Buddhist Philosophy - Essential Readings - Khamkoo -

The Buddhist philosophical tradition is vast, internally diverse, and comprises texts written in a variety of canonical languages. Amazon.com

amazon.com/Buddhist-Philosophy-Essential-William-Edelglass/dp/0195328167">Essential Readings ? Buddhist Philosophy: Essential Readings - Amazon.com

For the next several eons, the being who would become the Buddha practiced —doing more than duty requires. He did not just learn the Ten Perfections (such as giving, morality, and patience); he "mastered them forwards and backwards". Buddhist Philosophy - Essential Readings - Khamkoo

: The fisherman asked what he would gain by losing his prize. The Buddha replied that by releasing the fish, he would "free himself from greed and attachment," a reward far greater than any gold.

: The path to enlightenment is not forced; it is a choice born from individual meditation on the nature of suffering. He did not just learn the Ten Perfections

When the Buddha finally began to teach, he utilized ( upāya ), recognizing that every individual has a different "capacity for truth". His teachings often followed a three-tiered approach: Pariyatti : Learning the theoretical Dhamma (teachings).

This effortful struggle, known as the , is what eventually allowed him to claim his seat under the Bo-tree. When challenged by the demon Mara, the Buddha did not rely on a god; he relied on the "effort of his many past lives" and the perfection of his own knowledge. The Pedagogy of the Middle Way : The path to enlightenment is not forced;

: He taught that even his own teachings are like a raft used to cross a turbulent river. Once you reach the other shore, you must let the raft go; you do not carry it on your back forever.