Last Days of the Buddha (excerpt)

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?

  

"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

The Blessed One's Prompting

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