The Religions of India c19.24

c19.24

Buddha remains under the *bo*-tree fasting, for four times seven days, or seven times seven, as says the later report. At first he resolves to be a ‘Buddha for himself,’¹ that is to save only himself, not to be ‘the universal Buddha,’ who converts and saves the world. But the God Brahmā comes down from heaven and persuades him out of pity for the world to preach salvation. In this legend stands out clearly the same fact we have animadverted upon already. Buddha had at first no intention of helping his fellows. He found his own road to salvation. That sufficed. But eventually he was moved through pity for his kind to give others the same knowledge with which he had been enlightened.²