Siddhartha did not answer.  He felt little curiosity for the teachings, he did not believe that they would teach him anything new, but he had, just as Govinda had, heard the contents of this Buddha’s teachings again and again, though these reports only represented second- or third-hand information.  But attentively he looked at Gotama’s head, his shoulders, his feet, his quietly dangling hand, and it seemed to him as if every joint of every finger of this hand was of these teachings, spoke of, breathed of, exhaled the fragrant of, glistened of truth.  This man, this Buddha was truthful down to the gesture of his last finger.  This man was holy.  Never before, Siddhartha had venerated a person so much, never before he had loved a person as much as this one.

They both followed the Buddha until they reached the town and then returned in silence, for they themselves intended to abstain from on this day.  They saw Gotama returning—­what he ate could not even have satisfied a bird’s appetite, and they saw him retiring into the shade of the mango-trees.

But in the evening, when the heat cooled down and everyone in the camp started to bustle about and gathered around, they heard the Buddha teaching.  They heard his voice, and it was also perfected, was of perfect calmness, was full of peace.  Gotama taught the teachings of suffering, of the origin of suffering, of the way to relieve suffering.  Calmly and clearly his quiet speech flowed on.  Suffering was life, full of suffering was the world, but salvation from suffering had been found:  salvation was obtained by him who would walk the path of the Buddha.  With a soft, yet firm voice the exalted one spoke, taught the four main doctrines, taught the eightfold path, patiently he went the usual path of the teachings, of the examples, of the repetitions, brightly and quietly his voice hovered over the listeners, like a light, like a starry sky.

When the Buddha—­night had already fallen—­ended his speech, many a pilgrim stepped forward and asked to accepted into the community, sought refuge in the teachings.  And Gotama accepted them by speaking:  “You have heard the teachings well, it has come to you well.  Thus join us and walk in holiness, to put an end to all suffering.”

Behold, then Govinda, the shy one, also stepped forward and spoke:  “I also take my refuge in the exalted one and his teachings,” and he asked to accepted into the community of his disciples and was accepted.

Right afterwards, when the Buddha had retired for the night, Govinda turned to Siddhartha and spoke eagerly:  “Siddhartha, it is not my place to scold you.  We have both heard the exalted one, be have both perceived the teachings.  Govinda has heard the teachings, he has taken refuge in it.  But you, my honoured friend, don’t you also want to walk the path of salvation?  Would you want to hesitate, do you want to wait any longer?”