A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s2.26

v2.c19.s2.26

Fortunately this is not true of all the narratives. The very commencing chapters of the Mahāvagga² contain one of the oldest fragments of a Buddha legend. In beautiful, archaic language, it is here related how Gotama Buddha obtained enlightenment (bodhi), how he decided to proclaim his doctrine, and how he gained his first disciples. Here is related, for instance, the legend of the noble youth Yasa, who grows up in a life of luxury, spends the nights among a band of female singers and dancers, but once waking up in the middle of the night and seeing the beautiful women in various ugly positions, is seized by disgust and satiety with the pleasures of this world; he flees from the life of voluptuousness, hastens to Buddha and becomes a monk. The later Buddha legend relates this story of Prince Siddhārtha, the subsequent Buddha, himself. A strange picture of manners is revealed by the story of the conversion of a band of young men, who are going out with their wives to enjoy themselves; one of them, who has no wife, takes a harlot with him; the latter steals the belongings of the men, and runs away. While the young men are pursuing her, they meet with Buddha, and ask him whether he has not seen a woman. The Buddha asks whether they would not do better to seek *themselves*, rather than a woman, and avails himself of the opportunity to preach the doctrine to them, whereupon they all become monks. There is no lack of marvellous stories, in which snake kings and gods play a part. The most beautiful of all these conversion-stories is that of the conversion of the two friends Sāriputta and Moggallāna, who were afterwards among the favourite disciples of the Buddha.¹ The first sermons of Buddha, for instance, the "sermon of Benares" and the "fire sermon," are also included in this old report.