292 



NOTICES ON THE LIFE OF SHAKYA, 



accept of any thing. On the request of the King, he relates that he is of 

 the Shakya race that inhabit Capilavastu in Kosala, on the bank of the 

 Bhagirathi river, in the vicinity of the Himalaya. He is of the royal 

 family, the son of Shudhodana (Tib. Zas Gtsang) and that he has 

 renounced the world, and novs^ seeks only to find the supreme wisdom. 



VII. — He performed his penances, mortifying his body or living a 

 rigorous ascetic life. 



Leaving Rajagriha he visits afterwards several of the hermits living 

 in the hills. In a short time he becomes acquainted with all their practices 

 and principles. He is not satisfied with them. He tells them that they 

 are mistaken in supposing such practices to be the means of emancipation. 

 Afterwards, he goes to the bank of the Nairanjana river* and during the 

 course of six years performs his penances, subjecting himself to great 

 austerities and privation of food, and giving himself to continual medita- 

 tion. Three characteristic signs formerly unknown, now appear on his 

 body. Perceiving afterwards privation of foodt to be dangerous to his 

 mental faculties, he is resolved to make use of necessary food for his sus- 

 tenance. He bathes or washes himself in the Nairanjana river. On the 

 bank a branch of the Arjuna tree, bows down to help him out of the river. 

 He refreshes himself with a refined milk-soup presented to him by two 

 niaids-l His five attendants desert him now,§ saying among themselves — ■ 

 " such a glutton and such a loose man as Gautama is now, never can arrive 

 " at the supreme wisdom" (or never can become a Buddha.) They go to 

 Vdranasi, and in a grove near that city, continue to live an ascetic life. 



VIII. — He overcame the devil or the god of pleasures ( Kama Deva.) 

 After having bathed in the Nairanjana river, and refreshed himself 



with food, Shakya recovers his strength, and purposes to visit the holy spot 

 (called in Sanscrit Bodhimanda; Tib. Chang-chub snying-po, or Sans. 

 Vajrdsana Tib. Dorjedmi) the place where now Gaya is. He therefore 



* See No. 11, f See No. 13. X See No, 12. § See No. 14. 



