Sister Vajira, Francis Story, Last Days of the Buddha (DN 16 excerpt); Wisdom Quarterly edit
1. Thus have I heard. Once the Buddha [Note 1] was dwelling at Rajagaha, on the hill called Vultures' Peak...
The Buddha's Deadly Illness
27. At that time the Buddha spoke to the recluses: "Go now, recluses, and seek dwellings
anywhere in the neighborhood of Vesali where you are welcome, among
acquaintances and friends. Spend the rainy season there. As for me, I
shall spend the rainy season in this very place, the village of
Beluva."
"So be it, O venerable sir," they replied.
28. But when
the Buddha had entered upon the rainy season, there arose in him a
severe illness, and sharp and deadly pains came upon him. He endured them mindfully, clearly comprehending, and
unperturbed.
29. Then it occurred to him: "It would not be fitting if I came to my final passing away
without addressing those who attended on me, without taking leave of
the community of monastics. Then let me suppress this illness by will, resolve to maintain the life process, and live on."
30. He did so, and it came about that the Blessed One's
illness was allayed.
31. The Blessed One
recovered from that illness. And soon after his recovery he came out and sat down in the shade of the building on a
seat prepared for him. Then Ananda approached the Buddha, respectfully greeted him, and sitting down at one side, said: "Fortunate it is for me, O venerable sir, to see the
Blessed One at ease again! Fortunate it is for me, O venerable sir, to see the
Blessed One recovered! For truly, sir, when I saw the Blessed One's
sickness it was as though my own body became weak as a creeper, everything around became dim to me, and my senses failed me. Yet, sir, I
still had some little comfort in the thought that the Blessed One would
not come to his final passing away until he had given some last
instructions respecting the community of monastics."
32. Thus spoke Ananda, but
the Buddha answered him, saying: "What more does the community of
monastics expect from me, Ananda? I have set forth the Dharma without
making any distinction of esoteric and exoteric doctrine [holding nothing back, no secret doctrine]. There is
nothing, Ananda, with regard to the teachings that the Tathagata holds
to the last with the closed fist of a teacher who keeps some things
back.
Whosoever may think to lead the community of monastics, or that the community depends on so and so, it is such a person who would have to give last instructions respecting them. But, Ananda, the Tathagata has no such idea as that it is he who should lead the community of monastics, or that the community depends on him. So what instructions should he have to give respecting the community of monastics?
Whosoever may think to lead the community of monastics, or that the community depends on so and so, it is such a person who would have to give last instructions respecting them. But, Ananda, the Tathagata has no such idea as that it is he who should lead the community of monastics, or that the community depends on him. So what instructions should he have to give respecting the community of monastics?
"Now I am frail, Ananda, old, aged, far gone in years. This is my
eightieth year, and my life is spent. Even as an old cart, Ananda, is
held together with much difficulty, so the body of the Tathagata is kept
going only with supports. It is, Ananda, only when the Tathagata,
disregarding external objects, with the cessation of certain feelings,
attains to and abides in the signless concentration of mind [taking no object, no nimitta, no counterpart sign] [19], that his body is more comfortable.
33. "Therefore,
Ananda, be lamps unto yourselves, guides unto yourselves, seeking no
external guides, with the Dharma as your lamp, the Dharma as your
guide, seeking no other guide.
"And how, Ananda, is one a lamp unto oneself, a guide unto
oneself, seeking no external guide, with the Dharma as one's guide, the
Dharma as one's guide, seeking no other guide?
34. "When one dwells
contemplating the body in the body, earnestly, clearly comprehending,
and mindfully, after having overcome yearning and dismay with regard to the
world, when one dwells contemplating sensations in sensations, the mind in
the mind, and mental objects in mental objects, earnestly, clearly
comprehending, and mindfully, after having overcome yearning and dismay with regard to the world, then, truly, one is a lamp unto oneself, a guide unto oneself, seeking no external guide, having the Dharma as
one's lamp, the Dharma as one's guide, seeking no other guide.
35. "Those monastic disciples of mine,
Ananda, who now or after I am gone, abide as lamps unto themselves,
as guides unto themselves, seeking no other guide, having the Dharma
as their lamp and guide, seeking no other guide, it is they who will
become the highest [20] if they have the desire to learn."
Part Three: Relinquishing the Will to Live
1. Then the Buddha, getting
ready in the forenoon, took bowl and robe and went into Vesali for
alms. After the alms round and meal, on his return, he spoke to Ananda, saying: "Take up a mat, Ananda, and let us spend the
day at the Capala shrine."
"So be it, venerable sir." And Ananda took up a mat and followed step by step.
2. The Buddha went to
the Capala shrine and sat down on the seat prepared for him. And when Ananda had seated himself to one side after he had
respectfully saluted, the Buddha said to him: "Pleasant,
Ananda, is Vesali; pleasant are the shrines of Udena, Gotamaka, Sattambaka, Bahuputta, Sarandada, and Capala."
3. "Whosoever, Ananda, has developed, practiced, employed, strengthened,
maintained, scrutinized, and brought to perfection the four bases [constituents]
of psychic power could, if he so desired, remain throughout a
normal lifespan [kappa] or until the end of it. [21]
The Tathagata, Ananda, has done so. Therefore the Tathagata could, if
he so desired, remain a lifespan [which at that time was 120 years] or until the end of it."
4. But Ananda was
unable to grasp the plain suggestion, the significant prompting, given
by the Blessed One. As though his mind was influenced by Mara [22], he did not beseech the Buddha: "May the Blessed One remain, O venerable sir! May the Happy One remain, O venerable sir, for a lifespan,
for the welfare and happiness of the many, out of compassion for
the world, for the benefit, well being, and happiness of devas and humans!"
5. When for a second and third time the Buddha repeated his words, Ananda remained silent.
6. Then the Buddha said: "Go now, Ananda, and do as seems fit to you."
"Even so, venerable sir." And Ananda, rising from his seat,
respectfully saluted, and keeping his right side towards
him, took his seat under a tree some distance away.
Mara's Appeal
7. And when Ananda had gone away, Mara, the Evil One [Namuci], approached the
Buddha. And standing to one side he said: "Now, O venerable sir, let the Blessed One come to his final passing
away; let the Happy One utterly pass away! The time has come for the
final nirvana of the venerable one.
"For the Blessed One, O venerable sir, spoke these words to me: 'I shall not
come to my final passing away, Evil One, until my monks and
nuns, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples -- wise,
well disciplined, apt and learned, preservers of the Dharma, living
according to the Dharma, abiding by the appropriate conduct, and having
learned the Master's word, are able to expound it, preach it, proclaim
it, establish it, reveal it, explain it in detail, and make it clear,
until, when adverse opinions arise, they shall be able to refute them
thoroughly and well, and to preach this convincing and liberating
Dharma.' [23]
8. "Now, O venerable sir, monks and nuns, laymen and laywomen, have become the Blessed One's
disciples in just this way. So, O venerable sir, let the Blessed One come to his
final passing away! The time has come for the final nirvana of the Venerable One.
"For the Blessed One, O venerable sir, spoke these words to me: 'I shall not
come to my final passing away, Evil One, until this supreme life taught by
me has become successful, prosperous, far-renowned, popular, and
widespread, until it is well proclaimed among devas and humans.' And this
too has come to pass in just this way. So, O venerable sir, let the Blessed One
come to his final passing away, let the Happy One utterly pass away! The
time has come for the final nirvana of the Venerable One."
The Blessed One Relinquishes Will to Live
9. When this was said, the
Buddha said to Mara, the Evil One: "Do not trouble
yourself, Evil One. Before long the final nirvana of the Tathagata will
come about. Three months hence the Tathagata will utterly pass away." More
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