Comments on Chapter 4 The Life of the Buddha

I don't like it that Yasa's father, mother and Yasa's father's ex-wife are not named. His 4 friends have names, but then the 50 friends are nameless. Sixty one new disciples seem crowding, you could almost imagine the act of going forth might become a bit of a fad. I wonder if any of them renounced the monastic life.

The time you need to put in to gain insight is glossed over, things happen fast. I can't help but think that some people might get the impression that it's easy or only easy if it's the Buddha who teaches you. I'm not forgetting Upaka. But looking into Upaka, it seems he later joined the sangha.

The beginning with Yasa having 3 palaces and only women is similar to the story of Siddhartha. It almost feels like a formula.

The original conversation ritual is to shave your head and beard, salute the disciple of the Buddha, and give the triple refuge.

I'd always thought the Buddha's mother was the first female disciple, but it looks like Yasa's mother was the first female disciple.

It seems that merely recognizing Mara for who he is, is enough for his power to evaporate. I'm struck by how it's similar to Padmasambhava would pin a demon and look at them to depower them.

On the way to Benares he converts a party of 30 who went out for a picnic. The he meets the 3 Kassapas, who had a thousand disciples all together. The Buddha stayed in the "fire hut", which might be like a sauna? Even when the Buddha tamed the naga in the fire hut, and had devas visit him, Kassapa still thought he was more advanced than the Buddha. The Buddha realized he was cramping Kassapa's style, and went off so as not to interfere with his upcoming ceremony. There was some business about nagas helping the Buddha clean a refuse rag that impressed Kassapa but he still maintained his superiority. He got an apple and other food times quicker than Kassapa. He allowed wood to be split. The miracles continue till Kassapa is finally convinced the Buddha's powers are greater than his.

I feel like it is a contradiction to use "miracles" with the Buddha to convince people not to chase after pleasures reactively and cling to them.

There's a grizzly image of a crab without legs, that is meant to be Mara when you can identify him/her and are beyond the influence.

I get indigestion from so many rich ideas, I need to lay off the rich mental foods for a little while.

Many more great things in this chapter.