1. After having attamed enlightenment and after having formulated his way, doubt arose in the mind of the Buddha. Should he go forth and preach his doctrine or should he continue to devote himself to his own personal perfection.
2. He said to himself: "True, I have gained a new doctrine. But it is too difficult for the common man to accept it and follow it. It is too subtle even for the wise.
3. " It is hard for mankind to liberate itself from the entanglement of God and Soul. It is hard for mankind to give up its belief in rites and ceremonies. It is hard for mankind to give up its belief in Karma.
4. " It is hard for mankind to give up its belief in the immortality of the Soul and accept my doctrine that the Soul as an independent entity does not exist and does not survive after death.
5. " Mankind is intent on its selfishness and takes delight and pleasure in it. It is hard for mankind to accept my doctrine of righteousness overriding selfishness.
6. " If I were to teach my doctrine, and others did not understand it or understanding it did not accept or accepting it did not follow it, it would be weariness to others and a vexation to me.
7. " Why not remain a sanyasi away from the world and use my gospel to perfect my own self ? " He asked himself. " At least I can do good to myself."
8. Thus as he reflected, his mind turned to inaction, not to teaching of the gospel. 9. Then Brahma Sahampati knowing what was passing in the mind of the Buddha thought, " Verily the world is being destroyed, verily the world is going to destruction, if the Tathagata, the fully enlightened, turns to inaction and not to teaching his doctrine." 10. Filled with anxiety Brahma Sahampati leftthe Brahma world and appeared before the Buddha. And arranging his upper robe on one shoulder he bent down and with clasped hands said: " Thou art no longer Siddharth Gautama, Thou art Buddha. Thou art the Blessed One who is blessed with the fullest enlightenment. Thou art the Tathagatha. How can thou refuse to enlighten the world ? How can thou refuse to save erring humanity? 11. " There are beings full of impurity that are falling away through not hearing the doctrine. 12. "As the Lord knows," proceeded Brahma Sahampati, " Among the Magadhas arose in ancient times, doctrine impure, with many blemishes devised. 13. " Will not the Lord open for them the door of his immortal doctrine ? 14. " As one upon a rocky mountain standing, beholdeth all the people round about him even thus, 0 thou, with wisdom distilled, ascending all, behold, look down, thou griefless one, upon those plunged in their griefs. 15. " Rise up, 0 hero, victor in battle, 0 caravan-leader, free from the debt of birth, go to the world and not turn away from it. 16. " May the Lord in his compassion design to teach his gospel to men and to gods" 17. "0 Brahma, Eminent and Excellent among men, if I did not give public utterance to my gospel, it is because I perceived vexation," was the reply of the Buddha. 18. Knowing that there was so much unhappiness in the world the Buddha realized that it was wrong for him to sit as a sanyasi with folded arms and allow things to remain as they were.
19. Asceticism he found to be useless. It was vain to attempt to escape from the world. There is no escape from the world even for an ascetic. He realised that what is necessary is not escape from the world. What is necessary is to change the world and to make it better.
20. He realised that be left the world because there was so much conflict resulting in misery and unhappiness and for which he knew no remedy. If he can banish misery and unhappiness from the world by the propagation of his doctrine, it was his duty to return to the world and serve it and not sit silent as the personification of inactive impassivity
21. The Buddha therefore agreed to the request of Brahma Sahampati and decided to preach his doctrine to the world.
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