed with what suddenness Gautama becomes Buddha. It
is an early case of the same absence of study or intellectual
preparation for belief that is rampant in the idea of ictic
conversion. In a moment Gautama's eyes are opened. In ecstacy he
becomes illuminated with the light of knowledge. This idea is totally
foreign to Brahmanis