[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Religion and philosophy](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion) › [The History of Buddhist Thought](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933) › c19.22 # The History of Buddhist Thought c19.22 The History of Buddhist Thought c19.22 - **Language:** English ### [c19.22](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c19.22) Then he went in the direction of the Bodhi tree. On the way a grass-cutter gave him eight handfuls of grass for the seat. He sat down facing the east with the words, “ may skin, sinew, and bone dry up as it will, my flesh and blood grow dry in my body; but without attaining complete enlightenment I will not leave this seat.” At that time the god Māra, thinking “ Prince Siddhattha wants to escape from my realm, now I will not let him escape”, advanced from the north with his army, which stretched out to the mountains encircling the world. All the gods fled, but the Bodhisatta protected himself by thinking of the ten perfections, which in past lives he had perfectly practised. Māra sent storms of wind, rain, rocks, blazing weapons, charcoal, ashes, sand, and mud, but in vain. Māra then said, “ Siddhattha, get up from that seat, it does not belong to you, it belongs to me.” The Bodhisatta replied, “ Māra, you have not fulfilled the ten Perfections, nor the minor Perfections, nor the supreme Perfections, nor even the five great Renunciations, and other practices. This seat does not belong to you, it belongs to me.” Māra in rage then hurled his wheel weapon, but it became a canopy of flowers, and the Bodhisatta said, “ Māra, who is your witness that you have given alms?” A shout burst forth from Māra’s host, “ I am witness, I am witness.” Then Māra said, “ Siddhattha, who is your witness that you have given alms?” The Bodhisatta had no living witness, but with his right hand he touched the earth and said, “ of my great gift of the seven hundreds in my birth as Vessantara are you witness or not witness?” And the great earth with a roar surpassing the roar of Māra’s hosts, said, “ I was then your witness.” When Māra’s elephant heard the words, “ you gave, Siddhattha, the great gift, the highest gift,” he fell on his knees, and the host fled in all directions. The gods returned and sang a song of victory. - [Previous: c19.21](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c19.21) - [Next: c19.23](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c19.23) - [Up: c19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c19) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c19.22](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c19.22) · Pramāṇa