602 The American Naturalist. [July, 
in his vocation, and through evil report and good report believed that 
he had a Divine message to deliver. 
The earliest and simplest accounts of the life of Buddha [Siddhartha 
Gautama] all agree in describing the four visions which led to the 
renunication, by that religious teacher, of all the greatest goods the 
heart of man could desire. Some accounts make all four visions 
appear on the same day, others on different days, but all agree is making 
the four visions phantoms which were visible only to Buddha and his 
charioteer Channa. As Buddha was driving in his pleasure grounds 
he was struck by the sight of a man utterly broken down with age; 
on another occasion by the sight of a man suffering from a loathsome 
disease, and some time afterwards by the horrible sight of a decompos- 
ing corpse. Then an ascetic appeared walking in a calm and dignified 
manner, and the charioteer explained to the young prince the character 
and aims of the ascetics. 
5s Subjectively though not objectively,” says Mr. Rhys Davids, “ these 
visions may be supposed to have appeared to Gautama,” and undoubt- 
edly at this time the mind of the young Rajput had become deeply 
stirred. The birth of his son did not deter Gautama from his resolu- 
tion to lead an ascetic life, so that he might some days return to his 
loved ones not only as husband and father but as teacher and saviour; 
and on the night of the full moon in the month of July the young chief 
left his father’s home, his wealth and power, his wife and child behind 
him, and with Channa as his sole companion, went out into the wilder- 
ness to become a penniless and despised student and a homeless wan- 
derer. It would take too long here to attempt to explain the reasons 
which made the visions of Buddha naturally relate to the sorrows and 
emptiness of life, and not to the joys and promises of a future state. 
The great object to be attained was to put an end for ever to the cycle 
of births and deaths to which all human beings were considered subject, 
and to pass this life in such a manner that complete absorption into 
the World-Soul (Nirvana) should follow death.’ The aim was not that 
conscious personal immortality, or that rejoicing in the love of a God 
who loves his creatures, which is the strong desire of the heart of West- 
ern peoples, 
But in order to teach (what to him seemed) the way of salvation to 
his fellow creatures, Gautama made the greatest and most complete — : 
self sacrifice ever recorded of any human being; and for this great 
renunciation his memory cannot be too highly honored. 
5T. W. Rhys Davids, Buddhism. Ene. Bri., Vol. IV. 
ê The Nirvana of Buddhism is simply extinction, op. cit., p. 434, and note 1. 
4 Peay 
i $ é 
ae LY ns pea Os eigen cE CER RA, 
