Buddhist Philosophy - Essential Readings - Khamkoo -

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 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. Buddhist Philosophy - Essential Readings - Khamkoo

: The path to enlightenment is not forced; it is a choice born from individual meditation on the nature of suffering. This effortful struggle, known as the , is

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". The Buddha replied that by releasing the fish,