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CHAPTER V.
Life of Buddha.
The soil prepared-The founder's period-Real existence of Buddha-Buddhist sacred books-The native land of Buddha-His youth and early life-The great renunciation-His long retirement-His enlightenment -His temptation-Opening of his mission--The eightfold path-The origin of suffering-The freedom of Buddhism-Early converts-General features of Buddha's life-Alternation of itinerancy with rest-The Buddhist gardens-Buddha and the courtesan Ambapali-Anxious inquirers -The new order of monks-Buddha not a socialist-Buddha's principal adherents-Lay believers-Women and Buddhism-Reception of sisters or nuns Opposition-Brahmans confuted-The best sacrifice-Method of teaching-Long-drawn dissertations-A noble youth's conversionSocratic method-Parables-The book of the Great Decease-Buddha prepares for his final discourse-His last temptation-His death.
HAT Buddhism arose in a country and among people TH saturated with Brahmanism,1 as we have described it, must never be forgotten in contemplating its rise and The soil development. Without pre-existing Brahmanprepared. ism it would have lacked its most essential elements, its raison d'être. The higher Brahman philosophy had already merged the multitude of early Vedic gods into the Universal Spirit, and had developed very considerably their Pantheistic system; but at the same time the fetters of Brahman control, the observance of expensive and frequent rites, the obligation to obey the Vedic teaching and the authorised comments upon it were made more and more strict and onerous; and a spirit of reaction naturally arose. That the reform associated with the great Buddha's name was only one
1 [Rhys Davids' "Hibbert Lectures." Oldenberg's "Buddha" (O). Sacred Books of the East (S.E.).]
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