Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-08-28
THE LIFE OF BUDDHA.
Something Concerning the Work, Belief
and Results of this Ancient

MANY tales have been gathered around
the history of Gautama. 1t is told that
during the period of his peaceful married
life, complaints were rife that he neglected
the manly and warlike exercises in which
a prince. who might some day be called on
to act as a General, should excel There
upon Gautama appointed certain day on
which he proved to the disconnected that
he was a thorough master of athletics and
exercises requiring skill. The direction
which his maturer longings took is ascribed
to four visions: one OF decrepit old man,
another of sick man, a third OF decay
ing corpse, and the last of a calm and noble
recluse II might well be that his thought
ful mind, dwelling on the prospect OF sick
ness, old age and death, might come TO re-
gard a life of reflection and contemplation
as the highest attainable. Day by day the
vision of a hermit's cell grew more attrac-
tive, and he longed TO break from the
world and dedicate himself 10 wisdom.
The arrival of a great joy finally enabled
him to do SO. After years of married life,
his wife gave him an only child, a son,
named Kahula.
Gautama was in q garden by the river
side when this great event was announced
to him: he only said This is new and
strong tie which | shall have to break"
Returning home, he met crowd of rejoic
ing clansmen, and received their congratu-
lations. But his resolution was taken.
That night he left all that he loved on
earth, and became wanderer, student, q
Buddha. He Withdrew into the jungle,
and during six years subjected himself TO
such self-denial and penance that while his
body wasted away his fame grew high and
wide. At length illness, induced by such
plf.HiSginlIne nnn,nnllpl HIM n
adopt milder mode of life, whereupon
the disciples who had gathered round him
had lost their respect for him, and forsook
him. The Buddhist legend describe at this
point conflict between the Savior of the
the World and the Prince of Evil" The
conflict was not n purely spiritual one,
like that between Jesus Christ and Satan,
but material one is related; rivers flow
ing backward, mountains crumbling, the
earth quaking.
After this conflict, in which Bhudda won
the victory, he entirely altered his mode of
life, no longer inf1icting pains on his body,
but seeking the loftiest happiness of his
soul. He returned to Benares, and sought
out his former disciples, to whom he de-
clared he had discovered the way of saliva
ton. He disconrsed to them on the
" Middle Path that is, much as we
should say the Narrow Way" or the path
of righteousness. He named eight cardinal
duties l. Right Belief. ,. Right Liveli
hood. 8. Right Speech. 4. Right Actions.
5. Right Means of Livelihood. 6. Right
Endeavors. 7. Right Mindfulness. 8.
Right Meditation.
From this time forward Gautama quietly
taught his new doctrines tothose who came
voluntarily to inquire of him. The Brah-
man doctors and teachers were still opposed
to him. Not one became al first, or at once,
his disciple. His first convert was young
layman named Yasa the next to join him
were Yasa's father, mother and wife.
Five months after his conflict with
the Evil One" we find Gautama send
ing out his disciples 10 preach the
new doctrines. Thus he established an
order of mendicants and himself begged
from house to house, on one occasion
through the town of which his father was
Raiah. The old man eXpostulated, saying
that he was descended from kings, not
from beggars; to which Gautama replied:
My descent is from the Buddhas of old,
who have always lived on aims Then
Suddhodana and his household showed the
sage all honor, and his wife Yasodhara
fell at his feet, embracing them. After
wards she became the first of female or,
der of mendicants; Kahula, son of Gau-
tama and Yasodhara, joined his fathers
order.
During the next forty years Buddha
travels, breaches and gathers i'll converts.
While on one of his journeys, he was en-
tertained by a goldsmith of Para. who pre-
pared for him meal of young pork and
rice. This food poisoned him. He re
tired into grove OF trees, and awaited
death. Through the night he gave instruc-
tions to his followers as to their future con-
duct; his last words were: Work out
your salvation with diligence Shortly
after he became unconscious, and so passed
away, aged about 70.-7he Quire' for Sep