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
amazon.com/Buddhist-Philosophy-Essential-William-Edelglass/dp/0195328167">Essential Readings ? Buddhist Philosophy: Essential Readings - Amazon.com Buddhist Philosophy - Essential Readings - Khamkoo
: Gaining enlightenment through direct, personal experience. The Lesson of the Golden Fish This effortful struggle, known as the , is
The Buddhist philosophical tradition is vast, internally diverse, and comprises texts written in a variety of canonical languages. Amazon.com Buddhist Philosophy: Essential Readings - Amazon
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".