A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s3.t2.94

v2.c19.s3.t2.94

The second of these poems, the Pabbajjā-Sutta, describes the "departure" (pabbajjā) of the youthful Gotama from his home, and the meeting which, on his wanderings as a begging ascetic, he had with the king of Rājagaha. The third ballad, the Padhāna-Sutta,²) describes a still later episode, how Māra, the evil one, after he has followed close on Gotama's heels for seven years, resumes the fight once again and endeavours to dissuade him from his struggle for knowledge, and to bring him back to the worldly life, and how Māra is ignominiously defeated. Though these ballads, as can be seen, are already rich in legendary features and mythical accessories, they may nevertheless be called simple and sober in comparison with the exaggeration of the later biographies of Buddha.