[Buddha-l] Question

[Erik Hoogcarspel]

Ngawang Dorje schreef:

> Hi,
>  
> I aske this question because this is one of the excuses iven by many 
> authors in explaining Gotama's renunciation.
>  
> I wanted to know whether it is historically correct? Is the concept of 
> four asrama pre-Buddhist? I have read somewhere that there used to be 
> only three, instead of four.
>  
> Thanks,
> Rahula

There is evindence that soem people had concern about the future: if every young intellectual would follow the Buddha and become a monk there would be no one to rule the country and the country would fall into the hands of the Republicans. Traditionally a householder could only leave for the forest after  he had seen his grandchild. It's not certain however how accepted this model was in the time of the Buddha.

Erik


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