THE BUDDHA AS TEACHER 31edge of the Dharma" (M.26). Then, out of compassion for living beings,
Sakyamuni surveyed the world with his Buddha-eye and saw that although
some beings had many defilements, others had few; some had dull faculties,
whereas others had keen faculties. Realizing that there was a suitable audi-
ence, he decided to teach.
Whether or not this conversation actually took place, it expresses a critical
choice that the Buddha must have made. If he had not acted on his compas-
sion and returned to teach the world, his renunciation would have been in-
significant for human history. There would seem to be no need for a spirit to
inform an Awakened One of something that he could have known himself
through his superknowledge, but then there are many cases where perceptive
people have to be told things they could have seen themselves if they had only
looked. Perhaps the point of the story, though, is that the Buddha observes
the etiquette of the noble gentleman in not thrusting his doctrine on those
who are unready to accept it; he waits for an invitation. As he was to be the
teacher of gods and men, who else but a great God was worthy to invite him?
2.2 THE FIRST SERMON
(Strong EB, sec. 1.6)
Having decided to proclaim his doctrine, Gautama thought first of telling his
two former teachers, but a deity informed him that Araqa Kalama had died a
week before, and Udraka Ramaputra the previous night. The Buddha con-
firmed this with his superknowledge, then thought of the five mendicants
who had been his attendants during the period of his austerities. With his di-
vine eye he saw that they were staying near Benares, so he set out to teach
them the way to Awakening.
On the road Gautama met an ascetic who, remarking on his clear eyes and
radiant complexion, asked about the spiritual path he followed. The Buddha
declared that he was a }ina (victor) with no equal in the world of gods and
men; that he had become Awakened and had reached nirval).a. The ascetic an-
swered in one word, hupeyya, which means either "it may be so" or "let it be
so," shook his head, and walked away. This curious encounter resembles his-
torical fact rather than pious inventiorr Gautama's first proclamation of his
Buddhahood was disregarded.
The Blessed One walked by stages to Benares, about 130 miles from Bodh-
gaya. Four miles north of the city, in the Deer Park at Sarnath, the five men-
dicants saw him coming and resolved not to show more than minimal courtesy
to the backslider who had taken to the easy life. But his charisma was too
strong for them. Against their own resolve they saluted him, took his bowl
and robe, prepared his seat, and gave him implements with which to wash his
feet. The effect of his spiritual presence preceded any word.
Still, they called him "Friend Gautama," but he told them not to do so, as
he was now a Tathiigata (one who has become thus, meaning, as those Bud-
dhas of the past); an arhant (one worthy of reverence); a perfectly Awakened