Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s2.t4.2

v1.c7.s2.t4.2

In Pali texts, the most often quoted story is that Buddha went into extreme austerities in the banks of Niranjana River for six years but was not able to attain "supreme knowledge". He then accepted the sweetened rice-milk from a local village girl, Sujata. Gaining strength from it, he sat in deep meditation under a peepal tree facing east on a *kush*-grass mat offered by a local grass-cutter with a strong resolve that he would not rise until the attainment of perfect enlightenment. Disturbed by the power of his meditation, Mara (the god of illusion and worldly vices) first sent his beautiful daughters and *apasaras* (celestial maidens) to break his resolve and lure him to worldly pleasures. When they failed, Mara sent bolts of lightning, wind and heavy rain one-by-one,and finally his demonic armies. None could dissuade Gautam Buddha from his virtuous path.