Chapter 8: The Practice of Austerities
(1) Seeing that the horse Kanthaka was dead, the minister Channa was overcome with grief and lamented. After calming his sorrow, he removed the adornments from Kanthaka, wrapped them in a bundle, and began his journey. Upon reaching the city of Kapilavastu, he presented all the adornments to King Suddhodana and delivered the message from the future Buddha.
Meanwhile, the Brahmin Koṇḍañña, learning that the Great Being had gone forth to ordain, went to persuade the other seven Brahmins who had also interpreted the Great Being’s auspicious marks. However, the other seven Brahmins were not all of one mind. Only four of them agreed, and together with Koṇḍañña, they formed a group of five who went forth to ordain. They came to be known as the group of five monks (the Pañcavaggiya).
(2) Having ordained, the Great Being resided in the Anupiya Mango Grove. He did not eat for seven days, passing the time in the bliss of the renunciant life. On the eighth day, the Great Being, taking his bowl and robes, journeyed towards the city of Rājagaha for alms. The people of the city saw the Bodhisattva’s beautiful form and were filled with joy and delight.
(3) A royal guard, upon seeing the Bodhisattva, went to the palace and reported to King Bimbisāra, saying, “Your Majesty, Divine King, there is a man of striking beauty. I do not know if he is a god, a garuḍa, a gandhabba, a yakkha, or a nāga, but he is walking for alms in the city.” Upon hearing the royal guard’s words, the king opened the lion window of the palace. Looking out, he saw the Great Being and ordered his royal ministers to go and observe him.
(4) The Great Being, with his senses well-restrained, walked for alms. When he had collected enough food for one meal, he left the city and went to sit in a cave on the Paṇḍava mountain. He prepared to eat his meal with the perception of it as something repulsive, disciplining himself before he partook of the food. The royal guard who had been following him saw the future Buddha eating in the mountain cave and returned to report everything in detail to King Bimbisāra.
(5) Upon hearing this news, the king went to meet the Bodhisattva and inquired about his lineage. The Bodhisattva explained everything. Understanding, King Bimbisāra invited the Bodhisattva to accept half of his kingdom. The Bodhisattva did not accept. The king then made a solemn promise, saying, “If my great friend attains enlightenment, may you please come and teach me first.” The Bodhisattva accepted the promise of King Bimbisāra. The king then returned to his city.
(6) Having given his promise to King Bimbisāra, the future Buddha left the Paṇḍava mountain and went to the hermitage of the teacher Āḷāra Kālāma. Through diligent practice, he mastered the seven meditative attainments. He then went to the hermitage of the teacher Uddaka Rāmaputta. There, he diligently mastered the eighth meditative attainment. He then asked about a higher, more sublime Dhamma, but Uddaka Rāmaputta was unable to teach further. He then concluded, “This is not the path to enlightenment,” and so he journeyed to the town of Uruvelā and there undertook the Great Effort (the practice of extreme austerities).
(7) At that time, Koṇḍañña, who had seen and interpreted the marks of the Great Being and had persuaded others to ordain with him, was wandering for alms in the towns and villages. He came to the place where the future Buddha was staying and began to serve him. The Bodhisattva practiced austerities for six years but did not attain enlightenment. He gradually reduced his intake of food until he ate nothing at all. The gods then infused divine essence through the pores of his skin. The Bodhisattva exerted himself until he fainted and collapsed on the ground. At that moment, some deities from Māra’s retinue saw the Bodhisattva fall and, assuming he had passed away, flew to inform King Suddhodana. The king, however, did not believe them. Meanwhile, Māra descended and spoke words of mockery before leaving. Sakka, king of the gods brought a lute with three strings and played it for him. One string, when tightened too much, snapped. Another string, too loose, made a sound that was not melodious. The third string, tuned to a middle tension, produced a beautiful and pleasant sound. The Prince regained consciousness and reflected, “My practice has been too extreme; that is why I have not attained enlightenment.” The next day, he went for alms and ate food as normal again. His auspicious physical characteristics returned to their original state.
(8) Then, the five monks, seeing the Great Being partaking of food again, thought among themselves, “The ascetic Siddhattha practiced austerities for six years and did not attain enlightenment. Now he has gone back to eating food. When will he ever attain it! What is the use in us staying to serve him?” The five monks, no longer firm in their own predictions, took their bowls and robes, left the Great Being, and walked a distance of eighteen yojanas, going together to stay in the Deer Park at Isipatana near the city of Bārāṇasī, as they saw fit.
(9) Then the Great Being saw five great auspicious dreams in the pre-dawn hours of the 15th day of the waxing moon of Visākha. The five auspicious dreams were as follows: First, he saw the great earth as his bed, the Himalaya mountains as his pillow, his left hand resting in the eastern ocean, his right hand resting in the western ocean, and both his feet resting in the southern ocean. This was the first great dream. Second, he saw tiṇṭiṇī grass grow from his navel up into the sky. This was the second great dream. Third, he saw worms with white bodies and black heads crawl up from the soles of his feet to his knees. This was the third great dream. Fourth, he saw four birds of different colors fly from the four directions, land at his feet, and then all turn completely white. This was the fourth great dream. Fifth, he dreamed that he was walking on a great mountain of excrement, but his feet were not soiled by it. This was the fifth great dream.
(10) The Great Being, having seen these five great dreams, awoke from his rest and made a determination in his heart: “I will surely attain enlightenment as a Buddha.” He interpreted all the dreams himself: lying on the earth was a premonition of attaining supreme, perfect enlightenment; the Himalayas as his pillow was a premonition of attaining the pillow of omniscience; dipping his hands and feet into the oceans was a premonition of turning the Wheel of Dhamma for gods and humans; lying on his back on the earth was a premonition of turning sentient beings who are face down (in ignorance) to face up (in wisdom); the act of opening his eyes while lying down was a premonition of attaining the divine eye; seeing a light shining as far as the highest Brahmā realm was a premonition of attaining unobstructed knowledge; seeing the grass grow from his navel was a premonition of teaching the Noble Eightfold Path; seeing the worms change their bodies was a premonition of the four assemblies attaining the Three Refuges with their lives; seeing the four types of birds was a premonition of people from the four castes going forth to ordain and practice the Dhamma-Vinaya; seeing himself walking on a mountain of excrement was a premonition that the four requisites would arise for him, but his royal heart would not be attached to them.
(End of the Chapter on the Practice of Austerities, Chapter 8)
