Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c11.33.2

v1.c11.33.2

It is for this reason that we read often in the Pāli books that Buddha advised people to follow the path chalked out by him leading to Nirvāṇa and not to ask him for an exposition of the truth which is *avyākṛta*.³ Lastly, when he decided to preach the doctrine, he determined that he would speak about the Path only and not about what is Nirvāṇa or the highest Truth. For explaining his Path too, he sought for people who were of *samyaktvaniyatarāśi* i.e. who were possessed of such merits as would lead them to the realisation of the Truth.¹ Scanning the world for such persons, he found out that of the persons who could quickly comprehend his truth, his two teachers, Arāḍa and Rudraka, were dead, and his five companions of asceticism were then dwelling at Ṛṣipatana-mṛgadāya² on the outskirts of Benares. For imparting his teaching to his quondam companions he started for Benares, meeting on his way the Ājīvaka ascetic, Upaka. He stopped at Gayā in the house of Sudarśana Nāgarāja, and then crossing Rohitavastu, Uruvilva, Aṇāla, Sārathipura,³ reached the banks of the Ganges. On the refusal of the ferryman to take him across the river without *tarpaṇya* (ferry-hire),⁴ he flew over it and reached the other shore, and arrived at Benares. He approached the five ascetics, who, inspite of their plan not to show him any respect, yielded to his sublime look and ultimately listened to his discourses.