[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Religion and philosophy](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion) › [Buddha: His Life, his Doctrine, his Order](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.oldenberg-1882) › c8.151 # Buddha: His Life, his Doctrine, his Order c8.151 Buddha: His Life, his Doctrine, his Order c8.151 - **Language:** English ### [c8.151](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.oldenberg-1882.c8.151) ∗ The oldest form of the tradition in the "Mahâvagga." Later narratives give seven times seven days. The oldest tradition specifically states that Buddha at the end of the seventh day went from the tree of knowledge to the fig-tree Ajapâla ("tree of the goat-herds"); the later narrative here inserts three periods of seven days. The patristic commentator Buddhagosha is naturally anxious to explain away the difference between the two narratives. "It is as when one says: after he has eaten, he lays himself down to rest. Thereby it is not implied that he lies down without first washing his hands, rinsing out his mouth, having gone to his couch, having indulged in any conversation whatever—but it is only meant to convey: after dinner-time he lies down, he does not omit to lie down. So here also it is not meant: after he had risen from this meditation he immediately went forward, but it merely means: after he had risen, he went forward later on, he did not omit to go forward. But what did the Exalted One do immediately before he went forward? He tarried other three times seven days in the neighbourhood of the tree of knowledge," and so on. - [Previous: c8.150](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.oldenberg-1882.c8.150) - [Next: c8.152](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.oldenberg-1882.c8.152) - [Up: c8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.oldenberg-1882.c8) ## Cites (1) - [Mahāvagga](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.vp.khandhaka.mahavagga) — Pāli --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.oldenberg-1882.c8.151](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.oldenberg-1882.c8.151) · Pramāṇa