A. One night, when all were asleep, he arose, took a last look at his sleeping wife and infant son; called Channa, mounted his favourite white horse, Kanthaka, and rode to the palace gate. The devas had thrown a deep sleep upon the King's guard who watched the gate, so that they could not hear the noise of the horse's, hoofs.

42. Q. But the gate was locked, was it not?

A. Yes; but the devas caused it to open without the slightest noise, and he rode away into the darkness.

43. Q. Whither did he go?

A. To the river Anoma, a long way from Kapilavastu.

44. Q. What did he then do?

A. He sprang from his horse, cut off his beautiful hair with his sword, put on the yellow dress of an ascetic, and giving his ornaments and horse to Channa, ordered him to take them back to his father, the King.

45. Q. What then?

A. He went afoot towards Rajagriha, the capital city of King Bimbisara, of Magadha.

46. Q. Who visited him there?

A. The King with his whole Court. [**]

46a. Q. Thence whither did he go?

A. To Uruvela, near the present Mahabodhi Temple at Buddha Gaya.

47. Q. Why did he go there?

A. In the forests were hermits--very wise men, whose pupil he afterwards became, in the hope of finding the knowledge of which he was in search.

48. Q. Of what religion were they?

A. The Hindu religion: they were Brahmanas. [*+]

49. Q. What did they teach?

A. That by severe penances and torture of the body a man may acquire perfect wisdom.

50. Q. Did the Prince find this to be so?

A. No; he learned their systems and practised all

their penances, but he could not thus discover the cause of human sorrow and the way to absolute emancipation.

51. Q. What did he then do?

A. He went away into the forest near Uruvela, and spent six years in deep meditation and undergoing the severest discipline in mortifying his body.

52. Q. Was he alone?

A. No; five Brahman companions attended him.

53. Q. What were their names?

A. Kondanna, Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama, and Assaji.

54. Q. What plan of discipline did he adopt to open his mind to know the whole truth?

A. He sat and meditated, concentrating his mind upon the higher problems of life, and shutting out from his sight and hearing all that was likely to interrupt his inward reflections.

55. Q. Did he fast?

A. Yes, through the whole period. He took less and less food and water until, it is said, he ate scarcely more than one grain of rice or of sesamum seed each day.

56. Q. Did this give him the wisdom he longed for?

A. No. He grew thinner and thinner in body and fainter in strength until, one day, as he was slowly walking about and meditating, his vital force suddenly left him and he fell to the ground unconscious.

57. Q. What did his companions think of that?