For the first seven days after the Awakening the Buddha sits motionless beneath the Bodhi tree, enjoying the bliss of liberation. The Pali Vinaya places the three opening verses of the Udāna within these seven days. Taishō Canon
Pali Canon
More sources (1)
Different Accounts
The Chinese and Tibetan Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya say that during these seven days two sons of Brahmā (gods of the Brahmā realm) came before the tree and spoke verses, entreating the Buddha in advance to teach; the Buddha biography Zhongxu mohedi jing agrees, while the Pali canon of the Southern tradition has no such passage.
More differences between accounts (2)
The Chinese Mahīśāsaka Vinaya places the mountain spirit's offering of myrobalan fruit (a medicinal fruit) before the first seven days; all other accounts place it after the merchants' offering of food.
The Buddha biography Fangguang da zhuangyan jing and the later commentaries of the Southern tradition arrange the places of the following weeks differently.
Dating
Year 1 after the Awakening, the Buddha aged thirty-five, before the , days 1 to 7 after the Awakening; the “seven days” are stated in the canonical text, and the event is known only to fall within those seven days.
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Research Notes: Reliability, Dating and Sources
- How Reliability Is Assessed
Recorded by four schools: the Pali canon of the Southern tradition, the Chinese Dharmaguptaka Vinaya (Sifen lü), the Chinese Mahīśāsaka Vinaya (Wufen lü) and the Chinese Saṅghabhedavastu of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya. Attested across multiple schools.
- Dating Evidence and Precision
Stated in the canonical text (the text itself gives the time). Time precision: approximate range.
Sources
- Pali Canon巴利律 Kd 1:1.1.2
- Pali Canon巴利 Ud 1.1:1.3
- 大正藏大正藏 T22 no.1428 p.781c
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1450 p.124c–125a
- 大正藏大正藏 T22 no.1421 p.103a
- 藏譯（德格版）德格版 D1 nga 34b7–35a6
- 大正藏大正藏 T03 no.191 p.951a
- 藏譯（德格版）德格版 D1 nga 34b6–35a5