76. The Bodhisattva with his first disciples on the Gaya-mountain

At that time, the five men of the blessed company 3) were brahman scholars with Rudraka, son of Rama. They bethought themselves of this: "That which we give ourselves so much time and trouble to attain, what we strive without end or pause to discover, even that hath the c,ramana Gautama with small effort pondered over and acquired. Yet this did not satisfy him, therefore he sought higher things; without doubt he will become the teacher of the world. The knowledge he acquires for himself, he will surely share with us." After consulting together, the five men of the blessed company, went away from Rudraka, the son of Rama, and attached themselves to the Bodhisattva. Now when he had dwelt in Rajagrha so long as he thought well, he set out for Magadha with the five of the blessed company.

When the Bodhisattva journeyed through Magadha, he went towards that part of the land where Gaya is and arrived there. There dwelt the Bodhisattva in order to meditate on the Gaya;~r$a mountain. (245: 16; 246: 6).

The Bodhisattva sits in a niche among the rocks, on the left, on his lotus cushion in the dhyana-mudra attitude; he is occupied as the next passage of the text tells us, in meditation on three resemblances. There are trees round the niche, with peacocks and other birds. The mountain scenery stretches further to the right; on the upper part of the relief are rocks with trees and doves Perched in them while squirrels and armadillo's run about; below, the five are seated, in ordinary ascetic costume. It is plainly to be seen here as well as on the adjacent reliefs that the sling is not omitted in spite of all the scarcity of clothing. On the right, a river runs between the rocks and trees, with some fish swimming in it.