SUTRA: Final words of the Buddha (DN 16)

Sister Vajira and Francis Story (trans), Maha-Parinibbana Sutta: "Last Days of the Buddha" (DN 16 PTS: D ii 72), 1998; Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Welfare of the Wandering Ascetic Order

6. Then, soon after Vassakara's departure, the Blessed One [the Buddha] addressed Venerable Ananda: "Go now, Ananda, and assemble in the main hall as many monastics as live around [the royal city of] Rajagaha."

"Very well, venerable sir." And Ven. Ananda did as requested and informed the Blessed One: "The monastic community is assembled, venerable sir. Let the Blessed One do as he wishes."

The Blessed One rose from his seat, went to the hall, took the seat prepared for him, and addressed those gathered:

"Seven conditions leading to welfare shall I set forth, meditators. Listen and pay heed to what I shall say."

"Indeed, venerable sir."

"The growth of the monastic community is to be expected, not its decline, meditators,

1. so long as they assemble frequently and in large numbers
2. [so long as they] meet and disperse peacefully and attend to the affairs of the Monastic Community (Sangha) in concord
3. so long as they appoint no new rules, and do not abolish the existing ones, but proceed in accordance with the Code of Training (Vinaya) laid down
4. so long as they show respect, honor, esteem, and veneration towards the elder meditators, those of long standing, long gone forth [as monastics], the fathers and leaders of the Monastic Community, and think it worthwhile to listen to them
5. so long as they do not come under the power of the craving that leads to fresh becoming [rebirth]
6. so long as they cherish the forest depths for their dwellings
7. so long as they establish themselves in mindfulness so that virtuous meditators of the Monastic Order who have not come yet might do so, and those already come might live in peace.

So long, meditators, as these seven conditions leading to welfare endure among the meditators and the meditators are known for it, their growth is to be expected, not their decline.

Siddhartha dwelled in the forest to awaken.

7. "Seven further conditions leading to welfare shall I set forth, meditators. Listen and pay heed to what I shall say."

"Indeed, venerable sir."

"The growth of the Monastic Community to be expected, not its decline, meditators,

1. so long as they do not delight in, are not pleased with, and are not fond of activities,
2. talk,
3. sleep, and
4. company [socializing]
5. so long as they do not harbor and do not come under the spell of harmful desires
6. have no bad friends, associates, or companions
7. and so long as they do not stop halfway on account of some trifling achievement,

So long, meditators, as these seven conditions leading to welfare endure among the meditators and the meditators are known for it, their growth is to be expected, not their decline.

Seven Good Qualities [6]

8. "Seven further conditions leading to welfare shall I set forth, meditators. Listen and pay heed to what I shall say."

"Indeed, venerable sir."

"The growth of the Monastic Community is to be expected, not their decline, meditators,

1. so long as they have faith [confidence, saddha]
2. so long as they have moral dread
3. and fear of misconduct,
4. are proficient in learning,
5. resolute,
6. mindful,
7. and wise.

"So long, meditators, as these seven conditions leading to welfare endure among the meditators, and the meditators are known for it, their growth is to be expected, not their decline.

Seven Factors of Enlightenment [7]

9. "Seven further conditions leading to welfare shall I set forth, medtiators. Listen and pay heed to what I shall say."

"Indeed, venerable sir."

"The growth of the Monastic Community is to be expected, not their decline, meditators, so long as they cultivate the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, that is:

1. mindfulness,
2. investigation of phenomena,
3. energy,
4. bliss,
5. tranquility,
6. concentration, and
7. equanimity.

"So long, meditators, as these seven conditions leading to welfare endure among the meditators, and the meditators are known for it, their growth is to be expected, not their decline.

Seven Perceptions

10. "Seven further conditions leading to welfare shall I set forth, meditators. Listen and pay heed to what I shall say."

"Indeed, venerable sir."

"The growth of the Monastic Community is to be expected, not their decline, meditators, so long as they cultivate the

1. perception of impermanence,
2. of egolessness [the impersonal nature of all things, particularly the Five Aggregates clung to as self],
3. of (the body's) impurity,
4. of (the body's) wretchedness,
5. of relinquishment,
6. of dispassion,
7. and of cessation.

"So long, meditators, as these seven conditions leading to welfare endure among the meditators, and the meditators are known for it, their growth is to be expected, not their decline.

Six Conditions to be Remembered [8]

11. "Six further conditions leading to welfare shall I set forth, meditators. Listen and pay heed to what I shall say."

"Indeed, venerable sir."

"The growth of the Monastic Community is to be expected, not their decline, meditators,

1. so long as they attend on each other with loving kindness in deed,
2. word,
3. and thought, both openly and in private
4. so long as in respect of what they receive as due offerings, even the contents of their alms bowls they do not make use of without sharing them with virtuous fellow members of the community
5. so long as, in company with their companions, they train themselves, openly and in private, in the rules of conduct (Patimokkha and Vinaya), which are complete and perfect, spotless and pure, liberating, praised by the wise, uninfluenced (by mundane concerns), and favorable to concentration [coherence] of mind
6. and in company with their companions, preserve, openly and in private, the insight [vipassana] that is noble and liberating, and leads one who acts upon it to the utter destruction of suffering.

"So long, meditators, as these six conditions leading to welfare endure among the meditators, and the meditators are known for it, their growth is to be expected, not their decline.

Counsel to the Wandering Ascetics

12. And the Blessed One, dwelling in Rajagaha, on the hill called Vultures' Peak, often gave counsel to the meditators:

"Such and such is virtue; such and such is concentration; and such and such is wisdom. [9]

"Great becomes the fruit, great is the gain of concentration [coherence, samadhi] when it is fully developed by virtuous conduct (sila); great becomes the fruit, great is the gain of wisdom when it is fully developed by concentration (samma-samadhi).

"Utterly freed from the taints [10] of lust, becoming, and ignorance is the mind (heart) that is fully developed in wisdom." More

What were the Buddha's last words?

Sister Vajira, Francis Story (trans.), Maha-Parinibbana Sutra: "Last Days of the Buddha" (accesstoinsight.org, DN 16) edited by Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Wisdom Quarterly

Part VI: Passing Away: The Buddha's final words

1. Now the Blessed One said, "Ananda, it may be that to some among you the thought will come: 'Ended is the word of the Teacher; we have a Teacher no longer.'

"But, Ananda, it should not be considered in this way. For what I have proclaimed and made known as the Doctrine and Discipline (Dhamma-Vinaya), that shall be your Teacher when I am gone [beyond].

2. "And, Ananda, though now the monastics address one another as 'friend,' let it not be so when I am not here. The senior monastics, Ananda, may address the junior ones by their name, their family name, or as 'friend,' but the junior ones should address the senior ones as 'venerable sir' or 'your reverence ' [Note 55].

3. "Ananda, when I am no longer here, if it is desired, the Sangha (Monastic Community) may abolish the lesser and minor rules [56].

4. "And, Ananda, when I am gone [beyond], let the higher punishment be imposed on the monk Channa" [57].

"But, venerable sir, what is the 'higher punishment'?"

"The monk Channa, Ananda, may say what he will, but the monastics should neither converse with him nor exhort him nor admonish him."

There were monastics and many more devas.

5. Then the Blessed One addressed the monastics, saying: "It may be, monastics, that one of you is in doubt or perplexity as to the Buddha, the Dharma, or the Sangha, the path or the practice. If that is so then raise a question, monastics! Do not feel remorse later with the thought, 'The Teacher was with us face to face, yet we failed to ask him.'"

6. But when this was said, the monastics were silent. And a second and a third time the Blessed One said to them, "It may be, monastics, that one of you is in doubt or perplexity as to the Buddha, the Dharma, or the Sangha, the path or the practice. If that is so then raise a question, monks! Do not feel remorse later on with the thought, 'The Teacher was with us face to face, yet we failed to ask him.'"

And for a second and a third time the monastics were silent. Then the Blessed One said to them, "Monastics, it may be out of respect for the Teacher that you ask no questions. Then, monastics, let friend communicate it to friend." Yet still the monastics were silent.

7. Then Ananda said to the Blessed One, "O, venerable sir, it is marvelous and most wonderful! This confidence I have in the community of monastics, that not even one monastic is in doubt or perplexity as to the Buddha, the Dharma, or the Sangha, the path or the practice."

"You speak out of confidence (faith), Ananda, but here the Tathagata knows for certain that among this community of monastics there is not even one monastic who is in doubt or perplexity as to the Buddha, the Dharma, or the Sangha, the path or the practice. For, Ananda, among this large number (500) even the lowest is a stream-enterer, secure from downfall, assured, and bound for enlightenment."

8. And the Blessed One addressed them, saying: "Behold now, monastics, I exhort you: All compounded things are hurtling toward destruction. Strive with earnestness!" [58]

This was the last word of the Tathagata (the Wayfarer, the One Arrived at Suchness, the Thus Come/Thus Gone One, the Buddha).

How the Buddha passed into final-nirvana

9. And the Blessed One entered the first absorption (jhana). Rising from the first absorption, he entered the second absorption. Rising from the second absorption, he entered the third absorption. Rising from the third absorption, he entered the fourth absorption. And rising out of the fourth absorption, he entered the sphere of boundless space (the fifth absorption). Rising from the attainment of the sphere of boundless space, he entered the sphere of boundless consciousness (sixth absorption). Rising from the attainment of the sphere of boundless consciousness, he entered the sphere of nothingness (seventh absorption). Rising from the attainment of the sphere of nothingness, he entered the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (eighth absorption). And rising out of the attainment of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, he attained to the extinction of perception and feeling.

10. Then Ananda commented, "Venerable Anuruddha, the Blessed One has passed away."

"No, friend Ananda, the Blessed One has not passed away. He has entered the state of the extinction of perception and feeling" [59].

Dimensional travel: all across the universe

11. Then the Blessed One, rising from the extinction of perception and feeling, entered the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. Rising from the attainment of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, he entered the sphere of nothingness. Rising from the attainment of the sphere of nothingness, he entered the sphere of boundless consciousness. Rising from the attainment of the sphere of boundless consciousness, he entered the sphere of boundless space. Rising from the attainment of the sphere of boundless space, he entered the fourth absorption. Rising from the fourth absorption, he entered the third absorption. Rising from the third absorption, he entered the second absorption. Rising from the second absorption, he entered the first absorption (jhana).

Rising from the first absorption, he entered the second absorption. Rising from the second absorption, he entered the third absorption. Rising from the third absorption, he entered the fourth absorption. And, rising from the fourth absorption, the Blessed One immediately passed into final nirvana.

The World's Echo

12. And when the Blessed One had passed into final nirvana, simultaneously there came a tremendous earthquake, hair raising and astounding, and thunder rolled across the skies. More

NOTES: 55. In Pali, "friend" is avuso, "venerable sir" = bhante, "your reverence" = ayasma.

56. Because Ananda, at this point, neglected to ask what the "minor" rules were, the Sangha decided not to abolish any of the rules of the Monastic Disciplinary Code (Vinaya).
57. Channa had been the Buddha's charioteer when he was still Prince Siddhartha in the palace in Shakya Land [Scythia]. Because of his prior connection with the Buddha, he was obstinate and refused to submit to discipline. This imposition of the "higher punishment" (brahmadanda, "supreme stick or cudgel") humbled him into a cooperative and unhaughty monastic.
58. Handa dani bhikkhave amantayami vo: Vayadhamma sankhara appamadena sampadetha. Earnestness (appamada) is explained as "presence of mindfulness." The Commentary explains, "'You should accomplish all your duties without allowing mindfulness to lapse!' Thus did the Blessed One, while on the bed of his final nirvana, summarize in that one word earnestness the advice he had given through 45 years [of his teaching ministry]."
59. Ven. Anuruddha, the elder brother of Ananda, knew this through the super-normal ability to read the minds of others he possessed.

Exploring the Word of the Buddha (audio)

Bhikkhu Bodhi (archive.org); Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Crystal Q., Wisdom Quarterly

The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A New Translation of the Majjhima Niakaya

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Exploring the Word of the Buddha: A Systematic Study of the Middle Length Discourses (Majjhima Nikaya) of the Buddha as taught by Bhikkhu Bodhi (1-58) II A: MP3.

• AUDIO: LISTEN NOW

In this audio series, the famous American Theravada Buddhist monk Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi translates the words of the Buddha and then systematically analyzes them for clarity in modern English to a Western audience interested in the actual teachings of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, Siddhartha Gautama.

The Buddha's last words (video)

Dhr. Seven, Eliza Darcey (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; Richard Gere (PBS); Maha-parinibbana Sutta: "Last Days of the Buddha" (DN 16), Chapters 1-6 trans. Sister Vajira and Francis Story

The Buddha reclining into final nirvana between sal trees in Kusinara (Yangon, Burmese)

"All conditioned phenomena are hurtling toward destruction; work out your liberation with diligence!" the Buddha said.

This short clip of a wonderful PBS movie on the Buddha and Buddhism twists and distorts many little details, but the story is good and strong. What did the historical Buddha actually say before passing into final nirvana? (The Buddha did not "die" because another "death" is always followed by another rebirth, and liberation from rebirth by full enlightenment is liberation or moksha, release, emancipation, deliverance, salvation, final freedom).
 

His last words and final instructions are recorded in a very long sutra called the "Great Final-Nirvana Discourse" (DN 16, Mahaparinibbana Sutra):

Massive statue of the Buddha reclining (not sleeping) between sal trees in Kusinara.

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61. Thereupon the Blessed One entered the hall of audience, and taking the seat prepared for him exhorted the monastics, saying: "Now, O monastics, I say to you that these teachings of which I have direct knowledge and which I have made known to you -- these thoroughly learn, cultivate, develop, and frequently practice that the purified-life [of a left-home renunciate] be established and long endure for the welfare and happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, well-being, and happiness of devas and human beings.

Part 3: Final teachings
62. "And what, monastics, are these teachings [these "things relating to enlightenment" or 37 Requisites of Enlightenment, the bodhipakkhiya-dhamma]? They are the:

• Four Foundations of Mindfulness
• Four Right Efforts
• Four Constituents of Psychic Power
• Five Faculties
• Five Powers
• Seven Factors of Enlightenment
• Noble Eightfold Path.

"These, monastics, are the teachings of which I have direct knowledge, which I have made known...for the benefit, well being, and happiness of devas and human beings."

63. Then the Blessed One said to them: "So, monastics, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to passing away. Strive with earnestness. The time of the Tathagata's final nirvana is near. Three months hence the Tathagata will utterly pass away."
 
64. And having spoken these words, the Happy One, the Teacher, spoke again, saying:

"My years are now full ripe;

The life span [kappa, kalpa] left is short.

Departing, I go hence from you,

relying on myself alone.

Be earnest, then, O monastics,
mindful, and of virtue pure!

With firm resolve, guard your heart/mind!

Whosoever untiringly pursues
this Dharma-and-Discipline

shall go beyond the Round of Rebirths

and thereby make an end of all suffering.
 

Part 5: Who honors the Buddha best?
5. And the Blessed One spoke to Venerable Ananda, saying: "Ananda, the twin sala trees are in full bloom even though it is not the flowering season. The blossoms rain upon the body of the Tathagata [the Wayfarer, the Buddha] and drop and scatter and are strewn upon it in honor of the Tathagata. Celestial coral [space] flowers and heavenly sandalwood powder from the sky rain down upon the body of the Tathagata, and drop and scatter and are strewn upon it in honor of the Tathagata. And the sound of heavenly voices and celestial instruments makes music in the air out of reverence for the Tathagata.
 
6. "Yet it is not in this way, Ananda, that the Tathagata is honored, respected, venerated, esteemed, or worshipped to the highest degree. But, Ananda, any monastic or layperson who abides by the Dharma, lives uprightly in the Dharma, walks according to the way of the Dharma -- it is by such a one that the Tathagata is  honored, respected, venerated, esteemed, and worshipped to the highest degree.

"Therefore, Ananda, train yourselves: 'We shall abide by the Dharma, live uprightly in the Dharma, walk according to the way of the Dharma.'" More

The story of the Buddha's RELICS (sutra/video)

Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Pat Macpherson, Ashley Wells, Wisdom Quarterly Wikipedia edit; Sister Vajira and Francis Story, trans. (DN 16); National Geographic ("Bones of Buddha" video)

Famous later stupa, Boudanath in a suburb of Kathmandu, Nepal (~anup dreamynomad).

There is a stupa in space, in the akasha deva loka, with a portion of the relics. It may look like Shitthuang Pagoda in the ruins of Mrauk U, Arakhine, Burma (Jon Sheer/Jraptor/flickr).

(National Geographic) "Bones of the Buddha" documentary on the discovery of one of the stupas or burial mounds (Buddhist reliquaries) in 1898 in British colonial India.

First Buddha image? Bimaran reliquary.

Do the jewels, relic bones, and ashes found in an Indian casket and tomb in 1898 mark the final resting place of the Buddha himself? Or was it all an elaborate hoax?

When Colonial estate manager William Peppe set his workers digging at a mysterious "hill" in Northern India in 1898, he had no idea what they would find. Over 20 feet down, they made an amazing discovery: a huge stone coffer containing reliquary urns, over 1000 separate jewels, and some ash and bone. One of the jars had an inscription that seemed to say that these were the remains of the Buddha himself.

Tour gathered relics for India

This seems to be a most extraordinary find in Indian archaeology. But doubt and scandal have hung over the amazing discovery for over 100 years.

For some, the whole thing is an elaborate hoax. For others, it is no less than the final resting place of the Maitreya/Messiah of one of the world's three great religions. For the doubters, suspicion focuses on...

The Shakyans (Scythians) had a vast territory in Central Asia along the Silk Route.

The Buddha Sakamuni of the Shakya clan was from Sakastan/Scythia north-west of "India."

 

The relics in the sutras

What's inside Buddhist burial domes?

KUSINARA, ancient India - After the Buddha's passing into final nirvana (parinirvana, complete liberation from rebirth and the end of all suffering), the body was cremated and the ashes/relics divided.

Originally the ashes were only going to go to the Sakya clan -- the Buddha's extended royal family in Afghanistan (Scythia) and northwestern "India." However, seven royal (kshatriya caste) families demanded the body relics.

To avoid fighting, a monk divided the relics into ten portions, eight from the body relics, one from the ashes of Buddha's cremation pyre, and one from the bucket used to divide the relics, according to the Mahaparinibbana Sutta (Long Discourses, DN 16).

After the Buddha's distribution the relics were enshrined and honored in royal burial mounds (reliquaries or stupas) by the royals of eight "countries" (janapadas, or "footholds of the clan," extended familial territories, republics and kingdoms before there was any "India") in this way -- one portion each to:

A royal Scythian burial

1. King Ajatasattu of Magadha [son of the Buddhist King Bimbisara],
2. the Licchavis of Vesali,
3. the Shakyas of Kapilavastu [Bamiyan according to maverick historian Dr. Ranajit Pal, Kabul, and Mes Aynak, modern Afganistan, west of modern India and Pakistan, ancient Gandhara, according to the fact that the sutras describe the Shakyas as having three capitals in their Great Territory or maha-janapada, according to original research at Wisdom Quarterly]
4. the Bulis of Allakappa
5. the Koliyas of Ramagrama
6. the Brahmin of Vethadipa [who made the partition of the relics and asked to keep one portion to honor with the building of a burial mound]
7. the Mallas of Pava
8. the Mallas of Kusinara [modern Kushinagar, the territory the Buddha purposely chose as a former great kingdom of the remote past, where he traveled by foot with Ven. Ananda to pass into final nirvana to avoid conflict or even war breaking out between competing kingdoms wishing to keep and honor the Buddha's remains and give them a special place of honor due to his great fame ("Asoka and the Buddha-Relics," ntu.edu.tw).
9. [the devas in the akasha deva loka, that is, in a world in space, presumably a nearby planet]
10. [uncertain but we will find out.]

Relics in Afghanistan

The world famous Buddhas of Bamiyan from faraway Scythia/Afghanistan (Azaranica).

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The CIA as the Taliban or ISIS destroys.

[Why would there be Buddhist relics in Islamic Afghanistan? It is because the Buddha was from the area before it was called Afghanistan. And as their beloved prince he renounced and became a wandering ascetic who went to India to become enlightened. But he returned to help and teach his extended family and friends the path to liberation from all suffering. The Shakyans remembered him and honored him and many Shakyans became monastic-practitioners or great supporters of the Sangha and Dharma helping it spread north and west before it moved out of India where it was taking root.

We suggest that it took hold in Afghanistan and agrarian nomadic Central Asia before it caught on in Brahmin/Vedic-dominated "Indian" states. The story is usually that the Teachings traveled up the Silk Route from India passing through the waddle and daub villages of backward no man's land west of the kingdoms of modern NW India. The fact is that the Buddha returned home seven years after his enlightenment but his grand reputation as a sage (muni) preceded him and his wife, Yasodhara/Bimba Devi, was already practicing as an ascetic as she had been since he left.]

What remained prior to detonation (Azaranica).

Sometime in the middle of the 5th century the Chinese pilgrim Daorong traveled to the Buddhist kingdom of Afghanistan visiting pilgrimage sites. In Nagaharahara was a piece of bone from the top of Buddha's skull four inches long. Also in the city was an enshrined staff and a jeweled reliquary containing some teeth and hair. A shadow was said to have been projected onto a rock wall, said to have belonged to the Buddha, as well as a set of foot prints and a site venerated for being where the Buddha washed his robe.

A temple (vihara) said to have been built by the Buddha is sinking into the ground here, with what is said to be his writing on the wall (John S. Strong, 2007, Relics of the Buddha, p. xiii). A tooth of the Buddha was kept in Baktra (Strong 2007, p. 182).

Bimaran casket reliquary placed in stone box.

In Bamiyan -- site of the destruction of the world's largest Buddha statues by the CIA/Taliban -- a tooth of the Buddha was stored along with the tooth of a cakravartin ("world monarch") ruler (), the two kinds of persons the Buddha said stupas were erected in remembrance of. An early masterpiece of the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara and one of the earliest representations of the Buddha is the golden Bimaran casket, which was discovered in a burial mound near Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan.

Although the casket bears an inscription saying it contained some of the relics of the Buddha, no relics were discovered when the box was opened (Senior 2008, pp. 25-27). [Presumably they were taken by tomb robbers who somehow left the more obviously valuable gold and jewel-encrusted urn or devas teleported them elsewhere for safety.] The Buddha's first followers, Trapusa and Bhallika, received eight strands of hair from him, which they brought back to their home town of Balkh and enshrined in a golden stupa by the gate (Strong 2007, pp. 73-74). These relics from the Buddha just weeks after his great enlightenment went on to serve as the basis for the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda of Burma, a massive stupa complex.

Famous Indian stupa or burial mound reliquary with ornate gate at Sanchi (flickr.com)

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Restoration of one of the great stupas, Sarnath outside of Varanasi (Benares)

Final Passing Into Nirvana Sutra

Sister Vajira and Francis Story, trans., Mahaparinibbana Sutta (DN 16)

Introduction: Of the 34 discourses (suttas or sutras) that make up the "Collection of Long Discourses" (Digha Nikaya), the 16th is the longest. It maintains first place where length is concerned.

• [It tells the story of "the Last Days of the Buddha" up to and beyond the final nirvana and what became of the monastic community (Sangha) and how the Buddha-Dharma was preserved and was transformed into a religion now called "Buddhism" by some prominent Brahmin monastics (like the enlightened elder Ven. Maha Kassapa), which never happened during the Buddha's life and dispensation, presumably by design as he was against religion, empty ritual, and the trappings of another -ism in the world.]

This discourse preserves the principal features of the Buddhist sutra insofar as it, like others, is a rehearsal of events that have been witnessed [by Ananda and/or others]. On account of its unique composition, however, it is, more than other sutra, capable not only of winning the affection of the confident Buddhist, as it naturally does, but also of attracting the general reader, because it is indeed a fine specimen of sacred universal literature.

The rolling the true wheel of the Dharma to a stupa in the foothills of the Himalayas.

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Buddha walking (Nippon_newfie/flickr)

It gives a good general idea of the Buddha's Teaching, the Dharma, too, even though it hardly offers anything that is not found -- and often more extensively dealt with -- in other sutras that are more oriented toward teaching Dharma.

 

At the end of his life, after almost half a century's ministry [45 years of teaching and causing the liberating Dharma to be spread far and wide across time and space, much farther and wider than can be fathomed, as a buddha's influence is one of the Four Imponderables], the Teacher had long since taught all that was necessary for attaining the ideal [enlightenment/liberation or bodhi/nirvana].

During the last period his primary concern, therefore, was to impress on his followers the necessity of unflinchingly putting into practice those teachings: an appeal that could, of course, hardly fail in stirring their hearts [minds] more than ever before.

The world's largest Buddha statue reclining into final nirvana remains unexcavated in the Buddha's homeland, modern Afghanistan, in a former capital at Bamiyan, ancient Scythia/Sakastan/Bactria (NatGeo).

 

The Sangha [both the monastic (communities of monks and nuns known as the Bhikkhu and Bhikkhuni Sanghas) and the more important "community" of enlightened/noble disciples or Arya Sangha] came, indeed, to witness the greatest event in its history, and was keenly aware of it, especially since the Teacher had announced his Parinibbana three months ahead.

The impression on the monastics who flocked to him in large numbers as he was pressing northward was tremendous and could not fail to be reflected vividly in the oral account. (The Buddhist canon was originally, as is well known, completely part of an oral rather than written tradition). Because of its particular import and abundance, this material was soon formed into one body, and so this long sutra came to be. More

• See the Buddha's relics Sept. 7, 2015, Lu Mountain, L.A.
• Marking Buddhist Observance Day by the Moon
• What is the Buddhist "Moonday" (uposatha)?

A Scythian, royal kshatriya, burial with finery and ornate gold like the Shakyas (NatGeo).

Speak to Improve on Silence

Wisdom Quarterly edit of Wikipedia entry "Noble Silence"

Do not speak unless such speech improves on silence (Hulpy Carmen Haessler/Flickr.com)

  

"Noble silence" is a term attributed to the Buddha for his reported responses to certain questions about reality.

 

Reality can be known, seen, and experienced. But it is not always possible to represent it accurately or even well with language.
  
Sometimes language gets in the way and increases misunderstanding.
  
On various occasions when asked by Ananda why he did not answer a brahmin or ascetic, the Buddha explained. It was a linguistic or logical trap; to give any answer would only confuse the questioner who was holding detrimental assumptions.
  
The kindest thing to do in such cases, even if it made the Buddha look bad or angered his would-be debaters, was to maintain noble silence. (This sometimes served to bring the interlocutor around to seeing the shortsightedness of those assumptions).

On another occasion, the Buddha was unable to reconcile two disputing factions of Buddhist monastics. Rather than argue with them, he simply retreated into the Parileyyka Forest. This eventually brought them to their senses.
   

In various instances the Buddha was asked 14  unanswerable questions.

  

In similar situations he often responded to polemical descriptions of reality by saying that BOTH antithetical options presented to him for debate were inappropriate.

  

This does not indicate misology or disdain for philosophy on the Buddha's part.

  

Rather, it indicates that he viewed these questions as not conducive to enlightenment, liberation from suffering. They do not lead to true knowledge.

  

Dependent origination -- an insight meditation practice not a philosophical explanation -- is thought to be one of the Buddha's great contributions to philosophy. It provides a framework for the analysis (deconstruction) of reality that is not based on metaphysical assumptions regarding existence or non-existence.

  

Instead, it is based on direct apprehension of conditional phenomena as they are presented to the mind/heart. This informs and supports the Buddhist approach to liberation through virtue, concentration (stilling the mind), and meditative training collectively known as the Noble Eightfold Path.

  

So there is no need to speak of the ultimate truth when it is directly visible to the practitioner who puts into effect the teachings of the Buddha rather than discussing them endlessly. One improvement on silence, therefore, might go like this:

No one saves us but ourselves

No one can and no one may

We ourselves must tread the Path 
Buddhas only point the way

The Buddha's Last Disciple

Mahaparinibbana Sutra ("Great Final Passing Discourse")

KUSHINAGAR, ancient India - The Buddha had decided to enter nirvana (without-remainder) near a podunk town. Ananda, who was already distraught, could hardly believe it. But the Buddha explained that in the distant past the area had been a significant site for previous buddhas. Moreover, it was in territory no kingdom could outright claim to the exclusion and consternation of others. Before passing, the Buddha answered one final question.

Last Days of the Buddha

Sister Vajira & Francis Story (DN 16) edited by Wisdom Quarterly

51. Now at that time a wandering ascetic named Subhadda was dwelling at Kusinara. And Subhadda the wandering ascetic heard it said: "Today in the third watch of the night, the final passing (parinirvana) of the ascetic Gautama will take place."

52. And the thought arose in him: "I have heard it said by old and venerable wandering ascetics, teachers of teachers, that the arising of Wayfarers (tathagathas), Liberated Ones (arhants), Fully Enlightened Teachers (buddhas) is rare in the world. Yet this very day, in the last watch of the night, the final passing of the ascetic Gautama will take place. Now there is in me a doubt. But to this extent I have faith in the ascetic Gautama -- that he could so teach me the Dharma so as to remove that doubt."

53. Then the wandering ascetic Subhadda went to the Sal tree grove, the pleasure park of the Mallas, and drew near to the [sad and preoccupied] Ven. Ananda, and told him his thought, saying: "Friend Ananda, it would be good if I could be allowed into the presence of the ascetic Gautama."

54. But Ven. Ananda answered him, saying: "Enough, friend Subhadda! Do not trouble the Wayfarer. The Blessed One is weary."

55-56. Yet a second and a third time the wandering ascetic Subhadda made his request, and a second and a third time Ven. Ananda refused him.

57. The Buddha heard the talk between them, and he called Ven. Ananda and said: "Stop, Ananda! Do not refuse Subhadda. Ananda, Subhadda may be allowed into the presence of the Wayfarer. For whatever he will ask me, he will ask for the sake of knowledge, not as an offense. And the answer I give him he will readily understand."

When the Buddha was passing from the danger of samsara to the blissful peace of nirvana with devas and the Sangha on hand

58. Then Ven. Ananda said to the wandering ascetic Subhadda: "Go then, friend Subhadda, the Blessed One gives you leave."

59. The wandering ascetic Subhadda approached the Buddha, saluted him courteously, and having exchanged with him pleasant and civil greetings, he seated himself respectfully at one side, saying: "There are, Ven. Gautama, wandering ascetics and brahmin priests who are heads of great companies of disciples, who have large retinues, who are leaders of schools, well known and renowned, held in high esteem by the multitude, such the teachers

• Purana Kassapa
• Makkhali Gosala
• Ajita Kesakambali
• Pakudha Kaccayana
• Sañjaya Belatthaputta
• Nigantha Nataputta [Mahavira, the founder of Jainism].

Have all of these attained realization, as each of them would have it believed, or has none of them, or is it that some have attained realization and others not?"

60. "Enough, Subhadda! Let it be as it may, whether all of them have attained realization, as each of them would have it believed, or whether none of them has, or whether some have attained realization and others not. I will teach you the Dharma, Subhadda; listen and heed it well, and I will speak."

"So be it, venerable sir."

The Buddha's Lion's Roar
61. And the Buddha spoke, saying: "In whatsoever teaching (dharma) and discipline, Subhadda, there is not found the Noble Eightfold Path, neither is there found a true wandering ascetic of the first, second, third, or fourth degree of enlightenment (saintliness).

But in whatsoever dharma and discipline there is found the Noble Eightfold Path, there is found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness.

Now in this Dharma and Discipline, Subhadda, is found the Noble Eightfold Path. And in it alone are also found true ascetics of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of enlightenment.

Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the recluses live rightly, the world will not be destitute of saints.

62. "In age but 29 was I, Subhadda,
When I renounced the world to seek the Good;
Fifty-one years have passed since then, Subhadda,
And in all that time a wanderer have I been
In the domain of virtue and of truth,
And except therein, there is no saint
(of the first degree).

Siddhartha renouncing the world at age 29 with his charioteer Channa and his beloved white stallion Kanthaka on the outskirts of the Shakyan territory (ancient northwest Indian frontier).

"And there is none of the second degree, nor of the third degree, nor of the fourth degree of saintliness. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the recluses live rightly, the world will not be destitute of saints."

63. When this was said, the wandering ascetic Subhadda spoke to the Buddha, saying: "Excellent, O venerable sir, most excellent, O venerable sir! It is as if, venerable sir, one were to set upright what had been overthrown, or to reveal what had been hidden, or to show the path to one who had gone astray, or to light a lamp in the darkness so that those with eyes might see -- even so has the Blessed One set forth the Dharma in many ways [suggesting he must have said more than is recorded here]. And so, O venerable sir, I go for guidance (sarana) to the Blessed One, the Dharma, and the Community of wandering ascetics. May I receive from the Blessed One admission to the Community and also the higher ordination."

64. "Whoever, Subhadda, having been formerly a follower of another creed (dharma or teaching), wishes to receive admission and higher ordination in this Dharma and Discipline, remains on probation for a period of four months. At the end of those four months, if the recluses are satisfied with him, they grant him admission and higher ordination as a recluse. Yet in this matter I recognize differences among people."

65. "I... will remain on probation for a period of four years. And at the end of those four years, if the recluses are satisfied with me, let them grant me admission and higher ordination as a recluse."

66. But the Buddha called Ven. Ananda and said to him: "Ananda, let Subhadda be given admission into the Community." Ven. Ananda replied: "So be it, venerable sir."

67. Then the wandering ascetic Subhadda said to Ven. Ananda: "It is a gain to you, friend Ananda, a blessing, that in the presence of the Buddha himself you have received the sprinkling of ordination as a disciple."

68. So it came about that the wandering ascetic Subhadda, in the presence of the Buddha, received admission and higher ordination. And from the time of his ordination Ven. Subhadda remained alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, and resolute [determined to reach the ultimate goal].

And before long he attained to the goal for which a worthy person goes forth rightly from the household life into homelessness, the supreme goal of the monastic life. And having by himself realized it with higher knowledge, he dwelt in it. He knew, "Destroyed is birth; the higher life is fulfilled; nothing more is to be done, and beyond this nothing more remains." Ven. Subhadda became yet another among the saints, the last disciple liberated by the Buddha himself. More