| But he found no
solace. Ultimately he left Gaya, and went to the neighboring village of Uruvila (modern
Uraila) and for several years, along with his five disciples, followed a life of
meditation and severe austerity. But lie did not succeed in getting any spiritual
salvation and decided to take food. He accepted the offerings of payas (rice cooked in
milk) by Sujata, the daughter of a village chief. His five disciples left him in disgust
and went away to Rishipatan (modern Sarnath). After
gaining some physical strength, Gautama, as lie was called by them, sat down under a Bodhi
(peepal) tree, facing the east, deeply concentrated on meditation, The story is that a
grass-cutter, Sottiya, gave him a bundle, of grass on which he sat, determined not to move
till he got salvation.
We have the commonly accepted legend that Mara, the god of
evil spirits, tried to entice hini away by offerings of worldly pleasures, but Gautama,
was not moved. After some, time Gautama obtained the supreme enlightenment (Samma
Sambodhi) and became the Buddha. |
