The Religions of India c19.20

c19.20

Gautama journeyed as a *muni*, or silent ascetic sage, till after seven years he abandoned his teachers (for he had become a disciple of professed masters), and discontentedly wandered about in Māgadha (Behār), ‘the cradle of Buddhism,’ till he came to Uruvelā, Bodhi Gayā.¹ Here, having found that concentration of mind, Yoga-discipline, availed nothing, he undertook another method of asceticism, self-torture. This he practiced for some time. But it succeeded as poorly as his first plan, and he had nearly starved himself to death when it occurred to him that he was no wiser than before. Thereupon he gave up starvation as a means of wisdom and began to eat. Five other ascetics, who had been much impressed by his endurance and were quite ready to declare themselves his disciples, now deserted him, thinking that as he had relaxed his discipline he must be weaker than themselves. But Gautama sat beneath the sacred fig-tree² and lo! he became illumined. In a moment he saw the Great Truths. He was now the Awakened. He became Buddha.