Reading Notes : The Life of Buddha : Reading D

Many come to the Buddha under the Tree of Knowledge; some try to destroy him, some shelter him, and some bring food to him. The last to come to him are the merchants, and they are the first to profess faith in the new teachings of the Buddha. Now he is ready to travel the world and teach of his supreme knowledge.

Initially the Buddha decides to not teach his ways. He believes mankind is too ignorant because of the extremely difficult reasoning behind his teachings. Brahma comes to Earth in order to convince the Buddha to go out and teach, and is successful.

The Buddha now contemplates who will be able enough to receive his teachings for the first time. He first decides Rama's son, then Arata, but learns they are both dead already. He decides on his three older disciples who are living in Benares.

He presents in front of the 5 monks and recites his teachings to them. In my opinion, the Buddha's teachings are quite redundant, but maybe that's because I'm being ignorant. In the end the 5 monks glorified to true Buddha.

All 5 of the Monks profess and recite their faith unto the Buddha. The story of the Hermit and the Hare is one of the Buddha himself and his past disciples. Eventually there are over 60 followers, and the Buddha tells them to go out and teach his ways as his disciples.

First along the road the Buddha meets some musicians who believes they are experts, but he proves to them they are not, and that only he is because of his nirvana. They decide to follow his path. He then reaches the Kasyapas, and they all eventually succumb to his ways as well.

The Buddha and goes to King Vimbasara, and teaches him of his ways now. Eventually the Buddha gets the kingdom to join. At the meal the king gifts the bamboo grove to the Buddha, and he accepts. This is now the home where the Buddha and his disciples live.

A bamboo grove. InsideKyoto

Bibliography : 

The Life of Buddha by A. Ferdinand Herold, tr. by Paul C Blum