Of Buddha’s life, besides the circumstances already narrated little is known.  Of his disciples the best beloved was [=A]nanda, his own cousin, whose brother was the Judas of Buddhism.  The latter, Devadatta by name, conspired to kill Buddha in order that he himself might get the post of honor.  But hell opened and swallowed him up.  He appears to have had convictions of Jain tendency, for before his intrigue he preached against Buddha, and formulated reactionary propositions which inculcated a stricter asceticism than that taught by the Master.[20]

It has been denied that the early church contained lay members as well as monks, but Oldenberg appears to have set the matter right (p. 165) in showing that the laity, from the beginning, were a recognized part of the general church.  The monk (bhikshu, bhikku) was formally enrolled as a disciple, wore the gown and tonsure, etc.  The lay brother, ‘reverer’ (up[=a]saka) was one that assented to the doctrine and treated the monks kindly.  There were, at first, only men in the congregation, for Buddhism took a view as unfavorable to woman as did Jainism.  But at his foster-mother’s request Buddha finally admitted nuns as well as monks into his fold.  When [=A]nanda asks how a monk should act in presence of a woman Buddha says ’avoid to look at her’; but if it be necessary to look, ‘do not speak to her’; but if it be necessary to speak, ’then keep wide awake, [=A]nanda.’[21]

Buddha died in the fifth century.  Rhys Davids, who puts the date later than most scholars, gives, as the time of the great Nirv[=a]na, the second decade from the end of the fourth century.  On the other hand, Buehler and Mueller reckon the year as 477, while Oldenberg says ’about 480.’[22] From Buddha’s own words, as reported by tradition, he was eighty years old at the time of his death, and if one allots him thirty-six years as his age when he became independent of masters, his active life would be one of forty-four years.  It was probably less than this, however, for some years must be added to the first seven of ascetic practices before he took the field as a preacher.

The story of Buddha’s death is told simply and clearly.  He crossed the Ganges, where at that time was building the town of Patna (P[=a]taliputta, ’Palibothra’), and prophesied its future greatness (it was the chief city of India for centuries after); then, going north from R[=a]jagriha, in Beh[=a]r, and V[=a]ic[=a]l[=i], he proceeded to a point east of Gorukhpur (Kasia).  Tradition thus makes him wander over the most familiar places till he comes back almost to his own country.  There, in the region known to him as a youth, weighed down with years and ill-health, but surrounded by his most faithful disciples, he died.  Not unaffecting is the final scene.[23]