Ep.11 : Four Kinds of Lotuses | The Life of the Buddha

Ep.11 Four Kinds of Lotuses After a long rest, the Buddha began to plan what to do in the future. He thought: "Although the Dharma (teaching) is deep and will be difficult for most people to understand, there are some who only have a little craving. Such people may be able to accept the Dharma. They are like the lotuses that extend their stalks from the bottom of the pond up in the air, to receive sunshine. So I should not keep this radiant truth a secret. I should make it known everywhere, so that all people can benefit from it." Then the Buddha thought: "Who should I teach first? The person must be interested in the Dharma and quick to understand it." First he thought of his old teachers, Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta. But they had both died. Then he remembered his five ascetic friends, Kondanna, Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama and Assaji. When he found out that they were living at Sarnath, near Varanasi, he left soon afterwards to find them.