The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c19.s9.27

v1.c19.s9.27

On the last point the evidence, being very short, may be given here. There are a large number of references to the places at which the Buddha was stopping, when some conversation or other on an ethical or philosophical question took place. These have not yet been collected and analysed. Then there are a small number of short references, in a sentence or two or a page or two, to some incident in his life. And lastly we have two episodes, of a considerable number of pages, describing the two important crises in his career, the beginning and the close of his mission. Out of approximately 6000 pages of text in the four Nikāyas less than two hundred in all are devoted to the Buddha's life.