Thereupon Shakya Muni, having discovered that ordinary bearers were too ignorant to believe in the Mahayana doctrine and appreciate the greatness of Buddhahood, thought it necessary to modify his teaching so as to adjust it to the capacity of ordinary people.  So he went to Varanasi (or Benares) and preached his modified doctrine—­that is, Hinayanism.  The instruction given at that time has been handed down to us as the four Agamas,[FN#114] or the four Nikayas.  This is called the second period, which lasted about twelve years.  It was at the beginning of this period that the Buddha converted the five ascetics,[FN#115] who became his disciples.  Most of the Çravakas or the adherents of Hinayanism were converted during this period.  They trained their hearts in accordance with the modified Law, learned the four noble truths,[FN#116] and worked out their own salvation.

[FN#114] (1) Anguttara, (2) Majjhima, (3) Digha, (4) Samyutta.

[FN#115] Kondanynya, Vappa, Baddiya, Mahanana, Assaji.

[FN#116] The first is the sacred truth of suffering; the second the truth of the origin of suffering—­that is, lust and desire; the third the sacred truth of the extinction of suffering; the fourth the sacred truth of the path that leads to the extinction of suffering.  There are eight noble paths that lead to the extinction of suffering—­that is, Right faith, Right resolve, Right speech, Right action, Right living, Right effort, Right thought, and Right meditation.

The Buddha then having found his disciples firmly adhering to Hinayanism without knowing that it was a modified and imperfect doctrine, he had to lead them up to a higher and perfect doctrine that he might lead them up to Buddhahood.  With this object in view Shakya Muni preached Vimalakirtti-nirdeca-sutra[FN#117], Lankavatara-sutra, and other sutras, in which he compared Hinayanism with Mahayanism, and described the latter in glowing terms as a deep and perfect Law, whilst he set forth the former at naught as a superficial and imperfect one.  Thus he showed his disciples the inferiority of Hinayanism, and caused them to desire for Mahayanism.  This is said to be the third period, which lasted some eight years.

[FN#117] This is one of the most noted Mahayana books, and is said to be the best specimen of the sutras belonging to this period.  It is in this sutra that most of Shakya’s eminent disciples, known as the adherents of Hinayanism, are astonished with the profound wisdom, the eloquent speech, and the supernatural power of Vimalakirtti, a Bodhisattva, and confess the inferiority of their faith.  The author frequently introduces episodes in order to condemn Hinayanism, making use of miracles of his own invention.