The Buddha performed His duties systematically in accordance with a pre-arranged plan.  The whole day He was fully occupied with His religious work, except when He was attending to His essential physical needs. Though, on several occasions, He delivered discourses that tend to worldly happiness, His main concern was the moral upliftment of the people. Himself enlightened, He endeavoured His best to enlighten others.

His day was divided into five parts - namely,

I. the Forenoon Session,
II. the Afternoon Session,
III. the First Watch,
IV. the Middle Watch and
V. the Last Watch.
 

The Forenoon Session

Usually early in the morning He surveys the world with His Divine Eye to see whom He could help. If any person needs his assistance, uninvited He goes - on foot, as a rule, otherwise according to circumstances, exercising His psychic powers - and leads him or her on the right path. He went in search of the vicious and the impure; the virtuous and the pure came in search of Him.  Rendering any such spiritual service to whom so ever it is necessary, He proceeds on his alms-round, if He is not invited to any particular place, either alone or with the Bhikkhus. Before midday He finishes His meal.

Immediately after the meal He delivers a short discourse to the people, establishes them in the Three Refuges and the Five Precepts, and if the persons are spiritually matured, they are shown the Path to Sainthood. At times He grants ordination if there are candidates for the Order.  He then retires to the monastery.
 

The Afternoon Session

After the noon meal He takes a seat in the monastery when Bhikkhus assemble to listen to His exposition of the Dhamma. Some get objects of meditation according to their temperaments and retire to congenial places. Others pay their due respects to Him and retire to their chambers to spend the afternoon.

Having exhorted the disciples thus, He himself retires to His private ‘Perfumed Chamber’ to rest. It He so desires, He lies to His right side and sleeps for a while with mindfulness. On rising He attains to the Ecstasy of Great Compassion - Maha Karuna Samapatti and surveys with His Divine Eye the world, especially the Bhikkhus who retired to solitude for meditation, and others in order to give them any spiritual advice that is needed. If the erring ones that need advice happen to be at a distance, there He goes by His psychic powers, advises them and then retires to His chamber.

Towards evening the lay followers flock to Him to hear the Dhamma. Perceiving their innate tendencies and their temperaments with the Buddha-Eye, He preaches to them for about one hour.’  Each member of the audience, though differently constituted, thinks that the Buddha’s sermon is directed particularly to him. Such was the Buddha’s method of exposition of the Dhamma.

As a rule the Buddha converts others chiefly by expounding the Dhamma, for He appeals more to the intellect than to emotion.  The Buddha advises the seekers of Truth not to accept anything merely on the authority of another, but to exercise their own reasoning and judge for themselves whether anything is right or wrong.

On one occasion the Kalamas of Kessaputta approached the Buddha, and said that many ascetics and Brahmins who came to preach to them used to exalt their own doctrines and denounce the doctrines of others, and that they were at a loss to understand who of those worthies were speaking the truth and who were not.

“Yes, O Kalamas, it is right for you to doubt, it is right for you to waver. In a doubtful matter wavering has arisen.”

Thus remarked the Buddha and gave them the following advice, which applies with equal force to the modern rationalists as it did to those sceptic Brahmins of yore. “Come, O Kalamas!

Do not accept anything on (mere) hearsay. Do not accept anything on mere tradition. Do not accept anything on account of rumours. Do not accept anything just because it accords with your scriptures. Do not accept anything by mere supposition.  Do not accept anything by merely considering the reasons. Do not accept anything merely because it agrees with your preconceived notions. Do not accept anything merely because it seems acceptable. Do not accept anything thinking that the ascetic is respected by us.”

“But, Kalamas, when you know for yourselves - These things are immoral; these things are blame-worthy; these things are censured by the wise; these things when  performed and  undertaken, conduce to ruin and sorrow - then indeed do you reject them.”

“When, Kalamas, you know for yourselves - These things are moral; these things are blameless; these things are praised by the wise; these things when performed  and  undertaken,  conduce to well-being and happiness - then do you live acting accordingly.”

These words of the Buddha, uttered some 2500 years ago, still retain their original force and freshness.

On rare occasions, as in the case of Angulimala, Khema and others, the Buddha resorts to His psychic powers.

The sublime Teachings of the Buddha appealed to all alike. There was milk for the babe and meat for the strong in His rational teachings. Both rich and poor, high and low renounced their former faiths and embraced the new Message of Peace.  The infant Sasana which began with five ascetics soon developed into millions and  peacefully spread throughout central India.
 

The First Watch

This period of the night extends from 6 to 10, and is exclusively reserved for Bhikkhus. It is during this period that Bhikkhus get their doubts cleared question the Buddha on the intricacies of the Dhamma, obtain suitable objects of meditation, and hear the Dhamma from the Buddha.
 

The Middle Watch

During this period which extends from 10 p.m.  to 2 a.m., Celestial Beings such as Devas and Brahmas, who are invisible to ordinary human beings, approach the Buddha to question Him on the Dhamma. Several such discourses and answers given to their queries appear mostly in the Samyutta Nikaya.
 

The Last Watch

The small hours of the morning extending from 2 to 6, which comprise the last watch, are divided into four parts.

The first part is devoted to pacing up and down (Cankamana). This serves as a mild physical exercise to him. During the second part (3 to 4), mindfully He sleeps  lying to the  right  side.  Throughout the third part (4 to 5) He attains the Fruit of Arahantship and enjoys Nibbanic Bliss.  The last hdur (5 to 6) He spends in attaining to the Ecstasy of Great Compassion - Maha Karuna Samapatti.

At this early hour He radiates thoughts of Loving-Kindness towards all beings and surveys the world with His Buddha-Eye to see whether He could be of service to any. If there be any worthy case, He goes of His own accord and gives the necessary spiritual assistance.

The whole day He is occupied with His religious activities. He sleeps only for one hour a day at night. For two solid hours in the noon and at dawn He pervades the whole world with thoughts of Metta - Loving-Kindness. He seeks His own food without inconveniencing any. Leading a life of voluntary poverty, begging His food from door to door, wandering from place to place for eight months throughout the year. He tirelessly worked in the foregoing manner till His eightieth year.